STAY WELL & SPARKLE: Never Seen Anything Like It!

French marines stared in amazement. Their jaws dropped in awe! They poured out of surrounding buildings, hanging over the railings! It was evident they had never quite seen anything like this before.In a minute, you listen to the to the cadets themselves tell of their recent massive adventure in Martinique.

The occasion? The spectacular,spontaneous display of drilling performed by visiting Dominica Cadet Corps. The French marines themselves were in full ceremonial gear. They had just commemorated heroics of their historic unit during the Franco-Prussian War (Guerre franco-allemande) of 1870-71.

It just so happened that we had routinely mustered 0n a very, very narrow strip between our barracks. The French Lieutenant had casually inquired about our marching style.Almost on a whim, commanding officer Captain Raymond instructed Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Sherwin Mitchel to show our wonderful hosts a little something.

Now, Mitchel fit that vintage sergeant major profile perfectly. He is big and burly. He hurls out orders in a thunderous voice that put fear of God in the cadets. At times, his transforms his second word of his command into a barely audible squeak. Yet, it is clearly understood, like “my sheep hear my voice and they follow me.” RSM marched them up to the top of the strip and he marched them down again. Our cadets were superbly sharp and crisp. Attention! Mark time! Forward march! Right turn! Left turn! Pride of performance oozed from every step. They knew they had a rapidly growing audience and I am here to tell you, they did not disappoint!

In perhaps the most dramatic maneuver of all, RSM marched the unit toward the wall. For all intents and purposes, it looked like they were about to crash headlong into a painful pile. With literally centimeters to spare – at the very, very last moment: ABOUT TURN! Talk about confidence in your leader! Oh man! In an instant, the whole platoon flipped direction as one. The French marines bawled! SACRE BLEU! …or something like that.

This unit of senior cadets left Coast Guard base at Woodbridge Bay for Fort de France. That channel crossing with a tropical wave approaching was itself was an experience deserving of a separate article. Once on the French marine base, we launched into weapons training. This ranged from the pistol to machine guns to deadly sniper rifles some with digitally connected optical scopes aided by night vision goggles. Then came the big guns: bazookas and the devastating 50 caliber anti-tank anti-aircraft gun. Our standard issue was the unique French machine gun FAMAS (comparable to the M16 and AK47) which we used on the range for target practice.

Compressed in 5 exciting days, cadets participated in obstacle course, hand to hand combat, map reading, radio communications, fitness, first aid/lifesaving. Actually, there was a lot more to this top security training that if I told you, I’d have to kill you!

Well, maybe not -I am personally committed to the healing arts. As a retired US Army battalion surgeon I found interest in disaster response. These are the brave men and women I ultimately trust with the safety and freedoms we enjoy. Except for some cuts and scratches, I delivered everyone back home in fine mettle. Becoming a cadet changes lives more in more remarkable ways than just about any other human organization I know. Three times a day, everyday, we marched back and forth for meals, in single file. It was roughly equivalent to the distance from Stadium to State House. Imagine everyone in Dominica having to do this to eat: Poof! Our national obesity problem gone!

This relationship between the Dominica Cadet Corps and the French Military began five years ago at Balata Martinique. It has been moving from strength to strength ever since.Without a doubt, the experience was thoroughly stimulating for all the cadets. They were all outstanding. Small but mighty, Sgt.ArkeysharValmondhttps://soundcloud.com/dr-sam-christian/sgt-arkesha-valmond channels the fortitude of our unconquerable Kalinago warriors. Adult Under OfficerKeriannAfrica https://soundcloud.com/dr-sam-christian/adult-under-officer-kerriann-africa epitomized the cadet zeal for good order and discipline. Click on their name to listen to their own perspective on cadet experience. Parents take note.

Of course, the purpose of the Dominica Cadet Corps is not just to make better candidates for the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force or any other military – although they most certainly do. Neither is it to condition anyone into thinking this island nation can become some armed camp or war zone. The world has quite enough of citizen slaughtering citizen in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and the Congo. The Cadet Corps, as revived by Captain Gabriel Christian and Major Francis Richards in the Hon. Rosie Douglas era, is to create leaders with initiative and patriotism. The Cadet Handbook https://rebuilddominica.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/cadetshandbook-7.pdf molds men and women whose allegiance is to solely the constitution. The become wholly committed to defend against anyone foreign or domestic, deluded enough to think they can have their way this country.

In times of national emergency like the Portsmouth Earthquake or Tropical Storm Erika,our cadets led shocked citizenry in organizing recovery efforts. While the impulse of many is to loot or grab as much relief supplies as they can for themselves, cadets provide the kind of glue that holds our nation together. We need no foreign ideology other than ‘Koudmain,’ the helping hand that Cadets offer.  Spend time with the cadets and you can never lose hope in the future of our young people.

When last you saw our disciplined forces on Independence Day parade? If it’s been a while, you have no idea what you are missing! The huge crowd routinely bursts into cheers and applause at the brilliant spectacle. Only then will you see for yourself and feel deep in your bones,exactly the kind of practiced precision the French Marines marveled at.

The lesson from Martinique is clear. No matter where our cadets end up, they quickly realize that the height of the skyscrapers in those big countries is no barrier to their own rising to the top as students, workers or professionals. Everywhere and anywhere,people are astonished at the solid educational foundation and training provided on this small but mighty Nature Isle. Dominicans topping the region in CXC, heading international organizations like CARICOM, PAHO and the Commonwealth are but a few examples. Indeed, it is this same quintessential Dominican spirit driving our cadets that swells each heart with patriotic pride and relentlessly compels us toward excellence.