Photo by: Tristan Thomson
Caption: Top 5 eager to make their mark. (L-R) LCol Christopher Renahan, Director of Cadets; JEFFREY A. ARNOLD – CWAdO; GRAHAM MATER – DCWC; MAKYLA ST.ONGE – CWC; WILLIAM CARLE – CWTO; PIER-ALEXANDRE LACASSE – CWOpsO; and MWO Wallace Rideout, Drill Seargeant Major.
The second term barslate connected with Bill Oliver recently to provide a little background on themselves and their plans for the future.
- 26810 MAKYLA ST.ONGE – CWC
- 26685 GRAHAM MATER – DCWC
- 26420 WILLIAM CARLE – CWTO
- 26726 PIER-ALEXANDRE LACASSE – CWOpsO
- 26783 JEFFREY A. ARNOLD – CWAdO
Following is a sample of the questions we put to these five highly motivated cadets:
- What were your inspiration / motivation to attend RMCC?
- What changes would you like to see at RMCC which would make it a better overall experience?
- Which senior cadet(s) influenced you most as a I, II, III Year and how?
- What– in your opinion– makes a good leader?
- What inspires you to be the person you are today?
- Which person(s) (excluding parents / family members) inspired you the most to be the person you are today?
- What does TDV mean to you?
- What is your ultimate goal after leaving RMCC?
Following in their own words:
MORE…
26810 MAKYLA ST.ONGE – CWC – 00183 Pilot – Honours Business and Administration
What were your inspiration / motivation to attend RMCC?
I have always wanted to be a military pilot and studying at RMCC seemed like the best fit for me. I liked the structure and the history behind the institution.
What changes would you like to see at RMCC which would make it a better overall experience?
More esprit-de-corps activities.
Which senior cadet(s) influenced you most as a I, II, III Year and how?
My FYOP staff during first-year definitely had a long lasting impression on me as a person. They reinforced the idea of teamwork and constant professional development.
What– in your opinion– makes a good leader?
Someone who is willing to listen and allow others to develop as leaders as well.
What inspires you to be the person you are today?
My parents who have always supported me in everything I do.
Which person(s) (excluding parents / family members) inspired you the most to be the person you are today?
The officers and NCMs I had the chance to work with during my years at the college.
What does TDV mean to you?
It means to do the right thing even when you know no one is watching.
What is your ultimate goal after leaving RMCC?
To pass all stages of my flight training
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26685 –GRAHAM MATER – Deputy Cadet Wing Commander – MARS – Military Psychology and Leadership
What were your inspiration / motivation to attend RMCC?
The first time I applied to RMC, my application was denied because I was deemed medically unfit due to my
asthma. I spent the next year undergoing a series of medical tests to clear my asthma, re-applying to RMC, and studying at the University of Ottawa. My experience at civilian university definitely strengthened my motivations to attend RMC. I wanted more from my university education than just a degree, and RMC offered exactly that. I saw RMC as an opportunity to challenge myself. I wanted to get an education, learn French, improve my fitness, and become part of a team, and ultimately achieve my goal of becoming an officer in the CAF. RMC was the perfect option for me.
What changes would you like to see at RMCC which would make it a better overall experience?
I would love for people at RMC to be happier in general. It’s easy to get caught up in nonsense and lose perspective, but you have to remember to take the time to enjoy your life. I think we have the best job in the world: we get paid to learn and better ourselves every day. It’s important to remember how lucky we are to have the opportunities that exist at RMC.
Which senior cadet(s) influenced you most as a I, II, III Year and how?
My biggest influences throughout my College experience have been senior members of the Sandhurst Team. In my first and second year on the Team, I was surrounded by men and women who were top-notch in all four pillars and really took leadership seriously. They taught me how to thrive at the College. Many of them have graduated and gone on to do amazing things as junior officers, and I’m really thankful to have had their mentorship. Even now as fourth year, I’ll still get in touch with them if I have questions or need guidance.
What– in your opinion– makes a good leader?
A good leader is someone who cares. I’ve taken a lot of formal classes on the subject of leadership in my degree, and the more I study it, the more complex the topic seems to become. But a lot of it just comes down to being a good person. If you’re a compassionate, sensible, and conscientious person, and you take the time to follow the principles of leadership, you’re on the right track.
What inspires you to be the person you are today?
I’m a very intrinsically-motivated person. If I set my mind on something, there is a good chance I’m going to make it happen. I love helping people, I love bettering myself, and I love being part of a team.
Which person(s) (excluding parents / family members) inspired you the most to be the person you are today?
I love reading, and I’m inspired by the stories that I read about and the authors who write them. I like stories about hardship, bravery, the omnipotence of nature, human interactions, triumph and suffering. The human experience is pretty well-documented, and I love finding books that I can relate to.
What does TDV mean to you?
