It was a bittersweet ceremony for Warrant Officer First Class Cameron Hewson this week as he made his final salute as part of the 552 Key City Royal Air Cadet Squadron during the year-end parade at Parkland Middle School.
WO1 Hewison, who will age out of the program next year after turning 19-years-old, joined his fellow cadets for the Annual Ceremonial Review, which provides an opportunity for cadets to showcase things they have learned over the past training year and to be recognized for their achievements in front of family and friends.
WO1 Hewison was awarded with the Legion Medal of Excellence, while Mr. Henry and Mr. Landry — both representing the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 24 — were on hand to make the presentation.
WO1 Hewison will also be attending summer training as a staff cadet at Albert Head Cadet Training Centre in Victoria. Eleven other cadets were selected to attend two-, three- and six-week training courses in Albert Head, Vernon, Quadra Island and Cold Lake.
During the Annual Ceremonial Review, guests were invited to look through display boards highlighting 552 Key City activities over the year, which included weekend activities such as a museum field trip to Alberta, leadership and fitness training in Castlegar, orienteering in Invermere, survival training and spring cleaning at the Bomber Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta.
The Canadian Air Cadet program for youth ages 12 to 18 focuses on aviation, aerospace, rocketry, leadership, survival , fitness, citizenship, comradeship and more. Cadets receive an opportunity to have a flight in a Glider and Tow Air Craft, as well as attending weekend field training exercises. Cadets from Cranbrook, Marysville, Kimberley, Creston and Canal Flats meet every Tuesday (6-9pm) from September to June at 308-10th Avenue South, Cranbrook.
