Parents Night Parade – Oct 2025

3045 Army Cadet Corps held its first Parents Night Parade of the 2025-2026 Training Year on October 23.  Parents, guardians, & community members were invited to recognize & congratulate the cadets’ achievements since the beginning of the training year.  Awards, badges, and promotions were given.  Announcements for upcoming events were also made.  This parade was extra special because a captain from the Regional Cadet Support Unit (RCSU) Northwest (NW) was in attendance.  RCSU NW staff periodically visit the corps to see how things are going and help corps administration.  The corps is Canada’s most northern cadet corps.

The cadets & I spent a few weeks preparing for the parade by reviewing drill and working on our dress uniforms & parade boots.  We were ready to go on the day of the parade.  We converted the school gym into a parade square with flags, chairs, tables, sound system, and snacks.  The cadet parade commander took roll call (attendance) and sized the cadets in ranks.  We waited for the audience to find their seats.  The parade began at 6:30pm.

The flag party marched out and placed the Canadian & cadet flags on both sides of the awards table, marched out, and then joined the cadet platoon.  The parade commander marched the platoon into the centre of the gym.  I escorted the captain to the front and he received the general salute.  This was followed by the playing of the national anthem.  The parade commander escorted the captain through the ranks for inspection.  While this was happening, I welcomed everyone to the parade and gave a short biography of the visiting captain.  The cadets did a March Past.  I then invited the captain to address the cadets & audience.  He gave a short congratulatory & motivational speech.

Level 3 Marksmen.

The captain helped me with awards.  I began with physical fitness, calling up three cadets who earned badges.  One earned bronze, another earned silver, and the third received gold.  I then moved to marksmanship.  The corps’ marksmanship program is very active and eight cadets earned levels.  One cadet achieved Level 1, two cadets earned Level 2, four cadets earned Level 3, and one cadet achieved Level 4.  Level 4 is the highest, also known as Distinguished Marksman.

The next two cadets to be called up were the ones who won year-end awards at last training year’s Annual Ceremonial Review (ACR) Parade in May (2025).  Their name plates arrived and I wanted them to paste them on the plaques & trophy.  One cadet won Most Improved Cadet and the other won Best Boots & Deportment, and Top Cadet. 

The last part of the awards section were cadet promotions.  This time we had four junior rank promotions and two senior rank promotions.  Four Lance Corporals were promoted to Corporal, and two Master Corporals were promoted to Sergeant.  The two new sergeants received red sashes to wear on their dress uniforms.  Senior cadets are allowed to wear red sashes because the corps is affiliated with the Royal Regiment of Canada, based in Toronto, Ontario.

The captain briefly took over the parade to present the King Charles III Coronation Medal to me “in recognition of your valuable contribution to your country.”  I was honoured to receive the medal.  It’s also my first one as a military officer.  I am one of 4,000 Canadian Armed Forces members who received this medal.  Thank you RCSU NW for nominating me!  I thanked the captain and everyone in attendance for their support.

The parade concluded with an Advance In Review Order, General Salute, and the playing of God Save The King.  The captain & I marched out of the gym, and the parade commander dismissed the cadets.  The parade had ended. 

A corps group photo was taken and then we all went to reception.  Reception lasted around 30 minutes.  The cadets & I cleaned the gym and put everything away.  The captain & I held a quick debriefing and then dismissed the cadets for the remainder of the evening.