CIC NEWSLETTER National
Number 6 – Spring 1999
National Newsletter of the Cadet Instructors Cadre
In This Issue: From Senior Cadet to Junior Officer RFRG Response Professional Development Advice on Leadership
National Defence
Défense nationale
A Word from the Managing Editor Captain G. Peterson, CD
Table of Contents From the Branch Co-Advisor Page 6
Professional Development Page 4
Announcements Page 9
Have Your Say Page 10
Because You Asked Page 14
Profiles Page 16 and 17
The results of our Fall Issue Survey are in! Drum roll, please. Thirty brave souls have gathered the courage to answer our questionnaire and tell us what they think. Yes – 30! We have mailed 2500 copies to our 5500 members and only 30 of you thought that it was important to respond. What conclusions should we draw from that apathetic result? Maybe you do not feel concerned by the content of your newsletter, or maybe we have failed to impress on you the idea that your newsletter is important and that it might disappear. Maybe the copies received by the CO were not distributed to the officers interested in sharing their opinion. Or maybe you liked it so much that you did not feel like you had to recommend improvements. Call me silly, but I choose to believe the latter. The fate of your newsletter will be decided very shortly. Will it remain a separate publication? Will it disappear in favour of an all-encompassing “Cadet/CIC” publication? Or will it be reduced to occupy a small portion of the Maple Leaf (the flagship newspaper of the DND and the CF)? We are currently debating the pros and cons of each option. As member of such a large branch of officers, and considering our particular mission, I would prefer to see the Newsletter remain separate and continue its move toward more professional content. After all, a separate publication allows us to raise more issues relevant to the CIC but also, and more importantly in my opinion, it helps promote the CIC as a professional and distinct branch of the CF. However, given what could be perceived as a general lack of interest from our readers, it might be more logical to consider other avenues. It’s your call! On page 5 of the fall issue, we had submitted a list of topics that, in our mind, had the potential to generate plenty of interest and a little controversy. We have received some very interesting letters, but not nearly as many as expected. Such results raise the following question: Is everything perfect with the CIC? Someone wrote to us saying that the Newsletter was too “warm and fuzzy” and did not contain anything controversial. Let me answer by saying that it is not our job to look for or promote controversy. However, we will gladly publish any article that we feel is of interest to the CIC community at large, whether it is controversial or not. We will not shy from controversy if it is felt that the issue has the potential to help the CIC progress, even if it means ruffling a few feathers along the way. But first, you need to gather the courage to write to us! At this point I would like to offer a unique opportunity to members of the CIC who are law enforcement officers, teachers, social workers, doctors, students, lawyers, city workers, administrators, managers, coaches, etc. Write to us and share your professional opinion on how to take care of today’s youth. Help us better define and tackle the current and future challenges we are facing as youth leaders. The CIC is composed of people from all walks of life and it would be a shame not to take full advantage of your professional opinions. Allow yourselves to be published in your national newsletter, as a professional and as a member of the CIC, and help your colleagues improve their skills. As members of the CF community we are quick and proud to portray ourselves as professionals. This is what we are: professional reservists, trained youth leaders, and professionals in our civilian lives. We have to cope with situations, restrictions and frustrations that no other branch of the CF has to cope with, but we can count on an extraordinary and extremely varied pool of professional expertise within our own ranks. The Newsletter exists to allow you to share your opinions, experiences, frustrations and your expertise with colleagues working in other cadet units and other elements. Please take advantage of this opportunity. We are very proud to bring you this spring/summer issue of the Newsletter. As you will see, we are continuing the transition towards a more enlightening publication and it is hoped that you will find the content useful and interesting. See you in the fall. Maybe... CORRECTIONS In the last issue we erroneously used SSM as a post-nominal for the Special Service Medal. There is no authorized post-nominal for this medal. For more information on post-nominals and precedence of awards, decorations and medals refer to CFAO 18-12. In the article Youth Initiatives on page 5 of our last issue it was stated that the funding for the Youth Initiatives program came from the Youth Employment Strategy. In fact, the money comes from the Treasury Board in support of the Youth Employment Strategy.
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
F ROM TH E B R ANCH CO-ADVISOR TO BE OR NOT TO BE
CIC National Newsletter Spring 1999
Lieutenant Colonel R.J.R. Guilbault, OMM, CD Like many of you, I was rather piqued by the article on RFRG from LCdr Naismith in the last issue of the Newsletter. It’s as if she was saying the CIC didn’t belong! It’s as if she was saying the CIC was not part of the CF Reserves, even though the NDA says so. I felt cheated, branded, and, mind you, it wasn’t the first time the explanation had been served to me, under one format or another. But it was the first time someone had the courage to give the explanation on paper and sign it. On closer examination, I don’t think LCdr Naismith’s article was aimed at excluding the CIC from the Reserves. Mostly, she was merely stating facts, whether we like them or not. But I sometimes wonder if we, the CIC, by our own actions, are not excluding ourselves from the CF officer community. We are proud to wear the uniform, no doubt. And, being commissioned officers, we demand pay equity and similar benefits as the other members of the Reserves. But at the same time, we ask that a number of regulations and standards not apply to us, alleging they are not necessary for our military occupation. Is that right? We have different enrolment standards and we recently requested to be exempted from the requisite to hold a university degree. We constantly request and obtain waivers to existing regulations for enrolment (education, medical or administrative) or promotions (qualifications and time in rank). Contrary to PRes officers who undergo the same training as the Regular Force, we have our own Training Programme and are part of the CF Officer Professional Development System only peripherally since it would not be possible nor effective to have all our members
New Communications Cell created for CCM Colonel E.W. Hardy is pleased to announce the formation of a new DCdts cell for communications. This cell’s mandate is to review current communications activities within the CCM, and to find new and more efficient ways of enhancing the image of the Cadet movement with Canadians. DCdts Communications Cell is comprised of the Communications Manager, StÈphane Ippersiel (613-996-6135), Communications Advisor Tom Iannella (613-996-0255) and Communications Specialist Michele Boriel (613-996-6181).
Number 6 – Spring 1999
Editor-In-Chief Colonel E.W. Hardy, OMM, CD Director of Cadets CIC Branch Co-Advisor Managing Editor Captain G. Peterson, CD National Editor Second Lieutenant J. Chenier
undergo the entire training. We allow some of our members to readily accept promotion yet refuse the added responsibilities of command when the time comes. We also permit some units to have an inverted rank hierarchy where senior officers report to newly appointed junior officers because they refuse to let go the rank/uniform after having done their tour as COs, or even worse, because they refuse to become COs themselves. So with all of this, I wonder if we are not diluting the integrity of our Branch? I wonder what kind of signal we are sending our confrères of the other components as to our willingness to become full fledged members of the CF officer community? I don’t think we can have it both ways. If we want to be treated as equals, should we not have to act as such? It is not that the added responsibility of working with youth, the dedication, professionalism, hard work and limited pay of the CIC at the unit level are not recognized. And I also know about the difficulties to recruit trustworthy volunteers in today’s society. But I strongly believe that the cadet movement will be only as strong as its officer cadre, and the officer cadre only as strong as the principles on which it rests. We should therefore do everything possible to elevate the standards of the CIC Branch. Now, “What does that mean?” you will ask. It means we need to regroup and charge ahead. The Way Ahead Process will help us do that to a certain degree. Action teams are looking at the CIC terms of service and CIC training. But we are also taking steps of our own. We are now represented on the Pan-Reserve Committee composed of various staffs from the NDHQ matrix and whose mandate is to examine important issues affecting the Reserves. This simple fact should ensure we are included when new benefits are being considered for the Reserves. We will be part of the new initiative which creates a Help-line for the Reserves. We are looking at making some modules of the OPDP more accessible to the CIC at large, to help broaden our knowledge base. We’ve requested that an
Editors-at-Large Captain R. Brown (Atlantic) Major F. Dornier (Eastern) Lieutenant-Commander P.A. McIntyre (Central) Lieutenant (Navy) T. Hurley (Prairie) Lieutenant (Navy) S.D. Anderson (Pacific) Captain A.J.C. Ross (Northern) This news publication has been produced on behalf of the 6000 officers in the Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) located in various corps and squadrons, training centres and headquarters across Canada. It is published twice yearly under the authority of DCdts. Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect official opinion or policy. The CIC National Newsletter provides a venue through which all CIC officers can exchange new ideas, share experiences with other CIC branch members, and stay informed of relevant issues, programs and other activities. The CIC National Newsletter welcomes any and all submissions. The deadline for article submission for the next issue is Oct.15, 1999. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and style. Editor of the CIC National Newsletter c/o Director of Cadets Plans and Requirements Chief of Reserves and Cadets, National Defence Headquarters, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2 Phone: (613) 992-6865 Fax: (613) 992-8956 E-mail: ad614@ISSC.debbs.ndhq.dnd.ca
Occupational Analysis of the CIC be done and that our Officer General Specification be revised and approved so that we become part of the Military Occupational Structure. We are developing a strategy to obtain our own RFRG or to substantiate being part of the existing programme. As you can see, we are on the move and we intend to keep moving. Are you with us? We will keep you posted through this Newsletter, which by the way, with your help, we will do our best to keep.
