A Message from Our New Board Chair

Hello Cadets Family & Friends!

I am humbled by the opportunity to serve all of you as the Cadets Arts & Entertainment (CAE) Board Chair for this next year. The Cadets have been the foundational experience in my life since 1984. I have been serving on the CAE Board since this fledgling organization’s inception in April 2020. My sincere hope is that I contribute in a positive manner to help continue the tradition and legacy that is The Cadets Experience that many of us cling to so passionately and so dearly.

Let me start by thanking all of you for your continuing support of The Cadets! I would also like to lay out just a few initial goals from me, signed off by our entire Board. If you have an interest in The Cadets, please keep reading:

1) We wish to foster an environment of Transparency and Connectedness. If you want to reach out to the Board, please contact us at boardinfo@cadets.org, or contact me directly at jbroschak@cadets.org. The future of The Cadets is bright, building on the momentum of the 2022 season! Through improved communication and broader inclusivity, we hope you will choose to join us and those committed students, faculty, volunteers, and management helping to sustain us toward our 100th anniversary in 2034.

2) One of my key takeaways over the past several years has been the realization that there are no secrets in drum corps, only the truth. Trying to keep important, relevant communication confidential creates a vacuum that leads to speculation, sometimes negative interpretations, and conflict. Through transparency, the CAE Board hopes to communicate what’s happening with the organization and, perhaps more importantly, why, so that you have the ability to understand the basis for decisions and can provide your feedback to help CAE leadership. Our goal in publishing our ‘year in review’ for 2021 and financial filings was to be transparent. We are working on the 2022 annual report and some new additions for 2023 for even more transparency.

3) CAE remains a solvent organization and in a stable financial position! The realities of modern drum corps are challenging and different than what many of us may have experienced previously. A top caliber drum corps now requires $2 million or more per year to cover all operating expenses, and the current touring model is only becoming more difficult and expensive to sustain. One of the common complaints we hear is that the organization is constantly asking for money. Yes, the need for cash is a stark reality, but our hope is to change that narrative to broaden our request for support beyond mere financial considerations. It requires so much more than money to create The Cadets Experience. We hope you will decide to provide support in whatever way you can, whether through volunteering or simply cheering the students on as they pursue excellence and growth. Through connectedness, we hope to provide you ample opportunities to WANT to be involved.

Thank you all once again for your ongoing support of The Cadets! Whether you are a staunch celebrator of CAE or a harsh critic, I know that what binds us together is our passion and love for The Cadets. The CAE Board and Cadets leadership team are committed to listening to your feedback and working to improve the organization’s aspiration for excellence.

In Your Service!

John Broschak
Board Chair
Cadets Arts & Entertinament, Inc.
Cadets ’84-85

FHNSAB