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Expedition Training

What it is About

 

Each year, The Army Cadet League of Canada and the Department of National Defense co-sponsor the Army Cadet Expeditions, a challenging adventure for the top Army Cadets in Canada. Thirty-two young men and women are chosen to participate on this "Army Cadet Ultimate Challenge", on either the International Expedition team or the National Expedition team (16 cadets for each Expedition). These remarkable young Canadians have worked extremely hard in the past four to six years since they have joined the Army Cadet program. They are young, intelligent, and athletic and have been chosen to take part in these adventures having demonstrated strong leadership skills, and all the great qualities that are required to take on such challenges. The Army Cadet Program has given them an opportunity to develop a passion for outdoor adventure.

 

Since 2000, cadets have travelled to Morocco, Australia, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Costa Rico, France, Switzerland, Northern Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Nepal and the US, include Alaska. The program also allows the exploration of Canadian terrain too where cadets have conducted expeditions to the Rockies, Jasper, Yellowknife, Seven Summits, the Nahani River, they also participated in a unique "urban" trek using the old water routes from Toronto to Ottawa, and most recently to Churchill, Manitoba.

Expedition training is the application of learned skills and leadership roles in a demanding environment. Outdoor challenge teaches and encourages safety, a healthy lifestyle and environmental stewardship, the basic themes of Army Cadet training. Both individually and as a group, cadets undergo challenges throughout the Expedition experience, where they improve their decision-making and problem solving skills, team building, co-operation, communication, tolerance, resourcefulness skills and learn important time management aptitudes. Army Cadet Expedition is the premier Army Cadet activity. It challenges the best Army Cadets in Canada to the push their mental and physical limits. This travel experience forces cadets to put into practice the self-reliance, leadership, and spirit of adventure they have learned at their local cadet corps. It magnifies their sense of what it is to be a Canadian!

 

Skills include:

  • canoeing and kayaking

  • caving

  • climbing and mountaineering

  • cross-country skiing

  • hiking and backpacking

  • mountain biking

  • orienteering

  • rafting

  • ropes and challenge course

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The Expedition Program is comprised of:

 

  • one weekend of adventure training activity for Green and Red Star cadets at the local level

  • one weekend of adventure training activity for Silver and Gold Star cadets at the Zone level

  • Regional Expeditions

  • Summer Training Expedition activities

  • National Expeditions (Domestic and International)

Central Region Army Cadet Expeditions 

 

Silver Star Expeditions

Expedition Centre (EC) training is a mandatory part of the Army Cadet program. It is held in the spring for Silver Star Cadets. Cadets that do not complete the Expedition Centre training program will not progress to the next star level and cannot be promoted to the next rank.

337 Queen's York Rangers Expedition Training Date is:  Sept 27 - Sept 29, 2019 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Joining Instructions
           

Gold Star Expeditions                                                                                                                       

Expedition Centre (EC) training is a mandatory part of the Army Cadet program. It is held in the  fall for Gold Star Cadets. Cadets that do not complete the Expedition Centre training program will not progress to the next star level and cannot be promoted to the next rank.

337 Queen's York Rangers Expedition Training Date is:  Sept 27 - Sept 29, 2019 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Joining Instructions
 

Regional Expeditions

Central Region Army Cadet Regional Summer Expedition involves biking, hiking and canoeing. The three expeditions this year include:

a. Madawaska 
b. Trillium 
c. Petawawa 

Cadets must be Gold Star Qualified and above. 

 

Dates: Aug 24, 2019 - Sep 6, 2019
Application Deadline: June 11, 2019

 
Application Form

 

Central Region Army Cadet Regional Northern Extreme Expedition involves snowshoeing, skiing, camping and winter survival. The upcoming expedition will be held in Sleeping Giant National Park. 

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Cadets must be Gold Star Qualified and above. Please submit a Cover Letter indicating your interest to the CO by the Application Deadline. 

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Dates: Mar 13, 2020 - Mar 23, 2020
Application Deadline: Jan 17, 2020

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National Expeditions

The  National Expedition will be hosted by   XXXXXXXXXXX    and will be conducted in XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Activities will
include XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Cadets will also be exposed to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX of Canada.

 

Application Form
 

International Expeditions

The International Expedition will be hosted by  Regional Cadet Support Unit Pacific and will be conducted in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, Chile from February 4 - 22, 2020. Activities will include trekking and kayaking. Cadets will also be exposed to navigation, leadership opportunities and Chilean culture.

 

The participation criteria is as follows:  

  • be available during the period of  4 – 22 Feb 20;

  • possess an exemplary record of cadet service and have demonstrated a high level of personal discipline;

  • have the informed consent of their parent/guardian;

  • be recommended by their Corps’ CO;

  • be Gold Star Qualified;

  • be a minimum of 16 years of age prior to the start of the expedition (4 Feb 20);

  • participate as a support cadet at a Cadet Expedition Site (CES);

  • have achieved at minimum the bronze incentive level of the Cadet Fitness Assessment, within the last 12 months;

  • be medically fit and have no participation limitations that could preclude taking part in any of the activities;

  • must have a valid passport and must be able to travel internationally; and

  • have not participated in a national or international expedition previously

 

Cadets must complete a one page cover letter that includes the following information:

​

  • Why they desire to attend the expedition;

  • What previous experience and qualified they have that has prepared them for this expedition; and

  • How will they use their experience to promote the Army Cadet Program at their Corps and community.

 

This cover letter must be submitted to the CO via REMIND by: October 15, 2019
                                                                                                                                                           

            

Staff Applications


Senior Cadets
 

Senior Cadets wishing to apply to volunteer at the Expedition Centre may do so as per the following:

Cadets must have the following qualifications:

1) have completed both Silver and Gold EC Training, and 

2) have successfully completed a Regional, National or International Expedition, or the Expedition Instructor Course.

Interested Cadets that meet the requirements are encouraged to speak with their Corps Training Staff. Cadet Corps staff will be required to submit a       
Participation Application via Fortress. 

The cadet is also asked to email (Joey.Landry@Cadets.gc.ca) with the following:

 

1) which Regional/National/International they have completed or Expedition Instructor,

2) weekends available (Typically, we only select cadets on the weekend their unit is coming up, however, if there is a need and transportation can be arranged, we will select senior cadet who are available), and

3) expedition related experience

 

Note: Only senior cadets with Fortress Applications will be selected. If a cadet is selected on a weekend other than the one their unit is coming up on, an email will be sent to the Cadet’s Commanding Officer for approval, to ensure their participation does not conflict with other cadet training.

As the EC has specific needs and must ensure that activities are well supervised and as per safety regulations, members with expedition related experience as well as specialty qualifications (Canoe, Mountain Bike, etc) will be given preference. However, we are always looking for new members who are looking for a new challenge in the Army Cadet Program, and I encourage all interested members to apply. More to this, the Expedition Centre is an idle location for members who have recently completed specialty courses such as the Mountain Bike Instructor (MBI) Course and the Basic Canoe Instructor(BCI) Course and need to practice the skills they learned on these courses. We have experienced staff who are able to assist and mentor newly qualified members looking to gain experience.

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