3
P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E LO P M E N T From Senior Cadet to Junior Officer Second Lieutenant A. Ing
Friends. It is human nature to socialize. Along the long road of life people share or take part in common experiences and goals. They forge strong relationships that may continue for years to come. If you have been a cadet, I’m sure you can relate. I was a cadet for six years and I still have many friends, from my various summer camps and Cadet experiences, with whom I still keep in touch. They will always be a part of my life. Now I have moved on. Less than a year ago I was a cadet, but now I am an officer in the Canadian Forces.
was compounded even further when I was promoted to 2Lt not quite eight months after I finished cadets. Now my friends are saluting me. This really hit me hard. It wasn’t the actual action of paying of respects, but the fact that we weren’t equals anymore. It was awkward because I felt that at that point my friendships were being stretched and strained; like we were at opposite ends of a large room and we had to shout at each other to be heard.
I moved on from the Royal Canadian Air Cadets in May of 1998. Less than two months later, I found myself back in blue, working as an officer at the Trenton Air Cadet STC. Making the transition from cadet to officer in such a short time wasn’t easy. I thought that not being long removed from Cadets would be a blessing, and it has been. I have used all my experiences as a Senior Leaders Course graduate, former staff cadet, and WO1 to get me through my trial by fire. But being a cadet only two months before becoming an officer was also an unexpected curse. As officers, we are role models for our cadets. I was told at MOC CWO J.N. Lajoie CC 2920 that we are not to be friends with cadets. It is unprofessional and there are What does one do in such a dilemma? legal issues involved. I totally agree with What options are there for a nineteenthis statement. Now here is my situation. year old 2Lt who does not want to I have friends in cadets. sacrifice his many good friendships or his I met them when I was a cadet. role in the CIC? How can I be an officer There were many personal conflicts I who is professionally and legally bound have had to deal with. I recognize the not to socialize with cadets in a manner natural tendencies to be more lenient as friends? with the staff cadets with whom I asked myself these questions many I had taken courses than with times. I didn’t lose sleep or pull my hair non-acquaintances. Sometimes I would out trying to tackle the problem, but it let an old nickname slip. The situation
was always was in the back of my head. Seeing my friends everyday as staff cadets in Trenton reminded me of my predicament. There were no proper procedures or guidelines to follow when going about this. It was obvious that I had to use my common sense in order to make the right choices. What was my solution to the situation? It was quite simple. I sat down and talked with them. Those friends who weren’t working at Trenton I called after the summer. I explained the situation to them; we discussed it, and came to the conclusion that, first off, we must realize our roles in the Cadet system. Second, it was only a matter of time before they aged out too. Essentially, if I were willing to wait for them on the other side, they would be willing to meet me there. Regardless of rank and adversity, we have pulled through as friends. I could count on them to understand. They were there for me and I will be there for them. That’s what friends are for.
The Pros of a Senior Cadet Becoming an Officer Captain J.M. Eager When I was approached to write this article about the pros of hiring and using ex-senior cadets as part of the unit staff, and was told someone else would be handling the cons, I very quickly thought to myself, “What would someone else have against a senior cadet joining the Cadet Instructors Cadre?” The Cadet Movement is the best youth organization in Canada. Who better to join than someone with at least five or six years experience as a cadet? Each of these ex-cadets would have had training in citizenship, leadership, and various other courses within the Canadian Cadet Movement. A senior cadet, in most cases, would have attended several CSTC courses and may have been a staff cadet.
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
I was one of those senior cadets. I joined the CIC and eighteen years later I can honestly say it was the best thing that I could do for myself. The encouragement from the CO and staff at the time was very rewarding for me. Since then I have spent thirteen summers in Greenwood CSTC, and have experienced all walks of life that have come through those gates. The most rewarding aspect of those years was working with the homesick cadets. If you could get them past that first Wednesday then you were sure that they would stay until the end of the course. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing that cadet on the final graduation parade and a few years later seeing them in a graduation photo from a BOQ course. In my eighteen years in the CIC I have spent time in all the positions within the Cadet unit including CO. As CO, I put forth several ex-senior cadets to join the CIC, and had no problem doing so. Those individuals put back into the squadron what they got out of it and then some. While serving as staff officer at CSTCs and in my present position as administration officer for RCIS (Atlantic), I know that each year Atlantic Region enrolls approximately one hundred and eighty new OCdts, from which I would say ninety per cent are ex-senior cadets. I will go out on a limb, and say that the individual who is doing up the cons will probably say that an ex-senior cadet is too young to take on such responsibilities in becoming an officer in the CIC. However, we will not know that, unless we give them a chance. I was given a chance and I think they should be afforded one too. Remember the Cadet.
Number 6 – Spring 1999
The Cons of a Senior Cadet Becoming an Officer Second Lieutenant J. Chenier In the other two articles on this page we have seen the many advantages of senior cadets making the transition to the CIC. I am a young CIC member and I moved quickly from being a cadet to being someone responsible for cadets. I will be the first to say that there were many advantages in my becoming an officer, both for me and for the cadets I have worked with. However, I also realise that I made mistakes due to my inexperience and my closeness in age to the cadets. I was fortunate enough that I had supervising officers that were quick enough to see these mistakes and understanding enough to guide me through them. Since that time I have seen other young officers make these same mistakes I did and many others in addition. While there are advantages to having recent graduates of the cadet program become officers there are obvious disadvantages as well. While I would never advocate keeping an enthusiastic young man or woman out of the CIC, especially with the obvious expertise they developed as cadets, I believe that all officers in the CIC need to recognise the risks that these young officers run. The risks to young officers come in the form of problems that much more experienced minds than my own have struggled with. How, for instance, can a senior cadet leave a group of close friends and return weeks later in a position of authority? Is this new officer to forget his or her friendships? Technically this is what should happen, but this is said far easier than it can be done. The problem is, despite the best intentions, a friendship will continue. This can be entirely harmless. On the other hand it can lead to favouritism both real and perceived, unprofessional conduct in the eyes of cadets and a general lack of respect for the officer in question.
More problems can happen if there is a relationship that goes beyond simple friendship. In an organization that brings together tens of thousands of 12 to 18year-olds, male-female relationships are sure to develop. If one half of a couple becomes an officer while the other remains a cadet the threat of legal trouble is very real should anything go wrong. Cadets and officers are simply not legally allowed to have any kind of personal relationship, especially one in which there may be a physical component. Even in a situation where the new officer is removed from a position of authority among friends problems may still develop. There are officers in the CIC as young as 18 years old. There are cadets in the CCM as old as 18. It is very likely that with the thousands of individuals in the CCM a friendship may develop between an officer and a cadet, especially if they are of a similar age. Again, this creates a potential for problems should any eyebrows be raised. Does this mean that there should be no young officers in the CIC? I would argue no. Young officers provide a fresh perspective and encourage change, and very often this change is for the better. These young officers are almost always ex-cadets with experience and expertise that their older colleagues may not posses. But it is imperative that these young officers, and those who supervise them, recognise the dangers of becoming a friend to a cadet. It is the young officers who risk doing this the most. With friendship can come a loss of respect of subordinates and superiors, a loss of professionalism and an increased risk of career-crippling legal problems. Make sure you know the risks and use your common sense to act accordingly.
