Affiliated Units and Cadet Training

[Biggins]

What are everyones thoughts on Cadets participating in Miltiary familiarization training with their affliated CF units? Remember that one of the main goals of the Cadet program is to foster interest in the Canadian Armed Forces.

From my perspective the majority of Army Cadets in my area are fortunate enough to have active affliate units who regularly take cadets and CIC officers with them on exercises and show them what they are doing and allow the cadets to participate to a certain degree in the training. I think this is a great idea, it's allmost completely free recruiting for the unit providing the training. The cadets get to go and learn about the army and their affilated unit and see what it's all about, and the army for the cost of some R&Q get to introduce potential recruits to the joys and adventure of being in the Army Reserve or Regular Army. The air cadets get to participate in Familiarization flights with their Affliated Squadrons. The sea cadets if they are lucky will get to spend some time aboard ship though in recent years with the CF's operational pace these ship deployments don't happen to often anymore though with the Naval Reserves operating the MCDV's during the summer we might see more ship deployments in the future (Crossing Fingers).

From a training and Cadet Retention stand point I would love to see some of my cadets get the opportunity to go to sea on a CF ship for even a couple of days, just so they can experience what it is like to be aboard ship. If they enjoy it enough there is a potential recruit right there. Does anyone object to this type of training? If so why?

 

[geo]

Biggins,

This subject has already been discussed.
Do you want to try & practice using the search engine?

 

[Biggins]

I did do a search, on the topic and the next most relevant topic was having to do with combat training for cadets, that's not what I was looking for. I have noticed alot of people saying cadets shouldn't do this or do that because they are cadets but offer little or no reason as to why they think that way. In addition to finding out what people think about this type of training,  I would like to see who participates in familiarization training with their affliated units and what do with them. As the XO/Training officer of my unit I would like to approach my affiliated unit and see if there is some way we could show these kids some aspects of the CF that they wouldn't see on TV or at the LHQ.

Even if the topic has been discussed is it that bad to start a parallel topic?

 

[geo]

Not a problem Bigins.
Just wanted to make sure that we address the topic once and not many times.
(also prevents "flame wars" from others that have short fuses)

One of the problems lies with the Cadet League and the direction they have taken the cadet mouvement. It's been "demilitarized" and made into something real close to what the Boy Scouts used to be like.
Where reserve units would have Cadets & cadet leaders around most of the time AND assign NCOs to cadet training nights, they've been told to keep their distances.... what is one to do.

I know that one of my former units continues to offer a NCO course to cadets over the XMass holliday.  The affiliated cadet corps appear to appreceate the support

 

[Scott]

I typed "cadet affiliated units" into the Army.ca Search Engine and came up with this thread: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/36848.0.html

Seems like the same subject matter to me...

 

[Neill McKay]

One of the problems lies with the Cadet League and the direction they have taken the cadet mouvement. It's been "demilitarized" and made into something real close to what the Boy Scouts used to be like.
Where reserve units would have Cadets & cadet leaders around most of the time AND assign NCOs to cadet training nights, they've been told to keep their distances.... what is one to do.

I'm curious as to what's given you that impression.  I've never known the Navy League (e.g.) to be involved in training policy at all, much less at such a local level.

 

[Biggins]

The search didn't bring that one up for me depends on what I searched for. Like I said I would prefer more post on experiences and stuff that some of the members may have had with their Affiliated unit. Hopefully the flames and negative comments can be left to the side. 

I have never heard of the leagues butting in like that but I'm sure it happens as it does with other cadet matters. I try to make if very clear to our branch of the Navy League that when it comes to Instructors/training with the exception of optional and leisure training that they are to keep their distance as that is not part of their mandate. Now I am working with a brand new cadet corps and our branch is very new and haven't really tried to rock the boat too much yet. So I hope that when the new executive is elected next year that they pass that sentiment on.

I have heard too many horror stories of Leagues and their reps destroying a cadet corps becuase they didn't like the CO or some of the decisions that they made.

 

[Dane]

Every Army Cadet Corps in BC has been given a cash budget to train once with their affiliated unit over the 2006/2007 training year. This training will occur with all affiliated Cadet units and the unit (so ALL BCR Cadet Corps go together, all 6 Field Cadet Corp go together and so on...) I'm not sure how they're handling the Corps who's AfU is outside of the Province (1 CER).

 

[Armoured_Cadet]

What are everyones thoughts on Cadets participating in Miltiary familiarization training with their affliated CF units? Remember that one of the main goals of the Cadet program is to foster interest in the Canadian Armed Forces.

From my perspective the majority of Army Cadets in my area are fortunate enough to have active affliate units who regularly take cadets and CIC officers with them on exercises and show them what they are doing and allow the cadets to participate to a certain degree in the training. I think this is a great idea, it's allmost completely free recruiting for the unit providing the training. The cadets get to go and learn about the army and their affilated unit and see what it's all about, and the army for the cost of some R&Q get to introduce potential recruits to the joys and adventure of being in the Army Reserve or Regular Army. The air cadets get to participate in Familiarization flights with their Affliated Squadrons. The sea cadets if they are lucky will get to spend some time aboard ship though in recent years with the CF's operational pace these ship deployments don't happen to often anymore though with the Naval Reserves operating the MCDV's during the summer we might see more ship deployments in the future (Crossing Fingers).

From a training and Cadet Retention stand point I would love to see some of my cadets get the opportunity to go to sea on a CF ship for even a couple of days, just so they can experience what it is like to be aboard ship. If they enjoy it enough there is a potential recruit right there. Does anyone object to this type of training? If so why?

in my home home corps 2870 Royal Canadian Dragoons RCACC we always have help from the regiment were a proud armoured cadet corps and participate in many excercises and familiarization activities such as learning about the Coyote Reconaissance vehicle and basic small arms familiarization, we are proud to see them on parade and to learn about their history and hope other cadets corps get to share what my corps shares with our affiliated unit

 

[geo]

I'm not sure how they're handling the Corps who's AfU is outside of the Province (1 CER).

New Reserve Engineer Sqn is forming up in Chilliwack (in the old CME lines)
Time for the Cadet corp affiliation to 1CER to be looked into & if necessary, form new alliance.

 

[WO2 Gubbels]

  I don't know of any Air sqn's that have affiliated units.  I'm sure there are some but they are few and far between as there are not many air reserve units around either.  We do famil flights with civilian aircraft (my sqn hasn't done it in a few years) but they aren't affilliated units or CF a/c in any way. 

 

[D. Nicholson]

New Reserve Engineer Sqn is forming up in Chilliwack (in the old CME lines)
Time for the Cadet corp affiliation to 1CER to be looked into & if necessary, form new alliance.

I agree with that, why they're not 6FES right now baffles me alittle bit.

 

[geo]

54 Field Engineer Sqn
5535 Korea Rd,
Chilliwack BC,
V2R 5P2

Telephone: 604-858-1095