Cadence Vol 22

IN THIS ISSUE

13 The challenges of ‘homelessness’ Six officers talk about their challenges, coping techniques, hopes and possible solutions to homelessness.

17 Finding accommodation Craig Hawkins 18 Accommodation costs Access to military facilities is the ideal.

19 Proceed with caution

20 Sea cadets use new training ships Cadets and CIC officers climbed aboard the first new Patrol Craft Training ship—Orca—during the annual seamanship concentration in March. Eight new PCTs are replacing the wooden-hulled Yard Auxiliary General vessels that have been used for training for more than 50 years.

When trying to solve accommodation problems, take care.

Terry Whitty 26 Training delayed, but worth the wait What’s good about the delay in rolling out the updated first-year local and summer training programs?

27 Summer training more holistic Look for standard course lengths, training days, periods in a day and minutes in a period when updated training begins in summer 2009.

28 Summer training—sea The new focus will be fun!

29 Summer training—army Expedition fully integrated into updated summer training.

Capt Rick Butson 30 Summer training—air Helping cadets explore.

31 The new CF leadership doctrine and you Capt Darin McRae 32 Meeting the legal standard of care What can you do to manage legal risks and avoid potential legal responsibility?

Nathalie Richard

22 Running a happy supply shop A local officer shares some pointers for keeping your supply shop in perfect running order. Check his tips for keeping tabs on inventory, keeping up with administration and more. OCdt Eric Coomber

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35 CF recruiting campaign includes CIC officers CIC recruiting at Canadian National Exhibition and more

Capt Chantal Durepos and Capt Sonia Nadeau 36 Unpaid reservists not “deemed on duty” Policy change means unpaid reservists are no longer “deemed on duty” while supporting the Cadet Program.

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

UPCOMING

10 FRONT COVER ‘Homeless’ Countless corps and squadrons in Canada are virtually ‘homeless’— having no permanent headquarters and moving from location to location to parade in temporary spaces and operate without suitable classrooms, office or storage space. Officers literally run their units from the trunks of their cars. How do they do it? (Photo by Lt (N) Julie Harris)

Canadians have a rich history of volunteering and community involvement. According to the Canadian website www.volunteer.ca, voluntary activity plays such a unique role in Canadian society that it has sometimes been described as the glue that holds all spheres of society together. Certainly, the Cadet Program would be a lesser program without our league partners and the thousands of volunteers who give so much to it. Originally, we planned to do an article on motivating and caring for volunteers in this issue. Instead, we have decided to expand our treatment of the subject in the Fall issue. The above website states that managing volunteers is both an art and a science. “The job demands a wide range of skills with a high level of complexity,” it says. “Regardless of the size of the organization, it is vital to ensure that individuals responsible for volunteers have the necessary skills, experience and support to do the job well.” The same could be said of Cadet Program leaders who work hand in hand with thousands of volunteers to deliver the program. Check out our next issue for more on the subject. You can also look for a follow-up on the new CF leadership doctrine that is the core for new CIC leadership training currently under development. This second part will talk about leading people, the importance of trust and leadership characteristics.

24 Preparing cadets for summer training Local officers may be able to drastically reduce ‘returned to unit’ numbers by adequately preparing cadets and their parents beforehand. In 2006, 898 cadets were returned to unit from cadet summer training centres across the country—a jump from 2005. Capt Calvin Facey

IN EVERY ISSUE 4

Opening notes

38 Viewpoint

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Letters

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Other articles in the Fall issue will include more on the Cadet Program Update, one on planning meals for cadet exercises from a Prairie Region officer and another on morale from an Atlantic Region officer. Your interest may also be tweaked by one officer’s view on the importance of competition in motivating cadets. Copy deadlines for the Fall and Winter issues are June 15 and Sept. 28 respectively. If you are interested in writing for an upcoming issue, or have a story idea, please contact the editor in advance at [email protected], [email protected] or 905-468-9371.

News and Notes

40 Test your knowledge

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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OPENING NOTES

Col Robert Perron

in developing the youths that join our program, and I encourage you to keep up the excellent work. Certainly, when I read the feature in this issue about officers setting up and dismantling offices every parade night, building shelves in their basements and bedrooms to house cadet supplies and doing cadet work at home (over and above their cadet training nights), I was humbled at their dedication. This dedication and enthusiasm are equally reflected in this issue’s Viewpoint by Lt(N) Wendy Butt and a letter from Capt Valda Styles, who loves working with cadets so much that she would not have her life any other way—no matter how much time it takes. During my tenure, I also fulfilled a mission related to my passion for physical fitness.

Enthusiasm and fitness < Col Perron with the new Perron Award. See article on page 9.

take this opportunity to reflect on my tenure as Director of Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers before my departure this summer. In the past four years I have focussed on two themes of the Cadet Program that reflect my passions: enthusiasm and fitness.

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During this time, I visited numerous corps and squadrons, as well as all of the cadet summer training centres. I have always been quite impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of the leadership of the Cadet Program. In fact, I truly believe that a leader’s positive attitude is the best approach—the best medicine for cadet morale. And cadet morale is imperative for the success of our program. Such challenge and fun radiating from cadets would not be possible without CIC officers and civilian instructors. You should never underestimate the profound and important role you play

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Physical fitness plays a valuable role in the development of youth. I wanted to encourage physical fitness in all elements of the program. This led to the creation of a new award, which applauds the considerable efforts made by a cadet in his or her quest for physical fitness excellence. Physical fitness and nutrition in the Cadet Program have also been featured in Cadence over the past two years and continue to receive attention in letters the magazine receives from officers regarding their own local initiatives in this area. The Cadet Program makes an enormous difference in the lives of cadets and the people around them. I know in my heart that the cadets’ experience—no matter the length of their stay—has made them better Canadians. Seeing cadets being challenged while having fun has been my foremost motivation factor for the past four years, a privilege I will never forget.

Issue 22 Spring/Summer 2007 Cadence is a professional development tool for officers of the Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) and civilian instructors of the Cadet Program. Secondary audiences include others involved with or interested in the Cadet Program. The magazine is published three times a year by Chief Reserves and Cadets—Public Affairs, on behalf of Directorate Cadets. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect official opinion or policy. Editorial policy and back issues of Cadence are available online at http://cadets.ca/support/cadence/intro_e.asp.

Managing editor: Lt(N) Julie Harris, Chief Reserves and Cadets—Public Affairs

Editor: Marsha Scott, Antian Professional Services

Contact information Editor, Cadence Directorate Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers National Defence Headquarters 101 Colonel By Drive Ottawa ON, K1A 0K2

Email: [email protected] CadetNet at [email protected] or [email protected]

Phone: Tel: 1-800-627-0828 Fax: 613-996-1618

Distribution Cadence is distributed by the Directorate Technical Information and Codification Services (DTICS) Publications Depot to cadet corps and squadrons, regional cadet support units and their sub-units, senior National Defence/CF officials and selected league members. Cadet corps and squadrons not receiving Cadence or wanting to update their distribution information should contact their Area Cadet Officer/Cadet Adviser.

Translation: Translation Bureau Public Works and Government Services Canada

Art direction: ADM(PA) Director Public Affairs Products and Services CS07-0028 A-CR-007-000/JP-001

It has been an honour to serve the Cadet Program as the director, and I will have fond memories to take along with me forever.

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

LETTERS ONE CLASS “B” POSITION PER UNIT? For me, the biggest challenge as a CIC officer is time. When you have to work at a civilian job, it takes away from the time you can give to the Cadet Program and what you are able to do.

When we close at the end of the year for the summer, I miss working regularly with my cadets. I do help with transport in the summer, so this helps.

I travel each week for my job so I only have weekends to do things with cadets. Living in a rural community, I have only two other officers (who also work in civilian jobs) to do week-day training. I conduct training on the weekends.

I do not have any children of my own so my cadets are my children and fill the void. I love working with them and would not have my life any other way no matter how much time it takes. My husband is also a CIC officer, so we do spend time together with the cadets.

This leaves me no time for myself or my family. Because I was a cadet, however, I know the importance of cadet training. That’s why I devote my weekends to it. If I was not here for the cadets, they would not have the opportunity to take part in our well rounded program.

If we could have a least one class “B” position per corps/squadron, it would make a world of difference to our training program. If we can’t, we will continue to do what we can to make our civilian lives and Cadet Program lives fit together for the sake of the cadets we train.

People continue to say to me, “How do you do it? You travel all week and do Cadets all weekend. When do you get time for yourself?” I wonder what people who don’t do something in the community do with all the time on their hands.

Capt Valda Styles Commanding Officer 708 Air Cadet Squadron Stephenville, NL

REFLECTION ON STAND-DOWN Last June after annual inspection, I was alone in our squadron headquarters and wrote this poem. The hangar is silent, I’m all alone, There are no messages on the squadron phone Classrooms are empty, no orders to hear, No drill movements shouted, by voices so clear. Annual is over, awards given out, The Chief has departed, no longer to shout His orders to others, and watch them comply. The old Chief is done, and given goodbyes. The training year’s over, the summer begins, The slate is wiped clean of uniform sins. So soon will the summer and sunshine slip by, And then the new Chief and the squadron will try To pass the tradition that has gone on before, To all the new people who come through the door. But for now, it is silent, but for those who’ve been through The doors and the archives of old 892. For it’s not just a place to go to spend time, But rather a life that will stay on your mind Long after you age out and go on your way. In the future you’ll look back and here’s what you’ll say. “I am what I am, and part of it set, By the fact that I was once a cadet.” But for now it is empty, no one walks the halls, And the pictures are silent as they hang on the walls. But when summer is over and the squadron falls in, The making of memories will once more begin. Capt Terry Filce Deputy Commanding Officer 892 Air Cadet Squadron Cheltenham, ON

PHYSICAL FITNESS STANDARDS I have noticed in the last five years that we as CIC officers have allowed a reduction in standards for cadet summer training—mainly a reduction in physical fitness standards. At our corps, we are getting the cadets involved in helping each other. On physical training (PT) night we do a 2.2-kilometre walk/run as a group—officers and cadets. We place the slower cadets up front and we start as a team and end as a team. The better runners help motivate

the others to complete the walk/ run. (In New Brunswick, we have a lot of power poles along the roadways, so we walk a pole and then run a pole.) Each time we do the walk/run, we try to better our time. We can only better our time if we arrive as a team. This effort began last fall and we have high hopes that as a corps, we will raise our fitness standard. Capt James Lewis Commanding Officer 3015 Army Cadet Corps St. Martins, NB

Cadence reserves the right to edit for length and clarity. Please restrict your letters to 250 words.

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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NEWS AND NOTES

warfare, musketry and battalion attacks from a film training corps that specializes in Commonwealth military tactics and historical training. Following that, they were assigned to command battalions that would reenact First World War battles, including Beaumont-Hamel, Passchendaele, Vimy Ridge and Ypres.

CIC officer in “The Great War” < OCdt Walsh played the role of commander (centre) of the 46th South Saskatchewan Battalion in the CBC mini-series.

When the CBC’s mini-series “The Great War” aired on April 8 and 9, OCdt Justin Walsh, 870 Air Cadet Squadron in Brockville, Ont., was in it. He played the commander of the 46th South Saskatchewan Battalion— the battalion his great grandfather Col Herbert Snell actually commanded and raised in 1914. The release of the mini-series, starring Justin Trudeau, was timed to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the re-dedication of the Vimy Memorial in France.

National award for sail training program

Here, “Cpl Walsh” heads back to camp after a shoot. >

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OCdt Walsh’s journey from CIC officer to battalion commander was an interesting one. In the summer of 2005, Gala films, in conjunction with CBC Canada, asked descendants of First World War veterans to

The sea cadet sail training program in British Columbia was recognized in 2006 as the “sail training program of the year” by the Canadian Yachting Association. The CYA—the national authority for sailing in Canada—presented a trophy in February to Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific) in recognition of “operating a premier sail training program and sharing information

participate in a landmark television production recreating the hard life of a Canadian soldier during the First World War. OCdt Walsh was one of more than 6500 people who answered the call. He then became one of 150 descendants selected to take part. He was also among nine chosen to become non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who would train, command and educate the remaining descendants in all aspects of early 1900s life and warfare. Last July, the nine were dressed in standard First World War kit and placed in living quarters on the film set in St-Bruno, Que. Then they received a five-day ‘crash course’ on being an NCO and on methods of trench

OCdt Walsh equipped, trained and commanded 23 descendants. “The privates lived like First World War soldiers in canvass tents, ate hard rations and followed the disciplinary rules of the British military of the time,” he says. “Wearing wool uniforms and boots, many suffered from heat fatigue in the 40-degree temperatures and developed blisters and trench foot.” When the cameras began to roll for the first set—the re-enactment of the gas attack of Ypres—the actor soldiers filmed battle sequences in the trenches and met their German counterparts for the first time. They were actual descendants of German First World War veterans. In the film, OCdt Walsh is eventually ‘promoted’ to Composite Battalion Commander, in command of all 150 descendants. “All of us came to realize the stress of combat that our grandfathers must have felt,” he says. As 870 Squadron’s training officer, he hopes to incorporate some of what he learned during his experience into the squadron’s field training exercises.

with the Canadian sailing community to the benefit of improved sail training everywhere.” RCSU (Pacific) operates three sail centres in Victoria, Comox and Nelson, B.C. Approximately 1300 sea cadets are enrolled in 31 sea cadet corps in the province.

