The Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), is the military academy of the Canadian Forces and is a full degree-granting university. RMC is the only federal institution with degree granting powers. The older, historic buildings, located on the 41 hectare peninsula in Kingston, Ontario, blend with the modern academic, athletic and dormitory facilities.
Contents
1Academic Mission Statement
2Principles
3Priorities
4Research
5Partnerships
6Programs
7Traditions
8Diversity
9Admission Requirements
10Military education and training
11First Year Orientation Period
12Ethics
13Athletics
14Campus
15History
16Royal Military College of Canada Museum
17Features and Buildings
18Triumphal arch
19Massey Library
20Old Eighteen
21Notable graduates of the Royal Military College of Canada
22First 32 Female Graduates of the Royal Military College of Canada
The RMC offers 20 undergraduate degrees, and 34 graduate opportunities, including 14 doctorates. In addition to the Faculty (university) of Arts, Engineering, and Science, the Division of Continuing Studies offers undergraduate and graduate level programs including the “Officer Professional Military Education Programme” (OPME). There are approximately 1000 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students on campus. The Division of Continuing Studies, formed in 1996, now serves more than 3,000 additional students around the World. It offers more than 100 distance education courses, many of them world wide web-enabled.
Some cadets wrote their diary on their t-square in india ink, while others wrote on their books. The museum retains examples of diaries from the 1890s to the present day.
officer cadets participated in a church parade from RMC to downtown Kingston churches every Sunday. Back in the 1880, a cadet donated copper pennies to the Church. Since then, at the end of the academic year the copper Sunday tradition is to give a donation in pennies.
College Coin
Every new officer cadet is issued a Challenge coin upon completion of First Year Orientation Period. The Coin is engraved with the name of the College in French and English surrounding the College Crest on the obverse. The Cadet's college number and the Memorial Arch is on the reverse surrounded by the Motto in both languages.
New officer-cadets pass through the Commemorative Arch as a class on their first day of university and upon graduation. Other than on Remembrance Day and in the course of other special parades (i.e. Battle of Britain), church parade, officer-cadets do not pass under the Arch as a class before their graduation from college.
Chiseled into the stone of the Memorial Arch are the opening lines of Rupert Brooke's poem, The Dead: "Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead. There are none of these so lonely and poor of old, but dying has made us rarer gifts than gold." First-year cadets are required to memorize the quote
Freedom of the fort
While in Fort Frederick (Kingston), officer cadets are equal independently of their year. They are also allowed to remove their headgear.
The RMC Cheer is used at all significant sporting events between RMC Paladins and other university teams. Call: Gimme a beer! Response: Beer! Esses! Emma! T-D-V! Who can stop old RMC! Shrapnel, cordite, NCT! R-M-C Hooah!
First year cadets are required to memorize the names of the first class in the order of their college numbers. [2]
Old 18
a historical drill team at RMC who perform at the "Sunset Ceremony" (a military tattoo the night before the graduation parade). Eighteen cadets, dressed in formal scarlet uniforms and wielding late 19th-century Enfield rifles fend off an attack by cadets dressed as rebels using similar rifles of smaller caliber. [3]
Alumni who entered military college 50+ years before wear unique berets and ties, have the Right of the Line on reunion weekend memorial parades, and present the College cap badge to the First Year cadets on the First Year Badging Parade.
To reflect Bilingualism in Canada RMC became institutionally bilingual in the mid 1970s, and began to offer many programmes in both English and French. In 1980, the RMC became co-educational and the first females graduated from RMC in 1984.
RMC strives to recruit students from all regions of Canada and actively represents the diversity of the Canadian population. RMC recruits students from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, women and men, Francophones and Anglophones, Aboriginal peoples in Canada and visible minority. Since diversity contributes to the operational capability of the Canadian Forces, RMC aims to produce future leaders who see diversity as a source of strength and creativity.
Admission Requirements
To be eligible to enter RMC, you must meet the course requirements for one of the undergraduate programmes in Kingston, Ontario, or the preparatory year in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. In addition, you must meet the Canadian Forces' general admission conditions:
be 16 years old on January 1 of the year you enroll
pass the medical
pass the pre-enrolment tests
pass the enhanced reliability check
pass the Basic Officers Training Course
The RMC recruits well rounded students in the areas which correspond to the four pillars at RMC. In addition, RMC gives extra weight to those applicants with second-language skills, although this is not a requirement.
