Cadets attending summer programs at the Penhold Air Cadet Summer Training Centre are doing a lot more than just practising drills.
In fact, unless cadets are enrolled in a ceremonial drilling course – something they would have chosen – the young men and women spending part of their summer at the former Canadian Forces base do just enough drill practice to polish their skills for a graduation parade, said Commanding Officer Lt.-Col. Allan Dengis.
Instead, the over 1,200 youth who will make their way through the camp this summer get to participate in various training courses that can include everything from gliding to marksmanship to the camp's outstanding music program.
“I think the young people that come here have a most enjoyable time and that's why we continue to get them coming back here time and time again,” Dengis said, estimating about 80 per cent of the cadets attending the camp have been there before.
There are two-week sessions that often come as a cadet finishes their first year with their local squadron, a three-week program that builds on those skills and a six-week advanced program.
There are three wings of training: basic and advanced training, general training and music training. Various courses are offered through those sections.
The cadets who make it to the Penhold Air Cadet Summer Training Centre have had to go through a tough selection process to get their spot. Dengis said only 35-40 per cent of cadets from the entire cadet program get the chance to go to a summer training centre. They apply to come and get recommendations from their commanding officer, then are picked to attend a camp by decision makers at a regional level.
“It is very selective, and yes, it can be competitive,” Dengis said.
Penhold's centre is one of several across the country. This is the second-to-last summer for the camp, which will shut after summer 2014.
“It's an emotional topic,” Dengis said. It's a beautiful facility, he said, and lots of staff have served there for years. However, both cadets and staff will be accommodated at other training centres in the future, something Dengis said could help expose cadets to different areas of the country.
A cadet's day at camp is a structured one, with both indoor and outdoor training activities.
Some highlights include the opportunity to go up in a glider plane, and the music program.
“We deliver top-end training,” Dengis said of the band. The musical cadets' skills are in demand for various parades throughout the summer, he said.
Spending time at the camp is a valuable experience for the young people who go, Dengis said.
“It's giving them life skills,” he said. Not only are they learning everything from outdoor survival to marksmanship, they're also learning how to do their own laundry and live with several roommates in an era when most youth usually get their own bedrooms.
“It builds within them that tolerance, that ability to get along,” Dengis said.
Overall, the cadets' summer training and the local programs are worthwhile attending.
“This is a wonderful program; it's great for you,” Dengis said. “It's a unique opportunity. The … skills that they get here will help them develop into being a young person who's going to be a good citizen and be able to give back into their community,” he said.
