Fall Training Update #3: Important information regarding COVID-19 Vaccinations

All;

As we get closer to being able to resume in-person training for our entire Squadron, there are important safety and Provincial regulations we must comply with. There will be more correspondence this week as we get more information about what the next month of training will look like for all cadets.

Proof of Vaccination regulation

The Province of Ontario’s has announced a new Proof of Vaccination regulation starting on September 22nd that requires all patrons over the age of 12 to be fully vaccinated in order to enter certain public establishments.

As our Squadron operates out of a public facility for all indoor training, we are required to comply; all cadets and visitors as of this Wednesday must show Proof of Vaccination or a written Medical Exemption document. This applies to all future indoor cadet training until the Province removes or modifies the regulation.

I do realize this may preclude certain individuals from participating. With that said, outdoor activities do not have a Proof of Vaccination requirement at this time. We are currently looking into planning some outdoor activities before the weather turns.

There is a Frequently asked questions section below that I hope will answer most questions.

Masks, Screening, and Contact Tracing

All visitors and cadets that enter our facility must wear a properly fitted, approved mask, complete a detailed screening, and sign a contact tracing form.

Based on current Standing Orders from the CJCR Formation Commander (Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers), there will be no exceptions to this rule for all in-person, indoor activities. We have extra masks at the front door and hand sanitizer for your convenience.

Safety

The safety and well-being of cadets in our care are our highest priority. If any cadet feels uncomfortable with in-person activities, they will not be penalized for not participating. Our goal is to run a fun, engaging, and safe program both in-person and online, and we will continue to offer a hybrid training environment for the foreseeable future.

For each in-person activity, we will have a designated COVID-19 Safety Officer ensuring all cadets, visitors, and staff comply with current regulations and ensure surfaces are properly disinfected at specified intervals during the activity.

Any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly (email is below).

I hope everyone has a wonderful day,

Capt C. Bowman
christopher.bowman@cadets.gc.ca

Frequently asked questions

Some of the following answers have been taken verbatim from Ministry of Health “Proof of Vaccination Guidance for Businesses and Organizations under the Reopening Ontario Act”

What does that mean for you, the cadets?

That means that all cadets and visitors entering or using our facilities must show proof of full vaccination as of this Wednesday.

What about outdoor activities?

All outdoor activities will not require cadets to show proof of vaccination at this time. Based on the regulations, cadets/visitors will not be required to show Proof of Vaccination to use the bathroom or walk through an indoor facility. This will allow us to host outdoor activities conveniently at our facility without requiring proof of vaccination. This only applies to outdoor activities.

Where do I find my Proof of Vaccination documents?

https://covid19.ontariohealth.ca/

In addition to receiving a receipt on site at the time of vaccination, copies of a COVID-19 vaccination receipt can be downloaded or printed through the COVID-19 vaccination provincial portal or obtained by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900.

What about cadets/visitors that cannot be vaccinated?

Patrons who provide a written document, completed and supplied by a physician (designated as “MD”) or by a registered nurse in the extended class (designated as “Registered Nurse (Extended Class)”, “RN(EC)”, “Nurse Practitioner” or “NP”) stating that the individual is exempt for a medical reason from being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and the effective time-period for the medical reason.

How does one receive a written document for a medical exemption?

Patrons with a medical exemption are required to present identification and a written document stating the individual is exempt for a medical reason to the business or organization. To review proof of a medical reason for not being vaccinated against COVID-19, the business or organization must ensure:

  • The name of the person in the written documentation matches the identification provided.
  • The physician’s or registered nurse in the extended class’s information is complete by including:
    • Name and contact information of the physician or registered nurse in the extended class;
    • Logo or letterhead identifying the physician or registered nurse in the extended class;
    • Statement that there is a medical reason for the individual’s exemption from being fully vaccinated against COVID-19; and
    • Any effective time-period for the medical reason which includes the date the patron is seeking access to the business or organization.

What does fully vaccinated mean?