Students are referred to as Officer Cadets (OCdt) in English or as Élève-officier (élof) in French, or for those in the Navy, Naval Cadet (NCdt) or Aspirant de marine (aspm). As an RMC cadet, military training begins with Phase I with the Initial Assessment Period (IAP) at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School Saint-Jean. During this nine-week period prior to the first academic year, the cadets take the first half of the Basic Officer Training Course (BOTC). The second half of BOTC, called the Basic Officer Training Period (BOTP), is a six week course held during the summer period between first and second years. After the completion of BOTP, those cadets who are not yet bilingual are usually enrolled in a seven week period of Second Language Training (SLT) at Canadian Forces Language School Detachment Saint-Jean. The remaining summers are spent completing Phase II, which are environmental training courses (depending on whether the cadet is Army, Navy or Air force).
On the job training courses are also available to a number of cadets during the summer periods. During Phases III and IV, students take trade specific training courses.
First Year Orientation Period, (FYOP) is the most demanding experience for many cadet's RMC, if not military career. FYOP takes place during the first month of the academic year. It can be compared to Frosh week at civilian universities. FYOP begins with the Arch parade where the entire First Year class is marched onto College grounds by their FYOP staff consisting of Third and Fourth Years.
During the course of FYOP, First Year cadets are required to keep a exceptionally high standard of dress and deportment. They are required to march at all times. Physical Training is conducted twice daily, with long runs up neighbouring Fort Henry hill a frequent occurrence. Inspections of room standards and dress are also frequent. For the duration of FYOP, First Years are not permitted to leave RMC or receive visitors. Mail and phone calls are allowed but are few and far between.
There are several unofficial traditions that have been developed for FYOP. First Years are always woken up by music played over loud speakers, typically with "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana because of its fearsome effects and its duration, by which First Years must have finished dressing and preparing. Prior to lights out, First Years are required to sing Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon" as loudly as possible. After dark, it is customary for Second Year cadets to help First Years by bringing comfort foods such as Tim Horton'sdonuts, hamburgers, or pizza. Also, Second Years would lead First Years in mischievous stunts such as painting "Brucie" the statue in Squadron colours, stealing mascots of other squadrons, or arranging roof tiles into Squadron numbers.
The culmination of the FYOP is the grueling Obstacle Course. The Obstacle Course lasting around an hour to two, consists of ten obstacles built by each squadron located around the college grounds. Obstacles such as a 14-feet wall and truck pulling are designed to test teamwork and physical fitness of First Years. The First Year flights are judged on the time it takes to complete each obstacle. The completion of the obstacle course signals the end of FYOP. Afterwards, First Years are given a parade where they are officially welcomed into RMC and join the Cadet Wing. Cadets are then allowed to see their friends and relatives after a month, and allowed the freedom to leave college grounds under the condition that they wear their College uniform.
As an Officer Cadet at RMC, the ultimate objective is to be commissioned as an Officer (armed forces) in the Canadian Forces, pledging to act ethically and carry out ones duties with:
Officer cadets are educated and graded on their performance according to the four components academics, physical fitness, military and second language. The foundation of the ethical code at RMC is found in the College's motto, Truth, Duty, Valour.
Of note, RMC plays the United States Military Academy (Army) Black Knights, in the annual West Point Weekend hockey game. This series, conceived in 1923, is the longest running international ice hockey series in the world. Currently Army leads the Series 39-29-6. The 2006 game's final score was 3-3 after a stunning return by RMC during the last minute.
Additional military fortifications nearby are Fort Frontenac (Kingston), established in 1673 across the Cataraqui River from Point Frederick, and Fort Henry, constructed between 1832-36. At the tip of Point Frederick is Fort Frederick, one of Kingston's Martello tower fortifications. Fort Frederick houses the RMC Museum.
The Stone Frigate, a large stone building completed in 1820 by Sir Robert Barrie, was designed to hold gear and rigging from British warships dismantled in compliance with the Rush-Bagot Agreement. [6] It served as a barracks briefly in 1837-38, and was refitted as a dormitory and classrooms to house RMC by 1876. The Stone Frigate, a designated heritage building, was closed for more than 18 months for major interior and exterior renovations.
The oldest portion of the commandant's house was the surgeon's (Yates) house built after 1812, not as commonly believed the 1812 naval hospital. The hospital was actually a wood frame structure to the front and north of the house.