TDV is something to think about when times get tough. When I was in Dieppe on the 2015 Battlefield Tour, I saw “Truth, Duty, Valour” inscribed on the gravestone of a fallen officer. TDV connect us all. When we came to RMC, we all came from different places, but when we leave, we’re all the same. After our time at the College, some of us will go on to do incredible things, and some of us will die whilst performing our duty. Not many institutions have that kind of alumni.
What is your ultimate goal after leaving RMCC?
When I leave RMC, I want to be a good leader and a good officer.
***
26420 WILLIAM CARLE – CWTO – 00181 ENGR – Honours Chemistry
What were your inspiration / motivation to attend RMCC?
I first wanted to obtain a chemistry degree. I was impassioned by the military since my young age and finally set the goal of joining as Combat Engineer.
What changes would you like to see at RMCC which would make it a better overall experience?
PMTs where you could learn practical personal finance knowledge and others where you could informally meet with military members of your trade.
Which senior cadet(s) influenced you most as a I, II, III Year and how?
OCdt Otis definitely had a very successful progress and influenced me towards performance and opportunity.
What– in your opinion– makes a good leader?
A good leader to me is someone that will fight for his troops/subordinates before self.
What inspires you to be the person you are today?
Pride is mostly the motivation that drives me out of my comfort zone.
Which person(s) (excluding parents / family members) inspired you the most to be the person you are today?
Senator Roméo Dallaire for his great and honorable accomplishments.
What does TDV mean to you?
It means that RMC Cadets are not just students, but leaders of tomorrow.
What is your ultimate goal after leaving RMCC?
Be appointed as EOD troop commander in the RCE.
The Last Word:
“Sometime life at RMC may seem very unpleasant, but the opportunities of individual development are what makes it worthwhile. I believe that our progression goes beyond other students’ of the same age.”
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26726 PIER-ALEXANDRE LACASSE – CWOpsO – 000189 Construction Engineer =-Civil Engineering
What were your inspirations / motivation to attend RMCC?
I really wanted to challenge myself. My three favourite things in life are sports, travelling, and 
professional/personal development. RMCC is a great institution that gives me the chance to do all three and set me up for that type of life in the CAF.
What changes would you like to see at RMCC which would make it a better overall experience?
I would like to inspire the cadet wing to be motivated to be here and work hard in all four pillars.
Which senior cadet(s) influenced you most as a I, II, III Year and how?
I can’t choose just one, but since my first year I did my best to learn from others’ successes and mistakes.
What– in your opinion– makes a good leader?
Someone who earns the respect of their troops by staying true and honest with others and themselves while supporting the CoC’s intent.
What inspires you to be the person you are today?
My parents, both of them taught me, by the way they lived, that success always comes with effort and if you keep your goal in mind nothing should stop you from reaching it.
Which person(s) (excluding parents / family members) inspired you the most to be the person you are today?
I don’t have somebody specific in mind, but between High School and now, I had the chance to work with a lot of inspiring people (Teachers, Coaches, NCM, Officers and colleagues) and I learned a lot from each of them.
What does TDV mean to you?
It means being honest to others but mainly to yourself by investing your best efforts in everything you do, especially when nobody is watching and others tell you that it doesn’t matter.
What is your ultimate goal after leaving RMCC?
To develop myself personally and professionally and become the best leader I can by maintaining a high standard at all times !
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26783 JEFFREY A. ARNOLD – CWAdO – Construction Engineering Officer – Civil Engineering
What were your inspiration / motivation to attend RMCC?
As a young kid growing up in Kingston I was always impressed with the discipline and professionalism displayed by the RMC cadets. Every year at the end of August I could often be found on the RMC grounds watching as the newest cadets of the college marched under the Memorial Arch with a dream of one day being one of those cadets.
What changes would you like to see at RMCC which would make it a better overall experience?
I’d like to see more cadets at the college being confident in the decisions that they make and not afraid to stand up and defend those decisions.
Which senior cadet(s) influenced you most as a I, II, III Year and how?
There are many cadets at the college that have had a great influence on me and they are not necessarily the senior cadets in the wing. My biggest influence often comes from the cadets that display a high level of deportment and professionalism on a day-to-day basis no matter which year they are. As a first year, I was most influenced by my own peers who were always pushing me to run a little further or study a little harder.
What– in your opinion– makes a good leader?
I believe that a good leader is one who is willing to make a tough decision and stand by it if they believe it is the right thing to do. Too often, leaders make decisions in order to try and please those above them. Promotions and recognitions should not be the influencing factors in the decisions that a leader makes.
What inspires you to be the person you are today?
Seeing passion in other people’s eyes when they are achieving their goals.
Which person(s) (excluding parents / family members) inspired you the most to be the person you are today?
“Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It’s about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others’ success, and then standing back and letting them shine.” – Chris Hadfield 13738
What does TDV mean to you?
To me, TDV is all about having integrity.
What is your ultimate goal after leaving RMCC?
To finish my phase training and have a successful and meaningful career in the CAF as a constructing engineering officer.
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Solo photos of Top 5 by Denice Zoretich