AUNDECK OMNI KANING—The Royal Manitoulin Sea Cadet Corps 348 held its annual review last Sunday, May 27 at the Four Directions Complex in AOK and the Cadets, Officers, Civilian Instructors and the 100-plus spectators witnessed the formal ceremony marking a major change in the evolution of the Corps as one commanding officer retired from the position after six-years of service and another officer assumed this role. Ms. King-Roi has been part of the corps for a decade.
Lieutenant Commander Rodney Turcotte was on hand Sunday as the Reviewing Officer for the annual ceremonial reviews.
It was also his job, following skills presentations by the cadets and the distribution of awards, to formally oversee the corps command pass from Lt. (N) Maggie King-Roi to Naval Cadet Officer Sylvain Boucher who has been serving as second in command of the corps.
The protocol involves signing documents and then the outgoing commanding officer relinquished her sword, representing the symbol of command, to Lieutenant Commander Turcotte who, in turn, passed it on to Sylvain Boucher who in that instant assumed the role and duties of the corps commanding officer.
paperwork required by the Department of National Defence when a change of
command takes place.
The new commanding officer (CO) who has been a part of the Island Sea Cadet program for two years, is no stranger to this role. In Sudbury, he served for six years as the CO of a busy Navy League Cadet program there and has 17-years’ experience as an officer. He also served as a cadet when he was a youth. (Navy League cadets are typically aged 9 to 12, Mr. Boucher told the Expositor, and the young people typically graduate and join a cadet (navy, army or air force) corps.
Ms. King-Roi will remain with the corps as Past CO.
On behalf of the Sea Cadet Corps, Naval Cadet Tina Davidson presented Ms. King-Roi with the corps’ traditional gift to outgoing commanding officers: a paddle nicely decorated with paracord in naval colours and featuring the crest of the 348 Manitoulin Royal Canadian Cadet Corps. The paddle had been made by Ms. King-Poi’s successor, Sylvain Boucher, Ms. Davidson noted.
The Manitoulin Navy League, the Sea Cadet Corps sponsoring organization, also had a gift for the outgoing CO.
Navy League member Lieutenant (N) Ret. Denis Blake (himself a former CO with the corps) presented Ms. King-Roi with a hand-blown glass sailboat with her name and rank etched in the glass. Mr. Blake had brought the gift back from a recent trip to Venice, Italy, purchasing it for the occasion just after it was blown. The etching was also done at the glass factory.
As commanding officer, Naval Cadet Officer Boucher will have as officers, civilian instructors and volunteers: Naval Cadet Tina Davidson, Phase Officer; Civilian Instructor Kristy O’Brien, Supply Officer, Civilian Instructor Terry Morphet, Phase Officer and Civilian Instructor Boucher, Admin Officer.