5
P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E LO P M E N T Keeping Your Sponsor Informed
My experience as the commanding officer of an Air Cadet squadron led me to develop a simple report that saved a great amount of time and discussion with the sponsoring committee. I can hear you now. “Not another report - how can that save me time?”
Lieutenant-Commander G.W. Pash, ADC It has been said again and again that the greatest barrier to good relations between commanding officers and sponsors is lack of communication. Keeping your sponsoring committee informed does require some effort. Ideally you should attend their meetings and be available to answer questions. The amount of time you take at those meetings can be greatly reduced by preempting many of the frequently asked questions.
The magic is that there is nothing that you don’t already know and the information is organized in a manner that is easy to read and simple for sponsors and parents to understand. It takes only a few minutes to complete and most of the information has already been compiled in another form or is already in your head.
It is presented in two copies to the sponsoring committee chair once a month, ideally before their monthly meeting. If your sponsor group does not meet regularly, it forces you to provide key information to the chairman who acknowledges your report by responding in writing with his/her comments on the same form and signs your copy before returning it to you. No matter what the personal relationship may be, this is a professional and straightforward method of carrying out your responsibility to the Regional Cadet Officer to be “responsive to your sponsoring committee,” and maintain effective internal communications.
MONTHLY REPORT TO SPONSORING COMMITTEE FOR MONTH ________________ UNIT STRENGTH:
Officers:
male _____________
Instructors:
male _____________
female _____________ female _____________
Cadets:
male _____________
female _____________
Average weekly attendance: _________ Unusual circumstances affecting attendance: (weather, school exams, community events) _______________________________________________________________ TRAINING: (Items not covered in routine orders or regular syllabus)
______________________________________________________________ SPECIAL EVENTS: (Items not covered in routine orders)
___________________________________________________________ REQUIREMENTS OR PLANS FOR FUTURE ACTIVITIES: (funds, equipment, assistance) _______________________________________________________________ ADDITIONAL REMARKS BY COMMANDING OFFICER Signed _______________________ Commanding Officer
______________________________________________________________ COMMENTS BY CHAIRMAN OF SPONSORING COMMITTEE Signed ________________________ Sponsor Committee Chair
The Leagues Keeping Us Informed Captain (Navy) V. Suthren, CMS Honourary There is nothing as valuable as seeing an instructor who cares about what he or she is doing, doing it well. That was my experience over the period from 12 March to 16 March when, as a guest of the Navy League, I was able to have a firsthand look at members of the CIC in action at HMCS QUADRA during the QUEST program. As the Honourary Captain (Navy) attached to the office of the Chief of Maritime Staff, VAdm G.R. Maddison, and as executive director of the Canadian Sail Training Association, finding out just how well we use sea training in building character in our young people has always been of prime importance to me. My experience seeing the CIC in action on the West Coast made me quite aware that there are some deeply talented and deeply committed people involved in Canada’s Sea Cadet training.
My experience began with a coastal voyage in the contracted “tall ship” of the West Coast program, the schooner Maple Leaf. As we motored up the spectacular coastline en route to QUADRA via Nanaimo, I could see that the ship was well found and an ideal training platform in the mysteries of traditional sailing rig. The Master, Erin Nyhan, and her crew clearly had a sense for what would be most important in a short exposure to big vessel sailing, which many countries see as the best means of breeding an awareness of the sea in trainees. After arrival at QUADRA and a gracious greeting from the highly competent commandant, Cdr Martin Head, I had the privilege of sailing in Cutter 5, one of the historic and traditional Admiralty Pattern sailing cutters that QUADRA operates. Under the wise and experienced eye of CIC member SLt James McGrath the brand new boat’s crew were getting into the rhythm of pulling and working together. I was particularly impressed by SLt McGrath’s positive manner. There was discipline and there was order, but in every case encouragement was being handed out instead of
criticism and the cadets were responding well to it. It was the best sort of leadership and it was showing results even in the short time I was on the cutter. Nothing, it seems, is more valuable than the spirit of a young and willing trainee. At the same time, nothing can be more easily turned away from success by thoughtless leaders. The final experience of my visit was a first-rate run up the coast in the YAG squadron, where I was welcomed as a guest in YDT 10 commanded by Lt(N) Ed Pahl. In the few hours I had with Lt(N) Pahl he demonstrated not only consummate seamanship, but the same air of encouragement that welcomed a dreadfully seasick cadet and made him feel part of the sisterhood and brotherhood of sea-goers, rather than an outcast. When I left YDT 10 for an exciting Zodiac ride back to shore the cadet was standing lookout on the ship’s bridge, feeling and looking every inch a part of her family. That said a great deal about QUADRA, about the CIC staff and about what the Sea Cadet programs are meant to do. It was a privilege to experience. To all CIC members and to QUADRA staff BRAVO ZULU!
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
Administration...An Opportunity to Excel? Captain H. Kerkhof Administration is the process of controlling and directing the operation of an organization, such as a Cadet corps or squadron. Without proper administration very little can be accomplished. Imagine, for instance, running a Cadet STC without an administration section. The same is true for a Cadet corps or squadron. When the administrative functions are performed effectively, the unit will operate effectively and efficiently, and more time can be spent doing what the cadets and officers enjoy best, training and having fun. To improve the effectiveness of a corps or squadron, you should seriously consider computer automation. This implies, creating or buying a computer database that reflects the way the Cadet corps or squadron operates. In addition, new ways of doing the necessary paperwork should be developed to streamline, simplify or improve the administrative functions. In the CCO there are three distinctive administrative areas. They are administration, supply and training. Usually, there is a fair amount of overlap in the information required for each of these areas. For instance, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of cadets are usually required in all three areas. This means that each area has to enter its own information in lists and forms.
It is clear that if we are looking for an automated process we have to at least address the above concerns successfully. In addition, the database has to be user friendly. This means that a useful database should have simple, easy to understand menus, use simple click and point actions, minimize typing (data entry) and use standard screens to provide uniform data entry where feasible. We also need a simple way to locate the information to be updated, read or printed. The system must be tightly integrated so that information is entered only once for all areas of administration. Standard forms and reports that are presently used, such as CF55, DND1888 and the annual report, should be generated automatically by using existing standard DND forms that the system fills out. In addition, the database must provide the unit with all the useful reports and lists that are normally generated manually (phone lists, cadet training status, roll call report, etc.) plus a number of reports that are more difficult to generate without a database. Supply reports should include uniform ordering and account tracking. In addition, the supply section of the system should be able to track the inventory of uniforms and provide up to date status reports of uniforms issued to cadets.
Once a database is installed it is very important that each section, administration, training and supply, keep the data current at all times. When this is done on a regular basis it will result in the smooth operation of your corps or squadron. Remember; a database is only as good as the data that it contains. If data is not kept current, it requires extraordinary efforts to get it up to snuff again and reports will be inaccurate until this happens. However, if data is entered in a timely manner, for instance when changes occur in the status of cadets, officers or supply, you will find that it takes little time and effort. The rewards will be well worth the extra discipline required to maintain the database. Capt Kerkhof is currently the CO of 1882 RCACC, The Wellington Rifles, in Guelph Ontario. In civilian life he works as a computer consultant. Editor’s note: Action Team 1 of the Way-Ahead Process is working to provide an electronic version of standard forms for distribution to Cadet units. To facilitate the easy exchange of information it has been decided that the CCO will use the Microsoft Office ‘97 software package.
Information Technology at the Unit – The next step . . .
Some of the problems that are encountered in a manual administration system are: 1. Information is not current, 2. Information is incomplete or in error, 3. Information is out-of-date, 4. Information is not properly filed,
uch lt?” om “ To rwork 2 e pap
5. Information is filed, but nobody knows where, 6. Officer turnover in each area causes “learning curve” hiccups and 7. Standard procedures are often modified or interpreted to suit individual peculiarities, making them non-standard.
