The Slave Lake Army Cadet held their awarding ceremony on May 28, recognizing the leadership, dedication, and personal growth of young cadets.

The annual awards ceremony also received numerous promotions and awards recognizing cadets at various training levels.

According to the Slave Lake Legion, there were approximately 13 cadets who received promotions during the event, which was attended by family members, friends, and supporters from the community.

Terry Triskle, president of the Slave Lake Legion and Mayor Francesca Ward were present in the award ceremony.

Two senior members of the Slave Lake Army Cadet Corps were recognized with some of the highest honours presented during the corps’ annual awards ceremony.

Chief Warrant Officer Mark Perkinson received the Legion Medal of Excellence, while Master Warrant Officer Bjarne Malchin was named Top Cadet and awarded the Lord Strathcona Medal.

“It went really well,” Perkinson says. “We had lots of cadets on parade, lots of families watching, and everyone had a great time.”

For Perkinson, the recognition came as a surprise.
“I was really excited,” Perkinson says. “I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

The Legion Medal of Excellence is awarded to a cadet who demonstrates outstanding citizenship.

Perkinson was nominated by the local Royal Canadian Legion branch and received the medal during the corps’ annual review and awards ceremony.

Perkinson joined cadets at age 12 after watching his two older siblings enjoy the program.

“I saw that they looked like they were having lots of fun, so I decided to join,” Perkinson says. “My first year was so much fun.”

Now in his final year, Perkinson is preparing to leave the program after spending half a decade helping guide younger cadets and taking on increasingly larger leadership roles.

“We’ve had up to 60 or 70 cadets during exercises,” he says. “It taught me a lot about leadership, group management, and how to work with different people.”

Perkinson says one of the biggest challenges throughout his cadet career was learning how to become an effective leader.

“When I first started in leadership positions, dealing with discipline appropriately was something I struggled with,” Perkinson says. “But that’s part of the journey of becoming a better leader.”

Like many young people, Perkinson also faced disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which shortened parts of his second and third years in the program.

Despite those setbacks, Perkinson believes cadets helped build his confidence and leadership skills.
After graduation, Perkinson plans to attend college and pursue a career as an aircraft mechanic.

Meanwhile, Malchin’s awards marked a major milestone in his four-year cadet journey. He received the Top Cadet award.

“It was my first medal ever,” Malchin says.
Like Perkinson, Malchin did not expect to hear his name called during the ceremony.

“When they were talking about the medal, I was thinking, ‘Wow, that person must have done really well,’” Malchin says. “Then they said my name, and I couldn’t believe it.”

Malchin joined the cadet program after a friend repeatedly encouraged him to give it a try.

“He would nag me every day,” Malchin says with a laugh. “Eventually, I thought I might as well try it out. Then I just never left.”

Over the years, Malchin has learned valuable leadership and teaching skills while working with younger cadets.

“As you move up in rank, you learn how to plan lessons and teach others,” Malchin says. “You learn patience and how to explain things in different ways because everyone learns differently.”

He says stepping into larger leadership roles has not always been easy.

“There’s been times when I felt like I underperformed as a leader because I was still learning,” Malchin says. “But that’s part of the process.”

With Perkinson graduating from the program, Malchin is expected to take on greater responsibilities within the corps.

“It’s definitely a big change,” Malchin says. “Before, I might have led a small group of cadets or taught part of a lesson. Now I’ll be helping lead the entire corps. It’s a big responsibility, but I’m excited.”

Perkinson says watching younger cadets develop into leaders has been one of the most rewarding parts of his final year.

“Passing on your knowledge and skills to the next generation of leaders is important,” Perkinson says.
Both cadets described the program as one of the best youth opportunities available to young Canadians.

Perkinson pointed to leadership training, field exercises, summer camps, travel opportunities, and community involvement as some of the program’s biggest benefits.

“I think it’s the greatest youth program offered to Canadian children,” Parkinson says. “There are just so many opportunities.”

Malchin agreed, saying cadets offer experiences that extend beyond the program itself.

“You learn a lot, meet a lot of people, and gain skills that help you later in life,” Malchin says.

Julia Magsombol
Lakeside Leader