Army Cadets off to Canada

Sgt Adam McPherson,16, of Eglinton Detachment, and a pupil of Oakgrove Integrated College, L/Cpl Kim Magee,14, of Newbuildings Detachment, who is a pupil of Raphoe Royal School, and L/Cpl Kim Curry, also aged14, and also of Newbuildings Detachment and a pupil of Strabane Grammar School, are off to Canada as part of a group of 24 UK cadets on an exchange visit with the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.

Cadets must be of the highest calibre and non-smokers before being nominated by their detachment commanders to represent the Army Cadets on this trip.

The nominated cadets must pass two interviews before being selected for this experience of a life time. To get selected they must be capable of carrying a rucksack weighing 25lbs, and swim 50 meters in light clothing and trainers. When in Canada the cadets wear the uniform of the RCAC and only wear their dress uniforms on day trips to places of interest.

While in Canada the Cadets will get plenty of hiking experience, finishing with a five-day expedition which will involve the cadets taking turns as the team leader, planning, briefing and navigating the team on different stages and tasks.

L/Cpl Kim Magee said: "I've been a cadet for two years now and have done many different and exciting things but this will no doubt be the best. I am really looking forward to the canoeing. It sounds great."

The cadets will get the chance to abseil form large cliff's and they will have to learn how to tie their own ropes and are allowed to abseil 'Aussie style' which means you run down the rock face as fast as you can and they also get the chance to abseil at midnight due to the 24-hour daylight in the Yukon.

Watermanship training teaches the cadets the skills they require to handle a Canadian canoe safely, this includes capsize drills in an open canoe which sounds bad enough, but when the water in the lake is fed from a melting glacier it can be a bit cold. This training will ensure the cadets handle the canoes up to a good standard, even on some of the more severe rapids.

Sgt Adam McPherson said: "Its brilliant you get the chance to have a go at a white water rafting, but you don't do this until you have been well trained are ready for them, but its not all plain sailing as you have to carry your canoe with all the kit inside around some of the more dangerous rapids."

When out on one of the three-day expedition the cadets will take part in an unusual tradition, they will celebrate Christmas on July 25, July where they decorate a tree and get served a meal by the Canadian senior cadets.

The cadets will get the chance to build a rope bridge across a canyon and then have to cross it. The last expedition is a 300km canoe expedition and you have to carry everything you need for the duration as the nearest road is about two days walk from any part of the river

L/Cpl Kim Curry said: "I can't wait to go, I have heard so much about it from other cadets who have been to Canada, it will be really challenging and will test our nerves and stamina with many of the things we will do. I am told the Canadian cadets are really good to work with, and I am looking forward to getting out and meeting the local Indian tribes.

"I am going to have so much to tell my friends when I come back to school in September," they said.

Its not all running about the wilds and getting taught what to do if you meet a wolf or a bear, the cadets all get the chance to do some visits to places of interest and as part of the 'Citizenship Training' they will visit a local Indian tribe and experience the local way of life.

The cadets will also be able to complete the expedition part of their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Award whilst in Canada, and it will also go towards their BTEC (NVQ) in Public Services worth 4 GCSE's which all cadets can achieve as members of the Army Cadet Force.

The triowill meet up with the remainder of the group at the National Cadet Training Centre, Frimley Park on June 30, and then it's on to the plane at Heathrow Airport and off to an experience of a lifetime.