New Zealand Cadet Corps
The New Zealand Cadet Corps (also known as Army Cadets and NZCC), is one of the three corps in the New Zealand Cadet Forces, the other two being the Air Training Corps, and Sea Cadet Corps. There is no reference to the Army within the official title of the NZCC, but an army theme is used for the NZCC. All of its members, from the cadets themselves to the officers and the support committees are civilian volunteers. Members have no obligation to head into the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF); however, some do choose to join the NZDF.
| New Zealand Cadet Corps | |
|---|---|
 New Zealand Cadet Corps Crest | |
| Active | 1864 - present |
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Allegiance | HM The Queen |
| Branch | New Zealand Cadet Forces |
| Type | Volunteer Youth Organisation |
| Size | ~1,900 |
| Headquarters | Trentham Military Camp |
| Nickname(s) | Army Cadets Green team Moles |
| Website | |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of Defence Force | Air Marshal Kevin Short |
| NZCF Commandant | Commander Andrew Law, RNZN |
| NZCF Executive Officer | Squadron Leader Bruce Sinclair, RNZAF |
| NZCF Assistant Commandant | Wing Commander Andrew Horst, NZCF |
| Insignia | |
| Army Cadet Logo |  |
Organisation
National
The NZCC is managed at a national level by the commandant (usually a Regular Force Lieutenant colonel / Wing commander / Commander), and his/her staff at Defence Force Headquarters in Wellington. (The current commandant is Commander Andrew Law, RNZN).
Area
The country is broken into 3 areas, Northern (Northern half of the North Island), Central (Southern half of the North Island) and Southern (entire South Island). Each area has a NZCF training and support unit, commanded by an area co-ordinator, with advisors for New Zealand Cadet Corps units.
Unit
Each unit is led and managed by the cadet unit commander, and his/her officers and staff.
There are currently 36 New Zealand Cadet Corps units in New Zealand.
Uniform and Insignia
The uniform worn by NZCC members is the same as that of the New Zealand Army, except that for all ranks, the lettering on the bottom of the rank insignia shoulder boards reads CADET FORCES rather than NEW ZEALAND to differentiate NZCC personnel from New Zealand Army personnel. Furthermore, NZCC rank insignia are red, a colour no longer used by the New Zealand Army for rank insignia. Officer service dress uniforms have a shoulder flash reading NEW ZEALAND CADET FORCES, rather than NEW ZEALAND for the same reason. The cadets wear a NZCF cap badge (same as NZCC logo) on their beret, Cadets wear their achievements on a shoulder brassard. Officers who were formerly cadets do not wear their cadet awards on the officer uniform..
Uniforms worn by the New Zealand Cadet Forces:
- Service dress all ranks (SDAR)
- New Zealand Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM)
Furthermore the New Zealand Cadet Corps plans to get the new New Zealand Multi Terrain Pattern uniform when released in a joint purchase with the NZDF instead of going to MCU's. This is due to the many problems the MCU uniform has meaning NZDPM's and the new NZMTP's are better overall.
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Membership
Cadet members
Cadets can join from the age of 13, and may serve as a cadet or cadet NCO until their 19th birthday. Under officers may serve up until their 22nd birthday. The exception is the sole school-based unit, as opposed to city or regional based units. Hamiltons Fraser High School Cadet Unit permits all students enrolled at Hamiltons Fraser High School to enroll in the unit.
Units provide uniform, but may hold bonds to ensure that they are returned. Unit fees are set by each unit Parent Support Committee annually. Due to fluctuating operating costs, these vary from unit to unit. Cadets may in time be promoted to NCO ranks. Cadet NCO ranks are based on the New Zealand Army Infantry ranks, and are
- Cadet lance corporal (CDT LCPL),
- Cadet corporal (CDT CPL),
- Cadet sergeant (CDT SGT),
- Cadet staff sergeant (CDT SSGT),
- Cadet warrant officer class two (CDT WO2), and
Cadets who have received the necessary training, and have the desire and commitment to become an NZCF officer can also serve as under officers. Under officers are officers-in-training and are normally treated as officers, but are, however, not entitled to salutes.
- Under officer NZCC (UO, NZCF).