An individual is considered fully vaccinated if they have received:

  • The full series of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or any combination of such vaccines, or
  • One or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada, followed by one dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or
  • Three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada; and
  • They received their final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before providing the proof of being fully vaccinated.

Update Regarding Ground School

All cadets interested in GS;

We just received word regarding a new Nationally run Ground School program that commences Oct 1 of this year. This new program will be mandatory for any cadet that wants to write their exams this year.

Any Air Cadet who intends to apply for GPTC or PPTC must complete the entire 45 hours of this new Nationally run GS in order to write the associated exam on 15 January 2022. This new program is open only to cadets that are able to write the exam this training year.

In order to register for this new National Ground School, apply directly to me via 87air@cadets.gc.ca with the subject “National Ground School”. We need to act on this now.

For cadets that do not qualify to write their exam this training year, and instead wanted to take an extra year to study before writing next training year, we will have something to share with you soon. Although you will not be able to participate in the National GS, we are looking at local and regional options in order to accommodate your training.

Capt C. Bowman
Commanding Officer

SR Cadet Training – Now Level 4+

All;

  1. Level 5’s participated this past Wednesday in an in-person training session, cleanup, and uniform supply night. It was successfully run and based on that success, we are opening it up to include Level 4s.
  2. The next Sr Cadet Training session will be this upcoming Wednesday, 22-Sep, and is now open up to all Level 4’s and up. We will be reaching out to you via Teams with important instructions on how to attend.
  3. If you were in Level 3 last year, you are now in Level 4. As such, you are required to login to your @87eagle.ca Teams account in order to get those special details in order to attend.
  4. Cadets will NOT be allowed to participate if they do not login to Teams prior to the activity.
  5. An announcement regarding training for all other levels will go out this week. Please watch the website for this update.

Have a great weekend,

Capt C. Bowman
Commanding Officer

Support JumpStart with the Pepperoni Fundraiser

In the past, through an annual car wash, our Squadron has helped to raise funds for local kids aged 4-18 to have equal access to sports and physical activity programs. Part of our program is to teach good citizenship, promote physical fitness and to help our community.

We are asking cadets and cadet families to step up once again and help this fantastic program.

This year, due to COVID, we are running a Pepperoni Fundraiser that will directly benefit JumpStart. This is the same pepperoni that we have been selling all last year, bringing in funds to help support our Squadron. The same quality product that we’ve had many, many requests to keep bringing back. Now let’s apply some of that Air Cadet spirit to support even more kids!

Order goes in September 14th, with pickup September 17th!

Download the Flyer

Download the Excel Order Sheet (.xlsx)

Download the Printable Order Sheet (.pdf)

Fall Training Update #2

Happy Labour Day;

I have a few updates today to share regarding this year.

Weekly Training – Announcement expected 20-Sep

We are still technically on stand down, however, we will be sharing more news about when and how weekly training will work on September 20th, as we track towards an October start to the cadet year.

New cadets – Register today

If you are interested in joining the Squadron, please visit https://87eagle.ca/join. We are accepting new recruits.

SR Cadet Planning Sessions – Check in on Teams

We are working towards running senior cadet planning sessions in September. These will ideally be in-person where we will be discussing the upcoming training year and issuing the new FTU uniforms. Sessions start as early as next week. The chain of command will reach out to senior cadets on Microsoft Teams within the next few days with more information.

If you have trouble accessing Microsoft Teams, reach out to co@87eagle.ca

2021-22 Ground School – Expression of interest

We are looking to see which cadets would be interested in Ground School this year. If you are 14 years of age and older, and are interested in taking the Gliding or Power exams this year or next, email co@87eagle.ca with your;

  • Rank
  • Full name
  • Email address

That is all for now. Please check back on September 20th. Senior cadets are reminded to login to Teams for information regarding some in-person sessions.

I hope everyone has a safe, and enjoyable Labour Day.

Capt C. Bowman
Commanding Officer