Bold Eagle graduates 21st group of Aboriginal youth

Aboriginal youth between the ages of 16-29 who are thinking about joining the Canadian military or the Canadian armed forces, might want to consider taking the Bold Eagle program.

‘Bold Eagle’ – based in Wainwright, Alberta – has a unique cultural component to the summer-long basic military training in which recruits go on a full-day culture camp and numerous other cultural activities including a sweat lodge.

As well, Elders are available throughout the program to provide guidance to the recruits.

In fact, Elder Alma Kytwayhat has been with the program since the beginning, helping to motivate youth and keeping them fighting throughout the training.

Such was the case this summer with Bold Eagle graduate Christy Vincent.

“At times I would get frustrated and feel like quitting,” said Vincent. “But the Elders helped me stay positive by assisting me in preparing myself for upcoming challenges, they were a great help,” she added.

Vincent is Cree from the Waterhen Lake First Nation, located in northern Saskatchewan. She applied for the Bold Eagle program after seeing the application on a table and thought that it was something interesting to do for the summer.

Vincent was in for a bit of a shock once she started the program and was challenged both physically and mentally, especially when it came to structured time and intense workouts.

“I am happy I took part in the program, I made great friendships with Aboriginal people from all over Canada, who I am still in touch with,” she said. “I feel proud to have completed such a challenging program that teaches you discipline, confidence and includes an Aboriginal component.”

Vincent said she plans to finish high school and move on to post-secondary education to study medicine. She encourages any Aboriginal youth who has the opportunity to acquire the Bold Eagle training, to ‘go for it’.

Bold Eagle has produced a number of graduates that have gone on to attend school and gain leadership positions such as band chiefs, RCMP officers, lawyers, nurses and teachers, just to name a few.

“In this last year, out of 96 that started, 86 made it through the difficult training to graduate,” said Lyndon Linklater, Bold Eagle Coordinator for the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN). As well in the last two years, the program has had a 60% retention rate in the Canadian Armed Forces, which is exceptional.

It is important because many of the graduates that remain with the armed forces carry the cultural component with them while serving in Canada or abroad, Linklater said.

The program teaches discipline, culture, heritage, military training, employment skills and balancing a healthy lifestyle through the promotion of the medicine wheel teachings: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, along with much more.

In the late 1980’s, Aboriginal veterans, Elders and FSIN leaders got together to discuss the idea of getting their Aboriginal youth employed and disciplined, in order to help break the cycle of poverty that was affecting Aboriginal populations.

The next step was to approach the Canadian Armed Forces to discuss this possibility, and thereafter the first Bold Eagle program started in 1989. Bold Eagle initially started in Saskatchewan, but ten years ago was expanded to include Aboriginal youth from British Columbia to northwest Ontario.

The positive self-esteem gained from completing the training is attributed to the reason so many young Aboriginal people have shown interest in the program.
“The program is spread by word of mouth by former recruits and their communities,” said Linklater.

“The positive outcomes from the program allow for its continued success and sustainability.”

The program has a management committee, with an FSIN vice chief acting as chairman of a diverse ten person committee, including band chiefs, RCMP, retired military personal and veterans. This year, Vice Chief E. Dutch Lerat oversees the Bold Eagle program. He attended the Whitecap powwow in August to offer congratulations to new graduates who completed training successfully over the summer.