Cadets is home

March 30, 2021 - Defence Stories

Submitted by: Capt Amber Lawson, Public Affair Officer, Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers

Caption

LCol Grant Griswold, WO2 Alex Griswold, LCol Cathy Blue, and their son Duncan in Kingston, Ont.

Military families often face challenges that are unique to the transient nature of postings, and for youth this can be a challenging time. The Cadet Program is one organization that creates a welcoming space, and consistency for many youth aged 12-18 across the country. Cadets is often the program of choice for teens from military families, ensuring these young Canadians have a safe place to land regardless of where their families’ service takes them.

Commander Drew Graham, Commanding Officer, HMCS Fredericton and Lieutenant (Navy) Amanda Graham, a Cadet Instructors Cadre officer, have been across the country eight times in 19 years, and now their sons are finding their place in the world with help of the Canadian Cadet Organizations (CCO).

“Having my kids involved in cadets and being a CIC Officer myself has made the transition into new communities effortless. For a military family, building a network is paramount, we know we will always have that with the CCO family” shared Lt(N) Graham.

The Graham’s two sons are currently sea cadets; Spencer, 15, is with Lanark RCSCC in Ottawa, previously parading with Beacon Hill RCSCC in Victoria after leaving Navy League Cadets. His brother Braeden, 13, recently signed up for the corps.

Commander Drew Graham, a former cadet, agrees, “Moving your family is challenging, and wanting to ensure it has the least impact is definitely a concern, it is great to know that the Cadet Program offers the same opportunities regardless of where my career takes us.”

LCol Cathy Blue, the Deputy Strategic A6 and Director Air Domain Development 2, with the Chief Air Staff shared, “Being a part of a military family is really a team sport, your kids are born into that family and drafted onto that team. They don’t get to decide when and where they go.

“I think, as military parents, it's important to find those activities that can create a sense of normality when you move from one posting to another. You've asked them to uproot school, you've asked them to leave friends, and making sure that there's some organization at the other side of that move, that looks maybe not exactly the same, but is familiar and welcoming is important” she added.

Her son, Warrant Officer Second Class Alex Griswold, a cadet at 75 Barrhaven Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, has moved six times, with his military parents. Since joining Air Cadets he has been a member of three squadrons in Toronto, Kingston, and Ottawa. Cadets has been a great way for him to integrate into his new communities, and he shared, “ My last move from Kingston to Ottawa is where I saw the biggest difference, it was easy to amalgamate as a senior cadet and more importantly make friends.”

Cadets is open to all Canadian youth aged 12-18 with easy transferability from one location to another. Cadets move with the same positions of seniority and ranks, and are welcomed into their new community by other likeminded youth in more than 800 communities across Canada. You can register for Cadets by visiting www.canada.ca/join-cadets.