Defence Team News – Black Bear, Indigenous Summer Program
Video / August 21, 2023
Transcript
WO Leim Joe: My name is Warrant Office Leim Joe, I'm the Indigenous Program Coordinator, 2nd in Command for BLACK BEAR 2023. It has cultural entities intertwined inside the program itself such as: A swearing in ceremony, Elder's Week, which is a week out in the field, as well as the Primary Reserve Basic Military Qualification aspect, where they're taught military aspects of the course.
So, the candidates are given the opportunity to either join the Reserve, or the Regular Force. They're not obligated to stay or go throughout the time on course. But, through the course they're given the opportunity, and they're given the benefit to knowing about the “Reg” Force, and joining the Reserve Force.
Pvt Anthony Huete-Jacobs: My name is Private Anthony Huete-Jacobs, and I am a candidate for the BLACK BEAR Program. I am from Sarnia, Ontario. My community is Aamjiwnaang First Nation. I decided to join the BLACK BEAR Program to learn more about discipline, be more involved in the Canadian Army… To be able to make my family proud, to be able to make my community proud, and overall to be able to better my legacy. At Elder's Week, we built a tipi, we had a sweat lodge, we've been doing a rough march, we went to the shooting range, which was a lot of fun. And today we had Career Day. I had the opportunity to go on a helicopter, which was totally unexpected and made me a little bit nervous, but I'm very happy that throughout my life I had the opportunity to do such a thing.
WO Leim Joe: For me, as a previous BLACK BEAR candidate, I feel pride watching them grow and being able to be a part of this unique opportunity [of] BLACK BEAR.
Pvt Anthony Huete-Jacobs: I think that someone that is thinking of coming here next year, they should do it. They should give themselves that opportunity to try something different, and to be able to learn and to become more disciplined… And to be able to grow, and do sort of the same thing that I'm doing. And represent our community, and represent our families, and to be able to be a part of the Canadian Army.