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CadetWorld CWwiki From CadetWorld CWwiki
Royal Canadian Army Cadets
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This page was last modified on 5 July 2010, at 12:20.
This page has been accessed 932 times.
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The Royal Canadian Army Cadets (RCAC) (French Cadets royaux de l'Armée canadienne) is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Forces and the civilian Army Cadet League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, the program is funded through the Department of National Defence with the civilian partner providing support in the local community. Many Army Cadet corps receive additional support from affiliated Regular or Reserve Force Army units. While cadets may wear the badges and acoutrements of their affiliated unit, cadets are civilians, they are not members of the Canadian Forces nor is there any expectation of a future military career with the Canadian Forces. [1] Recognized as Canada's oldest youth program, there are approximately 21,000 army cadets in about 450 corps across the country. Together with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and Royal Canadian Air Cadets, it forms the largest federally-funded youth program. Cadets are encouraged to become active, responsible members of their communities.
BasicsAlong with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and Royal Canadian Air Cadets, the RCAC is part of the Canadian Cadet Organization. Although the RCAC and the other cadet programs are sponsored by the Canadian Forces and the civilian Leagues, cadets are not members of the Forces, and are not expected to join the Canadian Forces. In keeping with Commonwealth custom, the Royal Canadian Army Cadets stand second in the order of precedence, after the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets, and before the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. Persons aged 12 to 18 may join the RCAC, free of charge. Uniforms, training manuals, and instruction are provided. A cadet must leave the organization before their 19th birthday. Upon departing most items issued to them during their time in the program must be returned. Some cadet corps conduct a "leaving ceremony", to recognize departing cadets. If the senior-ranked cadet is departing he or she will relinquish the senior position by passing on the drill stick to his or her successor. The organization and rank system of the Canadian Army is used, but cadets can only attain Non-Commissioned Officer status. Adult leadership is provided by commissioned officers of the Canadian Forces Reserve Cadet Instructors Cadre, supplemented by contracted Civilian Instructors, authorized adult volunteers, in addition to officers and non-commissioned members of other CF branches. The Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) is composed of CF officers specially trained to deliver the Royal Canadian Sea, Army, and Air Cadet programs. Like all reservists they come from all walks of life including former cadets and long-service Regular and Reserve CF members, in addition to the parents of cadets. Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps are usually affiliated to a Reserve or Regular Force army regiment and wear the accoutrements of their affiliated unit. RCAC Badge The Royal Canadian Army Cadet Badge is the official emblem of RCAC. It is worn on the upper sleeve of the cadet uniform and on the breast of the issue parkas. Some corps wear it as a brass cap badge. The term acer acerpori is Latin for "as the maple, so the sapling." AimThe aim of Royal Canadian Army Cadets is to develop in youth the attributes of good citizenship and leadership; promote physical fitness; and stimulate the interest of youth in the sea, land and air activities of the Canadian Forces. The RCAC shares this aim with the Sea and Air Cadets; however, each organization focuses on its own parent element. As part of their training, cadets may attend Cadet Summer Training Centres (CSTC) at Canadian Forces Bases and other locations. Progression in the local Corps training program is marked through different star levels: green, red, silver, and gold, and eventually, after the completion of the National Star Certification Exam, Master Cadet. Army cadets participate in a variety of adventurous training activities including lessons in abseiling, kayaking, trekking and mountain biking. Selected cadets may qualify for parachute training.
