RCSCC Woodstock Cadet Staff
Coxswain CPO1 Maggie Cassels
In 2015, PO1 Maggie Cassells began her journey with the cadet program when joining N.L.C.C Unicorn. In the three years she spent there she worked her way up to Chief Petty Officer Second Class and RPO(regulating petty officer) before aging out in 2018. In 2018 at age 12 she joined R.C.S.C.C Woodstock and has been active and involved in the corps ever since. PO1 Cassells participates in seamanship, range, public affairs. As well she was a member of the band before covid. For summer Training PO1 Cassells has been to H.M.C.S Ontario (Kingston, Ontario) for General Training in 2019. As well as H.M.C.S Quadra (Comox, British Columbia) In 2022 for a Seamanship Course. PO1 Cassells has also completed the Cadet Correspondence course, PCOC (Pleasure Craft Operator card), is first aid certified, and has a marine radio licence.
Public Relations Petty Officer CPO1 Maggie Cassels
Quartermaster MC Ryden Juett
DPO of Chicoutimi Dierk Beintema
DPO of Bras'Dor MC Wyatt Dobson
RCSCC Woodstock Officers
Lt. (N) Josh Middleton Commanding Officer
Lieutenant (Lt(N)) Middleton began his involvement in the sea cadet program as a cadet with 153 RCSCC Woodstock in 2001. During his tenure as a cadet, he was involved with the band, drill team, seamanship team, first aid team, and marksmanship team. During the summer season, he would focus on music training and attended Her Majesty Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ontario and HMCS Qu’Appelle summer training centres throughout his cadet career. He worked through the cadet program achieving the rank of Petty Officer First Class prior to aging out in 2005. From 2005 until 2008, he volunteered with the band in Woodstock and continued working at HMCS Ontario during the summer season. In 2008, he left the cadet program to focus on his education and civilian life. In 2014, Lt(N) Middleton returned to 153 RCSCC Woodstock and enrolled in the Cadet Instructor Cadre (CIC) in 2015. In 2016, he was promoted to the rank of Acting Sub Lieutenant. He continued his progression in the CIC and was promoted to the rank of Sub Lieutenant in the fall of 2017. He was the band officer from 2015 until 2018. Lt(N) Middleton worked at HMCS Ontario as a General Training Divisional Officer from 2016 through 2018. Lt(N) Middleton was appointed to the Training Officer position in September 2018. In August 2019, Lt(N) Middleton was promoted to his current rank. Lt(N) Middleton took on the roll of Supply Officer from January 2022 until his appointment as Commanding Officer on June 20, 2023. In his civilian life, he is a Chartered Professional Accountant certified through the province of Ontario.
Lt. (N) Ryan Harris Executive Officer
Lt. (N) Doug Hannon Training Officer
In 1983, Lt (N) Doug Hannon started his journey with the Cadet program joining then Navy League Corps NLCC Admiral Landymore. When he turned 13 years old he joined the Sea Cadets RCSCC Admiral Nelles. Though out his cadet career he was a part of the drill team (with and without arms), sheer legs, and range teams. During the summer Lt(N) Hannon went HMCS Ontario (Kingston, Ontario) for courses in Sailing and Leadership and Qudra (Comox BC) for Leadership and Boatswain. It was after not before he achieved the position of Chief Boatswain. Even though he was given the position of Cox'n, Chief Boatswain was the position closes to his heart.
After Lt (N) Hannon retired from his cadet career as a Chief Petty Officer 2nd class, he spent a few years away from the Corps. Then joining as a Civilian Instructor with RCSCC Admiral Nelles. After a few years he left Admiral Nelles and due to a move was not able commit time. Though in 2010 Lt (N) Hannon became an officer with NLCC Unicorn and in 2014 started volunteering with RCSCC Woodstock before in 2015 officially joining the CIC and starting his road as an officer.
CI Kevin Lockhart
CI Marylou Fruin
CI Trevor McLellan
Trevor started as a Civilian Instructor with 153 Woodstock in September 1998. He was asked by then Stores Officer Stephanie Adair to join the corps as the band officer for “a year or two” to keep the band going. In that time, the corps had a band of about 30 members.
In the past 20 years, the band has performed in dozens of parades, including Santa Claus parades in Woodstock, Ingersoll, Brantford and Strathroy, at Warriors’ Day Parades at the Western Fair in London, at Remembrance Day parades in Woodstock, Port Dover, Ingersoll and Brantford, two Victoria Cross Tattoos and at the opening of the Memorial Cup in Guelph.
In addition to the band, Trevor has run the first aid team, which competed at four St. John Ambulance Ontario Open competitions in Toronto and London. Most recently has hosted the corps’ cooking program. As well, Trevor works with the training department to pitch in wherever necessary at training weekends, events and competitions.
Of the many, many highlights over the years, the exchange trip to Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, with RCSCC Marconi; playing with the massed bands at the 2005 Victoria Cross Tattoo; the Freedom of the City/75th Anniversary parade and all of the amazing young people he has met over the past 20 years stand out as the biggest.
CI Joe DeSapio
CI Charlie Cassells
CV Charles “Charlie” Cassells had embarked on his journey as a cadet enrolling as part of the Navy League program in the fall of 2014. Charlie had spent one full training year as part of N.L.C.C Unicorn, as a member of navy league he was not to sure if the program was the right fit for him but he had been encouraged to attend sailing in the summer. Charlie had participated in a sailing regatta and ended up leaving in first place with his sea cadet skipper that summer. Finding a new interest which is what helped model his future.
Come the fall of 2015 Charlie had enrolled as part of R.C.S.C.C Woodstock spending countless nights a week participating in all the team events from range to seamanship. Charlie had started to quickly move up the ranks throughout the years receiving multiple awards and accomplishments from various competitions and his actions throughout the training year as a cadet. Charlie had also been in a multitude of deck positions throughout the corps but his favourites being the time he was able to spend as the Quartermaster, and Coxswain.
Charlie had received what he thought was a once in a lifetime opportunity in the summer of 2018 for a training course at HMCS Quadra located in Comox, British Columbia. He attended a 6 week course for Ships Boat Operators (SBO) in this time he had the opportunity to receive many qualifications including; pleasure craft operator’s card, first aid and CPR qualification, maritime radio licence. Charlie then again had the opportunity to return to HMCS Quadra in summer of 2019 for another 6 weeks to complete his summer training path of seamanship attending the boatswainmate course where he had been able to spend time of Orca Class vessels practising and learning naval traditions as well as participating the the ceremony of the flags parade that occurs in Victoria BC. Finishing the summer off with a changing ceremony where he received his boatswain call and chain.
Charlie had retired his cadet Career in summer of 2022 as Cheif Petty Officer First Class with a Boatswain chain, which is the highest rank for cadets to achieve in their career.
Charlie had then decided to return to volunteer in the 2023 cadet training year to share his knowledge of being a cadet to the new cadets to join as well as to be a Continuing member of the program with hopes of one day working his way up the chain of command as an officer.