What happens at Army Cadets?

Cadets are young people, like you, who usually meet once a week after school at their Army unit, or on weekends. Our school based units do their training during school time and/or on weekends. You'll learn basic skills like bush survival, first aid and field craft, and heaps more. Here are just some of the activities you can get to check out:

    * CANOEING
    * ORIENTEERING AND MAP READING
    * CEREMONIAL DRILLS - you march on ANZAC Day and in other important ceremonies
    * COMMUNICATION SKILLS
    * BASIC BUSH SKILLS
    * FIREARMS TRAINING on ranges and in simulators
    * EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
    * LEARN TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT in an army cadet band
    * PHYSICAL EDUCATION
    * COMPUTER SKILLS; and
    * CITIZENSHIP

You can undertake tough adventure training and go bush, win marksmanship awards and qualify for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. As an Army cadet, you'll also get to visit Army camps and attend annual camps and participate in competitions during the school holidays.

"If I get a chance to talk about cadets or the Army, I usually do. Anyone I tell about cadets usually asks what we do, so I tell them the cool stuff, climbing on tanks, reserve weekends, annual camps etc."

"It really makes you proud to be in the Australian Army Cadets, especially when everything you learned shows everyone else that cadets is cool."

What about Uniforms, Equipment and Fees?

Army cadets is excellent value for money. You can try out some really challenging and amazing activities which are partly paid for by the Australian Government through the Army. Because of this investment, we hope you're serious about Army cadets and that you'll stay with your cadet unit for a reasonable period of time. But you can leave cadets at any time.

Another plus about becoming a cadets is that we provide all uniforms, equipment, accommodation and food and travel to and from camps. Cadets are issued with a full kit of equipment including:

    * CADET BLACK BOOTS
    * DISRUPTIVE PATTERNB CAMOUFLAGE UNIFORM called 'cams' like those worn in the Army
    * CEREMONIAL UNIFORMS, and
    * BASIC BUSH CAMPING GEAR.

But when you leave the AAC you must return your uniform and any equipment issued to you. You might need to purchase a sleeping bag and cold weather gear, and a raincoat to be comfortable in the field. To pay for some activities and fees, cadet units conduct fundraising activities. Each unit has its own fee structure or charges for certain activities.