# Does Army Cadets help you become an Officer?



## Stefan_S (26 Aug 2012)

Do the Cadets help you enter the Army Regular/ Reserve Force as an officer?

As in, does having that Cadet experience on paper assist in the application, and acceptance of that said application?

As well as the experience gained during Cadets, does it assist in basic training?

In the end, will joining the Cadets help me in the long run if I would like to pursue a career as an officer?


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## aesop081 (26 Aug 2012)

If you do well, it will not hurt your application.


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## MedCorps (26 Aug 2012)

Stefan_S said:
			
		

> Do the Cadets help you enter the Army Regular/ Reserve Force as an officer?
> 
> As in, does having that Cadet experience on paper assist in the application, and acceptance of that said application?
> 
> ...



I would say yes.  If you did well in Cadets and optimized your experience.  I would also say that in the case of the Army Cadets that the "old" cadet program was better then the current version for a number of reasons that have been nullified by the child soldier argument.  I would also say it will help you as much as joining as an NCM as an officer.  

In my case the Cadet program: 

1) allowed me to walk in the recruiting centre with five summers of outstanding course reports and a solid letter of reference from a Res F company commander in my affiliated unit whom saw me grow over my years of cadet service. Having been on a handful of exercises with my affiliated reserve unit as a cadet I could talk to the recruiter with some confidence that I knew what an infantryman did and why I wanted to be one. 

2) gave me a solid taste of the CF lifestyle.  Chain of command, adherence to rank and direction, barracks living, care / wear / upkeep of the uniform, putting up with BS, and putting the team before self are skills that cadets take for granted that many new recruits struggle to learn. 

3) it taught me high-quality drill, which I was able to polish during basic training, not worrying so much about the basics but concentrate on mastering the form. 

4) it taught me how to shoot. Yep, I learned the fundamentals of marksmanship in the Cadet program.  In the Res F / Reg F, even during basic training (and I have done it twice) you are too rushed and stressed to really learn to shoot. I learned, starting at the age of 13 on Saturday mornings at the old high school indoor range. Experienced shooter beside me most of the time drilling the basics into my brain. Plinking away with the .22 rifle weekend after weekend shooting hundreds of rounds until I became comfortable with shooting and became effective with the use of this rifle. The time spent on the FN C1A1 was not wasted either, but it was the .22 where I learned the principles of marksmanship. 

4) it taught me how to navigate. We did lots and lots of navigation in cadets. Were tested on it in every level to include some advanced topics. We then taught it as senior cadets weeknight after weeknight and weekend after weekend.  It helped a lot and during the numerous times the CF has taught me map and compass navigation, or when I have had to use it in real life leading troops since that time I have not been worried about it. I wished GPS was around when I was a cadet and learned how to use it then as opposed to later in life. 

5) it taught me about the basics of leadership. I was able to use these theoretical and practical lessons learned in Cadets to grow as an officer in the Reg F. You will not find many other 16 year old young adults in Canada with 8-25 "subordinates" in the workplace. 

6) it taught me about comms. I was pretty comfortable with the AN/PRC-77 when I left cadets including voice procedure and troubleshooting that old POS, which I was quite fond. I am not sure this skill set is capitalized on in the cadet program anymore with the advent of TCCCS. 

7) it taught me first aid, a skill in cadets which we practiced all the time (inexpensive training I suspect).  Comfort with this skills has helped me (and my casualties) after I joined the CF.  Early exposure to first aid might have helped spawn my interest in joining the Medical Service. 

That being said, it is not an automatic ticket to the top or something that should be flaunted.  Just a skill set which should be tucked quietly in your back pocket. 

MC


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## Stefan_S (27 Aug 2012)

I see.

So I understand from a personal perspective, but from a recruiter's (or person who accepts or denies your application) perspective?

How many officers were cadets? I am not asking for details, but the general view of things. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

On a side note, I have a student that attends my high school who is part of the Air Cadets. He is overweight (2x the 17 year old standard), receives many bad marks, and is generally anti-social.

However, he has been a part of the Air Cadets since a young age, and has received a high rank. He always does a performance with a rifle during the Remembrance Day Assembly (often with a few mistakes  ).

He enjoys to flaunt about his cadet experience and how it will make him a great pilot, with me thinking he believes of an automatic entry. 

However, I doubt he is very intelligent, and looking at him exercising in gym class, performs poorly compared to the rest of the class.

Why does he expect to be a pilot? Automatic entry obviously doesn't exist, but I don't seem to think he has much of a shot at being a member of the CF, in his current state.

What are your thoughts on this cadet? How strict are entry guidelines? 

Thanks again for your replies.


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## aesop081 (27 Aug 2012)

Stefan_S said:
			
		

> Why does he expect to be a pilot?



Because of a steady diet, both at home and at school, of "you can be anything you want" instead of reality.


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## MedCorps (27 Aug 2012)

If you are an anti-social, fat, s-bag, with crappy marks no amount of cadet experience or rank will help you get into the Canadian Forces. 

In fact being in cadets might even hurt when questions are asked by the recruiter about your not-so-great achieved fitness tests / levels (I read the new program is called the Cadet Fitness Assessment and Incentive Program) while in the cadet program. 

MC


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## FJAG (27 Aug 2012)

I've sat on a few officer's boards and we look at numerous characteristics and attributes to determine if the individual will make a good officer. 

Cadet service offers very little in the way of skills or knowledge that matter as most of those things will be taught in the first few weeks of basic training. 

What it does offer however is an indication that the individual has shown a willingness to join a positive organization and (presumably) an ability to stick with something and see it through. If you will, its a way for a young person to show good citizenship. 

If its followed up with reserve service as a member then even better. 

Similarly we look at involvement in community service groups, a fundamental understanding of current events, the military's role in Canadian society, fitness, language abilities and other marks of maturity.

I think MedCorps is bang on. Take a look at what cadet service will do to develop you as a person. If the experience is positive (and assuming you meet all the mandatory requirements) it will let you know if the military is for you and will make you a little more prepared for the role of an officer.


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## mba2011 (27 Aug 2012)

What MedCorps said is bang on.

Speaking from my experience with cadets then the CF and applying as an Officer, it comes down to the maturity and personal qualities you demonstrate. While I don't know with absolute  certainty, the mere fact of having cadets on your resume doesn't distinguish you/give you much of an edge on other applicants. It is the attitudes, maturity, confidence etc that the person gained in cadets that will help them. Having your application against that other S-bag's the you mentioned, cadet experience wouldn't differentiate you from him; it would be the maturity and responsibility that comes across in your interviews. 

Having in been in Cadets didn't help me a ton during BMOQ or BMOQ-Land skills wise, No one cares if you can shoot a daisy air rifle. But its the personal traits that were what help the most. Even those aren't all applicable to the Real World Army, but they do help, and form a basis for what you'll learn later. 

My thoughts would be continue with cadets until you're able to apply for the Reserves and then go Reserve until you're ready to go Reg.

Again, these are just my thoughts and opinions.


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