My name is Caden Cumming (formerly WO Cumming), and I joined the Army Cadets in September 2009 (2812 Seaforth Highlanders, Surrey BC), right around the start of the 10th grade. I was, to put it lightly, an unmotivated child at the time, and my parents felt a bit of structure and camaraderie would be in order. As it turns out, they were completely right; joining 2812 truly was a formative experience for me. The things I learned, places I went and experiences I had were all incredibly enriching for my development and truly shaped who I am today. I truly would not trade my years with 2812 for anything and am incredibly grateful to the Army Cadet Program for providing such a diverse way to build confidence, discipline and skills.
Where am I now, you ask? I’m one who you could say is addicted to learning; soon after leaving 2812 in 2012, I started my undergraduate program at Simon Fraser University, which I completed in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts (Major in History with a Minor in Humanities, with a focus on Hellenic Studies). I worked as a clerk at a local private liquor store during my studies, where I eventually rose to the position of General Manager. To aid in my duties there, I enrolled at Douglas College for their Post-Degree Diploma in Marketing, which I commenced in 2018 and graduated in 2020. Currently, I am completing my diploma program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Fish, Wildlife and Recreation, with the goal of pursuing a career in conservation and environmental stewardship.
I still reside in the Lower Mainland with my wife and spend as much time as I can outdoors, be it fishing or hunting in the hills or simply hitting the running track. Once again, I truly cannot understate how tremendous my experience as an Army Cadet was. The skills I learned and experiences I had were instrumental in becoming who I am today, and I could not recommend the program enough.