Number 6 – Spring 1999
7
P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E LO P M E N T Cadet Unit Public Affairs Lieutenant-Commander G.W. Pash, ADC One of the responsibilities of Cadet unit commanding officers is to foster good public relations. In fact everyone in the Cadet organization is responsible for public relations. Yet it is often said that the Cadet program remains a well kept secret. The trick is to make public affairs do-able for the already very busy corps and squadron officers. What follows is a seven-step program that, if followed by every unit each year, would bring much positive attention to the organization and the young people it serves. Step one: Appoint someone at your unit to be responsible for public affairs. While the person must keep you informed he or she does not have to be a unit officer. It might be someone from your sponsoring committee or parent support group. It may even be a cadet. There are many examples where cadets have been the best representatives of the Cadet program. Step two: Regularly invite guests from the community to attend your monthly commanding officer’s parade. Include people like school officials, city council members, youth employers, members of the provincial and federal legislature, leaders of service clubs, chief of police, family and youth workers, the judiciary, anyone who will speak to their circle of influence about the positive experience of visiting your unit. When they are at your unit have them inspect the cadets with you, present promotions and awards, visit them in their training classes, and speak with the cadets individually.
Step three: Make it a practice to do one public speaking presentation during each training year. Visit a service club with three or four cadets. Set the scene about the Cadet organization then let each of the cadets speak for three to five minutes about their experience as cadets generally or at their most recent summer course. Step four: Issue at least one news release during the year, specifically to invite the community to your annual review and report on how many of your cadets will be attending what summer camps. Step five: Organize one public display during the training year. A particularly good time is the weekend closest to Feb. 15, the anniversary of the Canadian Maple Leaf flag. Establish a display in a shopping mall featuring the history of the Canadian flag. Heritage Canada has great material on the Canadian Coat of Arms and other national symbols. Contact your local MP for a small supply of Canada flag pins and have the cadets give them to passers by during a one-day event.
community service recognition in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Legion and Lord Strathcona Medal and unit awards programs. It is in the best traditions of true citizenship and service that corps and squadrons provide non-profit contributions to their community. Often the media and the public are quick to condemn and report negatively on young people as a group for the anti-social acts of a few. There are too few stories featuring the thousands of teenagers who provide community service individually and as members of church groups, hospital programs, school programs, Red Cross, Scouts and Guides and Royal Canadian Sea, Army and Air Cadets. Reports of young people doing positive things in their community are often reported as the exception, but they are exceptionally well reported. As cadets are easily identified through their uniform this fact provides an enormous opportunity to raise the profile of cadets and the Canadian Cadet Organization and win friends for the program.
Step six: Contact the local cable television system to have them cablecast the Cadet video. It can either be used as a stand-alone item or with you and some cadets as in-studio guests using the same format as is suggested in step three.
It is important that communities be made aware of the contribution of the cadets to their communities, not only for purposes of recognition, but also to ensure that communities continue to provide the necessary support to maintain a healthy Cadet organization.
Step seven: Undertake simple activities that show cadets as a community resource. Participate in community ceremonies and parades. Provide “Cadet-power” to public events as ushers, program distributors, coat checks and support other groups by providing a hand with envelop stuffing, flyer folding and stapling. Be certain to record the participating cadets’ time for
Keep the chain of command informed of your public affairs activities. Lieutenant-Commander Pash is a Public Affairs Branch Officer on the NDHQ Primary Reserve List in Victoria, B.C. In his civilian occupation he is a DND Public Affairs Officer for Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters.
More Pay Increases! Effective April 1 the majority of Canadian Forces members will see a little extra in their pay packet. The CF is making an effort to bring pay into line with the public service. All officers in the CIC will benefit from the raise. The extra money comes in reaction to a report from the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veteran’s Affairs. PAY COMP
ENTRY LEVEL
MILITARY FACTOR
ECONOMIC INCREASE
COMP TOTAL
Privates
1.13%
6.67%
3.5%
2.49%
14.43%
Other NCMs
1.13%
0%
3.5%
2.49%
7.28%
2Lt and Lt
7.02%
5.4%
2.5%
2.15%
18.10%
Other Officers (Below Colonel)
7.02%
0%
2.5%
2.15%
12.05%
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
AN NOU NCEM ENTS
Cadets Caring For Canada Major B. Covington This past summer’s announcement by the minister of national defence calling for additional funding for the Primary Reserves, Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers will see the launch of new youth initiatives and millennium projects. The Cadets and JCR have a total of 16 such projects; these are indeed exciting times! In my capacity as coordinator of millennium projects and office of primary interest for Cadets Caring for Canada, I am looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that the new initiatives and millennium projects will bring. The first of these millennium projects, called Cadets Caring for Canada, will be piloted in 1999 at the Cadet unit level. For those from Atlantic Canada, Cadets Caring for Canada is nothing new since all Cadet units participated in it this past year as part of a region-wide effort to do something good for the environment. Imagine that 7000 cadets and 600 adult staff all turned out in June 1998 to help promote an awareness of the environment and of the Cadet and Navy League programs!
Web Sights Captain G. Peterson, CD Picture this! As the webmaster for the National Canadian Cadet Web Site, the CIC Web Site and the Way-Ahead Web Site, I am facing a rather amusing problem. Cadets and officers keep reminding me (and rightfully so) that there are not enough pictures featured on our sites. Let me whisper a little secret in your ear: I have several pictures in my drawer, but they are so old that the cadets they feature are probably retired from the CIC by now. (I am not kidding some are even sporting the very sharp and very warm wool uniform!) You see, I would rather feature today’s cadets in action than take a chance with what I have. I am thus asking you to participate in making the NCCWS more interesting by sending me pictures of your cadets in action, playing an instrument, flying a plane, diving, competing, visiting, etc. As long as they are moving and having fun, I will take the picture. I will feature your unit on one or all of our Web sites if you tell me the name of your unit, your location, the activity and the date it took place. National On-line Directory As you should know by now, commanding officers are responsible to register their unit Web site with regional authorities so that the site can be approved officially - in accordance with CATO 11-07 and that all official Cadet unit Web sites and e-mail addresses can be registered in the national electronic directory. The directory, a huge database of all Cadet units across Canada, will be added to the NCCWS as soon as enough sites have been registered. Its aim is to provide a current national search tool of Cadet units of all three elements - so that aspiring cadets, officers and the general public can reach you where you are. In a nutshell: FREE
Number 6 – Spring 1999
For those that are less familiar with Cadets Caring for Canada, it is best described by saying that each June on a specific day, Sea, Army, Air and Navy League Cadets and their adult staff turn out in their local communities to do an environmental activity. Examples of projects that have been successfully conducted in Atlantic Canada are riverbank reconstruction, tree planting and municipal park beautification. Through the efforts of the leagues, corporate sponsorship provides for promotional materials such as T-shirts and buttons. It’s a fun day for all. New for ‘99, the Youth Initiative funding will help expand Cadets Caring for Canada nationwide this coming June 12. As part of the new funding, all adult staff will be paid for their planning and supervision of the environmental activity and the costs of rations and transportation will be covered. If you would like more information on Cadets Caring for Canada and the other millennium projects please visit the CCO Millenium Webpage at www.vcds.dnd.co/cadets2000.
ADVERTISING! Once you have submitted a request for site approval to them, regional authorities are responsible to register your Web site and other information such as your unit’s e-mail and training location in the central database. In addition to the national directory, a carrousel featuring official Cadet unit Web sites of each element will be added to the NCCWS. This carrousel is meant to increase the visibility of all Cadet units nationally, and to promote the activities in which your unit is involved -MORE FREE ADVERTISING! I am therefore asking COs to take a few seconds and register their unit Web site as soon as possible so that we can complete the national directory. CIC Web Site Good news! Following recommendations from several officers, the CIC Web Site now has its own URL. You can now find it at www.vcds.dnd.ca/cic. Up until last December, the CIC Web Site could only be accessed through the National Canadian Cadet Web Site and many felt that as the largest branch of officers in the CF, we deserve to have our own place on the Internet. I could not agree more. It was also suggested that it would be easier to better promote ourselves as professionals in the public and within the CF if our site was not part of the “Cadet” site. Many additions have been made to our site since last December, including several suggested readings, important CCM addresses, a description of training and links to sites of interest to the CIC. There are more improvements to come very soon, including a national database of job opportunities within Cadet units and various headquarters. I am always open to new and interesting ideas to make the CIC site a useful tool, so if you find an interesting Web site, if you are reading a good book or if you simply want to recommend improvements to YOUR Web site, drop me a line at ad614@issc.debbs.ndhq.dnd.ca!
