The Rise of 338 Junior Wildcats Squadron

Behind every successful squadron there is a great vision built off the determination, spirit, and foundation of the youth in our community. Our story is no different. Whether your goal is to be inspired, become a leader, or develop a sense of discipline, our vision to become the Air Cadet Squadron by excellence in the Montéregie area is a rewarding challenge that can bring people together. But what steps did we have to take to get here? What ensured us to thrive proudly as the cadets we are today? Let us explore the path we took to turn this idea into a reality.

To truly understand the journey, we interviewed Major Castonguay, the retired Commanding Officer of our squadron and its founder as he has been with the squadron since the very beginning.

Why was the squadron created?

When asked “what inspired you to start this squadron” he replied “ I guess it was not as much an inspiration but more a necessary response to a situation going on when I was the 898 Commanding Officer.”

In 2014, the 898 underwent an extraordinary growth in the number of cadets attending and enlisting.

Every Thursday night for about 20 years, the squadron’s activities took place at Natalie-Croteau community center, after it’s unfortunate demolition, 898 relocated to our more commonly known Marie-Victorin community center every Friday night. Major Sylvain Castongay saw this as the best solution, as parents were more likely to prefer sending their kids to an activity on a Friday night rather than on a weekday.

In September 2016, the number had gone up to 240 cadets.  In order to respond to the cadet’s needs, Major Castonguay sent out a request to form a second squadron, which was accepted on May 19^th, 2017 338’s official birthday.  

Why is the squadron in English?

Many parents started to ask if the activities could be conducted in English due to Brossard's huge cultural diversity and English being an internationally spoken language. The RCSU could not allow for a city to have 2 squadrons doing the exact same thing. It was only logical to respond to the demand and orders given.

How did everything start?

Creating a squadron comes with its challenges. Initially, the vision was to split 898 in half, with the squadron just reaching 240 cadets. The goal was to have two squadrons with roughly 120 cadets each. One problem remained, as Major admitted, “We had underestimated the sense of belonging from the cadets to their original squadron.”

In the end, during the first year, about 75 cadets transferred. During difficult times, him and his officers did not lose hope and it paid off. He says: “The second year, all the cadets that had been their during the first year came back and brought in new inscriptions, at the end of the year we went from 75 to over 150 cadets”

By 2016, the squadron had 180 cadets and outgrew the capacity of MVCC. In consequence, they had to relocate at Antoine-Brossard, the current training facility.

“Though everything that happened, we recognized a lot the fact that the 338 had been created due to the collaboration of the 898.”

-Major Sylvain Castonguay

“Are there any goals we haven’t attained?”

He says: “When we initiated the project to create the second squadron, our vision was to become the air cadet squadron par excellence in the Montérégie area. A squadron that could stand out as the community organization. Offering the most inclusive youth program in the Brossard community and we did.”

Nevertheless, beyond the immediate challenges, our squadron has continued to adapt in other ways. To say that we are a determined program would be an understatement, because even during COVID 19, an event that had an impact on the entire world, we still expanded and quickly adapted throughout digital platforms. The 338 Junior Wildcats Brossard Optimist Squadron success is measured by, yes, the numbers of cadets, but also by the nature of their activities and the reputation of the cadet program within the community.

Fun fact:

On their first year of creation, the 338 won the cadet games.

In addition, one of the other main goals for Major Castongay as a CO was to be an affiliated unit. The 338 is now affiliated with the 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, a unit of the Royal Canadian Air force, located in St. Hubert. This affiliation is a great honor our squadron has achieved, and we can proudly say that the goals we had for the squadron have been met.  

In the end

While our squadron is still taking form, we have accustomed small traditions like the moment you are sworn into the cadet squadron through the oath, the handing out of the level 3 coins and of course the moment following of the dismissal when you hear the phrase “JUNIOR” followed by “WILDCATS” from of the cadets.

To the new cadets joining this year, Major Castonguay offers this advice: “Be present, show up, learn, and grow.”  The Air Cadet motto: “To Learn, to Serve, to Advance” is more than just words, it’s a mindset to push you to seize these opportunities and reach new heights. You are the future of our squadron, and it is important to stay consistent and resilient over all the challenges and obstacles you will face.  

Overall, the creation of 338 involved a strong vision, devoted members, and many challenges. We invite you, parents, educators, and everyone who takes an interest in aviation and our program to grow with us as a community. The sky is not our limit.  

Written by:

Sgt De Souza, Abigael and WO2 St-Georges, Marie