Hundreds of cadets graduate from summer training program at CFB Borden

Cadets graduation ceremony Cadets from around the world graduated from their programs during a ceremony at CFB Base Borden.

On Friday afternoon, more than 350 cadets graduated from summer training at the Blackdown Cadet Summer Training Centre at Canadian Forces Base Borden.

The cadets hail from across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Cadets go through three weeks of training with four courses offered - the Advanced Aviation course, the Expedition Team Leader course, the Drill and Ceremonial course and the Survival Instructor course.

Commanding Officer at the Blackdown Cadet Training Centre, Lieutenant Colonel David Forster, said all participating cadets learned various lifelong skills.

"Undergoing different experiences from canoeing to biking and being out in the field doing survival training. The survival cadets were doing solos, duos, and cadets were also doing aviation skillsets with learning about the dynamics of flight. Three also had an air experience going up in a glider," Forster said.

One of the graduating cadets is Kai Covo, who comes from Ottawa. He participated in the Survival Instructor Course, which he says taught him a lot. He wants to become a staff cadet in the near future.

"I absolutely loved it. It was an amazing course, and honestly, a part of me wishes I could retake it. I definitely wanted to sign up for this because I knew it would increase my leadership skills and my survivor skills, and overall I just love being at CTC. I was at a cadet training centre last summer, and I definitely wanted to come back," said Covo.

During this year's summer program, there was an exchange of cadets between Canada and the United Kingdom.

A total of 40 cadets took part in this swap across the pond.

Captain Gary Miniss of the 1st Northern Ireland Battalion of the Army Cadet Forces said he wants the graduating cadets to return to the U.K. with the leadership skills they were taught and demonstrate them to other cadets.

"We want to take a positive view of what they have achieved here in Canada back to the United Kingdom and pass on their knowledge and accomplishments and motivate our cadets in the United Kingdom to want to participate and come to Canada in future years to take part in all the exciting programs that the Canadian cadet program offers," Miniss said.

Lieutenant Colonel David Forster said in addition to the exchange, there were cadets from all across Canada.

"We were hosting cadets from as far as B.C. and going as far as Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. So, it was a very enjoyable summer because we were able to see youth from all over Canada," he said.

The next program being offered is the Cadet Activity Program which will begin on August 4.