9
H A V E YO U R S AY RFRG Response
mind should apply to all or none, and should have the effect of enhancing morale, has done just the opposite.
Captain R.S. Granger, CD As an officer with 23 years of service in the CIC I was extremely pleased to read Col E.W. Hardy’s remarks in his column “A Leader of Leaders” (CIC National Newsletter - Fall 1998). His recognition of the effort, innovation, commitment, dedication sacrifice and hours of unpaid service by members of the CIC is sincerely appreciated. Further, to be requested by a Regular Force officer with such a distinguished career, to identify ourselves as Canadian Forces officers is very gratifying and a real moral booster. Unfortunately, just a few pages later, an article by LCdr S.E. Naismith informed us that we are still second class citizens in the eyes of the government of Canada when it comes to entitlement to the Reserve Force Retirement Gratuity. Lieutenant Commander Naismith informs us that the RFRG is “a form of lump sum retirement allowance or gratuity which would recognise the service performed by members of the Primary Reserve and thus would encourage longer term service.” She further goes on the state in part “at no time during its development was the benefit intended for other than the P Res. The officers of the CIC are not part of the CF military occupational structure, they do not undergo formal military occupation training and they do not have a career progression linked to a military occupation within the CF as do the Reg F and P Res. In short their utility to the CF is not related to any military operational role.” She further states, “The CIC does not have the same level of obligation as the P Res does.” LCdr Naismith finishes her article by stating, “In summary, the intent of the RFRG is to acknowledge the higher level of expectation and obligation being placed on the P Res, and to encourage and reward longer service in the P Res and the CF.” I personally find LCdr Naismith’s article insulting and a slap in the face to those of us who proudly serve the CCM. Whether personnel serving in the CIC or the Canadian Rangers were included in the original draft, will probably at this point never be proven. However this haphazard implementation of a benefit, which in my
It also seems to me that the CF is in fact “cutting off its nose to spite its face.” One of the basic aims of the CCM is to stimulate an interest in the CF. I would hazard a guess that a sizeable portion of P Res and Reg F members have been cadets. Many ex-cadets have gone on to rewarding military and civilian careers. These include VAdm Gary Garnett (Vice-Chief of Defence Staff ), LCol Chris Hadfield (astronaut), Col Bruce Gilchrist (former Chief of Staff, Regional Operations, Maritime Staff ), Myriam Bedard (Olympic medalist), Captain Ricardo Traven, (a CF-18 pilot on loan to the United States Navy as a test pilot), just to name a few. Should we not be encouraging officers to remain in the CIC to ensure that this “feeder stream” continues, rather than enticing them to abandon these young Canadians who join the Cadets and transfer to the P Res in order to be eligible for a benefit? I am also puzzled by the fact that while service in the CIC counts towards time credits for receipt of the RFRG (provided one transfers to the P Res) it is not good enough to stand on its own. While I am aware that primary reservists can replace Reg F members when required I believe this only occurs if:
no less dedicated to their duties and responsibilities than are members of the P Res. Our duties and training may differ but our responsibilities for the lives and well-being of 12 to 18-year-old cadets is equally challenging as those duties faced by many regular and P Res members. The CIC is, in essence, a classification as is Logistics, MARS or any other trade. The CIC has an officer speciality specification, which is linked to the CF officer general specification and we do undergo formal military occupation (MOC) training within the prescribed CIC specifications. Further CFAO 2-8 Annex A clearly shows the CIC as a sub-component of the CF Reserve. I firmly believe that we are all a part of the body that comprises the CF “total force” concept. This, I contend, is a matter of fairness, equity and justice and as such the RFRG must apply equally to all reservists, including those in the CIC and Canadian Rangers. In April of 1998 I filed an application for redress of grievance through the chain of command, pertaining to the denial of this benefit to the CF officers serving in the CIC. It is currently at NDHQ level for consideration. I trust that other officers who feel as I do have filed, or will be filing, an application.
1. They are willing to do so (e.g. voluntarily) and, 2. They are available (e.g. unemployed or have an employer willing to permit their absence). Officers serving in the CIC have participated in regional disasters. These include the Saguenay flood in 1996, the Manitoba flood in 1997 and in the ice storm in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec in 1998. It is my contention that if officers serving in the CIC are good enough to be called out to assist in national disasters, they should also be good enough to be granted those benefits given to the P Res. The primary duties of officers serving in the CIC are the supervision, administration and training of cadets. I feel confident in saying that these officers are
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
Reserve Force Retirement Gratuity
We received a great deal of feedback on the “RFRG” article found in the last issue of the CIC National Newsletter (Number 5 - Fall 1998). Here are some of the main
points found in those letters. If you have comments please feel free to get in touch with us.
...The article certainly put the CIC in their place! It relegated us to a very low level clearly demonstrating the contempt we are held in by the Primary Reserve. That concerns me. I was always of the opinion we were doing something valuable in working with and shaping the youth of Canada. Perhaps the P Res members do not fully understand what we do?... ...We who have put in decades of service in the P Res, during the days of poor pay, poor equipment and poor food, yet valiantly “soldiered on” with no opportunities such as are afforded the primary reserve of today are asking “Will the RFRG be made available to those who have years of P Res service before going to the CIC?”... Captain M.G. Penny, CD
...In paragraph six of the article by LCdr Naismith, she states, “The officers of the CIC are not part of the CF military occupational structure and do not undergo formal military occupation training...” I would like to point as a former instructor of RCIS(Central) that the courses BOQ, JOLC, MOC, LTQ and CQ are all designed to instruct entrants into the CIC the duties and responsibilities of officers in the CIC. This, to me, is formal military training. Also, once a person has been enrolled they are given an MOC number similar to every other member of the CF be they regular or reserve force. We in the CIC are not normally called upon to serve in areas other than with cadets a but there is nothing that precludes this from happening. For example, police officers who may also be in the CIC could serve with the United Nations and thereby be awarded a UN peacekeeping medal.... Captain T.W. Powell, CD, (Retired)
...The writer points out that at no time during its development was the benefit intended for other than the P Res and there is no intent to deliberately discriminate against parts of the Res F. Unfortunately, the policy overlooks the fact that most P Res officers rarely attend parades voluntarily, while officers in the CIC, on the other hand, are limited to being paid only 21 days during the local training year. Most officers in the CIC put in many more days voluntarily in order maintain the efficiency of a well-run Cadet unit. The other primary reason for the introduction of the RFRG it is explained was to “encourage and reward longer service ... and to help reduce attrition.” I would suggest that it is equally valid to reward officers in the CIC for longer service given that they often work many more days than the maximum of 21 days they are compensated for. According to the 1995 Director General Program Evaluation review of the Cadet program, (paragraph 3.5.15 page 3-24/66) the average officer in the CIC serves for 5.4 years. Those above average officers who serve the CCM and the CF for ten years or more have likely earned a lump sum cash reward for their efforts if they are not receiving any other CF or RCMP pension. It seems to me irrelevant as to the different application of the obligation to serve provisions of the National Defence Act with regard to the P Res and the CIC. The desire to encourage and reward longer-term service is equally valid for all parts of the Res F. To provide a cash bonus to an officer in the CIC upon retiring after ten or more years would help to make all the voluntary time a little more worthwhile than the personal satisfaction. Lieutenant-Commander G.W. Pash
Number 6 – Spring 1999
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H A V E YO U R S AY A Two-Sided Coin Captain N. Carter “Damn glider jocks! All they do is stand around in the wonderful sun, working on their tans. They don’t do real work, they just goof around all day, fly once in a while and then at dinner time they quit for the day. No sooner have they gotten to the mess, not even in uniform, not a real one anyway...just a flight suit, no sooner in the door and then straight to the bar. I was in the office until ten o’clock last night! Damn glider jocks!” That sound familiar? How about this one? “Damn storm troopers! I actually heard one complaining about having to wear a sweater in the office today because the air conditioning was too cold. Boo hoo! It was 35 degrees today. They stand down for the day and we keep flying. I’ve done so many flights today that I’m starting to forget which lesson I’m on. They have the easy life, on their butts all day, air conditioning and best of all, no cadets trying to kill them by flying them into the ground at 80 mph. Damn storm troopers!” The second one probably sounds familiar to an entirely different group of officers than the first.
Why Do I Want to be a Pilot?
