The Bold Eagle military program performed a special presentation at the Kawacatoose First Nation pow-wow.
The presentation included a coordinated march by nearly 100 army reservists.
It is the first time in nearly a month some of the Bold Eagle participants have been near their home communities.
“There’s a bit of pride in wearing the uniform in public and wearing the uniform in your community,” says Christopher Bird, coordinator for the Bold Eagle Program.
“You’re seen as doing something important. Being someone important.”
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The Bold Eagle program, now in its 34th year, is a combination of Indigenous and military components.
The program is meant to give youth military experience, learn independence as well as working within a team.
“They come back totally focused on what it is to be a protector of a community as a military person, and more importantly to be a role model to the young ones,” says Dutch Lerat, Vice Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN).
Members of the six week program train at the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre in Wainwright, Alta.
When the reservists finish Bold Eagle, they will be rewarded with Basic Military Qualification, which will be their entry card to the Canadian Military if they choose that direction.
For those coordinating Bold Eagle, aiming for soldiers is not the program’s goal.
“It’s about developing them as young people,” commanding officer Robert Barker told CTV News.
“Success could look like them sticking around and having a career in the military, but it could also be them going back to their community and joining their band council.”
