Cadet Cole Turner of 858 Skookumchuk, Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, Gibsons, B.C., helps his team pitch a tent at Cold Lake Cadet Training Centre, in Alberta, on 24 July.
Cadet Turner is one of 73 dedicated cadets currently enrolled in the Survival Instructor Course at the Cold Lake Cadet Training Centre. Passionate about leadership and personal growth, Turner values the unique opportunities the cadet program provides — especially those that empower him to mentor others. Through the Survival Instructor Course, he is gaining practical, hands-on experience in essential outdoor skills that he can bring back to his squadron in Gibsons to help train and inspire fellow cadets.
Among the many competencies he’s developing are advanced knot-tying techniques, efficient packing strategies for extended field training exercises, and foundational survival principles such as shelter-building and navigation. Cadet Turner sees these skills not only as tools for success in the field but also as steppingstones toward becoming a confident and capable leader within the cadet community.
Cadet Turner advises any youth interested in the cadet program to give it a try. “Some of the best parts about Air Cadets is the opportunity to go for a plane ride and seeing everything from the air,” he said. The Canadian Cadet Program is open to youth ages 12 to 18 years old. You can find out more information by visiting www.canada.ca/cadets.