Some of us have had the opportunity to participate in both conversations. I am one of those officers. I have worked with a Cadet squadron and I am also a member of a gliding centre. I have worked both at a Summer Training Centre and a Regional Gliding School. These experiences have allowed me to see the situation from both sides of the fence, and let me tell you the grass is always greener on the other side.
The question that is most prominent in my mind is why do these attitudes exist? These attitudes exist because of a plain, old-fashioned lack of understanding of what the other side is doing. It is easy to ridicule what we don’t understand and we all do it, some of us consciously and others with out ever being truly aware that we are doing it. A prime example of this lack of understanding comes from differences in each other’s approach to discipline. In the gliding world the officers are less formal. The cockpit just lends itself better to an informal teaching style. Sometimes the cadets get scared in the cockpit and a calm, reassuring voice, using their given name is much more effective then a drill voice. This style carries over and is predominant on the flight line, after all a leader is nothing if not consistent. On the other hand if an officer used first names with a class of thirty the professionalism would not be there. Two very different teaching environments, two very different teaching methods. One is not any better than the other, just more appropriate in the given situation.
For the Cadets of Course!!!
“Capt Carter on the flight line”
Rather than looking at the other style and finding fault with it, try to see the merit and remember that the flying officers are not being slack with discipline to spite the squadron officers. The same holds true with the squadron officers, they are not being over-zealous, they are providing a necessary part of the Cadet environment.
We all have to remember that both attitudes can and do exist in unison. As a result of these misunderstandings a natural rivalry has formed between the two groups of officers. As a cadet I can remember it was “us” and “them”. As an OCdt it was the same thing and even now strife exists. For the most part these feelings are half hearted at best and lead to fun and harmless rivalry. When it comes down to it both sides can sit in the O’s mess together and get along just fine. Unfortunately there are a few individuals ON BOTH SIDES, that are serious about the rivalry and take it to bitter, even vindictive new heights. These individuals harbour genuine hatred for the other side and it is these few individuals that are the real concern. How can a cadet get the full benefits from all aspects of the Air Cadet program when they see officers who are totally unwilling to admit to the merit of the other side? These officers are in the system and as leaders they wield considerable influence over the cadets, thus perpetuating their beliefs and reinforcing the rivalry. If you are this closed-minded, perhaps you should reconsider why you are in the CIC as an officer working with youth. The rest of us are in it for the cadets, to give them all aspects of the Air Cadet movement. To do this you need both sides of the coin, the flying side and the non-flying side. As officers in the CIC it is our obligation to use this coin to help the cadets buy success in all aspects of the system. Remember the Cadet.
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
Outcast?
enforced, many Cadet units and officers have been adversely affected.
What if he had met adults who showed him the way?
Lieutenant (Navy) S. Anderson , CD
I know we work at proving we are “real” members of the CF. I also know there are many realities the Reg F and P Res take for granted that we will never see. Instead of trying to be the same, perhaps we should accept some of our differences. And a first step would be to allow members of the CIC to volunteer with Cadet corps and squadrons without requiring supervision. The QR&O (Cdts) could be amended to say “...except members of the Cadet Instructor Cadre presently on the supplementary list.” This would allow those of us who cannot hold a billet to be able to volunteer without the humiliation of being supervised. Considering the few perks we receive, it would be a small gesture of respect.
Would we still find him under the hotel bar desperate and with no future? How many cadets have left the squadrons unnoticed? How much potential has been wasted?
By the time you read this, I will be an outcast in the CCM. I have done nothing wrong. I simply need time for a personal project and have transferred to the Supplementary Reserve. Unfortunately, with the stroke of a pen, I am no longer allowed to work with Cadets without being supervised myself. If I plan to continue being the local corps’ first aid instructor and coach for the first aid team, I have to make arrangements for an officer or CI to be available to supervise me. If the supervisor is a fresh-out-of-Cadets teenager, I also have to swallow my pride. Once I was the commanding officer of this corps. I also commanded another corps before I moved to this community. I have worked in a summer training centre, escorted on both a deployment and an exchange, and most recently had the pleasure of spending a year instructing at the RCIS. But with a few signatures on a DND324, all this becomes irrelevant. My credentials do not change the fact I can no longer be trusted to work with cadets without supervision. The only people who are allowed to supervise cadets are active members of the CIC and civilian instructors. Up until a few years ago, CIC members who were transferring to the Supp Res signed on as a CI with the corps. But the QR&O (Cdts) states that “no member of the Canadian Forces can be a civilian instructor.” This policy is now strictly adhered to. Since we are still members of the CF when we are on the Supp Res list, we can only volunteer with a corps or squadron. This is the same for anyone in the Regular Force or Primary Reserve, and we all have to be supervised. For once why can’t we be treated differently than other members of the Forces? Members of the CIC are not trained the same, do not get paid the same, and do not have the same opportunities as those in the Reg F or P Res. There are already so many differences, what would it matter if there was one more? My situation is not isolated either. In my small community there are now three of us who have crossed that invisible line. In the three years since this policy has been
Number 6 – Spring 1999
“What? CIC? Are you crazy?” Captain R.N. Lefebvre Us more experienced officers have all heard this sentence hundreds of times. What can we answer except, “You can’t understand!” I hope that the following lines help you understand. A kid gets caught one more time at camp. He has been RTU’d from two other camps for disciplinary reasons. The WO responsible for these cases meets with him and the officer in charge. They listen before taking action. They take an hour to explain to this teenager that he is playing his future and that he has possibilities. He is more than the amount of errors he has made, the foolish things he has done and the bruises he has received. He has dreams and needs that he can fulfil only if HE decides to help himself and to take the opportunity we are giving him. Another teenager has just lost his girlfriend. Everything is dark. At the squadron his mistakes are adding up, he is getting down and his flight feels the loss. The TrgO informs him that he has to get his act together and manage so his flight does not suffer. If not, he will have to be replaced. How many of our kids have gone through this? What if his TrgO had motivated him?
Another cadet feels overwhelmed. School, the squadron, her parents, her (former) boyfriend, the annual competitions and so many other things start to add up. Her CO puts more and more on her shoulders. “She’s tough, she’ll handle it!” Will we find her at the emergency ward? Don’t forget that the teenage years are as important as they are troubling. A young offender of around 12 years old once asked me to define discipline. I asked him in return what he thought it was and what he meant by his question. He answered, “Discipline is not yelling at the kids. It is taking time to explain, so we can understand. Why don’t grown-ups understand this?” I fell off my chair. I would have liked to film this young kid telling me in one sentence what so many hours of courses have tried to make us understand. I have faced a lot of these situations over the years, be it at a squadron, a camp or in my “other life.” I know that most of us are not professionally trained to deal with these kinds of situations, but I also know that using common sense we can at least try. We should think of the responsibility and the influence we have on the lives of our cadets. Naturally, some of these kids have grown out of their bad situations and are now responsible adults. Unfortunately, some others could not be helped and are now left alone to face the real world. But at least some people have tried. There are a lot of organisations in your community that can help you, your staff and the cadets to deal with these situations. Please use them. Find the resources and the phone numbers and give them to the ones you know might need it. You will have done your duty. Captain Lefebvre is a professional training councillor.
13
B E C A U S E YO U A S K E D In the surveys we received some of you asked for expert advice that would apply to the CIC. In this issue we decided that one way to do this was to ask for an article on leadership. After all, what could apply more to the CIC?
