The 2502 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Army Cadets may have been the inspiration when the band Steppenwolf wrote “Looking for adventure in whatever comes our way,” in their biggest hit, because that is exactly what the CFB Shilo youth organization promotes, starting with its annual registration night on Sept. 10.

If you are 12 to 19 years old, there is nothing but adventure, character building, friendships, and teamwork when participating in the youth program at the Multi-Purpose Training Facility (MPTF) on Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. (18:30) to 9 p.m. (21:00)

Registration is free, and cadets are provided with a uniform. During the program, cadets can earn merits and awards by participating in expeditions, physical fitness, survival tasks, and map-and-compass work. Just bring a health card and one piece of government-issued identification, and the cadets will walk you through the process. 

“Expeditions develop knowledge of how to travel long distances in various environments. Army cadets also learn how to take care of their field equipment,” states the Government of Canada website cadet page.

“At a higher level, they can participate in longer and more difficult expeditions. These expeditions may include mountaineering, caving (exploring caves), and white-water rafting.

The Army Cadet Program offers many sports activities not available to other elements, such as climbing, mountain biking, and rafting. In addition to practicing these activities at the unit, several summer camps are offered to improve your skills in these disciplines. Each year, a few experienced cadets can participate in a parachuting course.

Army cadets participate in training in the bush in summer and winter. They learn how to build makeshift shelters and how to survive using what nature has to offer. This includes learning how to make a fire, find water, make themselves visible to rescue workers and many other useful skills.

Army cadets learn to use various means to find their way in the wilderness. Whether it is with maps and compasses, GPS technology or stars, cadets will always find their way.”

For more information, email: 2502Army@cadets.gc.ca