Corps Biz

Hooray, hooray for the end of Feb.  The rodents tell us that spring will soon be here.  The other three things that tell us spring will soon be upon us is the Mess Dinner, Winter Excercise and Peterborough Half-marathon and 5 K races have all happened.  The mess dinner was well attended with 47 there.  The speaker and battle buddy were both from Ft. Drum NY.  and well received.  The dinner also was a retirement function for Capt. Bill Minion who has finished his tour of duty with 718 Sqdn. in Port Hope.

 

Our winter ex was shifted to the Town of Cobourg's property next to the Armoury when EOA Trenton couldn't fund the transportation, etc for the original plan.  Semper Gumby.  The training value was still there as we coped with the cold,wind and set up.  This excercise is the one most likely missed by cadets but carries the most weight when we are adding up commitment points at the end of the season.   Participation was good though with nearly 30 cadets and staff on hand.

 

Our annual trek to Peterborough to participate in the YMCA Half-marathon and 5 K race was yesterday, 25 Feb.  Eight cadets and one other officer went with me.  All participants finished their events.  WO Carruthers and CWO Hoekstra finished 3rd and 4th for the under 18 age bracket.   Two of our younger girls turned in strong performances as well.  Cadets Rudkin and Barron's times auger well for the future.  Sgt. Hoekstra, M/Cpl McGourty, Cpl Sager and Cadet Staunton covered the distance with good pace.  O/C Sager (soon to be 2 Lt.) tended to the blisters, hydration, etc and ran the 5 K as well.  Many thanks to Mrs. Barron for helping with photos, transportation and encouragement.  Oh yeah, the CO blistered the Half-marathon in 2:07 and needs to learn to choose socks more wisely. 

 

The range competition is next Sunday, 4 Mar.,and we are looking forward to success with a strong team and new rifles thanks to the Support Committee.  We will start with some extra drill on Monday's at 1730 for those aspiring to be drill team members or want to improve this skill.  Fitness  and band will still happen as well.

 

SNCO's need to keep 14 April weekend free to travel to Mr. Johnson's property to help with some minor construction and probably some rope work.  Always a good time.  All the paperwork has been completed for the reward trip to Ft. Drum but I haven't had confirmation from Ottawa yet.  That trip is planned for last weekend in April.  A tag day is being tentavely planned for 12 May and a trip to Peace Keeper Park for the long weekend in May.

 

Keep coming to cadets and bring a friend.

 

 

Happy 2007 to all.

 

As the year opens we are diving into camp forms, a running program, marksmanship team, drill team and new equipment.

 

As a Corps we are allowed 35% of our quota to attend the summer camps provided by DND.  I am negotiating an increase in our quota to 65 cadets and hope to have those discussions completed before the summer camp season opens.  Our 24 Green Star cadets are invited to apply for a two week camp at Blackdown this summer. This camp is a sub-unit at Camp Borden just outside Barrie ON.  They run 3 two week serials but work hard at getting all the cadets from each unit in the same serial.  A few Green stars who have shown great interest in Band or Marksmanship are invited to apply for Introductory Music and Marksmanship camps as well.  The music camp is held at the Blackdown site as well.  The Marksmanship camps are all held at Connaught Ranges just outside of Ottawa.  No promises but we have done very well at getting all who want a summer camp a spot. 

 

Returning second year cadets and older are invited to apply for a variety of Cadet Leader, Instructor, Adventure, Advanced Band and Marksmanship Camps as well.  We will be interviewing prospective applicants in the next two weeks to determine who wants what.   The apex of any Army Cadet's career is to attend the Parachute course at CFB Trenton.  I look forward in the next few years to having several Corps 88 cadets get their wings.

 

The new equipment is being purchased with funds provided by the Ont. gvmt.  The major buys are band instruments for the 16 cadets practicing on Monday nights.  Merry Christmas Lt. Orser.  We hope to soon have delivery of a 14 foot long trailer to help move and store kit needed for field excercises.  Already in stores are 2 Trekker water treatment systems and a Honda generator.  The Corps is suitably excited about the new opportunities this gear will bring to us.

 

Upcoming events are cold weather training field excercise on 26 - 28 Jan.   I hope we actually have some cold weather and pray for snow.  As usual we are deploying to Senator Tunney's farm in Wicklow after spending the night of 26 Jan. in the armoury. 

 

Next up is the Tri-service mess dinner at the Woodlawn Inn on Thursday 1 Feb.  Corps 88's M/Cpls and up are invited and expected to attend.   Senior cadets and staff from the other units in the area are invited as well.  The cost for Officers and adults is $40, cadets pay $30.  Most support committees defray the cost for cadets to attend this formal function.  I am negotiating for a speaker from Ft. Drum, NY as I write this. 

