2021 Honorary Colonel (Retired) George E. Chapman Q.C. Award Recipient

Cadet WO2 Payton Gilhooly
191 West Winnipeg RCACS

Cadet WO2 Payton Gilhooly will attend Mount Royal University in their aviation program, which is partnered with West Jet, and hopes to fly for West Jet on graduation. The program also provides a business diploma which provides an extra challenge, as well as a formal education outside of aviation.

He has tried almost everything in Cadets, starting with band, biathlon and marksmanship, participating in biathlon at the Nationals. He was the top biathlete (2022) and most improved biathlete (2020) in his Squadron, and in marksmanship, helped his Squadron get back to competing at the provincial level. He was awarded top level 1 (2018), top level 2(2019), top band (2019), Warrant Officers Shield (2020), top level 4 (2021), and top-level 5 (2022) and the Lord Strathcona Medal in 2022. He has attended General Training and Basic Aviation Glider which has given him a good base to complete Power Training this year.

In his community he helps his neighbours with their yard work throughout the year. He volunteers with Winnipeg Harvest, especially at Christmas. At school, he is in a leadership class that volunteer as a group and is helping organize a school charity event to raise money and have fun while doing so. With Cadets, he spends as much time at the gliding helping out with all the ground crew tasks, as well as teaching other Cadets about gliders.

He is the Squadron Deputy Commander and a role model for the younger Cadets maintaining a high standard in dress and deportment. He is responsible for all three levels of training in the Squadron and assists the Level Officer ensuring instructors are prepared to teach the Cadets to the best of their ability.

Cadets have had a massive impact on his physical fitness through biathlon and he has represented Manitoba at biathlon nationals. During COVID, he started running and strength training to keep in shape, completing his first half marathon in 2021 and the Manitoba Marathon this year. He is now concentrating on biathlon, hoping to represent Manitoba at the Canada Games and plans to continue racing against the best in Canada. This past season he was the third-best biathlete in Manitoba and hopes to continue to improve next season.


HCol George Chapman, Cadet WO2 Payton Gilhooly and
MGen Iain Huddleston

Mr. Len Isleifson and Cadet WO2 Payton Gilhooly

Cadet WO2 Payton Gilhooly and family

Cadet WO2 Payton Gilhooly

2023 Scholarship Recipients

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