LAST PARADE FOR COMMANDANT WITH 45 YEARS SERVICE
ESQUIMALT, B.C. – Cmdr. Rod Hughes, Commanding Officer of Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific) presents Maj. Yvon Savoie with a Canadian Flag that flew over Maj. Sovoie's last parade as the Officer Commanding of Regional Cadet Instructor School (Pacific) at the Albert Head training area in Metchosin. Maj. Savoie will retire from the Canadian Forces in December after 45 years of service. The flag was flown only once before at CFB Esquimalt on Oct. 31. The parade, on Nov. 23 was the graduation of the Canadian Forces Reserve Cadet Instructor Cadre Captain Qualification Course. The course prepares Canadian Forces officers to command corps and squadrons of Royal Canadian Sea, Army and Air Cadets.Maj. Savoie enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1963. Initially he trained as an armoured officer with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in New Brunswick and then transferred to 12e RBC (12e Régiment Blindé du Canada) in Quebec. During his career he commanded an armoured squadron in Cyprus. He served a number of tours of duty in headquarters. In 1971 he was Area Cadet Officer (Army) in Montreal and from 1983 to 1987 he was Regional Cadet Officer Pacific responsible for the Cadet Organizations in B.C. Upon his retirement from the Regular Force in 1991 he transferred to the Reserve Force Cadet Instructor Cadre and was appointed Officer Commanding of Regional Cadet Instructor School (Pacific). Since then he has had oversight of the training of hundreds of reserve Canadian Forces Officers who provide leadership for the cadet program in B.C.
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