There’s been a change in command at the 747 (Unicorn) Air Cadet Squadron with Captain Chris Bishop ending a years-long a command affiliation with the squadron.
Bishop officially handed over command responsibility to Captain Barry Duffield in a Sept. 21 ceremony at the air cadet hall at the Northwest Regional Airport marked by the squadron flag being passed from the former to the latter.
Bishop’s first involvement with the squadron, which this year notes its 60th anniversary, was that of a cadet.
“I joined as a cadet on Dec. 10, 1986 and then aged out in 1989 but then came back in 1991 as a civilian instructor,” he recounted of his history with the Unicorn squadron.
A gradual assumption of more responsibility took place and in 1998, Bishop became an officer, a crucial step to becoming the squadron commander in 2005.
Save for two brief periods of time when others became commanding officers, Bishop has held that role until now.
He estimates upwards of 1,000 cadets have passed through the squadron over the years.
It’s provided him the satisfaction of seeing young people development citizenship and leadership skills, two of the elements stressed within the cadet structure.
“It’s just something I really felt passionate about … working with youth,” Bishop explained, adding that he’s seen cadets join the military, become officers and obtain pilot and other certifications.
“I would say watching the transformation of kids that looked like they could not turn out so good instead ended up being amazing,” Bishop continued of his squadron experiences.
One of the highlights of his time as commanding officer was seeing both of his children join the squadron.
“Both became warrant officers,” he said.
As the commanding officer, Bishop was responsible for training and cadet activities ranging from winter camping to summer courses to glider and powered aircraft experience and training.
He was also quick to add that there are other adults involved in training and that a sponsorship committee of parents of cadets as well as others is key to the maintenance of the cadet hall and raising money to cover expenses not provided for by the federal defence department.
Aside from his direct involvement with the Unicorn squadron, Bishop has overseen the regional administration of cadet squadrons along Hwy 16, has been the commanding officer of the army cadet squadron in Kitimat and is now involved with the sea cadets in Smithers.
While he has stepped down as commanding officer, Bishop will remain as the squadron’s supply officer and marksmanship instructor.
He’s also happy the new commanding officer comes with years of cadet experience of his own.
Captain Barry Duffield has called Terrace home for the past three years and in civilian life is the regional manager for northwestern B.C. for Summit Helicopters.
Duffield traces his own cadet experience to his years growing up in England where joining the cadets there presented him with the opportunity to become a pilot, something he said might not otherwise have been the case.
“I had the drive to do the work and the ambition to make it happen, but it was cadets that gave me the belief that it could be achieved,” said Duffield.
“Cadets opened the door to gliding opportunities and I met so many people who had already become pilots with the program.”
Upon leaving cadets in England, Duffield spent 14 years in the British Army, with seven of those flying helicopters on observation and reconnaissance duties in its air corps.
He left the British Army in 2004, heading for Canada and settling first in Alberta where he revived his cadet background by becoming the commanding officer of the air cadet squadron in Strathmore, east of Calgary. A move to Medicine Hat followed where he assumed command of the air cadet squadron in that city.
It was through air cadets in Alberta that he met another commanding officer who would later become his wife.
“She’s now the assistant training officer,” said Duffield of Adrienne Duffield in emphasizing the advantage of having two experienced people connected to the squadron.
Duffield said he’s looking forward to the continued offering of ground school for cadets, a first step toward glider and powered aircraft certification.
The federal defence department does provide a small salary covering two and half hours each month for senior officers but more hours of volunteer time are devoted to squadron activities.
The presiding officer for the change of command ceremony was Captain John Callaghan, the zone training officer for cadet squadrons west of Prince George.
