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Kamloops  

Army and Sea Cadets show off skills during annual ceremonial review

Cadets show off skills

Kamloops Army and Sea Cadets underwent their annual ceremonial review Sunday, where they were able to show off parade skills and receive awards and promotions in front of family and dignitaries.

Cadets and officers from the 137 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Kamloops and the 2035 Rocky Mountain Rangers Army Cadet Corp held a joint ceremony at the JR Vicars Armoury.

Capt. Josh Burneau, commanding officer for the 137 Royal Canadian Sea Corps, said the ceremony allows the cadets to show off the skills they’ve learned over the last year.

“Most of them are pretty excited to be able to showcase what they've worked all year,” said Burneau.

“It's a sense of pride for a lot of them to have these these dignitaries come and watch and they can kind of show off what they've learned.”

Among those in attendance Sunday were Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson and Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo, as well as Coun. Nancy Bepple.

Caputo served as reviewing officer for the ceremony.

Dignitaries aided in handing out awards and promotions to the two cadet units.

“We try to find an award for as many cadets as we can, and it can be anything from showing improvement throughout the year and having the best attitude throughout the year,” said Burneau.

“There's a lot of cadets that show up to everything that are very excited to be here and that really showcase the cadet program and we try to find something for everyone.”

Burneau said the cadets have been parading once a week since September in preparation for the review, but have also dedicated hours outside of drills and training to the program.

“It’s a family program — and we say that in the sense that we may only see them for three hours a week, but these cadets are at home working on their uniform the rest of the week and their families are driving them out to all the events,” said Burneau.

“So it's good for families to come and see what what their children are learning and what their children have to showcase for everybody here today.”

While the three Kamloops Cadet Units undergo different training exercises, Burneau said the program tries to encourage intermingling between the Sea, Army and Air branches.

“Together we all parade as much as we can," he said.

"Just doing fun activities — we go bowling or we go to the beach. There absolutely is a sense of camaraderie.”

More information about the Cadet units is available online at the 137 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp and the 2035 Rocky Mountain Rangers Army Cadet Corp’s websites.



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