Military College of Canada opened its doors to the first class of eighteen officer cadets. The names of these "Old Eighteen" are memorized by all cadets today.
The RMC March (music), Precision (march) was composed by Madame Denise Chabot [9], the wife of a RMC staff member, Major C.A. Chabot. She was inspired by the sound of the cadets marching past married quarters. The College March for bagpipe is Alexander Mackenzie[10]
The last class at RMC for the duration of hostilities graduated, a final parade was held and the college colours were laid up in Saint George's Cathedral in Kingston, Ontario. For the remainder of the war the College served as a wartime training area, offering courses such as the Company Commanders Course, Military Intelligence Course, and the War Staff Course.
RMC reopened with the "New One Hundred" cadets. Since World War II, RMC has broadened to cover a wide range of disciplines however RMC was originally oriented very heavily towards science and engineering.
CMR was established in order to conduct tri-service cadet training within the Canadian Forces.
1949
The RMC Club commemorated the fallen from the Second World War on two bronze plaques located on the flanking plinths of the Arch. Names of cadets lost in Korea, through peacekeeping and other operations were added as required.
1950
The Old Brigade, alumni celebrating 50 + years since they entered one of the military colleges, are inducted.
Commemorative Canada Post stamps depict a Wing Parade in front of the Mackenzie Building and a Colour Party with the Memorial Arch in the background [13]
CMR now operates as part of ASU Saint-Jean as Campus St-Jean where preparatory year ("Prep year") cadets acquire the necessary academic standard needed to attend RMC.
The loss of CMS and RRMC along with their many traditions and history as military colleges still remains a bitter event for many cadets and alumni. [14]
To commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of RMC, the RMC Foundation refurbished the Memorial Arch and the Royal Canadian Mint issued a 5 cent coin.
For every 2.5 undergraduate degrees, RMC now produces one graduate degree. The average civilian faculty member at RMC currently attracts over $121,000 annually in extramural research funding.
Royal Military College of Canada Museum
The federal government recognized the need for an officer training college in Canada in 1870-71, following the withdrawal of British forces from Canada. During Hon. Alexander Mackenzie's administration, enabling legislation was passed in 1874. The new college opened on June 1, 1876, with 18 cadets. It was located on the site of the former Royal Naval Dockyard, on Point Frederick under Lt.-Col. Edward O. Hewett. In 1878, the college was renamed the Royal Military College of Canada. Designed to prepare cadets for both military and civil careers, it offered academic and military training courses. In 1948 the college was reorganized as a tri-service institution. It became the first military college in the British Commonwealth to achieve degree-granting status in 1959. [17]
The Fort Frederick Martello Tower is home to the RMC Museum.
The museum founded in 1962, is located in Fort Frederick on the campus of the Royal Military College of Canada. The Museum mandate is to collect, conserve, research and display material relating to the history of the RMC, its former cadets and its site, the Point Frederick Dockyard. The museum contains collections of military memorabilia and military artefacts. The Museum holds, for example, the Douglas Arms Collection [18] and the Leinster Plate [19]
Although 16 Martello towers were built in Canada, only 11 are still standing, being preserved as historic monuments. Fort Frederick is unusual because it has 3 stories while most Martello Towers only have 2.
The RMC Museum is a member of the Canadian Museums Association and the Organization of Military Museums of Canada Inc. The RMC Museum is an accredited museum within the Canadian Forces Museum System. [20] The museum has formed a cooperating association of friends of the
museum to assist with projects. [21]
Academic building. Houses offices, classrooms, and library. As of 2006 the Science and Engineering library has been combined with the Arts library in order to create more classrooms in Sawyer.
The old gym. Current salle d'armes and home of the RMC fencing team. Houses a shooting range in the basement which is no longer used due to the high levels of lead present. Summer headquarters building for HMCS ONTARIO Cadet Summer Training Centre.
A multifunctional building. Houses the Cadet Dining Hall and the Cadet Mess. The RMC barber and Canadian Forces Exchange System (CANEX) are located in the basement.
The Commemorative Arch, at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, built in 1923, is a monument which honours the Lady and Gentlemen Cadets who have died in combat or while attending the College. The Commemorative Arch, designed by John M. Lyle, is an example of the Beaux-Arts architecture.
Massey Library
The Massey Library collection consists of approximately 135,000 books, 1,800 audio-visual items and 1,200 periodicals in English and French. The major collections follow:
