Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 09/01) - Members of the 2749 (Signals) Inuvik Royal Canadian Army Cadets Corps are preparing for a number of activities.

They will take part in the upcoming Remembrance Day events, where they will help lay wreaths and other tasks. As well, the group takes part in a drill competition on Nov. 19.

Commanding officer Chris Garven explained that people will be flown in to mark the Inuvik cadets. The two best groups from the NWT, and the top two from Nunavut, as well as one or two from the Yukon, will compete against each other in Fort Simpson in January.

"This year it's a little different to how they've done it in the past. In the past we've always had what's called a zone competition," Garven said.

In each of the last six years, with one exception, Inuvik has won its zone.

There's about 20 members right now, but Garven said the number often fluctuates during the year. This month the cadets are doing classroom training, but are also having an outdoor exercise.

"They're going to be learning fieldcraft, bush craft sort of stuff, putting up tents, map and compass, how to use the stoves and lanterns, that sort of thing," Garven said.

"Things are doing very well. I've got more staff this year, a lot easier all the way around. We're offering a much better variety of stuff for the kids this year, just because we have the extra stuff."

Cpl. Chayne Rogers, 16, and Cpl. Charles Hunter, 14, both got involved in cadets about four years ago, and this July took part in a 10-day training camp at Pangnirtung.

"We hiked, rappelled, hiked some more," Hunter recalled.

For the hikes, he said, "We were carrying about 70 pounds on our back."

The emphasis was on the outdoors, with other activities taking place such as ice climbing.

Hunter got into cadets because of his girlfriend and really enjoys it.

"It's basically the discipline and the accomplishments that you can make."

Rogers joined cadets because of his brother, and said he likes the fact they do things others don't.

During their days with cadets, Rogers and Hunter have been to Whitehorse, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk. They are both on their group's drill team.