Remembrance

Tomorrow, the Royal Canadian Legion begins its annual Poppy Campaign. Under normal circumstances, our staff and cadets would be participating in the campaign, giving due consideration to what it means, and taking the opportunity to learn from our veterans about their experiences in times of conflict. Many of these opportunities aren’t going to be available this year due to the constraints of COVID-19 preparedness, but it is still our responsibility to take the time to think of what it all means.

Tales of war will fill our consciousness over the next few weeks, not because we give these things any kind of reverence or glory themselves, but because of the people who were and are willing to give everything for their loved ones, their communities, and their country. The Poppy and Remembrance are not about war, though war figures into the stories. They are about ensuring that the memory of war remains strong enough that we know it for the horror that it is. They are about holding everlasting respect for those who are willing to step up and do what their country calls them to do, without knowing the sacrifices that might have to be made for it. They are about knowing those sacrifices as our own, remembering the losses as our own losses, and feeling the pain that our veterans live with each day as our own pain.

Remembrance is about more than the consideration of the memories and sacrifices of others. It is about ensuring that these are always a part of who we are. It is about making them immortal.

From tomorrow until Remembrance Day on 11 November, the Poppy is to be worn on cadet and CAF uniforms, and I encourage everyone to consider its deeper significance while they wear it.

I’ll leave you with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s video production of HCol Loreena McKennitt‘s “Breaking of the Sword” to set the tone for the next weeks.

Be safe. Stay healthy. Remember.

J Lemoine
Captain
Commanding Officer
809 Newark RCACS
Immortal!

Level 2 Training Tonight

Good afternoon.

Following up to the last post, L2 training will be conducted virtually tonight. Please connect to your classroom at 1845 (6:45pm) and complete the virtual attendance form. Other levels will be attending in-person at 809 HQ.

J Lemoine
Captain
Commanding Officer
809 Newark RCACS
Immortal!

In-Person Training Tonight

Good afternoon.

Just reminding everyone about key details of our training tonight. Once again, we have a staggered start to ensure that everyone can get into the building in a timely manner while physical distancing.

1810 (6:10pm) Staff
1820 (6:20pm) Level 5
1830 (6:30pm) Level 4
1840 (6:40pm) Level 3
1850 (6:50pm) Level 1 and 2

If you haven’t read it already, please review the COVID-19 SOP at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LCUIKJrimnYVrs61sdubjiZ5OrWOHLyL7sL317qVOX0/view.

Before leaving, take the Ontario COVID-19 Self Assessment and do not attend if the assessment recommends against it, but call us at (905) 468-7584 and let us know. The self-assessment is located at: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/

Lastly, before leaving, sign in so that we can track contacts and attendance.

Looking forward to seeing you tonight!

J Lemoine
Captain
Commanding Officer
809 Newark RCACS
Immortal!

Weekly Routine Orders – Week of 25 Oct 2020

Date
24 Oct 2020

RO Number
2020-23

CO’s Message

We’re finally back to in-person training this Wednesday! We have a number of changes in our processes that are necessary to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols and these can be reviewed here: SOP – COVID-19 Safety Plan. It is very important that all cadets and parents/guardians familiarize themselves with these processes so that we can deliver the best program that we can in these trying times. This is a living document and will be updated based on our experiences, so please refer back to it often. Major changes will be announced as they are made. Please direct any questions with respect to safety procedures directly to the DCO, OCdt Couroux.

For the next two Monday evenings, there will be a virtual meeting on Google Meet for parents/guardians and new cadets where we will outline how 809 Newark Squadron will be delivering the air cadet program this year. For new cadets and their parents/guardians, this will be a summary of the cadet program, our objectives for the training year, and a comparison of how we will be operating versus how we operate normally. For parents and guardians of existing cadets, this will be an overview of changes that have become necessary in the face of COVID-19. A Q&A session will follow the presentation. If you know of any potential new cadets who might be interested in joining us, please direct them to one of these sessions. If further dates need to be scheduled, those can be done as required.

See you on Wednesday!

Training Night
28 Oct 2020

Training Night Schedule
See the Events Calendar.

