The National Army Cadet Expedition consists of a 250 km bike ride and an additional 50 km of hiking, and a local youth has been recognized for completing these challenges.
On Feb. 9, Estevan City Council presented chief warrant officer Radley Kolb, 17, with a certificate in recognition for his accomplishments during the expedition, which took place in the Thunder Bay area in Ontario between Aug. 26 and Sept. 9.
“Throughout your years of cadets you do so many expeditions,” he said, referring to his experiences with the silver and gold star expeditions that included a variety of activities like ice climbing, alpine skiing, horse back riding and whitewater rafting.
Completing those expeditions allowed Radley to enter the Army Cadet Challenge.
He was one of three cadets from Saskatchewan to enter the expedition at Lake Superior in Ontario.
The local cadet said the expedition was a memorable experience that, once again, was only made possible through his involvement with the cadets, a program Radley said has opened up numerous opportunities for him.
“I’m just surprised how the cadets have affected my life so far,” he said. “With all the awards I’ve gotten and all the trips I’ve done, it’s an amazing program.”
Radley is also the only young person in Saskatchewan with a paratrooper’s certification.
He spent most of July and the first few days of August at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ontario, for a parachutist's course.
“I haven’t done any parachuting since the course, sadly,” Radley said, noting the expenses involved are currently too much.
He does, however, hope to qualify and participate in the International Army Cadet challenge, which last year took place in Argentina.
Radley will know if he qualifies in the coming months.
