University of British Columbia - Totem Yearbook (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada)

Page 89 text:

-'..-1 - 3, All first year Flight Cadets, with the exception of air crew, spend the first eight weeks of the summer at Officers Indoctrination School, where they become pro- ficient in drill, study public speaking, and learn the organization of the R.C.A.F. and the Department of National Defence. In the remaining summer months the Cadets are given instruction in the branch of the service for which they are most suited and in which they are most interested. Second and third year Flight Cadets proceed directly to units of the Regular Force, where they continue their study of the trade in which their interest lies. Wherever the Cadets spend their summer training period well organized programs of compulsory and voluntary sports provide welcome relief from the tedium of study. Inter-university games are the source of friendly rivalry and good sportsmanship. But sports provide more than recreation. On the playing fields some of the latent leadership of the Flight Cadets asserts itself and engenders confidence in them. Flight Cadets wear the rank badge of a Pilot Officer and, though they have not been granted the King's Commission, enjoy the status of commissioned officers. During the summer months they are paid 15162.00 monthly and receive clothing, rations and quarters, and medical services free. Many of the Cadets save 513500.00 or more of their summer pay. Special allowances are paid to aircrew and to Cadets stationed in Northern Canada. The R.U.F. provides more than military trainingg it affords university students opportunity to broaden their education, it fosters cooperation, and it develops leader- ship and initiative. This year the R.U.F. participated actively in the intra- mural athletic program. A basketball team met with fair success in its endeavours to win the championship. The unit intends to participate more broadly in next year's intra-murals. In March of this year the R.U.F. joined with the U.N.T.D. and the C.O.T.C. in the Tri-Service Inspec- tion by His Honour Clarence WVallace. the Lieutenant- Governor of British Columbia. After the inspection, members of the R.U.F. and officer cadets of the other two military units on the campus attended a ball aboard H.M.C.S. Discovery. A party in the Ioint Services Mess brought to a close the activities of the current session. Members of the faculty to whom the unit is indebted for advice and help were honoured on this occasion. This third year of operation has been very successful and augurs well for the future. i'Keeping uniforms in top notch shape is the job of every cadet officer. Below, shoes get the old powder treatment while above cadet sews on that neded button. 85

Page 88 text:

'A'Officer Cadets spend summers at regular R.C.A.F. school where th ey train for their respective fields. They are considered officers and receive full pay. i'Top, left, Cadets are instructed in radio, right they relax on volleyball courts. Above, Cadet Pilot officer is given final instructions before he takes off. At right they watch a planer. unit Jifainfaina racfiiion The R.C.A.F. Reserve University Flight fU.B.C.j was established in October, 1948, simultaneously with similar units at other leading uni- versities in Canada. It assumed im- mediately the function of the Uni- versity Air Training Plan, that of training a limited number of uni versity students as aircrew. In addi- tion it became responsible for train- ing students as technical and administrative officers for the Re- serve or Regular components of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Students in any faculty are elig- ible for membership in the Flight but, because of the increasing tech- nological knowledge demanded of officers, engineers are given prefer- ence. Applicants are expected to 84 maintain a high academic average, for intelligence and application are two of the qualities requisite to leadership. As the training pro- gram encompasses a period of three years, only students in the first year of the four-year course or in the first or second year of a five-year course can qualify for training. Training consists of two parts, winter training and summer train- ing. During the university session the Flight Cadets attend lectures on military history, military geography, international affairs, trends in air weapons and defence, aviation me- dicine, and other related subjects. The lecturers who conduct discus- sions after these lectures are mem- bers of the faculty or are high rank- ing officers of the R.C.A.F. To reinforce the lectures, visual aids, particularly documentary films, are used extensively. So that the lec- ture program will not interfere with academic studies, Winter training ceases at least three weeks before the sessional examinations begin. After the university session closes, Flight Cadets report for summer training to various units of the R.C.A.F. Newly selected aircrew travel to the Institute of Aviation Medicine, where they are subjected to rigid and exhaustive tests to de- termine their aircrew trade. They then proceed to other units to train as pilot, navigator or radio officer. Partly trained aircrew go directly from university to flying schools to continue their flying training.

Page 90 text:

-- - e f: We o o' 15' Cadets spent the largest part of their summer holi- days at Camp Borden. Here they were taught fundamentals of armoured equipment. The University of liritish Columbia Contingent of the Canadian Officers' Training Corps was one of many contingents established by the Department of National Defence in conjunction with university authorities at the maior campuses across Canada. These units were formed in order to permit male university students to qualify as officers and receive appointments to the Canadian Army in either the active Cregularj or reserve forces. The COTC train- ing plan was re-organized in 1946 following con- sultations between representatives of the Department of National Defence and officers of the National Associa- tion of Canadian Universities. Appointment into the COTC was open to all students at Canadian universities having authorized contingents, who are Canadian citizens or British subjects over the age of 17 capable of meeting certain and physical and educational requirements. Enrol- ment was by selection after candidates had appeared before a hoard representing both military and univer- sity authorities. The training programme was divided into two phases: a theoretical phase which included lectures, discussions and demonstrations conducted at the uni- versity during the academic year and a practical phase held at an active force school for sixteen weeks during the summer. Successful completion of two theoretical and two practical phases qualifies a member of the COTC as a lieutenant in the Canadian Army Reserve Force while qualification as a captain, reserve force, or lieutenant, active force, may be obtained by attend- ing and passing three theoretical and practical phases. 'kWhen not working with actual equipment, cadets lounge around their spacious room absorbing the theoretical end of army life. Below two electrical engineers try to repair transmitter. 86 ana ian