Cdr Rick Mountford, commanding officer of RCSU (Pacific) and LCdr Martin Head, staff officer sea cadets, with the CYA trophy. (Photo by Gary Webster, Navy League of Canada)

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

MAY 6-12 National Cadet Marksmanship Championship in London, Ontario Co-ordinator is Capt Peter Westlake at [email protected]. JULY 28 Bagotville Cadet Summer Training Centre annual get-together at CFB Bagotville, Quebec Open to former cadets (18 years and older), as well as civilian and military personnel who have participated or worked at the camp. More than 150 attended last year’s event. To receive the official invitation, the participation form and additional information, email lecercledesanciensduciecab@ hotmail.com. Invitations will be sent no later than May. AUGUST 19-25 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet National Regatta in Kingston, Ont. For more information visit www.navyleague.ca, or phone 1-800-375-NAVY (6289) SEPTEMBER 1-15 2007 Army Cadet National Domestic Expedition in Cathedral Provincial Park in southeast British Columbia This year’s host is Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific). Application deadline for all regionally nominated cadets is April 15. Expedition point of contact is Capt Al Harland at [email protected] or [email protected].

SEPTEMBER 16-28 Army Cadet International Expedition 2007 around Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (Dolomites)

OCdt Ross Davies has just completed a 12-month tour at the Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was part of the civilian police contingent there, along with four RCMP members.

This year’s host is Regional Cadet Support Unit (Prairie). Nomination deadline for cadets is April 15. Expedition point of contact is Maj Bruce Kiecker at [email protected].

OCdt Davies was the course officer for the Red Star program at 148 Army Cadet Corps in Charlottetown, P.E.I., before his departure. He has been a police officer with the City of Charlottetown since 1995.

MAY 1, 2009 100 anniversary of the CIC

“Our primary mission there was to train, monitor and mentor members of the Afghan National Police,” he says. “We were also involved in uniform and equipment supply to the police; were project co-ordinators for police station construction; and were heavily involved with the fire department—a branch of the Afghan National Police.”

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The CIC was founded in the “Corps of School Cadet Instructors (militia) on May 1, 1909. It was comprised of qualified male school teachers of the public schools of Canada. Watch future issues of Cadence for celebration details. FEBRUARY 12-28, 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver-Whistler CIC officers still have time to qualify to participate as officials for biathlon events at the Olympics. Volunteer opportunities are available in both biathlon (Olympic) and biathlon (Paralympic) events . The Paralympic Winter Games will be held from March 12 to 21. For more information, visit www.vancouver2010.com. Recruitment for Games-time volunteers will begin in 2008.

OCdt Davies believes the mission was very worthwhile and that men and women of the CF and other government departments are doing remarkable things there. He says he has some great stories to tell the cadets and that the experience has given him a greater appreciation for what we have in Canada. “I think this experience has made me a better rounded person, and that can only benefit the cadets,” he says.

Ross Davies takes a break from his work in Afghanistan.

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EVENTS

CIC officer returns from Afghanistan

2010 Canadian Naval Centennial While plans for celebrating the Canadian Navy’s 100th anniversary are still in early stages, hopes are that Naval Centennial stamps and coins will be produced to help celebrate the event. Visit www.navy.forces.gc/ca/ centennial for more information.

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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NEWS AND NOTES Three officers from Regional Cadet Support Unit (Atlantic) have decided to support the Arthritis Society’s Joints in Motion trek to Machu Picchu, Peru. Maj Bill Kelly, commander of the Newfoundland-Labrador detachment (who is trekking for another CIC officer), detachment support services officer Lt(N) Vicki Finney and Capt Hope Carr, regional public affairs officer, will trek to the mountain peak in Peru in August to try and raise $25 000 for the campaign.

Up, up and away Capt Hope Carr trekked to Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, during last year’s International Army Cadet Expedition.

Capt Carr was inspired to do more trekking after taking part in the 2006 International Army Expedition. “It taught me that you can also do more than the limits we set for ourselves and that I want to live my life without regrets,” she says. Capt Carr was the first to accept the challenge and convinced the other officers to join her. If you would like to support their efforts, all three have set up sponsor pages on the Arthritis Society website at www.arthritis.ca. Click on joints in motion, click on “support participants”, choose the province from the drop down list and enter the officer’s name. Look for a follow-up in our Fall or Winter issue.

Sea cadet wins bravery award When a fire broke out in the house where she was babysitting in April of 2006, PO2 Tricia Cummings, 110 Sea Cadet Corps STORMONT in Cornwall, Ont., evacuated three children from the house and called for help. The 15-year-old has now received the Cadet Award of Bravery for her prompt decisive action in the face of imminent danger—attributed in part to her sea cadet training. “We are very proud of what PO2 Cummings has done in saving both life and property, and it is my honour as her commanding officer to have nominated her for the award,” says LCdr Conrad Villeneuve. “Thanks to her cadet leadership training, she was able to stay focussed and do the right thing.” The Cadet Award of Bravery is the highest honour a cadet can receive in the Cadet Program. It is awarded to a cadet who performs an outstanding deed of valour involving risk of his or her life in attempting to save the life or property of others. A cadet’s CO is the nominating authority for the award. Concurrence of the corps or squadron sponsoring committee and the pertinent league is also required. PO2 Cummings received the Cadet Award of Bravery on March 19.

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The Ontario Fire Marshall’s office has also recognized PO2 Cummings’ actions with a Fire Safety Award certificate.

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

‘Hair’ today; gone tomorrow Here’s a creative way for a corps/ squadron to give back to their community, but officers beware! Cadets from 2511 Army Cadet Corps in Thunder Bay, Ont., challenged two of their officers to help raise funds for the Make-a-Wish Foundation’s St. Valentine’s Day Hair Massacre. The foundation grants wishes of children with lifethreatening illnesses. The original ‘massacre’ began in 2002 in Edmonton, Alta., when a little girl named Kali lost her hair for the third time as a result of chemotherapy. Her father, Gordon, shaved his own head in support and encouraged 48 co-workers at Canada Post to do the same. That year, 840 heads were shaved for the cause. This year, the ‘massacre’ became a national event.

Lt Wright, left, and Capt Guay show off their new haircuts to similarly shorn Mrs. Heather Vis, who received the corps’ donation on behalf of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Cadets from 2511 Corps challenged Capt Daniel Guay, corps CO, and Lt Andy Wright, supply officer, to shave their heads if they could raise more than $350 for the cause. The cadets were given a week to raise funds...resulting in their officers going ‘baldly’ where they had never gone before.

IN THE NEWS Jim Kouzes, co-author with Barry Posner of a book called The Leadership Challenge, was recently quoted in The Globe and Mail (“Leadership: You’ve got to want it— and build on it”, Feb. 7) as saying, “There is a leader in everyone and you should work every day at liberating that leader within.” According to Mr. Kouzes, who surveyed thousands of executives at American and Canadian companies for his book, people consistently say they want to see these leadership traits: showing honesty in all dealings; having forward-looking ideas; demonstrating consistent competency; and providing inspiration to others. A survey by Sirota Survey Intelligence (a workplace attitude pollster in Purchase, N.Y.) of 64 304 employees that are Sirota clients, including 8000 Canadians, found the top three expectations of people in all age ranges is that they will be treated with respect;

that they will be dealt with equitably; and that they will gain a sense of connection with the organization on a work and personal level. According to Douglas Klein, Sirota president, the results show that, contrary to some management theories, there are no major differences in what employees in different generations need to keep them motivated. (Source: The Globe and Mail, “Boomers, Gen-Yers agree: It’s all about respect”, Jan. 24.) Graham Fishburne, a professor in the faculty of education at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, says the more active children are, the better they learn. “Children don’t become brighter because they’re physically active, but they are less tired, less agitated, less stressed and less sick,” he says. “Physically active kids are in a better condition for learning.” (Source: The Globe and Mail, “Is it time for examinations in physical fitness?” Jan. 22).

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

New national fitness trophy The Director Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers will award a national cadet award annually to a cadet for his/her “outstanding achievements in physical fitness”. The deadline for nominations for this year’s trophy is April 30. The award winner will be announced in the first week of May. The Perron Award, suggested and funded by Col Robert Perron who currently heads the directorate, will be awarded to the cadet who attains the highest physical fitness test score. For now, the award will be based on the four fitness testing components within the Army Cadet Fitness Test (ACFT) and the scoring system of the Royal Military College’s physical performance test. In future, the award will be based on a fitness test included in an updated Cadet Program-specific physical fitness test included in all three elemental programs. Any cadet who has achieved the Phase 2/Red Star/Proficiency Level 2 or higher can take the physical fitness test and apply for the Perron Award. Sea and air units that do not have experience conducting the ACFT are encouraged to seek assistance from an army cadet corps staff member, a local physical education teacher, a fitness consultant at a local gym, or local CF Personnel Support Programs staff. For further information on the fitness test and award, refer to the Feb. 1, 2007 interim directive 1085-13 (D Cdts 3-4-2).

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FEATURE

Marsha Scott

‘Homeless’

Capt Dave Timms, CO of 835 Squadron, left, and OCdt Ryan Pedersen work out of the bins that serve as their offices. (Photo by Jane Bateman)

What is it like to be ‘homeless’? There are corps and squadrons across Canada that are virtually ‘homeless’— having no permanent headquarters and moving from location to location to parade in temporary spaces and operate without suitable classrooms, office or storage space. Officers literally run their units from the trunks of their cars. Lt Will Cahill, training officer with 292 Air Cadet Squadron in Halifax, is one of these. He ran his training section for four months out of the trunk of his Echo hatchback! Other officers have worked out of their trunks for much longer. This article is about six homeless corps/squadrons. Why are they homeless and what are its effects? How do their officers cope, and what do they propose as possible solutions to homelessness? “I believe this problem is much more widespread than most would admit,” says Lt Harry Whale, former train-

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ing officer with 835 Air Cadet Squadron in Squamish, B.C. and currently an area information technology adviser with Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific). “The worst part is that it can happen to any corps or squadron, no matter how successful or large. I know of a unit that lost its headquarters when the local com-

munity hall burned down, and another that was told to vacate for a year while their armory was renovated.” It would appear that homelessness can happen to anyone. We spoke to officers from the small towns of Squamish, B.C., and Grimsby, Ont., as well as from the cities of Oakville, Ottawa and Halifax. They represented three air cadet squadrons, two army cadet corps and one sea cadet corps—some long established and one barely two years old. The reasons for their homelessness were equally varied, everything from forced evacuations from buildings with asbestos and mould problems to

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

a lack of rentable space and exorbitant costs. Many times, homelessness was chronic. What is remarkable about each of these stories is the officers’ dedication and hope that one day, the corps/squadrons they lead will have a place to call home. 62 Air Cadet Squadron, Grimsby, Ont. Shelves full of ‘cadet stuff’ line one wall of Capt Cory Chapman’s bedroom. He is the training officer with 62 Squadron, and there’s no other space to store the training and administration supplies that he and his wife Chris, the squadron’s administration officer, need to help run the squadron. The squadron is homeless, without a permanent headquarters and storage facility. Cadets from 62 Squadron parade in an elementary school gym and by some standards, they are pretty well off because they also have access to three classrooms and a staff room— all for free. Storage is a little more complicated. In addition to the Chapman’s shelving, the squadron’s supply room (storing uniforms, boots, accessories, audio-visual equipment and fieldtraining equipment) is actually in the basement of another officer. “He’s a wonderful man who built the supply room himself because we were worried about moisture in the outdoor storage facility we used last year,” says Capt Chapman. Even though the Chapmans—and all 62 Squadron staff—work out of the trunk of their car, they are optimistic because their squadron is barely two years old. 1626 Army Cadet Corps, Grimsby, Ont. 1626 Corps, also in Grimsby, is 38 years old and still doesn’t have a permanent home! It has moved so many times that its nickname is “The Gypsy Corps”, says Capt

Ken Brady, commanding officer (CO). Right now, the corps parades out of a local high school that is too small to practise in for events such as annual inspection, a change of command, or for that matter “basic marching”.

board is the only possibility for accommodation around here,” says Lt Whale. “Forestry has collapsed as an industry in our town, and even tag days typically result in less than $1000 for an entire weekend. All corporate donations taken together seldom exceed $1000 a year.”