HistoryEarly HistoryThe Royal Canadian Army Cadets (RCAC) can trace its history to the creation of drill associations or militia companies in 1861, pre-dating confederation by six years. These early militia companies and drill associations were not cadet corps but were militia sub-units formed in educational and other public institutions. Enrollment was limited to men between the ages of 13 and 60. The drill was not only a parade square and discipline exercise, but a skill that was necessary for the defence of the Colony. The American Civil War and the threat of the Fenian Raids motivated their creation in Upper and Lower Canada. Trinity College Volunteer Rifle Company was formed June 1, 1861 in Port Hope, Ontario. Bishop’s College Drill Association was formed in Lennoxville, Que. on December 6, 1861. Another 14 of the early "Drill Associations" or "Rifle Companies" stood up in Ontario and Quebec. Canada's oldest continually serving cadet corps is No. 2 Bishop's College School Cadet Corps in Lennoxville, Quebec, its roots firmly in the previous drill associations. In 1904 the allocation of numbers to cadet corps was instituted and the Quarterly Militia List, correct to April 1, 1904 lists Cadet Organizations from 1 to 104. The earliest date of organization shown is November 28, 1879 four months after Militia General Order 18 of July 25, 1879 allowed the formations of 74 "Associations for Drill in Educational Institutions" for young men. These cadets were taught drill and marksmanship, but were not required to be employed in active service. The 74 associations included 34 in Ontario, 24 in Québec, 13 in the Maritimes, two in Manitoba, and one in British Columbia. The origin of the term "Cadet Corps" is debatable, as some believe it was first used in 1898, in Ontario, bundled in a provision that the Corps' instructors would be a member of the local school teaching staff, and not from the local militia unit. Public SupportIncreased support, motivated in part by the Northwest Campaign during the Riel Rebellion of 1885, allowed improved issue of uniforms, weapons and other equipment to schools providing military training. Officer CadreThe first authority for Cadet instructors to hold rank in the Militia was established by Special General Order Dec. 21, 1903. The appointment was 2nd Lieutenant and the officer was permitted to retain the rank only as long as he remained an instructor and the cadet corps remained efficient. On May 1, 1909 a cadre of commissioned officers, as a Corps of School Cadet Instructors was established. It was composed of qualified male school teachers. On May 1, 1921 the Corps was disbanded and reorganized on Jan 1, 1924 and designated the Cadet Services of Canada. It was a component of the Canadian Army Non-Permanent Active Militia and the forerunner of the current Cadet Instructor Cadre This officer cadre was disbanded in 1968 during a period of reorganization due to the unification of the Canadian Forces. It reappeared as the Cadet Instructors List at the National Defense Headquarders. In July 1994 it was renamed Cadet Instructors Cadre. Strathcona TrustIn 1910, the Right Honourable Sir Donald Alexander Smith, First Baron Strathcona and Mount-Royal, the Canadian High Commissioner to Britain, created a trust with the Dominion Government with a sum of $500,000, with the aim of inspiring citizenship and patriotism. through physical training, rifle shooting, and military drill.[2] He is remembered today with the Lord Strathcona Medal, which is awarded to a cadet in each corps and squadron who best exemplifies the qualities of being a cadet. World WarsApproximately forty thousand former cadets served in His Majesty's forces during the First World War. By the end of the war, there were approximately 64,000 boys enrolled in Army Cadet corps across Canada. During the twenty years following the First World War, cadet training came to a standstill. Many corps survived these hard times, but the Depression and the lack of public interest caused the cancellation of the uniform grant for Army Cadets in 1931 and the instructional grant for 12 and 13 year olds in 1934. In Alberta, only a couple of corps functioned beyond 1934. The beginning of the Second World War brought a renewed public interest in cadet training. An astounding amount of cadet corps were formed in high schools across the country. Post-War YearsIn 1942, recognition of the significant contribution of former cadets to the ongoing war effort, His Majesty King George VI granted the "Royal" prefix to the Canadian Army Cadets, giving it the title of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets. (The Royal prefix was also afforded Sea and Air Cadets at the same time) It is estimated that nearly 230,000 former army cadets served in His Majesty's forces during the Second World War. After 1945, quotas were imposed reducing Canada's total cadet population to about 75,000 members. Many of the closed corps, those with membership restricted to boys in one particular school, were disbanded; some of them became open corps, training in militia armouries or in Legion halls; others, acquired their own buildings. The Korean War stimulated growth among open corps in the early 1950s. Many school corps moved to armouries and drill halls. After 1954, Korea veterans staffed the Area Cadet Offices that began to manage these corps and the summer camps that trained them. Unification of the Canadian ForcesFollowing the unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968, a number of changes occurred in the Army Cadet world:
Girls In The Cadet ProgramGirls were unofficial participants in cadet training almost from the very beginning of Cadets. Shortly after the Highland Cadet Corps was formed at the Guelph Grammar School in 1882, a female cadet company called the Daughters of the Regiment was started. The Army provided no support for training, or uniforms. Nor could girls attend summer training. On July 30, 1975, the Canadian parliament amended the relevant legislation by changing the word "boys" to "persons", therefore permitting girls to become members of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets. Girls became full participants in the Cadet Organization. The biggest change was during the summer training program. What had been for many decades an exclusively male environment changed dramatically at the Vernon, Ipperwash, Valcartier, Argonaut and Banff Army Cadet Summer Training Centres. Today, boys and girls participate together in all cadet activities with girls regularly in leadership roles amongst cadets. 2004 - 125th anniversary2004 marked the 125th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets. The Army Cadet League of Canada issued a 125th Anniversary pin to be worn by all 25,000+ army cadets across the country. Canada Post honoured the cadets with a stamp, unveiled in Ottawa in March 2004. Many parades honouring the century and a quarter of cadets occurred across Canada, there were Freedom of the City parades in Vernon, Oromocto and Calgary as well as other locations. The original Royal Banner was laid up in Vernon during the final battalion parade on August 19 at the ACSTC, and the new Royal Banner was paraded in front of 1500 cadets and 2000 members of the audience.[3] RCAC TrainingCorps Training programArmy Cadet Corps training (Sept-June) covers the following subjects:
Corps training is divided into 4 levels designed to be completed one year at a time.
