Foothills area Air Cadets have returned to in-person drills and classes.
The local squadron, 187 Foothills Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron (RCAS), held an in-person parade and change of command ceremony on Tuesday, April 12.
It was the first official Commanding Officer’s parade since returning to in-person activities this March, and cadets are excited to be back in-person after a challenging couple of years.
Flight Sgt. Ethan Perkins said staying motivated was the hardest part of meeting online over the last few years. The Air Cadets program is about experiences, he said, and there is no comparison between online meetings and being back in person.
“I’m so excited that we’re back,” he said.
“It’s definitely been worth the wait,” he said. “This is our first official CO’s parade, so everybody's dressed up nicely, everybody has their boots all shined. Hopefully it goes really well.”
He said it is good they were able to continue with virtual meetings, rather than shutting the program down completely, but he is looking forward to getting back to things like summer training with the other cadets.
2nd Lieutenant David Moretta said there are practical reasons that it is good to be back in person, and that it is a much more fulfilling experience for the cadets overall.
The cadets get much more out of the program when they can be hands-on, he said, giving the example of first aid training being much easier in-person instead of on-screen.
“Being back in person is going to be much more effective training for everybody. It’s just a much more interesting program when everybody is able to be together,” he said.
Moretta said that while the organization found some positives from operating virtually, the in-person camaraderie and social interactions that come from training together cannot be matched by a virtual meeting.
“It’s not a particularly enjoyable experience for cadets to have to do the entire program online. Everybody's very very happy that we’re back training in person again.
“At the local level, in order to really be effective, you need to be in the same room.”
The Air Cadets are focused on teaching youth leadership and citizenship. Cadets gain experience teaching and leading their peers, which goes on to serve them well once they leave the program.
There is a lot of pressure when you are in charge of a group of people your own age, he said, and it is an important experience to prepare for the future.
The local Squadron meets in their hangar at the High River regional airport.
For more information visit the squadron's website or the 187 Foothills Air Cadet Squadron page on Facebook.
