A Cadet’s perspective: How military life builds resilience

September 22, 2025 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 2:15

Written by: Cadet Warrant Officer Rosalie Jaecques, 2870 “Royal Canadian Dragoons” Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps

The experience of being a young adult in a military family is often overlooked. Many find the opportunity of being in the Cadet Program to be a fun and reliable way to meet like-minded young people who share similar values and experiences as a military kid. Cadets are part of the military family.

Every few years, military teens are uprooted, forced to say goodbye to friends, and make all-too-familiar promises to stay in touch. But those goodbyes feel like tearing a piece of our world away, since calls and texts can never fully replace being there in person. With each move, it sometimes feels like starting over. We’re thrown into new worlds—learning how to make new friends, adjusting to a new school, and joining a new community.

When a parent is deployed, we also often take on extra responsibilities—cooking dinners, helping younger siblings with their homework, and providing emotional support for one another. The skill of switching between military kid and civilian teen can be a struggle. The greater military family that we are a part of through our parents’ connection to the Canadian Armed Forces becomes our extended family. We are instantly embraced by a new community, and this connection carries on no matter where we go next.

Being in Cadets also helps with these transitions because so many of our peers have the same experiences and share the same values and ethics, making it easier to make connections. If there is one thing you can count on when a military kid moves, it’s the belonging, acceptance, and shared strength of the Cadet Program.

As Cadet Warrant Officer Roumayssa Riffi describes it, “change is guaranteed, but the changes aren’t always bad; they often bring unthought-of positives”. Each change exposes us to different cultures, religions, and lifestyles that teach us to see the world in a way many teens don’t learn until later in life. Social skills become a vital asset in life, learning how to make friends and connect with people from all walks of life. Friendships become lifelong, built on shared struggles and accomplishments – which have a habit of sticking around no matter how far the physical separation or life paths become.

While the experience of being a military kid may be overlooked, I can confidently say that it allows us to become leaders who are resilient, adaptable, and have the best interests of everyone at heart, just like we have seen and experienced in our military family. What appears to be upheaval is actually another beginning that gives us the chance to experience and experiment over and over, each time learning from the last. Being a military kid means learning how to turn inconveniences into opportunities and a path that leads to a stronger road with every step taken.

Related Links

• Youth Crisis Texting Service | CFMWS
• Children and Youth Programs | CFMWS and MFRC | CFMWS