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TRAINING MEN OF TOMORROW - FOR TOMORROW
Canada’s Air Cadet League Produces Squadrons of Better Citizens As plans for the formation of Canadair Air Cadet Squadron are in the embyro stage it is felt that the following feature story about Air Cadet League of Canada is timely. By F/L ERIC E. SIMMS, Material Control Department.
The Air Cadet League which was formed in 1941 is a voluntery civilian organization and since its inseption twelve years ago, over 75,000 Canadian boys have been educated in all the basic fields of aviation. Perhaps of just as much importance is that over 75,000 Canadian boys have learnt the ture meaning of good citizenship and have gone out in the business and service world well disciplined ! The League is governed by a national board of directors who meet annually and each provincial committee which supervises the work of the various squadrons. The squadrons are sponsored and in many cases fill a need by public spirited citizens. The sponsoring party usually supplies the quarters for the cadets while the Royal Canadian Air Force gives the lads their uniform and technical equipment.
17,000 Enrolled - An Experiment In Citizenship At present there are some 17,000 young Canadians boys in the League who spend their spare time in studying the fascinating subjects relative to aviation. Another interesting fact is that not one of them is required to enter military service unless to fulfill a personal ambition. Observing that the League stresses the important values of comradeship, deportment, neatness, and good manners, perhaps it can be said the Air Cadet League is a tremendous Canadian experiment in citizenship.
Interesting Programme - Theirs To Enjoy Cadet Squadrons across Canada, made up of boys between the ages of 14 and 18 years, some lured from the streets. There are nearly 200 Air Cadets Squadrons but all given a chance to have fun while learning. Once or twice a week they will meet in some hall, garage, warehouse, or school classroom to listen to their volenteer instructors, either Air Force Officiers or Civilians. These instructors talk on such subjects as the basic thery of aircraft engines, air frames, theory of flight, navigation, meteorology, radio, radar armaments, airmanship and parade square drill. Dduring the summer months, some 4,000 cadets attend free summer camps at chosen R.C.A.F. Stations. At these camps, under ideal conditions, the boys obtain the finest of instruction and learn the meaning of true sportmanship, discipline and the many modern wonders of the air age.
The Pathway To The Heavens Undoubtedly the crowning point of their training courses is whwn they are given the opportunity to explore the pathway to the heavens in a R.C.A.F. aircraft. It is quite a sight to view the faces of these youngsters as they “don” parachutes and climb aboard an aircraft. Their eyes are filled with a mixture of pride, ambition, as well as tension as they take their turn sitting “up front” with the crew. To many of the boys, this feature of their Air Cadet career, increases their desire to study and better their chances of obtaining the coveted Air Cadet Flying Wings. This opportunity is given to all Cadets by the flying scholarship course granted by R.C.A.F and which is open to senior cadets on reaching their 17th birthday and who are recommended by their commanding officier. This course, held in the summer, offers a further 60 hours of groundschool tuition and 30 hours flying time required in order to obtain a privatr pilot’s license. To those lads who are medically unfit or do not possess the desire to fly, the Air Cadet movement has in many cases created the incentive for them to make a career of the technical side of aviation. It is interesting to note that while Air Cadets make no commitment regarding future miltitary service, one out of every five airmen now serving in the R.C.A.F. is a former Cadet.
Exchange Visits Yet another successful project undertaken by the League is international exchange visits. Once a year 50 Canadian Cadets are chosen for special trips. If a young Cadet works hard, looks after his deportment and is popular he can be selected to represent Canada in Europe or the United States. Canada reciprocates by entertaining boys from the Air Training Corps of Britain and the Civil Air Patrol of the United States. ( see accompanying photograph). Chances For Scholarships The most refreshing part of the whole project is that any boy wharever his colour or creed is offered the same chance, the only requirement being that he works hard and applies himself to his studues. If a Cadet is studuous, he has the opportunity to win a $600 Educational Scholarship at either Royal Roads in British Columbia, R.M.C. Kingston, Ont or College Militaire at St. Jean, Quebec.
Best Paraders ‘All work and no play’ does not fit in with the Air Cadet League scheme of things as evidenced by the Canadian Squadron which took top honours in the Annual International Drill Competition at the Canadian National Exhibition this Fall. This was their fourth victory in six tries.
Let’s Produce Better Citizen. It is said that the wealth of a nation does not necessarily make it great, it is the people who live in it. Perhaps such organizations as the Air Cadet league who train future citizens, men of tomorrow – for tomorrow, will continue to help Canada as a world leading nation. Perhaps also, if a Canadair Air Cadet Squadron is formed, all of us who are conscious of the need for building better citizens, will get behind the lads and help them to the best of our ability. At present we enjoy the enviable reputation of being Canada’s leading Aircraft Manufacturer. In the future we might be able to add to this with “We also produce squadrons of better citizens.” |