Colin Kunkel Interview

Colin joined the cadet program in 1989, when he joined as a cadet at 107 Spitfire squadron in Saskatoon. He transitioned to serving as a CIC officer in the squadron afterwards. He worked as the Supply, Admin, UHRA, Band Officer and Training Officer during his time with 107 and also worked two summers with Summer Movements in Regina and four summers at Penhold Air Cadet Summer Training Centre. After a brief break, Colin rejoined the cadet program as a civilian instructor at 574 RCACS in Martensville, w here he has been since they started operating there.

 

Speaking about his previous activities, Colin said:

 

“This will sound rather cheezy, but one favorite memory was putting on my uniform for the first time and stepping onto the parade square. Yes, I had creases in the wrong place, railroad tracks on my pants, maybe a loose thread or two on my shoulder flashes, but the feeling I had was nothing but excitement. I have a lot of fond memories throughout my cadet career, but I don't think anything matches the excitement of putting on that uniform for the first time. I do have another favorite memory and that is when I represented 107 RCACS at the 50th Anniversary Gathering of Air Cadets back in 1991, which celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Air Cadet League of Canada. Imagine one Air Cadet from every squadron in Canada (over 400 of us), gathering for one weekend in Quebec City. We toured all of the usual tourist spots, participated in a parade through Old Quebec, attended a huge air show and then had dinner with the Snowbirds after that air show. We climbed to the top of Mount St. Anne and went on a big river cruise down the St. Lawrence. That was the first big trip away from home for me and my first trip on an airliner. Any thoughts of being homesick quickly went away when I started meeting friends and hanging out...not to mention all of the fun activities that were planned for us. I kept in touch with some of those friends for a while, but like life, people drift apart and lose contact, but to this day, I still have very fond memories of that trip.”

 

“Whether it has been as a volunteer, Civilian Instructor or CIC Officer, cadets has given me plenty of opportunities, from the smallest things like driving a van full of cadets to a MUSCON in Moose Jaw to working with many cadets, whether it be at summer camps or when I worked summer movements. Working with the cadets is and always has been the biggest and best opportunity afforded me while working as an adult staff member.”

 

“I will always recommend the cadet program to anyone who will listen to me because it opens up so many doors for kids today, which you just cannot get with any other youth program in the country. What other program offers you a chance to get your glider or power license, sail on a real military ship during the summer, learn how to parachute, go visit another country? What other youth program gives you a sense of self, along with a sense of camaraderie than the cadet program?”

 

“I think the biggest thing I have learned from being involved with cadets is the fact that it provides structure to a youth's life that they may not be able to get with any other kind of youth organization, or even organized sports. You can come in off the street as you are and almost immediately, given tools to succeed at anything you want to do. What you learn as a cadet will apply to anything you do in your life after your time in the program is over. You can be the shiest kid coming through the doors on day one and thinking you'll never be able to make a friend, and then next thing you know, that shy kid is no longer shy and has made many friends.”

 

“I think other people should join the cadet program, whether it be as a cadet or as an adult staff member, because of the challenges that the program can present to a person. Cadets will always challenge you to become better at something, whether it's simply polishing your boots to putting a good lesson plan together for a class or organizing an entire sports or survival weekend. If you want to prove to yourself what you are capable of, cadets is ready to challenge you.”

 

“If you're a young kid reading this and you've been thinking about cadets and whether it's for you, I highly urge you to give it a try.”