With their uniforms pressed and boots polished, more than 500 sea and air cadets from across Canada stood proudly on the parade square for HMCS Quadra's final graduation parade and Ceremonial Divisions.
The recent parade signified the conclusion of six weeks of active operations for cadets on the two-, three- and six-week training courses. Reviewing the parade was Brig.-Gen. J.C. Milne, CD, the Director-General Reserves and Cadets. Milne was a sea cadet before joining the Canadian Forces in 1980.
Various awards were presented to cadets and officers, including a special Lifetime Achievement Award to Lieut. (N) Earl Phillips of Victoria. Phillips was presented with this prestigious award recognizing his distinguished contributions to the Canadian Forces, the Cadet Instructors Cadre branch, the Canadian Cadet organizations and the youth of Canada.
A highlight of the parade was the presentation of a cheque to Comox Valley charity YANA (You Are Not Alone). A cheque for the amount of $3,167.54 was presented by the Quadra Coxswain, Chief Petty Officer First Class Nicole Ngai to Loretta Semple, a director of the society.
This amount was raised through various initiatives during the summer, including a highly successful pirate auction and dunk tank, civilian Thursdays, a "chief's auction" of senior cadets and the collection of spare change at the ship’s canteen.
After the parade, the majority of cadets began boarding planes, automobiles and buses, returning back to their home communities across Canada.
A group of 15 cadets graduated from their eight-week Sea Cadet Marine Engineer course.
— HMCS Quadra