Adjudant Nicolas Moulin: "Enriching and stimulating exchanges with the cadets"

Var was recently the scene of a milestone event for youth with the "citizen rally" of the cadets de la Défense. This highly successful event brought together 240 ninth-grade students from the "classes défense" of many Var middle schools. Divided into eight cadet centres, they were welcomed into several regiments and units of the department for a day of discovery and exchange. The main event took place at the school base of the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (EALAT) located in Le Cannet-des-Maures, where the young people were able to participate in a dozen interactive workshops.

EDUCATIONAL AND CITIZEN OBJECTIVE

The objective of this day was to offer a concrete immersion into the diversity of careers and missions of the Défense nationale and to pass on the values of commitment to serving the country. This initiative is the result of a collaboration led by the trinôme académique, which associates the Éducation nationale, the direction académique des services de l’Éducation nationale (DSDEN) and the Institut des hautes études de défense nationale (IHEDN) Var Méditerranée.

Several partners, including the Délégation Militaire Départementale (DMD) du Var, also contributed to the success of the operation, which is part of a school orientation process. The 240 cadets came from eight centres hosted by prestigious units: 1er Régiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique (1er RCA), 3ème Régiment d’Artillerie de Marine (3ème RAMA), 21ème Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (21ème RIMA), 54ème Régiment d’Artillerie (54ème RA), 519ème Régiment du Train (519ème RT), 7ème Formation Militaire de la Sécurité Civile (7ème RIISC), Flottille Amphibie (FLOPHIB) and Groupement de Gendarmerie Maritime de la Méditerranée (GGMARMEDI). The feedback from the supervisors is particularly positive, highlighting the interest and maturity of the young participants, who were highly invested in the various workshops offered. "The exchanges with the different groups of cadets de la Défense were particularly enriching and stimulating. They made it possible to gauge their curiosity as well as the relevance of their questions at each stand. The workshop presented at the gendarmerie stand, dedicated to forensics, with my partner from the réserve citoyenne, Jean-Noël David, was also highly appreciated by the participants, notably thanks to realistic role-play scenarios," says Adjudant Nicolas Moulin, assistant to the Chef du Service Réserve Gendarmerie du Var. "By offering direct contact with soldiers and gendarmes, this rally helped spark potential vocations and reinforce the essential link between the military and youth. The event is described by its organizers as a meaningful and promising experience, consolidating the commitment of younger generations to the challenges of Défense nationale," concludes Mr. Moulin.