# I'm 16 and I just joined army cadets.......



## beyondsblue (19 Dec 2004)

I joined army cadets this Sept., so far it's been a great experience. But since I'm the oldest recruit in my platoon (I'm 16   :crybaby:and it feels really embarrassing), is there anyway I can finish my green star faster than the rest 12-year olds, and skip a rank (from private to master corporal)?
Also, would I have a chance to go on to cadet leadership camp instead of basic camp?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks


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## chrisf (19 Dec 2004)

Why not just leave cadets and join the reserves?


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## Tpr.Orange (19 Dec 2004)

good question?


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## ouyin2000 (19 Dec 2004)

talk to your officers and let them know how you feel about being in the same level as the 12 yr olds...if they're understanding enough, they will allow you to challenge your Green Star test, and possibly your Red Star test as well

also, it is possible to attend CL as your first summer camp, based on your age


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## M16 (19 Dec 2004)

I would join the reserves instead if I was 16.   I'm sure that being in the reserves is better than being in cadets.


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## catalyst (19 Dec 2004)

1. Welcome to the organization. 

2. Send a message through the chain of command to your TrgO asking to schedule a meeting

3. In Air Cadets, level one and level 2 can be combined for those over 14 years, however it is up to the CO. THere is no CATO dealing with army cadets, so this is the way to deal with it. Talk to your TrgO about your request and your wanting to take CL/I based on your age. 

4. Good Luck!


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## SavSC2004 (19 Dec 2004)

I was in that exact situation, I joined last year in November when I was 16.

I was allowed to write my green and red star levels in the same year.   During ACR I got promoted to Cpl, skipping Pte. This year I will be writing silver, Gold, AND doing my NSCE. I'll be skipping MCpl. and going right to Sgt.  It takes a lot of study and work but you certinly get it done! It also helps to be a fast learner...

As far as camp goes I'm pretty sure they wont put you on basic just because of your age.  For me they were going to put me right on to CL, CLI, or even Staff if I wanted as long as it wasn't instructional.

Talk to your CO, he/she may be able to do something for you.


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## Zirus (19 Dec 2004)

hey I suggest you Join the reserves! I just joined the reserves I'm 18  and so far its the best thing i have ever done!

1. its more of a challenge!
2. it brings me closer to my goal( join Jtf2 /// i need 2 years reg or 3 reserve)
3.you get payed for your time( Do not join for the money!! that would be the bigest mistake!) Join for other reasons
4.you might actually feel part of an organization!
5 you make friends For life!
6. Good experience

and It Looks awesome on your resume!( CV)


I hope I convinced you to join the reserve!
I guaranty you wont regret it


Soldat Fiset!


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## QOR-Sargent (20 Dec 2004)

If you talk to your officer thats the best thing to do!! Seriously it is.


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## Michael Dorosh (20 Dec 2004)

I joined at 15, but never really had a problem with the age differences; work hard and your NCOs and officers will notice.  I wouldn't approach them just yet, show them that you're worthy first.

I didn't join the Militia til I was 18; the age then was 17 but an extra year in cadets seemed to have been a bonus.  Not everyone feels the need to go Reserves the second they're old enough.  The only big difference is that the Militia pays you.


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## armygurl_557 (21 Dec 2004)

Yes you should talk to your Platoon WO and go though the chain f command, to show you do know some things about the RCACC. We have had many cadets who ended up in Sliver Star in their first year of Cadets. 

                                                                                                  Caroline


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## alan_li_13 (21 Dec 2004)

> I would join the reserves instead if I was 16.  I'm sure that being in the reserves is better than being in cadets.


I take EXTREME offense to that quote. I am 17, and I know for a fact that cadets is a great organization. I swear by the cadet system. If and when i have children, i hope they do it too. 
I can't really say much about Reserves because i dont know too much a bout it, but i think its absolutely wrong to say that either one is "better"


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## chrisf (21 Dec 2004)

The easiest and quickest way to sum it up is this $

I really don't have the interest in explaining in detail why you're being silly.


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## armygurl_557 (22 Dec 2004)

You really cant say that one Organization is better than another, because Unless you have been apart of both you dont know the true aspects or meanings of the other organization. Just because you see some downsides to Your organization it dosen't mean that the other organization is automatically better. I personally know some Reserves that say that if they could be Regular Cadet NCOs again then they would because they think its all easy, but we do alot of the same things, so its really not a big change. What I am trying to say is that You were trying to say that the Grass is Greener on the other Side.

