Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Training
THIS ARTICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SPLIT OFF FROM THE MAIN Royal Canadian Sea Cadets ARTICLE. PLEASE SEE THAT ARTICLE FOR A COMPLETED SUMMARY OF RCSC TRAINING.
Training & Ranks of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets
The following are the rank badges of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets: In addition to the rank-specific criteria given below, all appointments are subject to the approval of the cadet's Commanding Officer, who GeneRally promotes based on the advice of Divisional Officers and unit training staff.
As a note, the official phrasing for the Petty Officer and Chief Petty Officer ranks is "Petty Officer Cadet First (or Second) Class," and "Chief Petty Officer Cadet First (or Second) Class." However, outside of Cadet Administrative and Training Orders (CATO), and Queen's Regulations and Orders (Cadets) (QR&O(Cdt)), custom elides "Cadet." Thus, Petty Officer First Class is the customary rendering. Generally, where there is a need to distinguish between cadets and Canadian Forces members, the NCO ranks will be written or spoken as Cadet Petty Officer First Class, abbreviated as C/PO1.
Additionally, while it is customary within the organization to refer to a cadet receiving a rank as being "promoted," the official documentation refers to such an act as an "appointment."
As this article covers the actuality of the RCSC, rather than its regulations, it will follow common usage throughout.
Badges |
Training & Promotion |
|---|---|
Ordinary Cadets undergo the Phase I training program, which includes introduction to most of the basic cadet skills, including safe and effective handling of rifles, sailing, camping, sports, and citizenship, as well as the basics of Corps life and Sea Cadets in general, including drill and uniform care. Successful cadets gain promotion to AC (cad2), so long as they meet these other prerequisites:
|
Badges |
Training & Promotion |
|---|---|
Able Cadets undergo the Phase II training program, which continues instruction in the subjects introduced in Phase I; successful cadets gain promotion to LC (cad1), so long as they meet these other prerequisites:
|
Badges |
Training & Promotion |
|---|---|
Leading Cadets undergo the Phase III training program, which focuses on leadership training, as well as sailing theory, an introduction to shearlegs, as well as continued instruction in naval knowledge, physical fitness, field training, citizenship, and drill; successful cadets gain promotion to PO2 (Cm2), so long as they meet these other prerequisites:
|
Badges |
Training & Promotion |
|---|---|
Petty Officers Second Class undergo the Phase IV training program, which includes advanced seamanship instruction, continued leadership training, and instructional technique, as well as continued instruction in naval knowledge, physical fitness, field training, citizenship, and drill; successful cadets gain promotion to QPO1 (Cm1(A)), so long as they meet these other prerequisites:
|
Badges |
Training & Promotion |
|---|---|
For promotion to PO1 (Cm1), a cadet must:
For promotion to CPO2 (Pm2), a cadet must:
For promotion to CPO1 (Pm1), a cadet must:
Cadet Coxswain
|
Summer Training
With the exception of the Speciality Courses and TWGT, each trade is divided into three "groups;" Trade Group I is an introduction to the course material, TG II adds a leadership component, and TG III adds instructional technique. Trade Group II course cadets also gain their St. John's Ambulance Standard First Aid certification, while all trades engage in physical training. All summer training course badges are worn midway on the upper right arm; only one is worn at a time.
GT |
|---|
|
Gunnery - Cannonier |
Boatswain - Manoeuvrier |
|---|---|
The Gunnery Trade covers adventure (field) training, drill and ceremonial, and physical fitness. The subjects include:
|
The Boatswain Trade covers skills in seamanship, small boat maintenance, small boat operation and marksmanship training. The subjects include:
|
Sail - Voile |
Music - Musique (admissible) |
|---|---|
The Sail Trade covers dinghy sailing and instruction. Subjects include:
|
The Music Trade covers MusicAL skills, focusing on military band. The subjects include:
|
Marine Engineer - Mécanicien de navire |
Shipwright - Charpentier de marine |
|---|---|
|
|
Athletic Instructor - Moniteur en athlétisme |
Silver Sail - Voile argentée |
|---|---|
|
|
Sea Cadet Summer Training Centres
Summer Training Centres, officially termed as either Sea Cadet Summer Training Centres or Establishments, and referred to colloquially year-round as "camps," and, by their ship's company over the summer, as "the base," provide additional training intended to support or complement that offered at the home unit from September to June. Across the board, cadets applying for summer training must have 75% attendance over the winter training year, as well as meeting certain course prerequisites.
