Cadets and the C7, and other rifles. Let me end the discussion once and for all

[lethalLemon]

I really fail to see the connection between firing the CF's service rifle (notice how I did not say the army rifle) and army cadets.

Air Cadets fly in gliders - the Air Force does not.

I would counter that firing service rifles is a tri-cadet activity and that the Army Cadets should find something else that defines them - like doing stuff the Army does on a daily basis (vice once or twice a year).  How about cleaning vehicles, folding canvas, painting rocks and sitting around waiting for orders - that is much more Army.

The point is; Sea Cadets can go to sea on a vessel of any kind. Air Cadets can fly regardless of what kind of aircraft it may be. Army Cadets... we set up sections of mod tenting, 5-man arctics.... but so do Air Cadets apparently... we go on "hikes" (apparently we can't even call it patrolling anymore, or even call Adventure training... well... adventure training - it's an expedition) they're really cracking down on this whole "Political Correctness" and trying to make sure we aren't looking like child soldiers; some (maybe even most) cadet units are LUCKY if they get to fire the C7 ONCE a year. If you ask me, it friggen SUCKS! But hey, I'm on my way out; hopefully I'll be doing BMQ in the spring instead sitting on my arse doing nothing.

Us Army Cadets don't have a whole lot to call our own to take pride in, except for our berets, but that's a given  ;D

 

[a.schamb]

Us Army Cadets don't have a whole lot to call our own to take pride in, except for our berets, but that's a given  ;D

Haha, I'm in Air, and I have a beret. So you most of the people in my squadron 

 

[chrisf]

some (maybe even most) cadet units are LUCKY if they get to fire the C7 ONCE a year. If you ask me, it friggen SUCKS!

Just a question, how often do you think the real army fires? For a lot of us, it's once per year...

 

[Michael OLeary]

Just a question, how often do you think the real army fires? For a lot of us, it's once per year...

It doesn't matter, even if we let Cadets shoot the C7 every month, we'd just wind up listening to some of them whining how not firing the C9 hinders their self-identification as "Army cadets."  The program is what it is, as determined by current regulations and limitations on what children are permitted to do in any organization that might be labeled "para-military" by a critical outside observer, no-one forces them to join, or to stay if they don't like it. 

 

[Zoomie]

Just a little FYI - as an Air Cadet - back when the Earth was still cooling - I flew in an "Army" helicopter once (maybe it was Loachman at the stick), a glider once and a Cessna once.  That occurred over a six year period.

The current Air Cadet unit that I volunteer at has the opportunity to visit the gliding center once a year - if they are lucky, they will get up and go flying.  You will find that a large majority of Sea Cadets read about boats, know what a boat looks like but will probably never really get to experience life aboard any sort of military warship.  Why should it be any different for Army Cadets?

 

[medic65726]

In my first years in Army Cadets, we used to have a couple of Range EX a year firing the FNC1. Even carried the FN around in the bush on FTX. Looks like those days are long gone.

 

[RememberanceDay]

Did I learn the principles of marksmanship with the air rifle? Yes.
Did I get my arse whipped into shape? Yes.
Did I learn first aid? Yes.
Did I learn discipline and drill? Yes.
Did I have the time of my life? You bet.

And etcetera. Plus honestly, as one of the NCOs in charge of teaching marksmanship at my old corps and working with some other local corps... I would be terrified at giving some cadets a pointy stick, let alone an assault rifle.

Exact same here in Sea. I agree on the fact about giving some people C7's... Even more so with COD these days.

 

[lethalLemon]

Cadets have the opportunity to go on Range Ex with their affiliated unit to participate on C7 familiarization when permission is granted by ACO and Region CO and the AfU CO - only open to Silver Star in-training/qualified cadets and higher. Cadets also will receive C7 familiarization (3 days of handling classes on IAs and rifle operation and 1 day shoot) when they attend Summer Training at the CLI (Cadet Leader Instructor) level - which is now the Instructor Level (Silver Star and up).

 

[lethalLemon]

Also, I've known many a Sea Cadet unit in both large well-fundraised urban centres AND small towns have cadets sent on a week sailing on various HMC Ships and frequently. I don't know what it is, but ever Sea Cadet I talked to over my 6 years as a cadet and even to this day, do so much more than Air and Army cadets (they just never learn how to live in anything less than a 4 star hotel with catered steak dinners... Oh the joys of being Army  )

 

[RememberanceDay]

Also, I've known many a Sea Cadet unit in both large well-fundraised urban centres AND small towns have cadets sent on a week sailing on various HMC Ships and frequently. I don't know what it is, but ever Sea Cadet I talked to over my 6 years as a cadet and even to this day, do so much more than Air and Army cadets (they just never learn how to live in anything less than a 4 star hotel with catered steak dinners... Oh the joys of being Army  )

Much agreed. Being a Sea-er myself, I have friends in the other two elements. When we compare what the different corps/squads/platoons(or whatever they are) do, it always comes to the findings that we (Sea) do so much more.

But I still wouldn't mind shooting a C7...

 

[a.schamb]

Much agreed. Being a Sea-er myself, I have friends in the other two elements. When we compare what the different corps/squads/platoons(or whatever they are) do, it always comes to the findings that we (Sea) do so much more.

But I still wouldn't mind shooting a C7...

Corps for Sea and Army, Squadrons for Air

 

[formercadet1029]

Cadets have the opportunity to go on Range Ex with their affiliated unit to participate on C7 familiarization when permission is granted by ACO and Region CO and the AfU CO - only open to Silver Star in-training/qualified cadets and higher.

This is true. However, here in southwestern Ontario it's quite difficult for some cadets in this area to get on these. This is because many of those Range Ex weekends that the various reserve units around here partake in, take place up near Barrie. This is technically out of our region so the area cadet office is reluctant to make it happen. Lots of hoops to jump through to get one of our senior cadets on something like this, which in my opinion should be no problem. If a cadet puts the time in and is willing to make it all the way to being silver star qualified, their should be incentives like this available to them. In my opinion there are already enough problems involved in keeping senior cadets interested enough to stay and run the gauntlet of the cadet program. Keeping things like this out of their reach only adds fuel to that little itch that they may get to quit. Just my 2 cents.

 

[lethalLemon]

Corps for Sea and Army, Squadrons for Air

Corps is for the entirety of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets, which are broken down into units that (depending on size) will consist of more than one company (Infantry affiliated units for example) which then are broken into platoons and then sections at the smallest. Units with affiliation to armoured regiments, engineers, or Signals/Comm Res will consist of Squadrons, Troops and sections.

 

[Neill McKay]

Each army cadet unit is a corps although, as you note, certain ones use affiliation-specific terms.  But it's correct to say that (with made-up numbers for illustration) there are 800 cadet units in Canada of which 400 are air cadet squadrons, 250 are army cadet corps, and 150 are sea cadet corps.