Shelves full of ‘cadet stuff’ line one wall of Capt Cory Chapman’s bedroom.

Every Tuesday night, 835 Squadron uses the school gym floor for three hours and one classroom for two hours. A multi-purpose room may, or may not, be available (depending on whether another group has booked the room.) If it is available, it’s used as a combined office, meeting room, canteen, impromptu supply room and sponsoring committee office.

Years ago, the corps had to leave its home in a post office basement because of asbestos in the walls. The asbestos was removed, but Public Works and Government Services Canada did not give the corps the go-ahead to return. Storage is extremely difficult. Not only is there no on-site storage, but clothing and other stores are located in Beamsville, 10 kilometres away. The problem, says Capt Brady, is that Grimsby is a small community, and rentable space is at a premium. There are not many places either available, or affordable.

Storage is also an issue. An 18.5 square-metre storage space at a local business is packed to bursting with furniture from former accommodation. Ready-use equipment is stored in a $3000 per year u-lock storage facility downtown and in officers’ homes.

835 Air Cadet Squadron, Squamish, B.C. This is also the problem in Squamish. After being inactive for 15 years, 835 Squadron was resurrected in 2000 to much fanfare in the small community and paraded out of a local building owned by B. C. Rail (a Crown Corporation). However, after only one year, the building was leased to a commercial enterprise and the squadron was forced to move to a building belonging to the local Rod and Gun Club. The space was inadequate. The town’s army cadet corps, also evicted from the B.C. Rail building, looked for alternate space as well, but eventually folded. 835 Squadron was luckier and found space at the local junior high school for $3500 a year. “The school

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

The space this ‘supply section’ occupies in the home of Lt David Leonard, chief instructor with 62 Air Cadet Squadron in Grimsby, was originally intended to become a washroom in his basement living area.

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FEATURE 178 Sea Cadet Corps, Oakville, Ont.

3018 Army Cadet Corps, Orleans, Ont.

“Try to outfit a new cadet with a uniform in February in a facility without heat,” says Lt(N) Bryan McIntyre, CO of 178 Sea Cadet Corps. Storage of everything the Oakville corps owns is off site in a rented unheated storage facility. This has been the situation since the corps stood up seven years ago.

This 19-year-old corps has moved three times in the last five years because there is little rentable space in the east end of Ottawa, says CO Capt Sandra Heidel. Historically, the corps has paid as much as $10 000 a year for rent.

Three weeks into the 20052006 training year...an eviction notice on the church hall door stated that due to potential mould, [292 Air Cadet Squadron in Halifax] could no longer stay there. In seven years, the corps has paraded out of three locations, including two rent-free years in a Legion hall (which has since been sold), three rent-free years in a regional building, and now a union hall, for which 178 Corps pays rent. The union hall is used for classes, but because of space limitations, drill is held mostly outdoors, and team practices occur in private homes or not at all.

“We moved from an RCMP facility to an old school taken over by a church group and from there, to another old school bought by a senior’s group,” she says. “Then we had to move from there last June because the senior’s group was becoming too large.” The corps currently parades out of a public school gym. Office supplies are brought in every week from blue storage boxes. The cadets sit on the floor in a hall for classes and have no equipment to train with because since the corps’ moved last August, everything it owns, except for ‘vitals’, was packed and stored in an off-site storage facility that is difficult to access. 292 Air Cadet Squadron, Halifax “We are lucky to have finally found a permanent home this training year,” says Lt Will Cahill, training officer

with the 63-year-old squadron. But the squadron hasn’t always been so lucky. In the late 1990s, because of cutbacks and the disbandment of its sponsor, the squadron moved from school to school until it found a church hall to parade in. In May of 2005, the church flooded. The squadron had to postpone its annual review, but continued to train in the church hall. Three weeks into the 2005-2006 training year, however, an eviction notice on the church hall door stated that due to potential mould, the squadron could no longer stay there. It was given three days to remove its equipment and join the ranks of the homeless. The squadron cancelled training. The squadron found another church to parade in, but it was soon evident that the temporary accommodation couldn’t work. The squadron CO, the Nova Scotia cadet detachment and the squadron sponsor worked together to find the squadron’s current home at a seamanship school at Canadian Forces Base Windsor Park in Halifax. The league had concerns about the squadron locating too close to others in downtown Halifax, but with little choice, the squadron moved in. It has access to a drill floor and three classrooms, and staff sets up a temporary office each week in the lounge. Squadron supply is run from one small room in a different building on the base. With homelessness hopefully behind 292 Squadron, Lt Cahill can look back on the experience as positive in some ways. “Although the ‘homeless’ situation looked grave for several months, being able to overcome those challenges has instilled a sense of accomplishment in both the staff and senior cadets,” he says. “I think there is a real notion that we have been through some hard times and have emerged stronger and more able to adapt to any situation.”

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Challenges of ‘homelessness’ Imagine the monotony (and work) of setting up a temporary headquarters week after week.

“We literally carry in and out everything we require for a parade night,” says Lt(N) Bryan McIntyre, 178 Corps. Every officer we spoke to does the same. A typical parade night for officers of 835 Squadron in Squamish begins well before 6:30, with officers loading equipment from their homes into their cars, driving and loading up additional equipment from the u-lock storage facility downtown, driving to the school and setting things up. Each night, everything from office files and computer equipment to bulletin boards, training manuals, training aids, flags, drill rifles, uniforms and canteen supplies are brought in. When training is over at 9:30, the entire process is reversed. “There’s no doubt that a lot of time is taken up in travelling back and forth, as well as in setting up and ‘tearing down’ for nightly training,” adds Capt Ken Brady, 1626 Corps. Fitting cadets for uniforms Whether uniforms are packed away in inaccessible unheated

storage spaces, or the space isn’t available for cadets to try on uniforms, it’s a challenge to kit cadets. “This is our biggest issue,” says Capt Sandra Heidel, 3018 Corps. “There is no feeling of belonging if one cadet cannot look like the other. In addition, our senior cadets keep growing and their uniforms don’t fit. It creates a problem when the leaders aren’t easily recognizable.” Capt Brady adds, “At our corps, anytime a cadet needs to exchange uniform items, or have initial issue, the supply officer and cadet have to arrange to meet at our stores 10 kilometres away.” No/limited classrooms Having no proper classrooms makes it difficult for cadets to learn. The one classroom used by 835 Squadron cadets is reserved for technical subjects, says Lt Harry Whale. The remaining classes take place in the gym, along the sidelines. These classes run at the same time as drill, or drill instruction on the gym floor. “Distractions and interruptions are the order of the day. The noise is annoying and it’s hard for cadets to concentrate when they can see and hear everything going on around them,” he says.

Using gymnasiums can often mean a lack of power outlets for training aids such as overhead projectors, laptops and televisions. No office space “Because we have to track all required files and equipment in and out of our location every parade night, finding corps documents when we need them is often difficult,” says Lt(N) McIntyre. “If we haven’t predicted the need for a specific file, then chances are it has been left at home.” Lt Will Cahill says that even though 292 Squadron finally has a ‘permanent’ headquarters to parade in, the lack of permanent office space makes the day-to-day running of his squadron very hard. Computer/ Internet access Cory and Chris Chapman share a DND laptop, but have computer problems. The laptop user name hasn’t worked. Officers from the squadron gain access to CadetNet from the school on Friday nights; however, Grimsby has no high-speed Internet access at all. “Molasses are faster than what we have,” says Capt Chapman. “It’s very time-consuming.”

< 835 Squadron cadets use the school gymnasium for classes and drill, often concurrently, making learning difficult. Another class can be seen against the far wall.

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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FEATURE “Given the fact that much of the Cadet Program has become computer based, our current lack of Internet access has limited the amount of work our staff can accomplish during parade nights,” says Lt Cahill.

835 training officer Lt Greg Smith transports everything he needs back and forth every week in the back of his van.

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(Photo by Jane Bateman)

In Squamish, 835 Squadron had no Internet access at the school until last fall. “With the increasing reliance on Fortress for administration information, Internet access became urgent,” says Lt Whale. “By sweet-talking the information technology department at the local school board, we finally got an Internet port in the multi-purpose room—when the room is available.” Capt Heidel says she has two laptops, but no Internet. Lt Cahill says 292 Corps finally got a phone line in

the temporary office in January for use on training nights with access to dial-up Internet. Limited training “We cannot offer our cadets the ‘full’ range of optional training because of space limitations at our local headquarters,” says Lt(N) McIntyre. Offering more training would require renting additional space and even if available, the cost would be prohibitive. Range and ground school are the only extra-curricular activities that take place regularly at 835 Squadron because the local Rod and Gun Club and flying school donate facilities. The squadron cannot afford to rent facilities for such things as drill team, model club and band. Rifle drill practice for Remembrance Day 2006 was held in a truck garage.

Cadet morale It’s difficult to make a temporary headquarters look like ‘home’. “We cannot make our local headquarters look more ship-like,” says Lt(N) McIntyre. “We cannot hang anything on the walls or make other changes within the facility. We can’t make our environment more inviting to raise corps morale.” “We can’t put up posters, or display our annual trophies,” adds Capt Brady. “The only time the cadets see them is at annual. The cadets spend all day at school, and then come back to school at night. Just making the environment more inviting would add a lot to corps morale.” Cadet retention and corps/squadron success All the officers agreed that not having a permanent home has affected to some extent the success of their corps/squadrons, or cadet retention. “We would have fewer retention problems with a permanent home,” says Lt(N) McIntyre. PO2 Victoria Reed, with 178 Corps, says “We don’t have enough cadets to make it worthwhile to hold weekly band, range and seamanship team activities, so the interested cadets miss out. And new cadets don’t stick around.” Lt Whale says the numbers of cadets, staff and volunteers at nearby units that have permanent facilities reflect the link to a successful squadron. 292 Squadron in Halifax had to change its parade night three times last year because it didn’t have a

Eternal hope If 62 Air Cadet Squadron continues to grow, Capt Chapman hopes it will be able to find a larger rent-free school to parade in. Capt Brady has asked his local Member of Parliament to look into the possibility of returning 14

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Suggested solutions?

835 Air Cadet Squadron’s Level One cadets improvise ‘desks’ from a bench so they can take notes during a class.

The leagues could offer expert guidance to corps/ squadrons with accommodation problems. The leagues (perhaps at the Provincial/Division level) could put together a team of people who know all the tricks of the trade in terms of facilities, suggests Lt Whale. The team could help negotiate with school boards, city governments, businesses and landlords and assist negotiations with ready-to-use presentations and materials. The team could also promote the benefits of hosting cadets in communities. We could all help to educate communities about the Cadet Program. “Many communities believe that the cadet movement is fully funded by the Canadian government and that we are able to pay rent from that source,” says Capt Heidel. “This misconception needs to be corrected.”

permanent facility. “This had a major effect on cadet retention,” says Lt Cahill. “Our cadet numbers dropped substantially from about 90 to 55 cadets. Being forced to forgo optional training for more than half of one training year made it difficult to retain cadets who may have been on the fence about joining and staying in the program.” Retaining cadets has also been difficult for 3018 Corps in Orleans. “Our cadets get frustrated when they have to sit on the floor in a hall for classes,” says Capt Heidel. “Our numbers have been up and down, and retaining senior cadets is difficult. In June

1626 Corps to the post office basement, as well as bringing 62 Squadron into the facility. A distant, but small hope, says Lt Whale, is that Squamish will build a ‘youth leadership’ building—an initiative backed by the mayor. The building would house cadets, Scouts and Guides for example.

The leagues could harvest information on organizations that have space for rent, or that are ‘corps/ squadron-friendly’, says Capt Heidel. Speaking practically, local sponsoring committees would be the best source for this kind of information. of 2006, the corps finished with 65 cadets. Now, an average of about 40 cadets parade. There’s definitely a decline in numbers overall.” Lack of privacy for meeting Lack of adequate space also means a lack of privacy for meetings with staff, or cadets. At 835 Squadron, meetings requiring privacy are held during class breaks, or sometimes, in the janitorial supply room off the hallway, says Lt Whale.