 

The Peterborough Half-Marathon and 5 K race is 25 Feb. and we hope to have several cadets attempt the 22 K  half marathon and up to 8 for the 5 K.  Ability to compete will assessed on Monday night runs to determine who should be sponsored by Corps to enter.

 

More information on Corps 88's shooting program and Drill team will be forthcoming from O/C Sager and Lt. Orser as these programmes ramp up.

 

Semper Gumby

 

 

Dress for 8 Nov.  is DEU's (dress uniform).  For the Remberance Day Weekend, come on Friday 10 Nov. in combats but bring Dress uniform and PT Gear.  A complete kit list will be handed out Wed. 8 Nov.  Our intention is to have the cadets looking  great for the several events they will be attending.

 

Paratus.

 

Captain McEwen.

The Senior weekend has come and gone, well floated away actually!! We didn't intend for it to so focused on survival but the weather changed our training plan.  Bravo Zulu to all who participated and stayed to help dry out equpment on Sunday evening.

 

The next two weekends involve the entire Corps and veterans.   Sunday 5 Nov. the Corps is parading in Alderville at 1330.  We gather at the Community Center and march to First Nations' War Memorial.  We take pride in the privilege of honouring First Nations' veterans and remind all that they volunteer in greater numbers then any other demographic in Canada.

 

The weekend of 10 - 12 Nov. is a busy one for the entire Corps as well.   We will gather at Armoury at 1800 on 10 Nov. for classes and uniform help and practice Cenotaph drill.  We will be up early Sat. morning and after breakfast prep for the various parades we are supporting.  We will have a presence at Cobourg, Grafton and Colborne.  Parents please be prepared to help with car pooling to all these events.   After the Rememberance Services and dinners we come back to Armoury for a social evening and then up early again on Sunday to parade to St. Peter's church in Cobourg in support of the Royal Marines Memorial Service.  The Cobourg Concert and and Marines will be in attendance and Corps 88 has been invited to parade with them after the Church Service.   Parents please collect your cadets at 1300 at St. Peter's in Cobourg.  If your cadet needs to come and go during these events please advise the staff before hand.  Complete attendance by all is desired but partial attendance by a few is expected.

 

Any questions email corpsbiz@hotmail.com.

 

Paratus.

The red star and up weekend has been planned for 27 -29 Oct.  The cadets are expected at the armoury at 1900 Friday 27 Oct. and will be returning at 1900 Sunday 29 Oct.   They should have personal kit lists and permission slips for parents already.  If your cadet doesn't have it and wants to attend (Red star and up) they should pick them up Monday 23 Oct.  For this excercise ALL CADETS MUST BE IN POSSESION OF HEALTH CARD.

 

 

THERE IS NO CADETS ON MONDAY 9 OCTOBER.  STAY HOME AND ENJOY YOUR TURKEY.

 

Commanding Oficer's Parade this Wednesday at 1830.  We are still in summer dress.

 

Get your costumes ready for the Cadet Hallow'een Dance on Friday 20 Oct.  Cost is $2.

 

It was disappointing that the Soap Box was canceled on Sunday, it is usually a lot fun for all.

 

Next up is the Seniors Weekend up north.  The advance party will leave Friday AM to reccon and set up sites.

 

We hope to be parading in Alderville at 1400 5 Nov. for their War Memorial Service.

 

The Corps is so busy 10 -12 Nov. that we are going to stay in Armoury for both nights and take advantage of the spare time to get some more training done.

Upcoming events for October are:

 

1 October  Port Hope Soap Box Derby.  0800 to 1400 main street in Port Hope.

 

Army Cadet Challenge  2 Lt. Hebert OPI (officer prime importance)

 

Senior Adventure Weekend for red star and above. 27 - 29 OCT.  North Buckhorn.  Capt. McEwen OPI, Mr. Gord Johnson, wildnerness instructor.

This Monday will likely have some new recruits joining us for the first time.  Lets all make sure they find their way around the Corps.  The CO and staff will be taking the entire Corps for a 2 Km jog at 1800 hr.  Those who are not able to join us on the run will be using the excercise bike in the armoury or enjoying a shuttle run in front of the armoury.

 

The field excercise went well with 42 cadets and 6 staff on the ground.  All came home tired, including me.  It was good to see the returning cadets knit together as a cohort and help the newbies get used to camp routine.  There were more then a few lessons learned on how to keep my sleeping bag dry, line up for field hygiene, eating, etc.  Some photos were taken and should be published here later this week.

 

Eileen Sheppard, a well qualified and experienced physical training instructor has looked at our equipment and space and has designed a circuit training course for teenaged males and females.  I look forward to creating it in real time, this Monday night.

 

ACC (Army Cadet Challenge) team will begin training in earnest this week as well. 

 

Bold and swift.