Upon completion of Gold Star a cadet may take the National Star Certification Examination (NSCE), and move into advanced instructional roles at the cadet corps. Cadet Program UpdateThe Cadet Program Update was initiated in September 2008. Every training year, the new version of the star level will be introduced. For example, in 2008, the new Green Star program is intrododuced, then in 2009, Red Star, and etc. The update will be completed by the year 2012. Summer TrainingSelected Army Cadets attend summer training at several Cadet Summer Training Centres across Canada. The training supports and expands the Local Headquarters (LHQ) program. Courses last from two to six weeks, with most cadets attending the two week "GT" Course in their first year. Experienced cadets may apply to be employed as staff cadets in support or instructional positions later on in their careers to assist the adult instructors. Summer Training CoursesSummer Training Courses are as follows: General Training (GT) (2 Weeks)
Basic Training (3 Weeks)
Army Cadet Leader Instructor (CLI) Courses (6 Weeks)
Advanced Training
The Pioneer Course was offered at Vernon ACSTC in the summers of from 2004-2006, and was discontinued. Summer Training CentresThere are 8 Army Cadet Summer Training Centres across Canada and they are:
RanksPlese visit: Royal Canadian Army Cadet Ranks Military Unit AffiliationRoyal Canadian Army Cadet Corps have a unique relationship with units of the Canadian Regular and Reserve Forces. Every Army Cadet Corps is affiliated with a military unit, known simply as Affiliated Unit (AfU). The AfU may be any administrative or operational CF unit. Visibly, Cadet Corps usually wear the cap badge of their AfU and also adopt certain articles of dress such as kilts for cadets affiliated with a Highland or Scottish units, regimental belt buckles, black webbing for rifle regiments, and sashes for cadets affiliated with infantry units. Cadets corps also adopt the colour of head dress of their AfU or the type of ceremonial/regimental head dress worn by members of their AfU:
Traditional Patrol Dress and/or Period Dress also differs depending on the AfU. One can usually tell which AfU a cadet belongs to depending on the colour of the stripes on their trousers, on the forage cap worn with Patrols, types of buttons worn on the tunic, and other accoutrements on this uniform. A healthy working relationship with the unit's AfU is an enormous asset to a corps' success. AfU's can lend support to cadets through various channels, be it via personnel (drivers, supervisory staff, cooks, speakers, etc), kit for exercises, or even a parade location within the AfU's garrison or armoury. A corps' affiliated unit may also choose to include them in various functions such as C7 range exercises, demolition exercises, field training exercises (where cadets act as observers), as well as ceremonial parades. A strong relationship with the affiliated unit opens up many opportunities for cadets to have a training experience they will not receive otherwise. OfficersOfficer positions in the cadet program are filled by members of the Canadian Forces Reserve sub-component Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) and, occasionally, other members of the Canadian Forces. Typical duties include:
There are also various other positions that officers can hold either at the area, regional or at the national level, as well as specialist instructor and support roles at both the corps and summer training facility level. Army Cadet Corps are identified by a one to four digit number and their affiliated unit. Numbers are assigned by the Director of Cadets. Generally the lower the number, the older the cadet corps. Partnership with Canadian ForcesAlong with the Sea Cadets and Air Cadets, the Army cadets make up a program sponsored by the Canadian Forces funded primarily through the Department of National Defence. The Canadian Forces provides training, pay and allowances for reserve force cadet instructors; uniforms for instructors and cadets; transportation, facilities and staff for summer training; the training program and training aids; and policy and regulation regarding the operation of the cadet organization. The civilian Army Cadet League provides local support by way of accommodation, utilities, liability insurance, transportation and training aids not provided by the CF. External linksReferences |
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This page was last modified on 5 July 2010, at 12:20.
This page has been accessed 932 times.
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