League support for 178 Sea Cadet Corps is now excellent, says Lt(N) McIntyre. “We hope the league will work with the municipality to rent space that is more adequate and affordable so the corps does not have to continue moving.” The affiliated unit of 3018 Army Cadet Corps has agreed to share

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

Efforts could be made to get no-cost or lowercost facilities. “Parading on a base that is free of charge has allowed us to free up some budget to ensure our cadets get even better training,” says Lt Cahill. Tax credits or other initiatives could be offered to owners of vacant businesses who allow cadets to use their facilities, says Capt Brady. It may not be common knowledge that landlords who donate space to corps/squadrons may (under some circumstances) qualify for a charitable donation tax receipt. Also some cities and communities will give a landlord a tax credit on realty/business/school taxes, in some cases up to 40 percent.

leased space with the cadets. The corps hoped to enter its new home by March, says Capt Heidel, but renovations have forced a delay. Because weapons and equipment will be stored there, Public Works and Government Services Canada and military police must ultimately ‘clear’ the space before the cadets can move in. 15

FEATURE

How they do it

When the weather co-operates, cadets from 178 Sea Cadet Corps in Oakville, Ont., train outdoors. In seven years, the corps has paraded out of three locations. >

Using rolling tubs and toolboxes to carry their ‘offices’ in and out of their temporary headquarters. “Portability has become 835 Squadron’s mantra,” says Lt Harry Whale. Planning ahead to ensure that officers have all the training aids and files they need for each parade night. Counting on goodwill and hard work from everyone, including league representatives, officers, civilian instructors and senior cadets. Dedicated staff. “Luckily, we had a dedicated staff who didn’t seem to mind giving up a lot of their evenings at home to ensure 292 Squadron remained on top of paperwork and training,” says Lt Will Cahill. “I am 26 years old,” says Capt Cory Chapman. “I was blessed and fortunate to go through the Cadet Program. I will give back whatever I can.” Working at home. “We have two parade nights, but on the other five days, we work at home,” says Capt Chapman. A lot of computer work, in particular, is done at home. “Making do” and focussing on what they can do, instead of what they can’t. Moving teaching around—outdoors when the weather is good. Fostering a good relationship with other corps and squadrons so facilities can be shared. “We often use the local headquarters of 304 CHAUDIERE Sea Cadet Corps for winter weekend exercises,” says Lt(N) Ken McIntyre. Capt Brady has invited cadets from Capt Chapman’s corps to join their Tuesday night rifle practice at the Legion. The downside, however, to having lots of activities with other corps, says Capt Sandra Heidel, 3018 Corps, is that you sometimes lose your cadets to corps with permanent facilities. Fostering a good relationship with municipal and business leaders in the community who may be able to help. “The mayor’s influence has helped get our youth leadership building project off the ground,” says Lt Whale. Fostering a good relationship with parent support committees. According to Capt Chapman, “We put our heads together and said, ‘We can do this. We’ll take it all on!’” Using corps/squadron websites and CadetNet. Lt Cahill says that to combat 292 Squadron’s problems with multiple moves, he developed a regularly updated squadron website to take the place of a system of phone calls. 835 Squadron staff also use their squadron website and CadetNet extensively. Committing to minimizing the effects of homelessness on the cadets. At 292 Squadron, this required staff who could deal with challenges as they arose, adapt and overcome them, says Lt Cahill. Capt Chapman adds, “What cadets don’t see is great. They can still benefit from the training.”

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Craig Hawkins

Finding accommodation An Air Cadet League perspective The Department of National Defence will provide space in military facilities to cadet corps/squadrons wherever possible. However, the reality is that many corps/squadrons do not have easy access to military facilities. That means that they have to find suitable accommodations within their own community. This is clearly the responsibility of the leagues. In most cases, the squadron sponsoring committee (SSC) must make arrangements for suitable quarters for an air cadet squadron. Finding suitable quarters can be a challenge at the best of times. First, the SSC needs to have a clear idea of what type of quarters is required. For this, they will need input from squadron staff. What are the ‘must haves’ that the commanding officer (CO) and staff require? What are the ‘should haves’ and the ‘nice-tohaves’ that can be included? How much can the SSC afford to pay for quarters? All of these factors need to

be discussed openly among SSC members and the CO. Once the partners have agreed on the parameters, the next big problem is one of availability. Are facilities readily available in the community? Can all of the facilities be located at one site, or will the squadron have to operate from multiple sites? When looking for suitable facilities it is important for all partners to look actively. In fact, I would suggest that the more eyes looking in the community, the better the chances are that the SSC will find a suitable location. It might be worthwhile to let parents know that the squadron is searching for suitable quarters. Once a suitable location has been found, it is clearly the duty and responsibility of the SSC to negotiate a reasonable lease for the facilities. However, this may require additional consultation with the CO. If the

DND will provide space in military facilities to cadet corps/squadrons wherever possible. 2784 Army Cadet Corps parades out of this armory in Ottawa. >

lease/rental price is within the ballpark established in earlier discussions, then that is well and good. If the rental price is a bit higher, how will the additional funds be raised? Do you plan an additional fund raising activity? Do you go back to the sponsors for a larger grant? Do you apply to the municipality for a grant, or to the provincial lottery corporation for additional funds? All of these points should be decided in consultation with the CO and staff. In an ideal world, all squadrons would have their drill hall, offices, classrooms and stores located in the same building. Those who have access to armories are the lucky ones. Most squadrons, however, will have to look for creative solutions to their accommodation needs. This will require active consultation and collaboration between the partners. Then, it is up to the squadron sponsoring committee to do its duty. Mr. Hawkins is the national president of the Air Cadet League

Who is responsible? Both DND and its three league partners—through sponsoring committees in local communities—provide accommodation for corps and squadrons in more than 1000 communities in Canada. However, the leagues are ultimately responsible for providing “appropriate training and stores accommodation” for local programs where DND is unable to provide it. Responsibilities are clearly outlined in QR (Cadets) 2.31 (c) and 2.32 (f) and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by representatives of the three leagues and the DND/CF on Dec. 1, 2005. The MOU further clarifies the leagues’ role in consulting with corps/squadron commanding officers to provide the space and identify insurance requirements. It also states that regional DND staffs will apply their “best efforts” to provide facilities for local programs and advance concerns with the leagues.

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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FEATURE

Accommodation costs The Air Cadet League had captured accommodation costs for the 2005-2006 training year for 248 of 454 squadrons across Canada, based on financial statements submitted by the end of January. Statistically, says Bob Robert, chair of the league’s finance committee, these costs are representative of the bigger picture. Statistics show that 123 of the 248 squadrons paid no rent at all for accommodation. These squadrons are accommodated in a variety of buildings, including DND-owned facilities, municipal buildings, schools, service club buildings and so on. “In most cases, the squadron sponsoring committees were responsible for securing free non-DND accommodation,” says Mr. Robert.

Quebec—55 percent paid rent, with an average of $3455.

[In] Ontario, 60 percent [of squadrons] paid rent, with an annual average of $4348— the highest of all provinces.

Mr. Robert adds that additional costs apply in many locations for heat, power, taxes, maintenance, expansion, and so on. Twenty-nine percent of squadron sponsoring committees pay these additional accommodation costs, which average $1609 a year.

The other squadrons paid for their training, administration and storage facilities. The costs ranged from practically nothing to upwards of $20 000 for facilities owned by the squadron sponsoring committee.

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British Columbia—56 percent paid rent, with an average of $3967. Saskatchewan—46 percent paid rent, with an average of $3430. Newfoundland-Labrador— no sponsoring committee paid rent. Nova Scotia—15 percent paid rent, with an average of $3100.

there, four parade in a DND facility, one parades in a church and 28 parade in secondary schools—all at no cost. Some schools do charge a custodial fee. The tide can turn quickly for accommodation costs though. The Legion sponsor for 2685 Army Cadet Corps in Whitehorse, Yukon, has provided parade, office and storage space for free, year round. The ‘going rate’ for rental of that space would be as much as $32 400 a year. (One army cadet corps in British Columbia actually does pay close to that for annual accommodation.) Unfortunately for the Whitehorse corps, the Legion has sold the building. The new owner is allowing the corps to stay— until it finds a new home.

Army cadet corps Sea cadet corps

The average accommodation cost for those who paid rent was $3842 a year, but according to Mr. Robert, “there are interesting provincial committee differences”.

Terry Whitty, executive director of the Army Cadet League, says anecdotal information shows the average yearly cost of accommodation for a corps parading out of a school or community centre is about $8000 to $10 000. The league does not, however, track costs formally.

Ontario—60 percent paid rent, with an annual average of $4348—the highest of all provinces.

For army cadet corps, Newfoundland-Labrador is the province to be in, at least cost-wise. Of 33 corps

Although the Navy League has insurance records for league-owned property, it has no statistics on the cost of rentals/leases or DND property use. The league hopes, however, to capture those costs by January of 2008 through its new branch reports, according to Jerrod Riley, the league’s national deputy director.

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Terence Whitty

Proceed with caution Signing leases can be dangerous One of the bigger quandaries facing local corps and squadron sponsoring committees is when they are ‘stuck’ for quarters for their cadets, and a helpful landlord asks them to sign a lease in good faith. Enthusiastic officers anxious to solve their accommodation problems should be aware of the caution with which sponsoring committees must proceed when signing leases. At the start this may appear to be a friendly situation where well-meaning local folks are trying to help a group of teenagers in their community. But it is serious business, and any agreement will be legally binding on all parties. Under normal circumstances sponsoring committees should consult a lawyer in such a matter, but this is not always possible or financially feasible. At the very least though, they should consult someone with experience in commercial leases to review the lease document. A local business person or a real estate agent may be able to help here. Following are a few general rules for local sponsoring committees when negotiating a lease.

If you have to sign a preliminary “Offer to Lease”, always add a clause that says “conditional upon obtaining funding” or “conditional upon authorization from the provincial Branch or Committee”, just in case you have to withdraw for any reason. Never sign a lease in your own name. Use the name of the corps/squadron or the name of the sponsoring committee. Always sign— “for:” your organization. The provincial Branch or Committee should be able to give you advice on this. Never give a landlord a personal guarantee. This clause is usually added into the body of a lease under the heading “Guarantors”. When you do this, you are guaranteeing the whole term and conditions of the lease. On a five-year lease at $1000 per month, that would add up to $60 000 if the landlord calls in the guarantee early, and you could be held additionally responsible for damages to property. Beware of onerous or confusing wording regarding repairs and mainte-

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

nance. Your corps/squadron is not responsible to rebuild an old structure.

Enthusiastic officers anxious to solve their accommodation problems should be aware of the caution with which sponsoring committees must proceed when signing leases. Before you start lease negotiations, always contact the league provincial Branch or Division to let them know what is going on and to obtain an explanation of the insurance coverage the league provides. And finally, to practise what we preach, let me add here that “This advice is offered as suggested guidelines only and is not to be construed as legal or business advice”. Don’t laugh: leases are serious contracts with serious consequences if a situation turns sour. Mr. Whitty is the executive director of the Army Cadet League.

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OFFICER TRAINING

Lt(N) Ford and Lt(N) Cardinell aboard Orca. They were the first two CIC officers to receive initial cadre training for the new Patrol Craft Training ships.

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Sea cadets to use new training ships The delivery in recent months of the first two of eight new Patrol Craft Training (PCT) ships to the Canadian Navy is generating a lot of buzz among CIC naval officers and sea cadets who will be among their primary users. The new ships replace the Yard Auxiliary General (YAG) 300 wooden-hulled tenders that have served the Canadian Navy in a training role for more than 50 years. The new ships’ main users will be the Naval Officers Training Centre (NOTC) VENTURE in Esquimalt, B.C.; Naval Reserve Divisions; and the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. While all three groups will have access to the new ships, NOTC has priority to meet its training schedule.

Victoria Shipyards recently accelerated the production of the ships, and the Navy may have all eight by the summer of 2008. In the early months of this year, the first PCT ship—named Orca—completed her sea readiness inspection and conducted local area operations out of Esquimalt, B.C. From March 12 to 18, Orca—along with three YAGs and Maple Leaf (British Columbia’s oldest tall ship)— participated in the annual seaman-

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ship concentration. Sea cadets from every region made up her crew. Alternating as Orca’s second-in-command were Lt(N) Rex Ford, a former commanding officer (CO) of 82 Sea Cadet Corps in Bonavista, N. L., and Lt(N) Pat Cardinell, CO of 109 Sea Cadet Corps in Port Alberni, B.C., the first two CIC officers to receive initial cadre training (ICT) from the ship’s contractor. Two other CIC officers filled the deck officer and ship’s training officer positions. On April 1, Orca became available for training operations. The second new ship, Raven, is expected to be available for training operations by May 14. This article will hopefully answer many questions about the new ships and explain how Maritime Operations Group Four (MOG4) intends to qualify personnel to operate them, as well as how the ships will be employed. Delivery schedule Victoria Shipyards recently accelerated the production of the ships, and the Navy may have all eight by the summer of 2008. If all goes well, the remaining ships will be delivered and available as follows:

Vessel 3 (Caribou 57): Delivery end of May; available in July. Vessel 4 (Renard 58): Delivery in August/September; available in October. Vessel 5 (Wolf 59): Delivery in October/November; available in January 2008. The delivery and availability dates of Vessel 6 (Grizzly 60), Vessel 7 (Cougar 61) and Vessel 8 (Moose 62) are still to be confirmed. Crew The minimum crew size in a PCT is five. Of these, three must be PCT qualified/endorsed—the officer-in-charge (OIC), engineer and chief boatswain’s mate (buffer). All must complete PCT familiarization training (ICT or steadystate) and be endorsed by MOG4/ Canadian Fleet Pacific engineering staff, as applicable. The remaining two members of the crew must have completed the basic Maritime Surface (MARS) training course, as a minimum. Naval Tender Section will supply a qualified engineer and a qualified chief boatswain’s mate for all sea cadet trips. The engineer will be responsible to the OIC for all technical matters. Sea cadet engineers will work under the supervision of the NTS engineer. The chief boatswain

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

mate will be responsible to the OIC for the safety of all seamanship evolutions, including crane operation.

HMCS ACADIA and Lt(N) Cardinell will return as sea operations officer at HMCS QUADRA.

CIC officers who are tender command/charge-qualified are eligible for PCT familiarization training as OIC. PCT qualification will be granted once the candidate passes the MOG4 practical assessment, as well as a formal Tender Command Board (for those who have not already done so for YAGs). CIC officers who are non-tender command/charge-qualified may gain PCT endorsement as OIC after completing the Tender OIC course and 42 days at sea in a Tender (14 of them as second-in-charge), as well as the same PCT familiarization training, practical assessment and board.

“I am thrilled to be involved at this stage and teaching this course with Rex,” says Lt(N) Cardinell. “The training we have received obviously stands us in good stead to instruct people who will go on to work in Orca and other vessels of her class.” Adds Lt(N) Ford, “I would highly recommend the Tender OIC course to any CIC officer who would thrive on the daily challenges of working and instructing cadets at sea.”

Initial training The first three ships, Orca, Raven and Caribou, come with an ICT package taught by the ship’s contractor. The first ICT—a “train the trainer” opportunity involving personnel from MOG4 Naval Tender Section (NTS), NOTC and Canadian Forces Fleet School Esquimalt (CFFSE)— occurred last fall and included a week of classroom and onboard familiarization, followed by a week of day sails. Representatives from NOTC and the fleet school continue to fine-tune the ICT documents and develop material for a steady-state class training package. Lt(N) Ford and Lt(N) Cardinell attended the second ICT session in February onboard Raven. Both are now Tender OIC course training officers at NOTC VENTURE until the end of June; this summer Lt(N) Ford will return to his position as sea operations officer at

The Directorate of Maritime Training and Education solicited nominations from Naval Reserve Divisions for the next course, tentatively scheduled for April 25 to June 22. Naval Reserve Headquarters co-ordinated the selection for these positions based on nomination messages from individual units. CIC officers will be among those attending the course. Steady-state class training It is expected that the Navy’s steadystate class training package for OICs, engineers and boatswains will commence this fall, or early in 2008. CIC officers may request training on either the Tender OIC Course, or PCT familiarization and qualification boards through their regular chain of command. CIC members who are interested in the Tender OIC must first apply to their respective regional cadet support units to receive a pre-instructional package (PIP). Upon successful completion of the PIP, their names will be priority listed and forwarded to Directorate Cadets for course loading.

CIC officers will train at NOTC VENTURE, which will promulgate course-nomination and loading messages based on operational priorities. Wider area of operations The additional speed, range and onboard facilities of the PCT allow for a wider area of operations than YAGs. With accommodation for 20 personnel and excellent onboard facilities, the PCTs are well equipped for their primary training role. The ships have an Integrated Control Platform System for ship control and monitoring and a sophisticated integrated navigation and electronic chart display and information system that is consistent with the system already in service in the Kingston- and Halifax-Class ships.

CIC officers may request training on either the Tender Officer-in-Charge course, or Patrol Craft Training familiarization and qualification boards. In the future, a hydrodynamic model of the PCT will be incorporated into the bridge simulator at NOTC VENTURE. That will allow OIC candidates to practise ship handling prior to the OIC practical assessment, should they wish to do so. The Patrol Craft Training ships are exciting, capable and technologically advanced. They represent a significant investment in navigation and seamanship training for both the Canadian Navy and the sea cadet program.

Sea cadets ‘man the side’ of Orca, the first of eight new Patrol Craft Training ships. (Photo by Gary Webster, Navy League).

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Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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SHARING IDEAS

OCdt Eric Coomber

Running a

happy

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supply shop OCdt Coomber skips the paper forms and enters information directly on his laptop when he updates uniform information for Cpl Daniel Vorwerck. However, the supply officer finds it’s faster to use paper forms and update his spreadsheets and Fortress later when swamped with new cadets. OCdt Coomber fits Cpl Jared Mellow with a wedge in his small, but well-organized supply room.

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Keeping track of every shirt and tie in your corps/squadron supply room is no easy job. It takes time, effort and help from others to keep things moving efficiently. The Fortress supply module has made keeping track of a cadet’s measurements and the initial date of issue easier, but if you are a new supply officer, you may also find the pointers below helpful.

Keeping tabs on inventory Challenge: Telling at a glance which sizes you have in stock. This is a bigger problem when you have limited space to work in. Solution: Create a spreadsheet for every possible size of each item. This is easier than it sounds. I copied and pasted the tables from the Logistik Unicorp website showing all the sizes and NATO stock numbers for each item. I use separate pages for pants, shirts and so on, so I can find them quickly. If you store this information on a floppy disk or portable drive, you can update it on any computer.

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

This is especially important if you don’t have a computer in your supply room or don’t have a permanent office. To audit your stock, simply print each spreadsheet and check the count. When I first started in supply, a cadet gave me the idea to record boot and shoe sizes in a grid-like table. Label the rows by the numerical size and the columns by width so that you can keep a tally in the intersecting box. This grid makes it easy to read at a glance. Challenge: Keeping track of inventory when you are busy with uniform exchanges, equipment signouts, and initial uniform issue. Solution: Keep track of every size coming and going. I’ve created a form that lists each item a cadet receives on initial issue. Just fill in the sizes issued and set it aside to update your spreadsheet later and add the measurements to Fortress. Keep track of exchanges on another sheet of paper or form. Be sure to discard these temporary ‘inventory sheets’ after updating your spreadsheet so you don’t accidentally change your totals again. If you are lucky enough to have a computer in supply, make the changes directly on your computer and skip the paper. Make sure you save your changes!

Do a monthly audit of the small things to determine if you need to order more. Don’t sweat the small stuff Challenge: Keeping track of odds and ends. Solution: Don’t worry about knowing the exact number of belts or ties on the shelf. Cadets regularly ask to borrow a tie or slip-ons from supply because they forgot theirs at home.

And you can easily tell when you’re running low just by looking on the shelf. It takes a lot more time, however, to determine that you need to order Cpl Bloggins’ new pants because his size is not in stock. While it is important to keep track of smaller things, your time is better spent keeping track of pants, boots, and tunics. The bigger, more important items should be the things you watch like a hawk. Do a monthly audit of the small things to determine if you need to order more. Administrative efficiency Challenge: Filling out paperwork can be time consuming. Solution: Use Fortress! When you issue kit to a new cadet, use the Fortress supply module to automatically generate the clothing card. This will save you time because it automatically includes the cadet’s name and contact information on the printout. With Fortress, there is no more trying to squeeze giant words into tiny spaces! The PDF form includes everything you issue to each cadet when they join. All you need to do is type in the quantity and date (copy and paste works well here too) and print. You can easily type in additional items (that are not part of the regular issue) that your unit issues. If you don’t have the luxury of having a computer in supply, print the form in advance. Be sure to update your clothing cards when cadets move. Luckily you can access all of this information on Fortress. Challenge: Making sure cadets return everything they have borrowed. Solution: Keeping all records in the same place is important. If you have issued items on temporary loan, make sure you maintain this paperwork. Make sure your DND 638 forms are

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

in alphabetical order and easily accessible, or stored with CF 892A clothing cards. When you are expecting a return, pull the cadet’s records and paperclip them together. After closing a supply account, be sure to update Fortress with the changes.

With Fortress, there is no more trying to squeeze giant words into tiny spaces! Keeping supply running smoothly Challenge: A messy supply room. Solution: If your supply room looks like it was hit by a tornado, make sure you take the time to clean it up. The supply room is one of the first impressions new cadets will have of your corps/squadron. You want to make sure you appear organized and professional, especially if their parents are with them. Challenge: Not having enough time in one training night to do everything. Solution: Ask for cadet volunteers to help. I find that when I need help, there is always someone looking for something to do. I think the key here is to ask cadets in the ‘middle’ of the training program—corporals often have a genuine interest in helping out. Assign small tasks, like alphabetizing loan cards and sorting wedges by size, and eventually explain how pants and tunics are arranged on the racks. By the time they move to the higher ranks, they will know the sizing system and can help you kit new cadets. OCdt Coomber is the supply officer with 535 Air Cadet Squadron in Leamington, Ont.

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Capt Calvin Facey

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Preparing cadets for summer training Cadet Abbie Ootova, 3058 Army Cadet Corps, arrives at the cadet summer training centre in Whitehorse for summer training. (Photo: Capt Elisabeth Mills, CSTC Whitehorse public affairs.)

Summer training can be pleasurable or miserable for cadets. Every year, many cadets are returned to unit (RTU), cutting short their cadet summer training centre (CSTC) experience. Local officers may be able to drastically reduce these numbers if they adequately prepare cadets and their parents beforehand. Initial intake Preparation for summer training should begin the day a cadet signs up at a corps/squadron. Local training staff should try to learn what the cadet’s interests are and by the first quarter, have a good grasp of what course and CSTC best fits each cadet. If a cadet requests a specific course or CSTC, then that’s just what it is—a request. You are not bound to recommend the cadet for that course if you feel that another cadet deserves it more, the cadet is not suitable for a specific course, or the corps/ squadron would be better served if the cadet attended another course. Local officers have a great deal of influence in deciding what course and CSTC a cadet will attend. This is as it should be because that cadet’s training—or lack of it—will have a direct impact on the future resources and training available to the corps/ squadron. Training staff should act as ‘guidance counsellors’ to assist cadets in selecting courses and CSTCs.

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smooth transition from local to summer training. If a cadet has to spend time adjusting to higher CSTC training standards, he/she will have a harder time grasping material. The cadet may become easily frustrated and disenchanted, leading to an RTU.

• Addressing an officer

Special emphasis should be placed on key training points when preparing cadets for camp. Preparation should include not only new cadets but cadets at all levels and ranks. (Experienced cadets sometimes get too comfortable and complacent, making them more likely to ignore or circumvent camp rules and regulations.)

• Physical fitness

Local officers may be able to drastically reduce [RTU] numbers if they adequately prepare cadets and their parents beforehand. Key training points should include the following:

Training

• Dress and deportment

At the very least, local cadet training should be at a comparable level to CSTC training. This will allow for a

• Respect for time • Responsibility for one’s own and issued kit

• Paying attention to detail • Teamwork • Obeying orders • Good personal hygiene • Respect for property

Mindset If cadets do not express an explicit desire to attend camp, they should not attend. They should not attend just because their parents are keen to send them or out of fear that they won’t get promoted if they don’t go. (A commanding officer can use some discretion in this area.) Training staff should, however, explore any cadet’s lack of interest in summer training and disseminate proper information to ensure they are well informed Attitude If a cadet does not exhibit the correct attitude to function effectively at a CSTC, then an attitude adjustment is warranted before allowing the cadet to attend. The misconception that camp will ‘fix’ the cadet is totally unreasonable and unfair to CSTC staff. They have hundreds of cadets

CADENCE

Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Returned to unit In 2006, 898 cadets were returned to unit from CSTCs across the country. That represented 4.2 percent of the cadets taken on strength and a jump from the previous summer’s RTU rate of 3.7 percent. There can be many reasons why a cadet is returned to unit, including medical problems, course failure, discipline problems and parent requests. However, cadets are doomed to failure if they arrive at camp ill-prepared for a specific course. “When the cadet arrives at camp, paperwork may say that the cadet meets all of the requirements for a course, but sometimes the cadet doesn’t,” says LCol Christian Bergeron, responsible for program delivery at Directorate Cadets. “It is important to carefully consider the suitability of cadets for specific courses. The selection process starts with local corps and squadrons.”

often rush to pick up their child at the first call with a hard-luck story without calling the CSTC first. Inform parents that they must contact the camp’s duty desk (the number the cadets send home after they arrive at camp) before heading out. Homesick cadets Most young cadets will get homesick in the first few days at a CSTC. This in itself is generally a good sign that the cadet is coming from a supportive environment. New cadets, in particular, have problems adjusting to the rigors of camp regime. Everything about camp can become a problem, including wakeup and bed times, regimented meal times, the food, the lack of privacy and the requirement to share television, videogame and phone access. Inform cadets beforehand that if they become homesick, they should visit the CSTC counselling department before calling home.

