This past weekend was the Cadet Wing’s first official training weekend of the semester, and while the weather forced several changes into the plans (Sports Day, postponed from September, was cancelled again), the Training Wing Staff made sure that the Wing was busy.
First Years Get Hands On With C7 Rifle
Written by 26669 OCdt (I) Anna Childerose
This Saturday, the First Years got their first chance to hold and experience a C7 rifle. The C7 rifle is the standard rifle used by the Canadian forces, and as some of the newest members, the First Years must undergo training on these rifles. The day started off with a not-so-easy wake up, followed by a short briefing by the CFLRS staff training us. When we were introduced to the staff, we had the chance to see a few familiar faces from our indoc days in St. Jean. As the day proceeded, we went through 10 training modules that covered areas such as cleaning, functions tests, inspections, stripping, and of course safety. It took a day’s worth of practice, but by the end of the day the First Year class was able to perform a field strip and a functions test in record timing.
Being qualified to carry a C7 is our first step in military training and will help all of us perform better during our time spent on BMOQ. With much more training to come, the First Year class demonstrated a high level of work effort and proficiency that impressed not only the RMC staff but the CFLRS staff as well. The day ended with an inspiring speech by the Warrant in charge of the rifle training for CFLRS on the importance of teamwork, respect, and responsibility as we move one step closer to becoming some of the newest leaders in the Canadian forces.
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Second Years Refresh Their Practical Skills
Written by 26318 OCdt (II) Stephen Kane
On Saturday, 27 Oct 2012, the Second Year Officer Cadets of the Royal Military College participated in military training, with portions of the class spending time concurrently conducting Mental Fitness and Suicide Awareness (MFSA). The morning began with rifle drill, where the Cadets practiced and were evaluated on their ability to perform drill movements. It was a good opportunity to sharpen their skills for the upcoming and year-end parades. In the afternoon, the Cadets headed up to CFB Kingston where they received a refresher on first aid covered during the Basic Military Officer Qualification that many of them completed this past summer. In addition, they completed the confidence course by squadron, giving them a chance to bond as a team, and perform a little bit of physical activity.
It was also a great opportunity for the recently arrived Officer Cadets from the Royal Military College of Saint-Jean to spend time training with their new squadrons, and continue to integrate themselves into the Class of 2015.
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Third Years Meet Training Weekend with Great Enthusiasm
Written by/Écrit par 25639 OCdt (III) Marc-André Jean
It was with great enthusiasm that the Class of 2014 participated in the training weekend. Even if the forecast was not on our side, we were lucky enough to not receive any rain on our heads. Saturday began with an obstacle course. It was conducted by Squadrons and therefore it really added to the competitive spirit that exists in RMCC. However, it was not just that;, between relays, the Class attended demonstrations of multiple ways to heal injuries. This was to increase our ”toolbox” of knew knowledge. Also, to keep the moral up, Squadrons challenged others in a ”tug-of-war”!
Finalement, en après-midi, la classe effectua des leçons de drill d’épée ainsi que le test. Le maniement de l’épée est une des composantes essentielles pour les positions de parade l’an prochain.
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Fourth Years Sharpen Their Mental Soldier Skills
Written by 25387 OCdt (IV) Mykola Lenchuk
This past Saturday, the Class of 2013 participated in a day of military training. Normally when one hears the term ‘military training weekend’ at RMC, one pictures early Saturday morning physical training, rucksack marches, or long hours on the parade square. However, this weekend was different. The Fourth Year Officer Cadets were able to ‘sharpen’ their mental soldier skills, and acquire some new ones. The training itself was in the form of briefings from subject matter experts; the briefings were comprised of the following: the Law of Armed Conflict, Canadian Forces Code of Conduct, use of force, human rights, and gender rights. Though for most it was a review from phase training or earlier lectures (but mostly a much needed one), for some this training was completely new.
To me it served as another example of how Officer Cadets at the Royal Military College receive a much higher level of military training then their civilian university counterparts. This is particularly important as graduation seems ever closer with 200 Days to Grad coming next week. Soon the Cadets of the Class of 2013 will be commissioned and on their way to do their phase training and eventually their first posting. They will then soon realize how important it was to be educated in such seemingly distant topics as those mentioned above. Most will realize that just by attending these lectures and simply listening, though for some it was a bit of a struggle, they received a significant ‘leg up’ in their fledgling military careers.
All photos by 25366 Mike Shewfelt.