                                                                                               Caroline


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## beyondsblue (28 Dec 2004)

I'm sure you are all wondering why don't I join the reserves if I'm 16 (turning 17 in a few months). Well, the reason's that I don't have a Canadian citizen card. Just recently, after 911, the CF changed its recruiting requirements, you have to be a Canadian citizen to apply for reserves or regular. The closest thing to army is cadet, where it's ok if you are a permenant resident.


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## Necro99 (30 Dec 2004)

I also want to join the army cadets. I am 16, but i can't join the reserves... i... um... I don't have my grade 10. I feel like a retard saying this. Let's say that i had alot of problems at school when i was young, because of my physical attributes. But snip that. I get my grade 10 next year, so i want to join the army cadets to be ready for the reserve. What's the closest base to Ile perrot?


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## beyondsblue (31 Dec 2004)

You can go to http://www.cadets.ca/directory-repertoire/intro_e.asp    for Cadet Unit Directory. Is it Army cadets that you want to join?


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## Necro99 (31 Dec 2004)

Yeah, i'm not a flyboy.


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## beyondsblue (2 Jan 2005)

lol... where do you live? If you live in Ottawa, you are more than welcome to join my corps.


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## John Wylie B811502 (2 Jan 2005)

Dont join the reserves at 16 like a lot of postings are advising. The drop out rate for kids your age is very high. The training is rigorous and you have to be very fit, especially aerobics. Give cadets a couple of years as I am sure your Training Officer can accelerate your progress if your capable and the CO agrees.
If you still feel like it then go ahead and sign up with the reserves. This is my own personal opinion based on personal experiences.


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## beyondsblue (10 Jan 2005)

Yeah, I will ask my CO this Wednesday about accelerating my process. Hope he agrees.


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## Saorse (11 Jan 2005)

I experienced the same thing, joining in as a nearly 15 year old cadet just about 3 years ago. It was tough at first, knowing that these 12 year olds were where they should be and that I already had the basic knowledge and capacity for at least silver, and it was my CO himself who came up to me and told me that I would be accelerated through the program. Now in my third year, just turning 17, I am writing the NSCE as a qualified Master Corporal, and regardless of the situation when I first started out, I wouldn't trade any of my cadet experiences, especially here in the Army League, for anything at all.

Speak to your CO; he'll definitely give you some insight.


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## beyondsblue (31 Jan 2005)

Yeah, my CO said something about get me (and all the 15yrs or older cadets) into red star, but I wanna ask him again this week and see if I can get FASTER-tracked.


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## Zedic_1913 (31 Jan 2005)

Typically cadets can be fast tracked through Green Star and Red Star in one training year, this would qualify a cadet for promotion up to Master Corporal.  Going from a Cdt to a MCpl in one training year (as it can take 2 to 3 years otherwise) would be quite an accomplishment, and personally I don't think further fast tracking would be appropriate.


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## Chang (2 Feb 2005)

cdt to mcpl in one year? damnnn took me 1.5 years to get from corporal to master and another year to sergeant


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## GGHG_Cadet (2 Feb 2005)

I agrre with C-17. It's taken me just about 3 years to get Sergeant. I joined when I was 11 and I thought I made it up pretty fast.


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## beyondsblue (2 Feb 2005)

Well, for 12 or 13 years old cadets, cadet to mcpl in one year is a bit too fast for them to handle all the responsibility that comes with the rank. However, 16 or 17 year-olds are a different case. Most of them have the maturity that younger cadets don't and are capable of doing what a 14 or 15 years olds would be doing. In my personal opinion, putting them with people 5 years younger is just a waste of time. Younger cadets require more explanation and take more time to learning things while older cadets get the ideas much faster.


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## beyondsblue (10 Feb 2005)

Well...I'm disappointed at the answer my CO gave me. He said that it's our corps' policy that everybody has to complete their green star first, then depends on your age and maturity, they'll put you in silver star the following year. Next year, I'll be in gr.12 and being in the silver star won't be a very rewarding experience... Maybe I should switch to another corps or even quit for something that's not worth my time.


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## Jonny Boy (10 Feb 2005)

do not quit. i know green star is boring but you will still have time to do your NSCE if you skip your red star so try that.