LCol Bergeron adds that corps/ squadrons should inform their cadets as soon as possible that they have been selected for a course. “Do not wait until their final parade,” he says.

Before it gets to that point, however, local officers can be on the lookout for cadets with adjustment problems. During corps/squadron exercises, look for cadets who are having trouble sleeping or adapting to schedules. You may be able to help them resolve these issues before they leave for camp.

to deal with and will not have time for individual ‘cadet-fixing’.

Cadet ability

Parents

Ensuring parents are well-informed about the courses their children are enrolled in will help alleviate ‘mom and pop’ anxiety. The more informed parents are about CSTCs, the better equipped they are to help prepare their children. This approach will also help parents become less dependent on the detachment for information when the corps/squadron is at stand-down. Parents must be informed about rules and regulations concerning cadet pick-up from camp. They will

When cadets leave for camp, it’s important that a prominent member of the corps/squadron be present at the pick-up point to tend to lastminute issues and help put parents/guardians at ease by providing reassurance and answering questions. Show parents that local responsibility does not end with the completion of a CF 51.

The misconception that camp will ‘fix’ the cadet is totally unreasonable and unfair to CSTC staff. Local officers may sometimes be able to visit the camp their cadets are attending. This will give the cadets some level of reassurance and a chance to ask about something that they may not feel comfortable asking CSTC staff. This can also re-assure parents that someone familiar is looking out for their child. Capt Facey is the CO of 2881 Army Cadet Corps in Scarborough, Ont. He has been a social worker for 16 years and is supervisor of a youth shelter in downtown Toronto. He has recently completed his master’s degree in environmental studies, with a focus on youth violence containment and urban development.

When cadets arrive at a CSTC, their chances of having a pleasurable experience are very high if they and their parents have been adequately prepared. (CSTC Valcartier photo)

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Parents’ motives for sending their children for summer training should not influence a CIC officer’s decision.

When considering a cadet for summer courses, the cadet’s ability to complete the course should be the primary consideration. Some simplistic examples are, don’t send a cadet with foot problems on a Drill and Ceremonial Course or a cadet that is afraid of heights on a Parachutist Course. Local training staff must ensure that the cadet’s mental, physical, intellectual and emotional states are appropriate for the selected course. Anything less could set the cadet up for failure.

could catch someone’s eye and be stolen—at home.

The send-off Cadets should be advised when packing for the CSTC to leave the ‘shiny stuff’— personal property that

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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Maj Russ Francis

CADET PROGRAM UPDATE

Updated training delayed, but worth the wait

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You should be aware by now of the delay in rolling out the updated first-year local and summer training programs. Some of you are probably disappointed; others may be relieved. The new instructional guide for map and compass suggests all sorts of new activities and games to assist teaching. (CSTC Trenton photo)

We understand how you feel. We too were chomping at the bit to implement the updated corps/squadron program by September 2007. We were initially disappointed that the Department of National Defence section that is financing and overseeing the translation, printing and distribution of our training documentation needs more time because of CF operational demands. Now, however, we can see the ‘up’ side to waiting until September 2008. When we first began to work with people across the organization to update cadet training, they told us, “Take as long as you need because we want quality. Take your time and do it well.” They knew they would be living with the changes for a long time and believed their patience would pay off. We listened and have been taking the time to do it well. At the same time, we were so excited about the updated program that we created aggressive deadlines for implementing it. We had hoped to deliver new first-year training publications to you by January of this year; instead,

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you will receive them this fall. This is well ahead of the new implementation date. The advantage of this is that now you will have more time to fully review your new training publications before you implement updated training. This is no small thing for instructors who have a tougher time adjusting to change.

We had hoped to deliver new first-year training publications to you by January of this year; instead you will receive them this fall. You will now have time to fully absorb documentation and get answers from detachment and area staff to your questions before you start. You will have more time to adjust to changes like the more concentrated and detailed approach to physical fitness and healthy living, or the shift to more specific streams of citizenship training. You will have more time to plan.

Stakeholders involved in the update process have been very positive about the quality of training content and documentation developed so far, and the creation of documentation remains on schedule. Your new documents will look and feel slightly different. You will have a qualification standard and plan (describing course content and administrative details), as well as a complete instructional guide (helping you plan periods or evening/weekend activities) in each completely bilingual package. We have developed this strong documentation, knowing that you may be working with it for the next 12 to 15 years until the next significant program overhaul. Even though you will not implement the new first-year training program at your corps/squadron until September 2008, you can get a head start by experimenting (in your current program) with some of the ideas in the training publications you will receive this fall. Rather than delivering your usual stand-up classroom lecture, you may want to follow up on suggestions for delivering material in more hands-on, practical ways. Your new instructional guide for map and compass, for instance, suggests all sorts of new activities and games to assist teaching. The great news is that you don’t have to wait until September 2008 to try them! Maj Francis is the officer responsible for cadet program development at Directorate Cadets.

CADENCE

Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Summer training more holistic Cadet training will look different to instructors at cadet summer training centres (CSTCs) across Canada in the summer of 2009—the kick-off date for updated summer training for first-year cadets. Common look and feel to training framework “We are standardizing course lengths, training days per week, periods in a day and minutes in a period across the country,” says Capt Rick Butson, army cadet program development officer at Directorate Cadets (D Cdts).

The shift to more extracurricular time during summer training applies to cadets of all ages and elements. The General Training (GT) course for all first-year cadets will continue to be two weeks long, but a training week will consist of six days; a training day will consist of eight periods; and a training period will consist of 40 minutes—regardless of element. “This creates a common look and feel across the CSTCs, and I think the summer program is going to be smoother and cleaner because of it,” says Capt Butson. “It’s going to be a lot easier to exchange best practices.”

“It’s also a positive change from the current 10 periods a day we spend on sea cadet training,” says Lt(N) Shayne Hall, sea cadet program development officer at D Cdts. “We have tried to do too much ‘hard training’ in the past. Now the cadets won’t be sick of hearing about the same subject 10 hours a day.” More extracurricular time The shift to more extracurricular time during summer training applies to cadets of all ages and elements. “There’s increasing recognition that a cadet is not only at camp for the training, but for the socialization with other young people within the cadet community,” says Capt Butson. “We are trying to make the cadet summer training experience more holistic.” There will be a balance between the formal learning environment (led

As air cadet summer training is already based on the model of eight 40-minute periods daily and a five-and-a-half to six-day training week, standardization affects army cadet and sea cadet training more. Currently, army cadet summer training can extend up to 11 periods a day and up to seven days a week, depending on the course, says Capt Butson. “This shift is going to be dramatic in reducing the amount of time and pressure on the cadets. It’s much more reasonable now. Our cadets will now have more time in a less-structured environment.” Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

by an instructor during the day) and the informal learning environment, says Capt Andrea Onchulenko, air cadet program development officer at D Cdts. “We will provide a more relaxed environment for the cadets at the end of each day, allowing them to just be themselves in a social environment—to make friends, relax and hang out.” “It may require a little bit of a mind shift for instructors,” adds Lt(N) Hall. Some extracurricular activities, such as an intramural sports program, will be more structured than others (like cards or board games) and will require organization and supervision from senior cadets and officers. “It’s not about trying to occupy the cadets all day long to guarantee they will stay out of trouble,” says Capt Onchulenko. “It’s about just giving them time to be 12- and 13-year-olds in a summer setting.”

< Cadets are not only at camp for the training, but for the socialization with other young people within the cadet community.

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CADET PROGRAM UPDATE

Summer training—sea “The updated summer training program for sea cadets will open the door to instructors who want to be more creative in presenting and conducting activities,” says Lt(N) Shayne Hall, sea cadet program development officer at Directorate Cadets. When the updated first-year program is introduced in the summer of 2009, summer camp staff—particularly senior cadets and junior officers—will have fun showing the cadets the “cool stuff they can do”, says Lt(N) Hall. The instructors’ goal will be to give first-year cadets a taste of the excitement they will experience when they too gain advanced knowledge and specialized skills. Future summer training activities for sea cadets will be much the same as activities in the current program, but cadets will see more choice and variety in the courses they can take after first year.

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The updated general training (GT) course will introduce cadets to all of the activity areas—sail, drill and ceremonial, seamanship, marksmanship, fitness and sports and music. The main change will not be so much the specific activities, as the focus. Currently, the focus in firstyear training is on teaching cadets a couple of basic skills in each stream and giving them a presentation on what they can learn in the future if they pursue that stream. The new focus will be on fun. Lt(N) Hall offers this example: In current GT sail training, sea cadets spend half their time on land learning the basics of sailing. Then they are put into a boat by themselves to start their sailing lessons. In the updated training program, first-year cadets will sail with someone who knows how to sail well—at higher wind speeds, for example. They will experience the excitement of sailing with experienced sailors who can explain things to them and demonstrate expert sailing skills

In current GT sail training, sea cadets spend half their time on land learning the basics of sailing. right in the boat. The cadets will also take part in a regatta with their peers, once again with an experienced sailor at their side. “Essentially the same approach will be taken to every activity area on the GT course,” says Lt(N) Hall. “We will show them what is possible— what they will learn by going through our program.” Some instructors may be disappointed that outdoor adventure training has been removed from sea cadet summer training. “They may feel that they are losing a valuable activity that allowed cadets to show their leadership qualities in a peer environment where they interacted all the time; however, the sea cadet program can achieve those things to the same degree through more searelated activities,” assures Lt(N) Hall.

CADENCE

Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Capt Rick Butson

Summer training—army When you first see the new summer training course configuration for army cadets you are going to be pleasantly surprised. Finally, expedition is fully integrated into summer training!

While Leadership and Challenge and our Senior Expeditions will be familiar to many, the Basic Expedition and Expedition Instructor are more than an updated cover on the Army Cadet Leader Instructor Adventure package. The Basic Expedition course will serve as a vehicle to develop hard skills in wilderness travel and base camping, while the Expedition Instructor course will develop expedition specialists capable of combining their hard skills with the ‘softer’ leadership, management and instructional skills.

The configuration of music courses has also changed in the updated CSTC program. Every GT cadet will receive a teaser of a half-day music introduction. Dedicated music courses will be available starting in year two and the prerequisite for participation on the three available courses will be based on music levels, not the year of training. There is also recognition that some training is common among all three elements, specifically music, air rifle marksmanship and fitness and sports, so we are developing common docu-

Finally, expedition is fully integrated into summer training! mentation for all three elements. Regions can then decide if they want to run the summer training as an elemental course or a tri-service course, based on regional resources and what makes the most sense.

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

The GT course will be the first updated course to be introduced in the summer of 2009. For army cadets, as for sea and air cadets, the main aim of this first qualification is to introduce cadets to the cadet summer training centre (CSTC) environment and future CSTC specialty training qualifications. Course content will be similar to the current basic army cadet qualification course, with an overnight expedition, summer biathlon, marksmanship, recreational sports, CSTC familiarization, navigation and communications. Some staffing flexibility has been introduced to harmonize the army course with the other elements, but overall, the course is similar to what we currently have. In most cases, the changes we are making are to capture best practices currently taking place to make our courses even better than they are today.

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All army cadets aged 12 to 13 will be taking the same first-year course—the General Training (GT) qualification (currently known as the Basic Army Cadet qualification). But after that, there is now an expedition series of courses starting with Basic Expedition for 13- or 14-year-olds, progressing to Expedition Instructor for 14- to 16year-olds, Leadership and Challenge for 15- to 17-year-olds and finally to Senior Expeditions to the United Kingdom for our senior cadets.

The ultimate expedition challenge for army cadets is the annual International Army Cadet Expedition. This photo is from the 2006 expedition to Mont Blanc. (Photo by Capt Hope Carr, regional public affairs (Atlantic))

Capt Butson is the army cadet training development officer at Directorate Cadets.

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CADET PROGRAM UPDATE

Summer training —air

< For local squadrons, music is optional. However, all firstyear air cadets will be introduced to music during summer training in 2009. Among other things, they will learn a drum-line routine. (Photo from 713 Air Cadet Squadron, Stoney Creek, Ont.)

