New Zealand Cadet Corps

The New Zealand Cadet Corps (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.

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 Glen Stokes 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 38 New Zealand cadet Corps Units in New Zealand. They are:

Northern Area:


 * Hamilton's Fraser High School Cadet Unit (HFHSCU)
 * Opotiki College Cadet Unit (OCCU)
 * Papakura Cadet Unit (PapCU)
 * Rotorua District Cadet Unit (RDCU)
 * City of Auckland Cadet Unit (CACU)
 * Kerikeri Cadet Unit (KCU)
 * Hamilton City Cadet Unit (HCCU)
 * City of North Shore Cadet Unit (CNSCU)
 * Maungarei Cadet Unit (MCU)
 * Waitakare City Cadet Unit (WCCU)
 * Te Awamutu Community Cadet Unit (TACCU)
 * Kaipara Community Cadet Unit (KCCU)
 * Western Bay of Plenty Cadet Unit (WBoPCU)
 * Whangarei District Cadet Unit (WhanDCU)
 * Southern Cross Cadet Unit (SCCU)
 * Mangawhai Cadet Unit (MwiCU)

Central Area:


 * Wellington City Cadet Unit (WelCCU)
 * Gisborne Cadet Unit (GCU)
 * City of Porirua Cadet Unit (CPorCU)
 * City of Upper Hutt Cadet Unit (CUHCU)
 * City of New Plymouth Cadet Unit (CNPCU)
 * Taumaranui Cadet Unit (TCU)
 * City of Lower Hutt Cadet Unit (CLHCU)
 * Ruahine Cadet Unit (RCU)
 * Wairoa District Cadet Unit (WDCU)
 * Rangitikei Ruapehu Cadet Unit (RRCU)
 * City of Napier Cadet Unit (CNapCU)
 * Taupo Cadet Unit (TaupoCU)
 * Palmerston North Cadet Unit (PNCU)
 * Feilding Cadet Unit (FCU)
 * Wanganui Cadet Unit (WCU)

Southern Area:


 * Ashburton Cadet Unit (ACU)
 * Nelson cadet Unit (NCU)
 * City of Christchurch Cadet Unit (CCCU)
 * City of Dunedin Cadet Unit (CDCU)
 * Invercargill Cadet Unit (InverCU)
 * Motueka Cadet Unit (MotCU)

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)
 * Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM)

Cadet Members


Cadets can join from the age of 13, and may serve as a Cadet or Cadet NCO until their 18th birthday. Under Officers may serve up until their 21st 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 annually, but are normally between $10.00–$30.00 per term. 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 (U/O).

The exception is that Under Officer is not a rank in the NZ Army. The U/O 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 though 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 Major the officer must have served as the commanding officer of a cadet unit. Officers are unpaid volunteers, therefore they receive no pay for routine parades and unit activities. They are paid when attending training course 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 the 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.

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. There is a national bushcraft course held either at Dip Flat near RNZAF Base Woodbourne or at the Waiouru Army Camp.

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
 * 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

Tri-Corps courses

 * Junior NCO course
 * Senior NCO course
 * Warrant officers' course
 * Under officers' course
 * Cadet bushcraft 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

 * Area Cadet Skills Competition
 * Fennell Cup Shooting Trophy (Commonwealth Award)
 * Gunson Cup Shooting Trophy
 * National Cadet Skills Competition