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## beyondsblue (10 Feb 2005)

NSCE is for gold star, right? My timeline, June, 2005 finish green star and Gr.11.
                                                                                   June, 2006, finish silver star and Gr.12. 
                                                                                   Sept,2006, start my gold star and first year at university.
                                                                                   Feb, 2007, turn 19 and will have to retire
By the end of this year, I should receive my citizenship card and I will see if I can join a reserve unit. My goals at cadets are 1.to learn as much interesting things as I can, 2.improve my fitness level, 3.develop my leadership potential and 4.make some mature friends. If I stay in green star, none of the four goals will be accomplished: 1.things they teach you in green star are too easy and the method they use is too retarded     2.you play sports with 12 year-olds....they're four heads shorter than you     3.they only teach you how to be a FOLLOWER in green star, not how to be a leader     4. mature friends.....hm....


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## Jonny Boy (10 Feb 2005)

gold star and nsce are both done in the same year. so in feburary 2007 you will have your nsce the gold star is half a year and the nsce goes from like late november to feburary. i say stay with cadets for as long as possible. it will make you much more prepared for the military.


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## beyondsblue (11 Feb 2005)

I e-mailed every corps in   my city (sea, air and army) yesterday evening. Until today morning, I received one reply, it's a sea cadet coprs. I'll copy it to here.


> Evening
> 
> We do fast track Cadets who start later. A lot of the work though would
> have to be self study at this point.
> ...



So....I think maybe the best thing i can do is switch to a corps which allows me to fast-track and study things on my own.


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## mcpl_spunky (16 Feb 2005)

Well if you want to be at a higher position than the (younger people) than you couldld ask your CO to maybe challenge a level. Heck I did. I joined cadets when I was 15  and now I am a MCpl. I am in silver star and I have already started my teaching year.

Translated by your friendly moderator.


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## beyondsblue (19 Feb 2005)

mcpl_spunky said:
			
		

> Well if you want to be at a higher position than the (younger people) than you couldld ask your CO to maybe challenge a level.


I did, but my CO said that it's against the policy and there hasn't be any exceptions.


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## ReserveRecce (21 Feb 2005)

I joined Army Cadets when I was 15, I came in two training nights before our Green Satr and passed it with flying  colors, following that I was promoted to Lance Corporal and placed in Silver Star. I wrote my Red star test and silver star test on the same night at the end of the year and passed both. I was promoted to Sergeant after that and finally got to the rank that all the people my age were at. Stick with Green star if you can't go any higher right now, I'm sure that your CO or a CI will see to it that your placed in the appropriate age group, just try to distinguish yourself and prove that you deserve to be fast tracked, it's not impossible it just takes a little extra effort.


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## rangers (11 Mar 2005)

quit cadets, go to reserves. thats the only reason im in cadets, it is because I want to have experience for when I get to go there.

Edited for spelling BY YOURS TRULY


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## ouyin2000 (11 Mar 2005)

you dont have to be a cadet first in order to join the reserves or Reg Force

if you are in cadets just so you can have a jump on everyone else when you join reserves, then you need to rethink why you are in cadets.

cadets is a learning experience for everyone involved. Almost everyone i have spoken to about it, is in for the friendships and learning, not just to get a jump in life


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## Thompson_JM (12 Mar 2005)

Very True.

Beyond that, I have found alot of cadets when they make the jump, tend to have great difficulty adjusting to being on the bottom of the ladder again. or they will try to make cadets sound bigger then it really was. "well i may only have 2 months in the reserves but i had 6 years in cadets..." Great. good for you. but here that doesnt mean anything. much like myself as a Reservist going to the reg force. PRes work counts for something, but not much in the Regs. 

anywho, to wrap up, go into cadets because you want to be in cadets. not to play wanna-be. all you do then is hurt the reputation of the truly awsome cadets who are out there.


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## Saorse (12 Mar 2005)

I also would be overly aggressive on becoming fast-tracked: it gives off the wrong impression to your seniors as to why you are in the corps.

Let your CO, TO, and the bunch decide what to do with your training, and absorb all that you can out of cadets: fast-tracking too fast now will only hurt you come NSCE.


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## Sh0rtbUs (12 Mar 2005)

rangers said:
			
		

> quit cadets, go to reserves. thats the only reason im in cadets, it is because I want to have experience for when I get to go there.
> 
> Edited for spelling BY YOURS TRULY



hahaha rangers, being a former Cadet is more likely to hurt you in the Reserves than help. I know a lot of former Cadets in the Army, and they would agree with me entirely. Dont fool yourself, Cadets and the Army are 2 totally different bags...


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