“When our air cadets get together with their friends after taking updated first-year summer training in 2009, they will have done more in two weeks than a lot of their friends have done over the whole summer,” says Capt Andrea Onchulenko, air cadet program development officer at Directorate Cadets. What is really exciting about the updated General Training (GT) course, she says, is the broad range of activities the cadets will be exposed in just two weeks. “They will see a little bit of everything the air cadet program has to offer and hopefully, find their niche. The more they see, the more things to excite them about being a cadet, and the greater the odds are that they will stay with the Cadet Program.” Here’s a sneak peak at just a few of the activities designed to tweak the interest of first-year cadets. Music Beginning in the summer of 2009, air cadets in the GT course will take part in a music familiarization activity. “Music is not part of our mandatory program because we just don’t have the resources to engage all cadets in music; however, it is available in optional and summer training,” says Capt Onchulenko. “We know that a lot of good things come out of cadets engaged in music, so we want to whet the appetites of our first-year cadets

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for more in this program area.” To do this, cadets will spend an afternoon touring a band facility. They will see instruments, talk to cadet staff about music, learn a drum-line routine and perform for their peers. Aviation The future GT course will also have more aviation activities. In addition to making and flying paper gliders, for instance, the cadets will make and fly paper helicopters. They will still take familiarization flights in a glider, airbus or powered aircraft. Aerospace First-year cadets will now make bottle rockets instead of film canister rockets. It’s a more complex rocket activity, requiring more skill to make the rocket fly further and faster. Also new are some activities related to appreciation of how to live and travel in space. Aerodrome operations This subject area is brand new, familiarizing first-year cadets with groundbased trades in support of aviation.

They will learn about marshalling aircraft, build and operate their own wind vane and anemometer (tools to measure wind direction and speed) and tour an airport or flight school. “The kids will be going non-stop,” says Capt Onchulenko.

What is really exciting about the updated General Training course is the broad range of activities the cadets will be exposed to over the two weeks. Impact on training staffs Staff will have plenty of time to absorb new top-notch instructional materials. “Everything is so well laid out in our instructional guides,” she says. For instructors, the updated program will mean creating a learning environment that is more fun. “You won’t be delivering text-book lectures so much as helping the cadets explore,” adds Capt Onchulenko. “Overall, it will be a more refreshing way to interact with first-year cadets.”

CADENCE

Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Lt(N) Darin McRae

OFFICER DEVELOPMENT

The new CF leadership doctrine and you The new Leadership in the Canadian Forces: Doctrine, issued in early 2005, provides the basis for all leadership training in the CF. This document will also form the core of new CIC leadership training currently under development. How has leadership changed? This article describes the CF’s new definition of leadership and new leadership philosophy. What is leadership? The new definition of CF leadership evokes the concepts of duty and honour: “directing, motivating, and enabling others to accomplish the mission professionally and ethically, while developing or improving capabilities that contribute to mission success.”

For CIC officers, mission success may mean our success in the professional supervision, administration and training of cadets from 12 to 18 years of age. While this definition emphasizes mission success in the context of the broader CF, it can also apply to us. For CIC officers, mission success may mean our success in the professional

supervision, administration and training of cadets from 12 to 18 years of age. Further, mission success may be our success in imparting in Canadian youth a sense of community involvement, promoting life skills and moral character, and enabling young people to develop social values and ethical standards.

or the CF as a whole. However, distributed leadership does not equate to a co-command arrangement. In the end, a leader must make decisions. As a CIC officer, you can see easily how this philosophy can apply to your leadership of other CIC officers, non-commissioned members serving the Cadet Program and cadets.

The Cadet Program Update (CPU) has produced a clear mission, vision and aim, as detailed in CATO 11-03. It describes the Cadet Program mission as developing and preparing youth for the transition to adulthood—enabling them to meet the challenges of modern society.

Values-based leadership means being guided in your decisions and actions by institutional values that define our ethos. Military ethos reflects how military professionals view themselves (identity), how they fulfill their function (expertise) and how they relate to their government and society (responsibility). The institutional values that define our military ethos are the civic values of liberal democracy, values based in the rule of law, ethical values governing our treatment of others and the core military values of duty, loyalty, integrity and courage. Can you see how values-based leadership might apply to CIC officers?

Cornerstones to CIC officers accomplishing that mission are teamwork, professionalism, ethics and motivating others, all strongly emphasized in the new CF definition of leadership. CF leadership philosophy The CF’s leadership philosophy is rooted in two spheres of leadership— distributed leadership and valuebased leadership. Distributed leadership means sharing the essential functions of leadership to varying degrees with peer and subordinate leaders to help develop and use their leadership potential. This means sharing leadership responsibilities (where appropriate) vertically and horizontally within teams, units,

If you would like to learn more about the new CF leadership doctrine, visit www.cda.forces.gc.ca/CFLI/engraph/ leadership/leadership_e.asp. A follow-up article in the Fall issue will discuss leading people, the importance of trust and leadership characteristics. Lt(N) McRae is a CIC courseware development officer at Directorate Cadets.

< The CIC leadership philosophy will help determine our success in training Canadian youth to become leaders. (Photo by WO Eileen Redding, Regional Gliding School (Pacific) public affairs)

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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OFFICER DEVELOPMENT

Nathalie Richard

Meeting the legal “standard of care” As legal advisor to the Directorate Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers, I am frequently asked about whether new policies or practices are legally sound. As part of this analysis I must ask the question, “What is the legal standard of care and has it been met?” As CIC officers working with youth, you may be asking yourself similar questions and wondering what you can do to manage legal risks and avoid potential legal responsibility.

The legal notion of negligence is one that frequently arises in civil lawsuits against adults who supervise youth. “Negligence” and “standard of care” The legal notion of negligence is one that frequently arises in civil lawsuits against adults who supervise youth. For an injured person (the plaintiff) to be successful in a negligence lawsuit, he must prove the existence of a duty of care, a breach of the standard of care, a sufficient causal link between the alleged wrong and the damage, as well as proof that damages were suffered.

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At the outset, the person being sued (the defendant) must owe the plaintiff a duty of care. This is an obligation to exercise reasonable care in favour of others. The law has clearly established that a duty of care exists in the case of adults who supervise minors. CIC officers therefore owe a duty of care towards cadets. They may also owe a duty of care to other individuals who may be affected by their actions. Whether such a duty exists would have to be assessed in light of specific circumstances.

In addition to proving that a duty of care exists, a plaintiff must also show that the defendant failed to meet the expected standard of care. Generally the standard is that of a reasonably careful person placed in the circumstances of the defendant. Perfection is not expected; reasonable care is. This means that a person can make a mistake or an error and no liability may result. The court will look at whether a reasonable person would have foreseen and guarded against the risk of injury to

Quebec’s equivalent to “negligence” The law of negligence does not apply to Quebec, which has a different legal system called civil law. The concept of extracontractual responsibility, Quebec’s equivalent to negligence, is not covered in this article. Although the two notions are different, the outcome on whether a person is liable often leads to the same result.

CADENCE

Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

others. The likelihood and severity of damage is also considered, as a reasonable person is expected to act more cautiously if there is a strong probability that something will happen or if the impact will be very harmful. The determination of the standard of care may also be influenced by established practices or norms followed by other individuals or organizations carrying out similar activities. In the case of the Cadet Program, proof of compliance with the safe practices of other youth organizations may help to establish that due care was exercised. A higher standard of care than that of the reasonable person may be expected where an individual has specialized abilities. For example, in the case of CIC officers, a court would impose a standard that is based on the reasonably prudent and competent youth instructor or youth specialist. Further, the standard is elevated in all instances involving the care of children, to that of a careful parent or guardian. The amount of supervision and control that is expected will depend on the age and ability of the child, and will generally diminish the older the child is. “Standard of care” examples A couple of court decisions provide a helpful illustration of the standard of care principle. In one case, an art

teacher was found negligent for having inadequate safety precautions while students were working on an art project. A student’s eye was punctured by a wire and this could have been prevented by wearing protective eyewear. The court concluded that the teacher was under a legal obligation to ensure appropriate safety equipment was being used. In another case, a gym teacher was found legally liable when a student was rendered quadriplegic as a result of a failed jump from a box horse. The court ruled that the activity was inappropriate for a high school gymnastics class and that the teacher did not provide adequate supervision. The standard of care principle required that the level of difficulty be appropriate for the participants and that proper guidance and supervision be provided. The remaining elements of negligence are the causal link and damages. A plaintiff must be able to prove that the action of the defendant contributed to the damage and that the resulting injury could be reasonably foreseen. Lastly, the plaintiff must demonstrate that he has suffered some form of damage due to the defendant’s failure to act properly. A finding of negligence can have farreaching consequences that extend beyond the individual who is found negligent. Employers can be held legally responsible for the actions of

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

their subordinates, even if the employer did nothing wrong. Under this notion of vicarious liability the DND/CF could be held liable for the actions of its CIC officers if there is a sufficient connection to their duties.

In the case of the Cadet Program, proof of compliance with the safe practices of other youth organizations may help to establish that due care was exercised. What if a CIC officer gets sued? CIC officers who are sued can apply for DND/CF coverage. To be considered for legal assistance funding, a CIC officer must have acted honestly and without malice within the scope of CIC duties and have met reasonable departmental expectations. If you are sued or notified about a potential claim, you should immediately advise your chain of command, as well as the Office of the DND/CF Legal Advisor or the closest office of the Assistant Judge Advocate General (located on CF bases). Nathalie Richard is Counsel with the Office of the DND/CF Legal Advisor.

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OFFICER DEVELOPMENT

Nathalie Richard

Can you manage risk better? Following are some tips which may help you manage legal risks: • Identify issues ahead of time, and make risk management part of your planning. Consider the following questions: – What is the likelihood a problem will take place? – If it does, what would be the potential impact? • Reflect on whether the activity can be modified to reduce or eliminate the risk. Consider whether the chain of command should be consulted, particularly where there is a strong chance that a risk will materialize or that the resulting impact would be high. • Ensure a proper safety check is carried out prior to conducting cadet training. For example, make sure adequate first aid supplies are on hand. Also verify whether all DND/CF norms are met, as well as Cadet Program policies. • Avoid supervising large groups of cadets without proper assistance. • Make sure that you have the required qualifications to proceed with an activity. If you feel you are not properly trained or experienced, raise the concern with your chain of command. • Keep an eye on what similar youth organizations are doing with respect to safe practices. For example, try some online research to

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find out whether other groups or associations have developed guidelines or tools that are relevant to the activity you’re organizing. • Respect everyone’s right to privacy and avoid physical contact that may be misunderstood. Prior to being alone with a cadet consider the risks. If a private meeting is necessary, it should take place in a location with visual access and away from isolated areas. • If you’re aware of activities that do not meet the standard of care, ask that they be brought to the attention of the chain of command so that any pertinent policies can be changed. • If an incident occurs, record the details. If an incident is likely to result in a legal claim, the procedures set out in DAOD 7004-1 “Claims and Ex gratia procedures” must be followed. • Because laws are constantly evolving and legalities will vary based on the situation, make sure to seek the opinion of a legal expert if you have outstanding concerns. A request can be made through your chain of command to seek advice from Directorate Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers legal counsel, or the closest office of the Assistant Judge Advocate General.

Interested in learning more? The DND/CF strategy on managing risks Check out the DND/CF Legal Advisor’s online Legal Risk Management course and try out some case studies. To register for this online course you must contact the Defence Learning Network Helpdesk at 1-888-486-4743.

Funding for CF Members who Get Sued The procedures to follow are set out in the Treasury Board Policy on the Indemnification of and Legal Assistance for Crown Servants. This policy can be consulted at: www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/ TB_851/pila_e.asp

The law generally The Department of Justice website is a good starting point and provides links to sources of information regarding various legal topics and Canada’s court system. Go to: http://justice.gc.ca/en/

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Capt Chantal Durepos and Capt Sonia Nadeau

In recent months, the Canadian Forces (CF) has embarked on a massive recruiting campaign to increase its strength. The aim of the campaign is to show that the CF can appeal to you, no matter where your interests lie. You can serve either full-time as a member of the Regular Force, or part-time—with the Primary Reserve, or, if you are interested in youth, the Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC). Canadian Forces Recruiting Group (CFRG) launched Operation CONNECTION to forge a ‘connection’ between citizens and the CF. Realizing that the CIC represented another area of potential ‘job’ opportunities, CFRG invited the CIC to set up a kiosk at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto last summer, alongside our Regular and Primary Reserve colleagues. More than 640 000 visitors passed through the turnstiles at the CNE between Aug. 8 and Sept. 4. Most of

them visited the Canadian Forces Pavilion, and many of them stopped at our kiosk. Twenty CIC officers took turns staffing the kiosk over 18 days. The experience of meeting with the general public at an exhibition of this calibre was incredible! It is important for us to make the most of every possible opportunity to promote the CIC. For example, Pacific Region CIC officers took part in a job fair staged by the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency in February and shortly after, attended a Second Career Assistance Network (SCAN) seminar to encourage people leaving the Regular Force or Primary Reserve to think about joining the CIC. According to LCdr Gerry Pash, regional public affairs officer (Pacific), “The Cadet Instructors Cadre is stimulating a lot of interest among non-commissioned members of the CF—particularly those who spent part of their careers either

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

<

CF recruiting campaign includes CIC officers

training or mentoring recruits or young military members.” To further boost CIC recruiting efforts, a new CIC recruiting video, a CIC monograph (job description) and new recruiting pamphlets are being produced for CFRG and the leagues.

