Surrey Army Cadet Rachel Kim has just returned home from Vernon, where she spent three weeks in the Basic Expedition Course at Vernon Army Cadet Summer Training Centre (VACSTC) learning the fundamentals of expedition training.
Kim is a member of 2812 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps (Seaforth Highlanders).
Included in the training are lessons on how to select and navigate a route using maps, how to pack for an expedition, how to establish a daily routine, how to ride a mountain bike on trails and how to paddle a canoe on flat water.
The training was used during a five-day expedition in the hills overlooking the Okanagan Valley. The cadets also completed a swim test, and learned emergency first aid. For relaxation, the cadets spent a day sightseeing and shopping in Vernon and an afternoon at Kin Beach on Okanagan Lake.
All three-week Basic Courses (Leadership, Sports and Fitness, Marksmanship, Band and Pipes and Drums and Expedition) ended with a Graduation Parade on July 25 on Sicily Square at VACSTC. Reviewing Officer for the parade will be Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Tyler, the Commanding Officer of the Rocky Mountain Rangers.
During the summer, more than 1,200 Army Cadets from western Canada will have spent up to six weeks in the Okanagan Valley training centre, expanding the training they receive at their home corps, developing new skills and forming friendships.
The Cadet Program is a national program for young Canadians aged 12 to 18 who are interested in participating in a variety of fun, challenging and rewarding activities while learning about the sea, army and air activities of the Canadian Armed Forces. Cadets make valuable contributions to Canadian society on a daily basis in terms of environmental, citizenship and community activities. Cadets also learn valuable life and work skills such as teamwork, leadership and citizenship.
