Twenty-three cadets are lined up and ready for inspection from Capt. Bill McLean.
One cadet’s belt is askew and another one has outgrown his uniform, but mostly the new group looks good for its first time out.
It may only be the first cadet parade of the year for the 2328 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, but McLean sees potential in the new group.
“As they work their way through the program, they’ll become more responsible and assume larger leadership roles,” he said.
“Eventually they’ll be instructing classes.”
The cadets meet each Monday at the RH Channing Auditorium, along with sessions every other Thursday at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 73 hall for range practice.
Along with monthly exercises, the schedule is packed with new activities and lessons for the youth.
“The three things we’re supposed to teach are physical fitness, interest in the armed forces and good citizenship,” said McLean. “Those are our primary goals.
The new group will be working toward one of the biggest days of the year for the cadets: Remembrance Day. On Nov. 11, cadets play a crucial role in ceremonies, parading from the community hall to the Hill Street cenotaph.
“They have to know why they’re parading, what’s expected of them when they get to the community hall, what the event’s all about,” said McLean.
“We teach them to march down, there’s some weapons drills that we teach them and then they stand guard at the cenotaph for the service.”
McLean will soon be stepping down from his formal role with the cadets in November after 22 years of service, but has pledged to stay involved as a civilian volunteer.