CAF Member Dress
3B

Cadet Dress
C3B: Sgt, FSgt, WO2, WO1
C3F: AC, LAC, Cpl, FCpl

Duty Personnel
Duty Officer: Capt Lemoine
Duty NCM: WO1 Lett

This Week’s Activities

Date Day Activity Location Dress OIC
26 Oct 2020
1900-2000		 Monday Virtual Information Session for Parents and New Cadets Google Meet Civilian Capt Lemoine
28 Oct 2020
1830-2115		 Wednesday Regular Training Night 809 HQ C3B/C3F Capt Lemoine

Upcoming Activities

Date Day Activity Location Dress OIC
2 Nov 2020
1900-2000		 Monday Virtual Information Session for Parents and New Cadets Google Meet) Civilian Capt Lemoine
4 Nov 2020
1830-2115		 Regular Training Night Wednesday 809 HQ C3B/C3F 2Lt Nicolescu
28 Nov 2020
0900-1600		 Saturday Cadet Leadership Workshop RCL Branch 418, 294 Vine Street, St. Catharines, ON L2M 4T3 and Virtual C5  

J. Lemoine
Captain
Commanding Officer
809 Newark RCACS
Immortal!

Safety Details for the Return of 809 Sqn

Good evening everyone,
Attached is a copy of the COVID-19 Safety Plan. Please note the following:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LCUIKJrimnYVrs61sdubjiZ5OrWOHLyL7sL317qVOX0/edit#heading=h.gzntj16z6xox

1/ Everyone must complete the COVID 19 Self Assessment prior to leaving for cadets.
It’s located at:
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/

Also, please complete the attendance tracker for in-person activities found at this link before arriving:


2/ If for any reason you’re feeling ill, don’t come to cadets. Fill in the attendance form, indicating your ill, and also call the squadron @ 905-468-7584.

3/ There’s a staggered start as follows:
1810 = Staff
1820 = Level 5
1830 = Level 4
1840 = Level 3
1850 = Level 1 & 2

4/ You must wear a mask while indoors and follow the protocols set out in the COVID-19 Safety plan

5/ Parents, please drop your cadet off at the door. Access is restricted to Staff Members and Cadets only. Please remain in your car and wait for about 10 mins. This way if a cadet needs to return home, they’ll still have a ride waiting. The same goes for picking up your cadet upon completion of the parade night.  Capt Lemoine will be reaching out to parents to go over this in detail

6/ Upon entering the building, you’ll meet the Duty Officer & Duty NCO who will check you in. They’ll verify that you’ve completed the attendance tracker and ask you if you’ve completed the COVID-19 Self Assessment.

For other details, please ask or refer to the COVID-19 Safety Plan. See you Wednesday.

Regards,
OCdt Couroux
DCO/COVID-19 Safety Officer

Uniform / Uniform Parts Request

Good afternoon.

With the minimal contact restrictions that are in place for COVID-19, we’re having to alter our process for getting new uniforms and replacements for uniform items that no longer fit. Previously, an appointment would be made with the Supply Officer, who would take measurements and provide the necessary items. Now, we need to split some of that responsibility. The new procedure is as follows:

Cadets will take an inventory of what uniform parts they have and identify which no longer fit. They will then take their measurements, with the assistance of parents/guardians, as required, using the guide found here:

Logistik Unicorp Measurement Instructions

Once all of this is complete, cadets will fill out the “Uniform / Uniform Parts Request” form found here:


(You need to be logged into the web site to see the link.)

The Supply Officer, upon receiving the request, will contact the cadet if there are any questions and will then arrange for any items needed.

When the items are available, the cadet will be contacted and will bring the items to be replaced in a plastic bag to the next in-person training night. The Supply Officer will leave a plastic bag containing the replacement items at the Administration Desk for the cadet to collect.

Please let me know if you have any difficulties with the form or have any questions about the new process.

J Lemoine
Captain
Commanding Officer
809 Newark RCACS
Immortal!

Tonight’s Training

Good evening.

Here’s a summary of tonight’s virtual training timings and links. We’ve set our initial in-person training night for Wednesday, 28 Oct and we’re really excited about this. WROs will begin this week to outline our activities and we’ll project as much as we can on the website’s events calendar. We’ll be conducting a virtual parents’ meeting and introductions to new cadets over the next two weeks and hopefully will be welcoming more cadets to the squadron soon! Look out for a few more housekeeping announcements later today.

Dress for the evening is C3B for Sgts and above, C3F for FCpls and below.

(Remember that you need to be logged into the site to see the links.)

See you tonight!

J Lemoine
Captain
Commanding Officer
809 Newark RCACS
Immortal!

Opening Session

1845-1855

Level 1 Cadets

1900-1935
1940-2025

Level 2 Cadets

1900-1935
1940-2025

Level 3 Cadets

1900-1935
1940-2025

Level 4 Cadets

1900-1935
1940-2025

Closing Session

2025-2040

Tonight’s Ground School

Good evening.

For those of you signed up for ground school, please sign into your 809cadets.ca email account to get the necessary connection details.

Please let me know if you have any trouble.

J Lemoine
Captain
Commanding Officer
809 Newark RCACS
Immortal!