Leadership in the CIC Setting Lieutenant Colonel J.R. Shields, CD
Recently, the editor of the CIC National Newsletter contacted RCIS (Central) and requested that we submit an article on leadership in the CIC setting. The onus was immediately foisted upon the commandant by his loyal deputy, for reasons I’m not quite sure other than some muttering about the fact that having commanded the RCIS and the Blackdown Army Cadet STC for four years at the same time, probably earned me the ‘right’ to make comment about leadership in the CIC setting. Upon some reflection, I was struck with several questions. What does one mean when they say leadership in the CIC setting? Does it imply that leadership in the CIC is different than anywhere else in the CF? Is our CIC leadership somehow unique and, as such, should it be taught differently because we are dealing with youth, vis-à-vis soldiers, airmen and sailors? Then I remembered an officer saying the exact same thing at the famous Cornwall meeting of the various stakeholders in the CCM. I recall asking myself, “Is leadership different in the CIC setting?” Before one can answer the question, we probably should clearly define what we in the CIC do and how, from a leadership perspective, we accomplish
our mandate. At the outset, let us all agree that the essential element, without which the Cadet program could not be implemented, is the CIC. These officers provide selfless dedication and service to the CF and the CCM. Their sole compensation is the realization that they are contributing to Canada’s future by assisting in the development of its most valuable resource, its youth. The CIC at the coalface do all this by receiving 21 days pay, but are expected to implement a 30 day local training program and devote numerous additional days of their own time working at the Cadet unit level. They wear the uniform with pride and treasure the rank they have strived to attain.
of the CIC. The first is moral conviction. The leader with a passionate belief in and dedication towards his or her mission, in our case, youth leadership, is already halfway there. Those with true conviction know what is right and take action regardless of the consequences.
Parents, it is generally believed, view the CIC as the component that instils a level of order and personal discipline, in combination with providing good ethical values to their children. They also recognize that this is done by teaching military leadership and ethos.
The third quality of a good leader is honesty and it means far more than respect for the property of others. People are not necessarily honest just because they don’t steal; honesty also entails a complete truthfulness and a willingness to admit to one’s own mistakes. Others will follow an individual who displays this type of honesty and courage rather than follow the other who offers the easy way out.
However, once again, is leadership different in the CIC vis-à-vis the other components of the CF? I would suggest that leadership is leadership, regardless whether it involves the military or a civilian organization or a combination of both. Succinctly put, leadership is an art of influencing human behaviour, in order to accomplish a mission or task, in a manner desired by the leader. Leadership, however, is not a formula; it is an attitude of mind and a way of life. You can no more lead by a formula than live by one. Individual leaders must put their own personality to work in order to inspire people to want to accomplish something the way the leader wants it done. There is a myriad of qualities of a good leader and they universally apply to all facets of life, including we as members
The second quality of a good leader is courage. Courage is the bedrock of character. It is the manifestation of the moral conviction to do what is right. I speak not of bravery or physical courage, but when a situation develops that you know is wrong and unethical, you must possess the courage to step forward and declare it to be so and take the necessary action to eliminate the wrongdoing.
The fourth attribute is loyalty and it must be practised every day in everything that one does. Self-serving leaders will never, and I say again never, be loyal to anyone but themselves. Leaders who will not champion the just cause of a subordinate because they fear offending their superiors are frauds for they have no loyalty. They are only interested in outward appearances. Leaders who openly criticize superiors and are always blaming others in authority for their own shortcomings, in an effort to shift the burden of blame from themselves, are highly unlikely to make sacrifices for the betterment of those they lead.
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
The last ingredient of good leadership is knowledge. To lead effectively you need several kinds of knowledge. There is the technical knowledge of your specialty, let’s call that your element, a knowledge of others based upon your interest and understanding of them and your knowledge of regulations, orders and procedures plus a sound appreciation of the reasons for them. A good leader never stops learning; once you do you stop developing as a leader and your subordinates suffer as a result. Do the foregoing attributes or qualities of a good leader apply to the CIC? You can bet your future involvement with the CCM that they apply - they apply in spades! From the perspective of being a commandant of an RCIS and an Army Cadet STC for four years, it was clearly evident that each and every time that an officer in the CIC got into trouble it was due to a failure to apply one or more of the qualities of a good leader, whether it was a failure to have the courage to take responsibility for one’s actions or those of others, a failure to uphold the rules and regulations of the STC or a failure in applying one’s knowledge involving, for example, a safety violation while undergoing training. In each and every case where poor leadership was exhibited, it was directly related to a failure to practise the desired leadership attributes. This is not rocket science, believe me!
Number 6 – Spring 1999
In summary, leadership in the CIC setting is no different than any other component in the CF or for that matter any civilian walk of life. What is unique however, are the consequences that may result in failing to apply the attributes of good leadership. Unlike the Regular Force or the Primary Reserve, the CCM is officer driven. As youth leaders we do not have the luxury of dealing with trained soldiers
et al., where a presumption of a certain level of common sense can be assumed. The task of effective leadership in the CIC is all the more challenging because we are dealing with youth and to assume anything is done at your peril. In the CIC, there is no consistent non-commissioned member support channel. In fact, both at the local level and during the summer
training, your day to day working relationship does not involve working with experienced adult NCMs; rather, you deal with staff cadets. Notwithstanding their good intentions and admirable qualities, to simply assert, “OK Warrant, carry on!” walk away and fail to supervise, is to invite possible disaster. Unlike the other components of the CF where NCMs provide, in the majority of cases, wise counsel to their officers wherein, although you don’t blindly accept all of their experienced advice, you at least consider it; in the CCM no such luxury exists. For the most part, CIC officers are on their own. When presented with a problem, they remember to solve it using logical analysis to come up with a plan. In most cases all that you can hope is that you considered all of the factors before you reached your decision or course of action. Unlike in the Reg F where the old Warrant Officer would sidle up beside you and politely whisper “Sir, did you remember to consider the safety aspects involved in crossing a water obstacle?” In the CCM no such safety net exists! In conclusion, the principles of leadership are the same regardless of the setting. The differences are in the tasks encountered, and the resources with which you tackle them. As we in the CIC are lacking in these essential resources, adherence to the basic principles of leadership is even more important.
15
P ROF I LES Keeping the Peace Captain A. Dengis
As a constable with the RCMP I was selected to participate as a member of the Canadian contingent of the United Nations Civillian Police (UNCIVPOL) International Police Task Force (IPTF) to the United Nations Mission in Bosnia Herzegovina (UNMIBH) from October 1998 to April 1999. Our mandate is to “assist the local police in creating a safe and secure environment for all ethnic groups through reforms and training according to the principles of democratic policing.” On my arrival to this mission I was stationed in the Brcko (Birchko) region. The city of Brcko and the people in it have suffered greatly from the selfinflicted atrocities of “ethnic cleansing”, the practise of forced displacement of the residents, using brutal means from destroying their homes and livelihood to outright killing them. This ethnically motivated fighting and hatred has destroyed much of the infrastructure and reduced this once thriving commercial centre from 80,000 predominantly Bosnian Muslims to approximately 40,000 Bosnian Serbs who eke out a daily existence from the shattered remnants of this town. I was initially assigned to monitor/patrol duties in a rural community just outside of the city of Brcko where I worked very closely with the local police observing the performance of their duties. We have no executive authourity in this mission and act as observers only. Though I am not naive to the effects of war it was working within this community that I obtained a full appreciation of the travesty this war inflicted upon the people and their community. Having accomplished much as a monitor I sought out further challenges for my policing skills. It turned out that it was
my experience as a CIC instructor, developed during my years as the training officer at the corps level, that afforded me selection to work as an instructor with the Brcko Region Local Police Development Unit. This unit was comprised of UN police officers who are responsible for the transition of the local police to the practices of democratic policing through a training course that spanned a four week period. Instruction was presented to the candidates on a variety of police related subjects through theoretical classroom lessons and practical training sessions. My formal training as an instructor had been received during my BOQ and LTQ courses where I had been the benefactor of lessons on instructional technique.
The opportunity to hone these skills came while working for several years as a training officer instructing cadets on the star level program and other subjects at the corps level. This CIC training and practise at the corps level combined with my experience, knowledge and skills as a police officer allowed me to present and convey the content of the curriculum to the local police in a knowledgeable and credible manner and to perform to a very high standard amongst my peers. In addition to policing skills the broad and ambitious scope of this mission requires additional abilities to deal with the challenges one faces on a daily basis.
