Sergeant Kurtz and Coach Pete Stone are in Canada this week taking several cadets from our Raiders team to participate in the annual fall exercise at Robert Land Academy located in Wellandport, Ontario. Yesterday, the cadets received a cultural orientation, a history lesson on Robert Land and the role he played in the war of 1812. Next, the cadets were taken into Niagara Falls where they rode the Maid of the Mist, viewed the sights and visited the battle site of Lundy’s Lane, also known as the Battle of Niagara Falls, which took place on July 25, 1814.
Today, the cadets will start out on the first leg of the 56 mile march covering 25 miles of the Bruce trail, which is similar to our Appalachian trail. They will retrace the steps of a unit sent to reinforce Fort George during the war of 1812. On Wednesday, the cadets will complete the second leg covering 22 miles and will end up at Fort George located on the Niagara River. On Thursday, all the teams working together will take turns pulling a 1,300 lb Napoleon Cannon from Fort George to Queenstown Heights. During the war, having learned of Americas plan to cross the Niagara and invade lower Canada, Laura Secord, a Canadian heroine of the War of 1812, walked 20 miles out of American-occupied territory to warn British forces of an impending American attack. With this knowledge, they pulled the cannon by hand from Fort George to the top of the escarpment overlooking the Niagara at Queenstown Heights to repel the American forces.
The march will end at the base of the Brock Monument located at the site where General Sir Isaac Brock was killed during the battle. It is here that cadets, who successfully complete the exercise and have demonstrated their ability to work as a team, help others, and have exhibited the value of selfless service will be awarded the coveted Bakers Badge.
Those participating in this year’s exercise include cadets from Oak Ridge Military Academy Oak Ridge, NC, Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy Elizabethtown, NC, members of the New Mexico Army National Guard, two United States Army Generals and cadets from the Royal Military College of Canada.
MMA is proud that our Raiders Team are collaborating with the other teams in this event. This exercise is experiential learning at its best. If your student would love to partake in field trips like this, then MMA is the right place for them. Contact our admissions team today to apply through our rolling admissions process.
