Aboriginal Leadership Opportunity Year Completion Ceremony honours young men and women

KINGSTON–The Royal Military College of Canada hosted Families, Dignitaries and Friends in honour of twelve exceptional Canadian young men and women at a ceremony to celebrate their conclusion of the Aboriginal Leadership Opportunity Year (ALOY) on June 17, 2016.

The ALOY Program was created in August 2008 to provide military education and learning experiences for members of First Nations in Canada. ALOY is one of the several programs to demonstrate to First Nation citizens in rural, urban and remote locations, that the Canadian Armed Forces offers an equal and unbiased environment in which to serve.

The cadets who completed the program this year are:

OCdt Leah Ahenakew – lé-a-la-Cross, SK

OCdt Kelsey Barry – Dartmouth, NS

OCdt Chase Boulette – Manigotagan, MB

OCdt Kyle Grenier – East Saint-Paul, MB

OCdt Nathan Kohinski – Selkirk, MB

OCdt Dylan Meekis – Thunder Bay, On

OCdt Senna Oolooyuk – Rankin Inlet, NU

OCdt Jonathan Pashe – Woodland, MB

OCdt Victoria Pierrot – New Lowell, ON

OCdt Michael Stanks – Bognor, ON

OCdt Jordan Tutcho-Ruben – Emerson, MB

OCdt Zachariah White Elk – Siksika Nation, AB

ALOY cadets have the opportunity to excel in the four cornerstones core to the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC): Cultural, Academics, Military, and Athletics. Upon completion of the ALOY one-year program, graduates may choose to continue a career in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).  If they wish to leave the military, they are better positioned to assume leadership roles in their communities and elsewhere. This year, nine of 12 students intend to join the CAF.

Staff at the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centres are available to explain ALOY “terms of service” including pay entitlements to all those considering this incredible opportunity.