WINNIPEG — Cadet Warrant Officer (WO) Kaiden Dumais of the No. 2834 64th Field Battery, Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in Yorkton, was one of 19 senior cadets from across the Prairies and the territories selected to participate in the Spruce Woods Trek – a 10-day regional army cadet expedition.
The highlight of the trek, according to a news release, was a challenging five-day backcountry hike through Spruce Woods Provincial Park in south-central Manitoba.
“What I like most about expedition is the physical and mental challenge. It included navigation and GPS skills. I also learned new things along the way, like identifying edible plants and berries. I feel like if you put me in the bush, I would survive longer than if I hadn’t joined army cadets,” he said in the news release.
The news release goes on to say this unique opportunity allowed cadets to test their expedition skills while also developing key soft skills such as resilience, teamwork and effective communication.
“I got to meet so many new people from different places, including the territories and other provinces,” he said. “I also learned about Spruce Woods — and realized Manitoba isn’t as flat as Saskatchewan.”
“Warrant Officer Dumais has attended several introductory expedition weekends and successfully completed the mountain bike instructor course at Blackdown Cadet Training Centre in Ontario,” added,” added Capt. Colin McInnes in the news release.
“Warrant Officer Dumais has shown a high level of fitness, earning a high fitness standard under the cadet fitness incentive program. At their local corps, Warrant Officer Dumais teaches junior cadets the skills they gained while attending the air rifle marksmanship instructor course at Rocky Mountain Cadet Training Centre in Alberta.”
For local youth considering joining the cadet program, Dumais said: “All the little experiences you have on your weekly training nights add up. Those things are so important.”
The news release states the Army Cadet Expeditions across Canada program is structured into four progressive levels, each offering unique opportunities for personal growth and achievement — from community-level adventure training weekends hosted by local army cadet corps to regional-level expeditions.
The cadet program is open to youth aged 12-18. For more information, visit its website.
