A new detachment commander was recently appointed to Peel Detachment of the Isle of Man Army Cadet Force (ACF).
Second Lieutenant Daithi O’Regan, 33, is originally from Dublin but now lives in Peel. He joined the ACF in December 2010 shortly after moving to the island.
Daithi said: ‘I was new to the island and looking for something to do in my spare time. I served in the Irish Army Reserve so I gave some thought to joining the Territorial Army here, only to discover there wasn’t a local unit. I found out about the Army Cadet Force while looking into the TA and it occurred to me that volunteering my spare time to youth work would be a good way to contribute something to the community.
‘I would encourage anyone who is thinking of volunteering in the community to join the ACF, it is an investment in the next generation.
‘A lot of our training takes place in a military setting so cadets get to take part in activities that they ordinarily wouldn’t from shooting, tactical exercises or white water rafting. We are not out to recruit soldiers but to instil in our cadets a set of core values, common to the Armed Forces, such as honesty, respect and discipline with the ultimate aim of promoting good citizenship.’
If you are interested in becoming an Army Cadet and aged between 12 and 18, call into the Philip Christian Centre on Wednesday evenings from 7pm to find out more.
Alternatively, if you are over 18 and interested in becoming an adult instructor contact ACF HQ on 671210.