Crowsnest Air Cadet promoted, attends advance training

Warrant Officer 2nd-Class Smith displays his new air cadet rank

press release

Flight Sergeant Nigal Smith was promoted to Warrant Officer 2nd Class (WO2) during the closing parade of air cadet training on April 7th. This is WO2 Smith’s 5th year in the cadet program and he is currently undergoing Level 5 training. Cadets typically complete one training level per school year. The Level 5 training program is particularly demanding, requiring an increase in community volunteering to 45 hours in total. He is also expected to participate in an average of 7 hours of physical activity per week and complete several self-study modules.


A further requirement of his Level 5 training is to attend and complete advanced workshops concerning dynamic instruction, classroom management, positive reinforcement, time management and ethics. Those workshops were completed over the weekend of April 13th at the Rocky Mountain National Army Cadet Summer Training Centre outside Cochrane.

“My favourite workshop of the weekend was probably dynamic instruction,” WO2 Smith explained, “because it gave me the skills required to create more of an interest for my classes for all of the younger cadets.” He added, “I had a great time with all of the other cadets because a lot of them helped me with learning new skills that apply to my new rank.”

WO2 Smith currently serves as the Squadron Warrant Officer, the most senior cadet, with 859 Crowsnest Military Police Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron. He regularly teaches both parade square movements (“drill”) and classroom topics. The Royal Canadian Air Cadets is a youth program for 12-18 year olds that focuses on leadership, citizenship, fitness and aeronautics. Cadets are not members of the military and have no obligation to join or serve with the Canadian Forces. New recruits are always welcome. There are no registration fees or costs to join. Cadets from 859 Crowsnest Squadron train every Monday night at the Elks Hall in Blairmore from 6:30 PM to 9:15 PM.

The cadet squadron currently has members enrolled from Crowsnest Pass and Pincher Creek.

Leading Air Cadet Gray examines the switchboard and morse code display during the cadet squadron's visit to the Crowsnest Museum on April 12th.

Related link: www.cadets.ca