First-Years Have First Mess Dinner
By 25881 OCdt (III) Anthony Matlock
This past Wednesday (19 Oct) the first-years of “A Division” — 1, 2, 3 and 4 Squadrons — gathered and dined at the Senior Staff Mess along with their cadet training staff and key members of RMCC. The evening was hosted by “A Division” Commander, Major Pendergast, along with the guest of honour, Brigadier General Noonan, who graduated the College with a Bachelor of Engineering in Fuels and Materials, and a minor in hockey, in 1982 (click here for BGen Noonan’s biography).
Also in attendance was the Commandant, Brigadier General Eric Tremblay, the Director of Cadets, Lieutenant-Colonel Susan Wigg, as well as Squadron Commanders and other members of the Training & Academic Wings and the Athletics Department.
The evening ended with four humorous skits from the first-year flights and was overall a very good introduction to a CF mess dinner.
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Brigadier-General Noonan’s Speech at the First-Year Cadet’s Mess Dinner
By 26287 OCdt (I) James Heard
On the evening of Wednesday, October 19, the first mess dinner for the class of 2015 was held at the Royal Military College of Canada. The guest of honour was 13666 Brigadier General SP Noonan, the Director General Information Management Operations of NDHQ who holds the appointment of Deputy Canadian Forces J6. After a brief introduction by one of the officer cadets describing the brigadier-general’s career, that spans over three decades, the guest of honour rose and addressed all of the guests.
He advised all of the cadets to be prepared to encounter anything in their careers as officers. He shared an anecdote; after “quite successfully” completing two phases of training for the position of MARS officer in the navy, he voluntarily transferred to the air force to be a pilot, and began training again “quite unsuccessfully,” before changing his trade again to combat engineer. His first message was to be prepared for change of plans, as the military career path takes you in many different unexpected directions.
The brigadier-general continued by saying that every cadet should embrace the military ideology. The Canadian Forces is an institution that performs important service at home and abroad, and has much history and tradition; every cadet should take pride in being a part of it. He emphasized the importance of remaining open-minded and optimistic to overcome challenges, as military careers frequently lead to unexpected and difficult turns in one’s life. The brigadier-general also stressed that being in the military is not all work. Officers must find ways to enjoy themselves if they are to be fit for performing their duty and being capable commanders. Cadets should find time to pursue their hobbies and interests so that they are entertained and motivated.
The brigadier-general concluded by saying that cadets who feel that the military lifestyle is not for them should not be ashamed, but should feel satisfaction in what they have already done at RMC. The general said that it does not matter if one serves in the military for six months, a year, ten years, or thirty years; the act of choosing a life of responsibility and serving the country is a courageous and commendable action, even if one serves for only a short time. The brigadier-general closed his speech by thanking the guests for the opportunity to dine with the officers, staff, and first-year cadets of the Royal Military College of Canada. He wished the cadets well in their studies and future careers, and then sat down, having fulfilled his promise of delivering a short speech and deeply touching every member of the audience.