Matthew Gergis is pretty proud of the Five-Year Bar he received for his service with 200 Wolf Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets in Sudbury.
The Royal Canadian Cadet Program offers youth development programming for land, sea and air cadet corps and squadrons across Canada. The goal of the program, the organization states on its About page, is to help young people gain knowledge and skills, and build confidence through military-style training, “while developing competencies in leadership, citizenship, and physical fitness.” “I joined Air Cadets as soon as I could after turning 12 in June of 2020,” Matthew told Sudbury.com. “I am currently a flight sergeant and my position on the parade square is flight commander.”
Having signed up during the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew said his first experience with the program was online.
“I must admit, cadets online was quite boring (in an online format), but I decided to keep attending because there was nothing else for me to do,” he said. “But once I attended in person, I was glad I endured the pain of those early online sessions.”
During his time in cadets, Matthew said the skills and experiences he has had reach far beyond drill and uniforms. The leadership skills and sense of responsibility he’s gained are valuable, he said, and since being promoted up the ranks, he’s used those skills to set a good example for the younger cadets.
“The cadet program has taught me how to take responsibility for others,” Matthew said. “And the ability to manage tasks effectively. Leading my fellow peers has taught me the importance of communication, patience and adaptability.”
Not only a learning experience, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets also supplied the young flight sergeant with a summer job.
“This summer I went to Blackdown Cadet Training Centre, and having worked myself into the position of a staff cadet, I was getting paid $104 every day for six weeks,” Matthew said. “I was in operations, where we made sure the base was running smoothly. I had various roles that included working at the front gate and being in MIR (Medical Information Retrieval), where we took care of cadets who were either sick or injured and needed bed rest. I’d also do night rounds, where I’d be up until midnight patrolling to make sure no course cadets were fooling around.”
Asked what he considers his greatest accomplishment, Matthew said, “For me, it’s more about the impact I’ve had on others. I’d say my proudest accomplishment is seeing new senior cadets step up and take initiative. Acknowledging that I was able to play a role in mentoring, guiding or setting an example for them makes me feel like I have contributed to their growth and also to the overall success of the squadron.”
He also explained what the cadet program has meant to him.
“It’s the importance of mentoring and the value of giving back,” Matthew said. “When I first joined the cadets, I was welcomed by senior cadets. They answered every question I might have had and showed me what hard work and dedication looked like.
“Over the years, I’ve been able to step into that same role for new recruits. Watching the younger cadets grow into leaders themselves is one of the most rewarding parts of the program. Whatever you choose to do — cadets, sports, music — I highly recommend looking for opportunities to both learn from others and to guide someone else when it’s your turn. That cycle of learning and teaching makes a community stronger.”
Considering what the future might hold for him, Matthew has a plan.
“My future plans at the moment is to go into engineering, and yes, it would be a bonus if I could do it with the (Canadian Armed) Forces, so I can continue doing what I love by serving communities, while also having them pay for my education.”
Matthew Gergis’ words of inspiration
“I would 100-per-cent recommend joining the Royal Canadian Cadet Program. Through the Air Cadets program you will learn and experience so much. The program is completely free: both sets of uniforms, monthly trips where we go hiking or spend two nights in the woods, going to the Sudbury Airport and visiting the command tower or the planes, taking ground school to get your pilot’s licence, joining the
marksmanship or biathlon teams to go to provincial or even national competitions, and much more is all free.”
James Stewart is a writer in North Bay. Inspire is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.