It is important for us to make the most of every possible opportunity to promote the CIC. No matter what the forum, we should take advantage of opportunities to promote the CIC and the Cadet Program. We already know what the CIC offers. Now is the time to let the rest of the country know. The CIC officers who worked at the CNE can attest to the fact that most Canadians are open to our message. We just have to make an effort to find and talk to them.

Capt Cheryl Major, training officer at 848 Air Cadet Squadron in Victoria, B.C. and LCdr Pash set out new CIC recruiting material at the Maritime Forces Pacific Employment Exposition on Feb. 6. The two encouraged retiring members of the Regular Force to consider continuing in the CF as cadet instructors.

Capt Durepos is the human resources officer with Directorate Cadets. Capt Nadeau is a public affairs officer with Director General Reserves and Cadets.

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“Deemed on duty” policy change Paragraphs 20-22 of CFAO 49-6, allowing Reserve Force members to be “deemed on duty” when providing support to the Canadian Cadet Organizations (CCO) without pay, were cancelled April 1 to align CCO regulations with regulations that have been in force for other reservists for some time. Will this throw the entire Cadet Program on its ear? No. “The whole Cadet Program has always been based around a certain expectation of voluntary service,” says Maj Al Memess, senior personnel policy officer at Directorate Cadets (D Cdts). “Instructors have always done more, even at corps and squadrons that do a minimum number of activities.” He says it’s important to understand that this change does not mean that instructors are being asked to do any more than they are currently doing. “They are simply being asked to change the way they allocate paid days,” he says. “At first, it looks like a big administrative headache, but eventually all of the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place.”

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Below are the major impacts of this change on corps and squadrons and attempts to make the transition easier.

COs must ensure that at least one paid instructor is “on service” for all approved cadet activities. Impact 1 The biggest impact is on commanding officers (COs) who must ensure that at least one paid instructor is “on service” for all approved cadet activities. This includes weekend exercises, cultural visits, year-end

trips and every training activity the regions have approved. COs must ensure that paid days are distributed so there will be enough to cover the whole year. While Maj Memess concedes that the initial reaction will be, ‘Wow— how are we going to do this?” he says it can be done. Below is an example of a month's training schedule for a typical corps with a staff of five officers (including the CO) and a medium-to-high training load. “It’s somewhat simplistic, but shows what can be done,” says Maj Memess. “With more than 1100 cadet corps and squadrons, there’s no doubt that there could be many different scenarios.”

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

The challenge will be planning well ahead of time. “COs are going to have to sit down as far ahead as they can to look at their schedules and allot specific people to specific activities,” says Maj Memess. There’s no set formula for doing it, but D Cdts is working on providing tools that will help COs with their planning, so that a paid instructor is responsible and physically participating in each authorized cadet activity. Help Access to specialist days has been increased. In the past, these days could be used only for civilian instructors. Now, they can be used to hire any active member of the Reserve Force, regardless of sub-component— as long as that person is trained in a specialty. The only restrictions are that the specialist duties must be performed for another corps/squadron, and a specialist cannot be hired to do administrative or general tasks. Here’s an example of how this could work. One CO, who has a trained first-aid instructor or range safety officer on staff, might consider allowing his specialist to work with other corps and squadrons. These instructors would be paid over and above their corps/squadron allocation for this service. Impact 2 CIC officers (and other Class “A” Reserve Force members supporting the Cadet Program) can still voluntarily perform duties without pay; however they will no longer receive Class “A” Reserve Service benefits if an injury is determined to be due to “military duty”. Those benefits include emergency medical and dental care and possible Veterans Affairs Canada benefits. Help All Class “A” Reserve Force members who are unpaid when they sup-

port the Cadet Program will be covered under a commercial Special Risk Accident Policy for accidental death, dismemberment and medical benefits. CIC members will be eligible for liability coverage under Treasury Board’s Policy on the Indemnification of and Legal Assistance for Crown Servants, provided that they have acted honestly, without malice, within the scope of their duties and have met reasonable departmental expectations. Coverage for members of other Reserve Force sub-components is still being investigated.

what DND provides, where the member would go to hospital, be treated under their provincial health care plan and be reimbursed for a portion of any additional costs through their insurance plan.

"COs are going to have to sit down as far ahead as they can to look at their schedules and allot specific people to specific activities."

Paid CIs will be covered under the terms of their employment contracts.

“The details of the available benefits will be published in the CATO that will explain the procedures to file claims,” says Maj Memess. “They will be ‘bridge benefits’, similar to

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

“The Standard Insurance plan for volunteers is a good one,” he assures, “but like any insurance, we hope they never have to use it.” What stays the same? Unpaid civilian instructors (CIs) are considered as volunteers and come under the provisions of CATO 23-07.

Paid Reserve Force members working in support of the Cadet Program will continue to be covered under regulations that govern Reserve Personnel on Class “A” Reserve Service. CMP Instruction 20/04 allows members on Class “B” or Class “C” service to voluntarily continue serving with corps/squadrons, provided they meet the administrative requirements set out in A-PM-245-001/FP001 Chapter 19.

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Lt(N) Wendy Butt

VIEWPOINT

We need to recruit more CIC officers We need a better recruiting strategy for CIC officers. We need to show people who have not been associated with the Canadian Cadet Movement or Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) that the Cadet Program is worth becoming involved in. What leads me to this conclusion? In 2004 I offered my services to a sea cadet corps in need. This corps had an outstanding past and having been with the Cadet Program for such a long time and known most of the cadets in the corps, I could not see her ‘sink’. Along with one other officer (whom the cadets knew from camp), I started the long process of getting this corps back on its feet. We live in Corner Brook,

N. L., and the corps is a one-hour drive away. I work in management in my civilian career which is usually a 50 plus hours-a-week job. The other officer was in university full-time, working on a post-secondary degree. Administration desperately needed to be done. Personnel and training records were not up to date. Training was in a shambles. The cadets didn’t seem to have a clue about the courses, competitions and activities available to them. The sponsor and parent committee had not had a good relationship with former staff. We basically had to start from scratch.

When we first arrived, we were a little taken aback that only 13 cadets turned out. We spoke to the cadets and told them that we would work with them to bring the corps back to where it once was. We got the word out and ended up the next week with 43 cadets coming back to start the year.

We trained them well and took the corps from a 100 percent failure rate on national exams (petty officer, first-class) to a 100 percent pass rate over a couple of years. Our task was challenging. The lack of training among the cadets was evident. Another officer, also working on a post-secondary degree, came to help us later in the year. Sailing to success We planned, charted and sailed our way into success with the corps. We formed a new parent committee and pursued a healthy relationship with our main sponsor. We took the cadets on outdoor adventure training. We trained them well and took the corps from a 100 percent failure rate on national exams (petty officer, first-class) to a 100 percent pass rate over a couple of years. In the fall of 2005, our corps received the Naval Weapon Technicians’ Association award for a corps that has risen from the ashes and turned itself around.

SLt Holly Lewis, training officer, range safety officer and band officer, refreshes PO1 Shawn White, a cadet instructor, on the back splice.

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Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007

Tips for rescuing a ‘sinking ship’ Let the cadets know you are there for them and not for yourself. Let them know you will work for them.

Lt(N) Butt promotes CPO2 Melanie Goode to the rank of chief petty officer, first class.

It’s taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Our biggest challenge is getting people from the local community to become CIC officers to keep this corps running. I have begged, pleaded and sometimes cried because no one wants to help. It is a kick in the teeth to the cadets who want more. I want to give more and so do my officers but we are only human and cannot keep going this way. It was supposed to be only for a couple of years; now it’s approaching three. Every moment I am not at my civilian job I am working at cadet ‘stuff’. I sometimes work from my home with the cadets because I cannot drive back and forth all the time. We have one of the greatest youth organizations that Canada has to offer, yet corps and squadrons continue to fold. We need to let the people in our communities know that there is training, possible summer employment and satisfaction in making the kids in their communities better people. Like Capt Valda Styles (see Letters on page 5), I have no children of my own. When someone asks me how many kids I have, I tell them 48! I

love this ‘job’ and look forward to seeing the cadets and planning things for them, but I do not know how much longer I will be able to do it. It is totally frustrating not having the support of the community and more adults coming out to help.

Our biggest challenge is getting people from the local community to become CIC officers to keep this corps running. Last September, two more adults from the community stepped forward to enrol, but that’s still not enough. Maybe, as Capt Styles says, a fulltime Class “B” position assigned to every corps and squadron would be a good thing.

Get to know your cadets. Compliment them on their successes and help them through their failures. Keep parents informed of cadet activities and their kids’ development—good or bad. Take time for the parents. They are the ones who take their kids to Cadets. Make sure your relationship with your sponsor is on an even keel. Although there may have been past issues, make sure you explain what you need from your sponsor. If there is a parent committee in place, make sure you set guidelines regarding what they can and cannot do. They are there to help with fundraising and other volunteer activities, but not to run the corps. Ensure you know what activities are available to your cadets. Don't be afraid to ask. That is what other commanding officers (COs) and area cadet officers are for. Make sure you have a staff that is willing to work through challenges and limitations and not give up on your cadets. Get to know the community you are working in especially if you are an ‘outsider’. Let the community know as well that you are there for the cadets—not yourself. Have patience, patience, patience. The time and effort you dedicate to your corps/squadron will one day pay off.

Lt(N) Butt is the commanding officer of 194 Sea Cadet Corps in St. George's, N. L. She joined the Cadet Program as a cadet in 1982, became a civilian instructor in 1988 and enrolled as a CIC officer in 1995 with another corps.

Professional Development for Leaders of the Cadet Program

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Created by the directing staff at Regional Cadet Instructors School (Central)

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE 1 Can corps/squadrons with a qualified small-bore range safety officer and possessing .22-calibre rifles accept an invitation from their affiliated unit commanding officer (CO) to conduct range training on the indoor small-bore rifle range in the armories in which they parade?

a) Yes, as long as the range has not been previously used for indoor large-bore weapons training. b) No, as no training of any type can be conducted by cadets/CIC officers/civilian instructors on any small-bore or large-bore indoor range. c) Yes, if your detachment commander authorizes it in writing to the affiliated unit CO. d) No, as cadets are only permitted to fire Daisy air rifles at the corps/squadron level.

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You are an officer at a corps/squadron and you have recently married a fellow officer on staff. You will take over as CO in September and your spouse will be in your chain of command. What do you do? a) Nothing. Your personal life is your own and doesn’t affect your CIC career. b) Notify the next highest level in your chain of command.

b) No, because of concerns regarding lead contamination in the paint on the housings of the gauges. c) No, because of concerns regarding radiation contamination from the luminous dials. d) No, until they have been inspected by the appropriate area cadet officer as being in accordance with the learning outcomes of the Cadet Program.

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b) Yes. A female parent can temporarily act as a supervisor for this activity. c) Yes, but only if a female senior cadet is in attendance to assist in supervising this activity. d) Yes. You have three male officers—more than enough to supervise.

ANSWERS

a) No. They can never be used because corps/ squadrons are prohibited from accepting training aids of any type that are not brand new and in their original packaging.

a) No. Without a female staff member to satisfy the gender supervision requirements, the activity must be cancelled.

1. (b) Reference: VCDS letter 1085-25-8 (D Cdts 4-2-2) sent to all regional cadet support units, dated July 31, 2003. This applies to all indoor small-bore and large-bore ranges— military or civilian.

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A local flea market operator (a former cadet) has made a bulk purchase of various types of vessel/ aircraft/vehicle gauges and wants to donate them to local corps/squadrons for use as training aids. He separates the gauges into elemental boxes and drops them off at various training locations. Can corps/squadron COs accept the donations and begin using them immediately?

2. (b) Reference: CATO 25-05 Personal Relationships, paragraphs 8-9, and DAOD 5019-1 Personal Relationships and Fraternization.

d) Convince your spouse to transfer to another local corps/squadron or to the Supplementary Reserve.

3. (c) Reference: CATO 14-20, Ionizing Radiation Sources in the Canadian Cadet Organizations, paragraph 9.

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You are a corps/squadron CO with an upcoming unit sports day. At the last minute, your sports officer calls and informs you that she has to work and cannot attend the sports day. You have no other female officer/civilian instructor/screened civilian volunteer available for the day of your activity. Can you still conduct the sports day?

4. (c) Reference: CATO 13-12, Supervising Cadets, paragraph 7.

c) Explain the situation and its implications to your spouse and trust that all concerned will just ‘get over it’ in time.

CADENCE

Issue 22, Spring/Summer 2007