Meticulous attention to detail
Remembrance Day biggest event of the year to cadet corps
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
RANKIN INLET/NAUJAAT
The Rankin Inlet and Naujaat cadet corps spent a great deal of time rehearsing their part in today's annual Remembrance Day service.
Warrant officer Tatonya Autut marches the cadet corps out following the Remembrance Day ceremony in Rankin Inlet last year. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo |
The Remembrance Day ceremony ranks as the most important day of the year to the cadet program, and the Naujaat and Rankin corps want to be as flawless as possible in their execution in front of a large segment of their respective communities. Rankin corps commanding officer 2nd Lieut. Dorothy Tootoo said the Rankin cadets began practising for Remembrance Day in early October.
She said the sessions have been extremely important because there are so many younger cadets in the Rankin program this year.
"We always strive to do our best during the ceremony but I would hope people would remember we have a lot of 12-year-olds in our corps this year," said Tootoo.
"The ceremony is extremely important to the program, of course, and our cadets work hard every year to be at their very best. We have to watch them very closely during the ceremony, because each year we almost always have one or two cadets begin to pass out because of nerves.
"We have a light snack and some liquids we give them before the ceremony and we remind them to breathe steadily and wiggle their toes and fingers periodically, but it can be nerve-racking for them to be out in front of their family and friends like that."
Naujaat corps commander Capt. Lloyd Francis said his cadets also put in a lot of practice time for their part in the big day.
He said Remembrance Day is vitally important to all those who serve, and their families, and the cadet program is steeped in the tradition of the Canadian Armed Forces.
"I rely heavily on my senior cadets to, more or less, set a good example and lead the way for the younger cadets in our corps," said Francis.
"You can't put into words, really, what Remembrance Day means to our country, and how important it is for us to remember the sacrifice of others on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. We spend a lot of time preparing for things like the Northern Cadet Challenge in Shilo, Man., and the upcoming drill-and-skills competition in Iqaluit.
"But, without a doubt, Remembrance Day is the most important day of the year to every cadet corps in Canada."
