Earning their wings: two Huntsville cadets are soaring high

Main photo: Cadets Matthew Sutey (left) and Griffin Sluman in Debert, Nova Scotia last summer where they received their Glider’s Pilot Licenses. This summer both received their Private Pilot’s Licenses. (Photo: Ryan Sutey)

Two local young men from the 844 Norseman Huntsville Air Cadets, Warrant Officer 2^nd Class (WO2) Griffin Sluman and Warrant Officer 2^nd Class Matthew Sutey, have spent the last several years with their sights set on flying.

A high-level of commitment and dedication is essential to achieving not only the ranks but the success that the cadets can find in the program. Commanding Officer Capt. Pat Wilton says, “I’ve watched as they’ve grown into very impressive young men. They wanted this from the start and pursued it. Because of the (cadet) program, they’ve been able to. I’m very proud.”

Both Warrant Officer 2^nd Class Sluman and Sutey, agreed that from the beginning they shared the same goal of achieving their licenses. In 2017, they attended the Debert Flight Centre in Debert, Nova Scotia for six weeks of aviation training where they were both successful in attaining their Glider Pilot’s Licenses.

This past spring, WO2 Sluman was awarded the Power Pilot Scholarship at the Mountainview Training Centre and attended MAG Aerospace in Sudbury for seven weeks over the summer. WO2 Sutey, meanwhile, spent seven weeks at the Durham Flight Centre in Oshawa. Both cadets underwent an intensive training program, content that usually would take months to accomplish, and after a considerable amount of work both were successful in earning their Private Pilot’s Licenses. Quite an accomplishment, especially considering one of these two young men doesn’t yet have a driver’s license.

When asked if they had advice for other cadets hoping to achieve similar success, both Sluman and Sutey kept it simple, saying, “Participate in everything. Be there. Sign up for every activity and take part in as much as you can.”

WO2 Sluman also added, “You should also keep your grades up in school. Math especially, you’ll need it.” Sutey nodded his agreement.

So what is next for these two? WO2 Matthew Sutey is considering a career in the military or attending flight college, while WO2 Griffin Sluman will be pursuing a carpentry apprenticeship. If the dedication and discipline these two young men have are any indication, they are bound to go far.

The Cadet Program offers a wide variety of activities for youth, 12 years and older, in our community. Apart from their parade and meeting nights each Wednesday, voluntary teams like biathalon, orienteering, and shooting, as well as band, flag party and drill teams, are open for Cadets to try out and participate in throughout the year.

Regular meetings pause for the summer months while cadets have the opportunity to attend camps across Canada. After the initial two-week General Training (GT) Camp for the first year, cadets can select a more specialized experience based on their own interests and pursuits such as band, fitness, survival, or as WO2s Sluman and Sutey have, aviation.

Cadets also take part in Rememberance Day ceremonies with an overnight vigil, local parades, poppy and tag days, and hold events like their bi-annual spaghetti dinners at the Legion.

Interested parties are welcome to attend a regular parade night, held Wednesdays at Huntsville Public School, starting at 6:30 p.m. Stop by and see what the 844 Norseman Air Cadets is all about.

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