Australian Cadet Programs


Figure 1.--.

Australia has both Air Force, Army, and Navy Cadet programs. All three developed differently. They are now part of the Australian Defence Force Cadets. It curently has over 90 units. The Army Cadet program is the most important. It was the first to devrlop and became well estblished in the secondary schools. The Army Cadet program first appeared in private schools. There was no Goverment coordination of these programs. The cadet program in state schools were introducted in the Australian state of Victoria. In fact this was the forst cadet orogram at state schools anywhere in the British empire, including Britain itself.

Army Cadets

The Army Cadet program is the most important in Australia. It was the first to devrlop and became well estblished in the secondary schools. The Army Cadet program first appeared in private schools. There was no Goverment coordination of these programs. The cadet program in state schools were introducted in the Australian state of Victoria. In fact this was the forst cadet orogram at state schools anywhere in the British empire, including Britain itself.

Chronology

We note an early cadet program at Echuca (1885)

Ages

The boys ages usually vary from 12-18.

Activities

Activities include: archery, abseiling (repeling), rifles shooting, rock climbing, horse riding. You get lessons in 1st Aid, survival, living in the bush, campcraft, self-defense etc. There is usally a camp of training called Bivouac and a normal camp to use the skill and learn to patrol.

Popularity

Cadets are not as popular as Boy Scouts, but there is stil an average of 100 boys per regiment and there are about 40 regiments.

Uniform

The Australian Cadet uniform vary slightly between each regiment. Usually all cadets wear Australian Army DPCU (Camo clothes) and each regiment have their individual headware, except for officers who have the Australian Army Slouch hat. Boots are black and leather. The previous uniform used to be just plain tannish green.

Most Australia Army Cadet units now wear the standard Camo Uniform (DPCU) from the Australian Army. Each separate unit has different headdress from berets to balmorals (scottish hats), however most Officers do wear the Australian Slouch hats (the regulation army hat).

Each unit's rank has a lanyard--a cord that signifies the color of the unit which is worn on the left shoulder. The rank brassard is the rank the Cadet holds which is worn on the right shoulder. Cadet Under Officer (CUDs) wear shoulder slides which is slid onto the shoulder tabs who also wear the lanyard. Each Cadet under the rank of CUO has to also wear flashes on their shoulder tabs which is also in the color of the unit. Specialist platoons (ie Medics, pioneers, signals, administrative, etc) wear brassards on their left shoulder that signify the platoon they belong in eg Medics have a red cross on their brassard. Some units do not wear brassards but rather stitch their rank and platoonal recognition straight to their DPCU shirts.

A unit in North Shore Sydney has just recently upgraded their unit into a full size battalion. Which means the addition of wings and companies. Usually the pioneers wear a loop of rope as their insignia, Signals (lightning bolt), Medics (Red Cross), Quaters Store/Q-Store (Crate), Admininistrative (Pen). The battalion which was mentioned has additional wings which are and wear. The Planning Wing wears a Red Cloth tied around left arm instead of brassard. The Red Cloth signifies Staff Officers. The Training and Development wing wears an Orange Cloth and signifies Training Officers.

Naval Cadets

Naval cadet groups were founded in the early-20th century. Although an island nation, Australian interest in naval matters was at first very limited. This prsumably derived from the complacency resulting from the dominstion of the British Royal Navy during the 19th century. Several different groups founded cadet or related groups. The first naval cadet program was established by the Church of England, in part because they operated schools (1901). Naval cadet programs were first officially recognised under the Naval Defence Act (1910). The Sea cadets prior to 1973 the organisation was known as the Australian Sea Cadet Corps, and was jointly administered by the Royal Australian Navy and the Navy League of Australia. After 1973, the Royal Australian Navy assumed full responsibility for the Corps. It was merged with rival groups and renamed the Naval Reserve Cadets. The Australian Government after assessing the program changed the name again to Australian Navy Cadets (2001).

Air Force Cadets


Sources

Muir, John F. "Army Cadets in Echuca" (Defense Publish Services, 2005). 37p.







HBC






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Created: February 25, 2000
Last updated: 8:45 PM 10/29/2011