STCs are staffed by members of the Canadian Forces, primarily members of the CIC, but also including other branches of the CF, and senior cadets selected for employment as staff cadets. Sea Cadet STCs are commanded by a CIC officer of the rank of Commander, with the exception of HMCS Avalon which is commanded by a Lieutenant Commander. Most employ cadets at the ranks of Leading Cadet through Chief Petty Officer First Class, with a single CPO1 being appointed as Cadet Cox'n. Staff cadets are paid at a percentage of a CF Naval Cadet's (officer trainee) basic pay.
Cadets undergoing training at these facilities, ("course cadets") live in barrack-style accommodations, varying from HMCS Quadra's forty-person bunkrooms to HMCS Ontario's residence-style double rooms.
STCs are commissioned as "stone frigates," which is to say, naval shore establishments granted much the same standing as a seagoing unit.
Current Summer Training Centres
|
- HMCS Quadra, located in Comox, British Columbia, is the second largest summer training facility. It employs close to 150 staff cadets every year, whose tasks vary from general maintenance to physical fitness to boat instruction. Quadra is the only Sea Cadet Training Centre in Canada to include all four trades plus three of the four speciality trades (Marine Engineering, Shipwright, and Silver Sail). HMCS Quadra occupies Goose Spit opposite Comox, and makes use of Highland Secondary School as an auxiliary training facility for classroom work, first aid, and music training. Cadets undergoing training as Boatswains and Marine Engineers also undergo training in damage control at CFB Esquimalt. HMCS Quadra plays host to a number of international exchange cadets. In recent years, these have included contingents from Korea, Japan, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. HMCS Quadra's website
- HMCS Ontario, located at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, is one of the smaller summer facilities in Canada. It is home to all four trades, but only includes the first level of training in the Boatswain course. And hosts the bi-service Athletic Instructor (AI) course. HMCS Ontario is more centred around physical fitness then most of the other Sea Cadet Training Centres. HMCS Ontario's website
- HMCS Avalon, located in St. John's, Newfoundland, is currently the smallest SCSTC in Canada. It only includes the first stage of the Sail trade and the first stage of the Music trade. HMCS Avalon's website
- HMCS Acadia, located in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, is the largest summer training facility. During the course of the summer, HMCS Acadia is home to roughly 1200 cadets who are undergoing training. Acadia provides training in all four trades and is known for a strong Royal Canadian Air Cadet presence amongst both course and staff cadets. HMCS Acadia, much like HMCS Quadra, hosts an international contingent. HMCS Acadia's website
- HMCS QUÉBEC, located in Ste-Angèle de Laval, Québec, is the only Sea Cadet camp that is entirely French. It trains cadets in all four trades plus the Shipwright speciality course. HMCS Québec occupies a school during the summer season. HMCS Québec's website(Link in French, only)
Additionally, cadets may apply for a number of tri-service courses, some hosted by Sea Cadet Summer Training Centres - as Athletic Instructor is at HMCS Ontario - and others held on Army or Air Cadet facilities. Currently, Athletic Instructor and various forms of music training are offered as tri-service to some extent. In past years the Air-heavy Introduction to Aerospace course was offered as tri-service; however, this seems to have lapsed.
Former Summer Training Centres
- HMCS Qu'appelle was located at the Echo Valley Conference Centre, formerly the Fort San sanatorium, near Fort Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan. HMCS Qu'appelle offered the introductory Two-Week General Training course, and the entirety of the Music and Sail courses. HMCS Qu'appelle last offered courses in 2002. HMCS Qu'appelle's website (Last updated 2001)
- HMCS Gimli, HMCS Qu'appelle's predecessor, was located in Hnausa, Manitoba.
Future ranks
Beginning in September of 2008, a new training programme will begin for Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. With this new training programme, the rank of cadet-Master Seaman will be incorporated within the programme. The proposed rank badge will be based on that of cadet-Leading Seaman, with the St. Edward's Crown over the anchor.
The rank of Qualified Petty Officer First Class will be eliminated.
References
See also
- Cadet Instructors Cadre
- Canadian Forces
- List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage
- Other Sea Cadet organisations
External references
- International Sea Cadet Association
- Forum des cadets de la marine
- Royal Canadian Sea Cadets' Website.
- Cadet World (Cadet Discussion Forum and Resource Site)
fr:Cadets de la Marine royale canadienne