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The Canadian Forces Aboriginal Entry Program (CFAEP) is a special three-week course for Indigenous peoples who are considering a career in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). During the program, you will get hands-on experience with military training, careers and lifestyle.

You do not have to join the CAF after completing the three weeks. At the end of the program, you will receive $1,200 and a certificate of military achievement.

The course takes place at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and at Canadian Forces Base Halifax, Nova Scotia. We provide transportation to and from the training centre, living accommodations, food, clothing and all equipment for the course. At the end of the course, if you choose to join the CAF, you will return home until the next available Basic Training course starts.

What you will learn

You will learn about the long and proud history of Indigenous peoples in Canada’s military and take part in exercises similar to Basic Training, such as:

• morning inspections
• daily physical fitness and sports
• navigation with compass and maps
• basic weapons training
• military drill

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) offers five summer training programs that combine military lifestyle with cultural awareness: Bold Eagle, Raven, Black Bear, Carcajou (Wolverine) and Grey Wolf. Participants will be enrolled into the CAF for the duration of the programs.

Bold Eagle is an Army program open to Indigenous people living in Western Canada or Northwestern Ontario. Participants train in Wainwright, Alberta.

Raven is a Navy program open to Indigenous people from across Canada. Participants train in Esquimalt, British Columbia.

Black Bear is an Army program open to Indigenous people from across Canada. Participants train in Oromocto, New Brunswick.

Carcajou is an Army program open to Indigenous people living across Canada and is delivered in French. Participants train in Valcartier, Québec.

Grey Wolf is an Army program open to Indigenous people living across Ontario. Participants train in Meaford, Ontario.

The CAF arranges travel to and from the program and provides living accommodations, food, clothing and equipment for the participants. While in the programs, participants are CAF members and are paid as a Private while they are attending the programs. Upon completion, the participants can choose to release from the CAF or to remain enrolled and transfer into the Reserve Force, the Regular force or into a Canadian Rangers Patrol Group (CRPG).

These six-week long programs give participants a taste of military training with the option to continue on with a career in the CAF. The training received is taught by military instructors and participants come away with an Army Reserve Basic Military Qualification course.

Subjects include:

• general military knowledge;
• weapons handling;
• navigation;
• First Aid;
• drill; and
• survival skills.

All five summer training programs begin with a culture camp. The camp is designed to ease the transition from civilian to the military lifestyle, and focuses on common spiritual traditions and teachings. All culture camps are led by Elders of different Indigenous groups.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to participate in the programs, candidates must:

• have completed at least Grade 10 or Secondaire IV in Quebec;
• be at least 16 years old; and
• be an Indigenous person (First Nation, status or non-status, Metis, or Inuit).

To apply to a summer training program, we encourage you to get in touch with our program coordinators as well as the staff at the Canadian Forces Recruiting Center in your area for information. They will be able to answer questions and help walk you through the online application process. Our program coordinators can also provide paper application forms, if needed.

The application is due by the 30th of April each year so that all the arrangements can be made in time for the beginning of the programs in July.

The Training Policy Committee (TPC) was created out of Chapter 28 of the Umbrella Final Agreement. It supports capacity building initiatives that develop knowledge, capabilities and skills to enable (directly or indirectly) the implementation of Yukon First Nations’ Final Agreements and Self-Government Agreements. We do this by providing funding; initiating, championing, and coordinating projects; and acting as a hub of knowledge, expertise, and resources.