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New commanding officer installed for Kamsack air cadets

A special ceremony was held last month to mark the change of command for the Kamsack air cadet squadron. At the cadets’ regular parade on December 15, the ceremony was held to officially enstate 2 nd Lieut.

            A special ceremony was held last month to mark the change of command for the Kamsack air cadet squadron.

            At the cadets’ regular parade on December 15, the ceremony was held to officially enstate 2nd Lieut. Karen Tourangeau as the commanding officer, succeeding 2nd Lieut. Karen Bodnaryk, who has reached the armed forces’ mandatory retirement age.

            Attending the ceremony was Maj. Tami Marhcinko of Portage la Prairie, Man., who is the daughter of Bodnaryk. Also attending was Milton Glaicar, the Area Cadet League’s area director; Jim Woodward, president of the Kamsack branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, which sponsors the cadets, and Jim Pollock, fire chief and owner of Duck Mountain Ambulance Care.

            The ceremony included a march past of cadets, the signing of documents relating to the change of command and the passing of the Canadian flag from the cadets, to the out-going commanding officer, to the presiding officer, to the incoming commanding officer, and back to the cadets again.

            Bodnaryk, who began working with the squadron as a civilian instructor in 2003, has been its commanding officer since 2008.

            Although now retired from wearing a uniform, Bodnaryk said she plans to continue serving with the squadron as a civilian instructor.

            “I’ll probably be doing administrative chores,” she said, adding that the squadron currently is short of instructors.

            “I’ll stay on and help Karen where I can,” she said.

            Although initially it had been planned to take the cadets on a trip to Europe in 2017, following recent political unrest in European cities, cadets’ parents decided not to undertake a trip to Europe this year and instead it was decided to visit Canada’s East Coast.

            “During the Easter break this year, which is the 150th anniversary of Confederation, we plan to go to visit Gagetown in New Brunswick where the Sea Kings are based and will visit Prince Edward Island which is known as the home of Confederation,” she said.