I find myself challenged in the fields of leadership, management, logistics and organizational skills. These are traditional military competencies that the average IPTF member has no training in. It was my experience that leadership was a cornerstone in being effective in a mission of this nature. I was dealing with peers, associates and students who held different beliefs, practices and standards over whom I held no executive authority to compel an expected response. I would find myself constantly tested in my ability to keep them focused to the task and had to rely on my leadership skills if I intended to achieve any success at all. My experience as a training officer and most recently as the commanding officer had me well versed in the methods required to effectively overcome the trials and tribulations I found myself confronted with from these individuals. I have found great personal satisfaction during my involvement with the CIC. At the corps level as it has given me great opportunities to train, learn and develop these competencies. This experience has enhanced my performance and been of great benefit in my professional career and daily life and also paid great dividends in this mission. In recognition of my abilities and performance I was appointed as the supervisor in charge of the Brcko Region Local Police Training Unit responsible for 15 IPTF instructors, seven language assistants and the implementation of the training program for 1,000 local police. I feel credit for my achievements are due in a large part to those members of the CIC who were my mentors and to the staff of RCIS (Pacific) whose tutorial ability and knowledge contributed to my successful development as an officer. Captain Allan Dengis is the CO of 1725 Canadian Military Engineer Cadet Corps in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”
The CIC - A Second Career Captain A.R. Brown, CD When Peter Magwood first thought of joining the CIC, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for the military again - especially after a long hiatus. Now, two years later he admits his decision was the smartest second-career move he ever made. Magwood is a 53-year-old SLt and a public affairs officer with 25 years of federal government, military and journalistic experience. He has worked his craft, with commendable results, at HMCS Acadia, the Sea Cadet STC at Cornwallis Park N.S., at the 1996 to 1998 editions of the Nova Scotia tattoo and at the general meetings of the Navy League of Canada and the Air Force Association of Canada in Halifax this year. When he retired from Transport Canada in 1994, he found he had a lot of spare time and was fishing around for something to do. With his wife Marie, he bought a cottage in rural King’s County, N.S., and spent a lot of time and money fixing it up. But when that was done he had to find another challenge. He looked again to the military for a possible second career. With 23 years of Naval Reserve service, completed in 1987, he first thought about rejoining at HMCS Scotian, Halifax’s Naval Reserve unit. But he learned later that he could only serve until age 55 (compared to age 65 in the CIC), that he would be dipped two ranks to Leading Seaman and that he would be remustered to the boatswain trade from musician. Discussions with friends led to SLt Magwood’s introduction to the Regional Cadet Staff Establishment (Atlantic) and, as Magwood says, “the rest is history.” He had long talks early on about his background and, later, about the choices and potential career opportunities that lay ahead in the CIC compared to the Naval Reserve. Although he knew little about the CIC back then it became clear that his
Number 6 – Spring 1999
experience and abilities could be put to best use in the CCM and it didn’t take him long to choose that course. With instructions and advice from regional headquarters personnel, SLt Magwood set out to enrol in the CIC in late 1996. He found a spot at RCSSC Nelson, one of Halifax’s Sea Cadet corps, and when a paid position opened up in January 1997 he was on his way. After the usual rounds of paperwork, correspondence, medicals and interviews he was formally re-engaged in the CIC in April 1997 and commissioned from the ranks as a SLt. His first job was at the Nova Scotia International Tattoo as assistant public affairs officer, followed by two months at HMCS Acadia. He noted that it was a real treat going back to the tattoo as a subbie. He had worked at the 1979 to 1987 tattoos as a military musician, so it was interesting to make the change from performer to production staff. His service at HMCS Acadia during the summer of 1997 was the first time in 30 years that SLt Magwood had stepped inside Cornwallis. “What a change,” he said. The last time he served in Cornwallis was during Canada’s centennial year, 1967. It was an incredibly busy facility back then. It didn’t take long for SLt Magwood to adjust to the busy training schedule of the Sea Cadet summer training centre and before long he was cranking out articles and photographs on newsworthy people and events at Acadia. Sub-Lieutenant Magwood was called on again in 1998 to provide public affairs assistance to the tattoo and HMCS Acadia. He hopes to be employed there again in 1999. He said it is always a privilege to be assigned as a public affairs at both the Tattoo and at HMCS Adadia. Even though the hours are long and with many demands and limited resources, the results are well worth it.
SLt Peter Magwood Sub-Lieutenant Magwood said he is satisfied when he sees the job being well done. The rousing finales of the Nova Scotia International Tattoo or HMCS Acadia’s ever-popular final graduation parade and sunset ceremony are the payoffs in his richly rewarding involvement in the CIC.
Cadet Alumni/Alumnae Wanted! M. Boriel We’re looking for former cadets who have distinguished themselves in their personal lives or careers since graduating from the Cadet program. We’ve all heard of Myriam Bedard and Chris Hadfield, yet hundreds of other Cadet alumni/alumnae make valuable contributions to their communities and remain virtually unknown and unrecognized by the CCM. We want to change that. If you know of a former cadet who has gone on to an interesting career, or become successful in his or her field we want to hear about it. Please send any information about Cadet alumni/alumnae to Michele Boriel, Communications Cell, Directorate of Cadets. Fax (613) 992-8956, e-mail af120@issc.debbs.ndhq.dnd.ca.
17
Letter to the Editor
Pretend Officers? Lieutenant (Navy) L. Comer Let me introduce myself, I am the person that the majority of the military call a ‘Pretend’ officer. There is no pretence that I may be single or may have a husband or wife as well as children. Nor is there any pretence that if I am married I have a full time career that pays for the support of my family. There is no pretence regarding what you call my pretend career that pays me 21 days out of the 150 I put in. There is no pretence about the fact that this other career, if I do it due diligence, requires my attention seven days a week 52 weeks a year. There is no pretence that I will have a direct impact on tomorrow’s society and the values that society may have. I do not pretend to be a career officer because that is not my purpose. I do not pretend to be a commissioned officer in the Canadian Forces, because I am a commissioned officer. My trade and expertise is with the youth of Canada. To train and channel their energy so that they accept and respond to the challenges of citizenship they will face once their teen years have passed. So you see as an officer I do not pretend at all. I am as qualified as you, my dedication and commitment are as great as yours. Just my field of expertise is different.
In Brief •
Recommended Readings In the surveys we received you asked us to recommend reading material that would be useful in developing the leadership and communication skills essential to the CIC. These books can be found on the National CIC Web Site at www.vcds.dnd.ca/cic. If you know of any other books that you would like to recommend, please contact us by fax, phone, e-mail or on the Web. Phone numbers and addresses can be found on page 3 of this issue.
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The Canadian War Museum has proposed creating a history package to distribute to cadet units across Canada. The proposed package will likely contain both general knowledge and element specific information to be taught at the discretion of unit officers. Starting in January of this year, the war museum has started to allow uniformed cadets and officers into the museum free of charge. After almost 40 years Richard Logan is retiring from Air Cadet League headquarters. He started working at the Air Cadet League national headquarters in 1960 and has been there ever since. He has been executive director of the Air Cadet League since 1985. His replacement, Jean Mignault, will take over the Richard Logan job in June.
I have just read through issue Number 5Fall 1998 of the CIC National Newsletter and in response to your letter from the editor I would make the following comments. There is very little in this magazine, and what is there gives the impression that all is well with the CIC. The term “warm and fuzzy” comes to mind. There is no one complaining? If you take the article on RFRG, it took a whole page to tell us we didn’t qualify! You are perhaps at a crossroads because nothing of a controversial nature is being printed. I can only speak in regard to Atlantic region, however I talk to officers here quite often and hear many complaints. We have in effect a two-layer CIC here. We have the people that work, mostly as volunteers, at the unit level and really make the program work. Then we have the paid officers at regional HQ and elsewhere. Many of these people were in their positions when I first joined in 1987 and are still in them today. It is rare and almost never that a job posting is seen at the unit level, we just hear about it after the fact. An example here is the last two appointments of area CIC officers for P.E.I. (we have one for each element). Both of these appointees had never served a day in the CIC before becoming the ACICO. They had never worked with cadets, yet I find them in the ranking position in the province. From retired RCOs down it is easy to find this type of CIC in full time paid positions. My concern here is that some very good people are passed over time and time again, officers with a good education and much to offer. At the same time we have instructors at RCIS who have been in their job for years, still teaching with same methods they used 10 to15 years ago. I seriously believe that we have no control over the very programs that we administer, and that very well qualified people are being lost to us because they see no future in the CIC. I guess what I am saying is that we really have no voice in our own affairs. If that is what this magazine is for then I would urge people to use it. I do hope you will decide to print this and I am sure that if you do it will draw responses both pro and con. Lieutenant (Navy) F.B. Rodgers, CD
“Training the Youth of Today to be Canada’s Leaders Tomorrow”