The exception is that under officer is not a rank in the NZ Army. The UO rank slide is based upon the Air Force officer cadet rank, and a similar rank is used in the New Zealand Army Officer Cadet School. In the NZCC, NCO ranks are often abbreviated by omitting the "cadet" prefix. However, not all cadets become NCOs, but all get the chance to train and progress through the different levels of training, Basic, Corps (junior), and Advanced (senior) levels, by demonstrating knowledge of subjects in their training year.
Adult members
Adult members can serve in two capacities: commissioned officers or civilian instructors. Officers are commissioned into the New Zealand Cadet Forces, with the post-nominal letters NZCF, at the rank of second lieutenant, and can be promoted to lieutenant, captain or major after completing the necessary training and service. To reach captain the officer must have served as the commanding officer of a cadet unit, while officers must be an area support officer to be promoted to major. At the end of 2014, the NZCF introduced a new position of national support officer (NSO). If he or she is an NZCC officer, as opposed to an ATC or SCC officer, they will hold the rank of lieutenant colonel. Officers are unpaid volunteers, therefore they receive no pay for routine parades and unit activities. They are paid when attending training courses run by the New Zealand Defence Force. Civilian instructors are civilians who help train cadets. They do not wear uniform, but they are generally treated similarly to officers by cadets. Members of the NZDF are occasionally attached to cadet units to assist in conducting training. This is normally because they know a cadet/officer in that unit, or if they have a particular interest in cadet forces.
Activities
Parade nights
Every unit holds parade nights around 2–3 hours long weekly during school terms. Each parade night usually begins and ends with a parade. The starting parade is used to inspect uniforms, and to inform the cadets on the parade night's activities. The final parade to inform the cadets on upcoming events in the unit. Between the parades, the cadets undergo classroom, or practical instruction.
Bushcraft
Most units conduct classroom training in bushcraft and survival skills, and hold regular basic and advanced bushcraft camps in the local area during weekends.
Shooting
Units conduct regular range training with smallbore rifles. Some units have their own armouries and ranges at their parade hall. Cadets must pass a TOET (test of elementary training) before being allowed on the range. The rifle used at present is the Marlin XT.
Other activities
- Adventure training
- Assault courses
- Drill[1]
- Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme
- First-aid/search & rescue/casualty evacuation (CASEVAC)
- General service knowledge/Cadet force knowledge
- Initiative
- Leadership
- Fieldcraft
- Navigation
- Observation
- Radio procedures
- Survival
- Team Work
- Watermanship
- Weather reading skills
Courses
Tri-Corps courses
- Junior NCO course
- Senior NCO course
- Cadet shooting coaches course
Also, senior cadets and officers may be selected to staff these courses (except for the shooting coaches course)
Officer courses
- Officers' Commissioning course
- Instructional technique & management course
- Officers' outdoor leaders course
- Range safety officer course
- NZCF Command course
Also, officers may be selected to staff these courses, except for the range safety officer course.
NZCC competitions
Regional Skills Competition
The Regional Skills Competition tests NZCC cadets on a wide range of skills, such as things like GSK & CFK (knowledge of the NZDF and NZCF respectively), rifle shooting, navigation and drill. It is held every year in the Northern, Central and Southern areas. The Northern Area competition is often held at Tamaki Leadership Centre, Central held at RNZAF Base Ohakea and Southern held at Burnham Military Camp. Each competition's winner is then sent on to compete in the National Skills Competition.
National Skills Competition
The National Skills Competition is more in line with New Zealand Army activities than other competitions, and is intended to provide a challenge comparable to an army exercise. It focuses more on fieldcraft and teamwork than the Regional Skills Competition, and also gives more freedom for the team's leader for decision making. It is often held at the Waiouru Military Camp in the central North Island.
Fennell Shooting Competition
The Ffennell competitions are a group of small-bore rifle matches for the youth of the Commonwealth. New Zealand Cadet Forces units contest the Class B competitions (using issued rifles and sights).[2]
Gunson Cup Shooting Trophy
Originally awarded to the best first year cadet .22 rifle team in the School Cadet Corps now is presented to the winning team of the New Zealand Cadet Corps smallbore postal shoot.[3]
See also
- United Kingdom Army Cadet Force