Marine Society and Sea Cadets

The MSSC (Marine Society & Sea Cadets) is the parent charity of the Sea Cadets and of The Marine Society and an independent charity and NOT an MOD department. It is also the base of the Captain of the Sea Cadet Corps (CSC), currently Captain Mark Windsor who is a serving Captain of the Royal Navy. He is also the Director of Operations. MSSC is based in London near Westminster at 202 Lambeth Road SE1 7JW. This is where all nationally made decisions, such as the Sea Cadet Regulations and other such items are made. The MSSC is a charity formed in 2004 with the merger of The Marine Society and the Sea Cadet Association. The Sea Cadet Corps is a British voluntary uniformed youth cadet organization and the first named organization of its kind. It consists of about 400 units and 14,000 young people learning nautical and life skills. The first Sea Cadet Unit was established in Whitstable in 1854. The Marine Society was established in 1756. Both share very similar beginnings, to support young, destitute orphans and boys, clothe and educate them, and train them with a skill. Many of the Marine Society boys went on to be apprenticed on Royal Naval ships, including Nelson's Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Organization of the Sea Cadet Corps
The Sea Cadet Corps from Headquarters is divided into six areas (Northern, Northwest, Eastern, London, Southern and South West). The areas have an Area Officer (AO) as it were a commanding officer (Normally a Serving Commander in the Royal Navy or a Lieutenant Colnel in the Royal Marines. Each area is split into districts, normally there are about six or seven districts in an area. Districts are controlled by District Officers (usually a Lieutenant Commander (SCC) RNR), with the assistance of the Deputy District Officer (DDO) and in some districts an Assistant District Officer (ADO) in conjunction with the District Training Officer and the District Juniors Officer. Together they make the District Staff. Normal officers and instructors can apply to be Area Staff Officers and Headquarters staff officers in individual subjects such as Piping, Drill and Ceremonial, Boating, etc. They apply to Headquarters for the position and then they are interviewed and the new Headquarters Staff Officer (HQSO) is selected.

The SEA CADET PROMISE
"I promise to serve my God, the Queen, my Country and the Sea Cadet Corps and to obey the orders of my superior officers.

I will be proud of my uniform, be smart and seamanlike in wearing it and always do my duty."

This is said by a cadet at promotion from a New Entry to a Cadet

Ranks and Rates in the Sea Cadet Corps
From the junior cadets age 10 and above the ranks start as Junior Second Class, Junior First Class and Junior Leading. Those are the junior cadet ranks. They are just an introduction to the Sea Cadets from age 10 to 12.

After the juniors section cadets move on to a New Entry which is the probationary period toward becoming a senior enrolled cadet. Age 12 and above. Juniors can do their New Entry (NE) training when they are juniors and can be promoted to Cadet (Cdt) as soon as they turn 12 years old.

When a fully enrolled cadet can say the Sea Cadet Promise they become a Cadet (no star) and from then can achieve Cadet 1st Class (one star), after this they will progress to Ordinary Cadet normally when they are 13 about one rank every year. For example: Ordinary Cadet (SCC) J Bloggs

Promotion to Able Cadet comes at approximately 14. This is the start of the Senior Ratings, where the Able Cadet will be the Duty Leading Hand (DLH) and take responsibility at Colours and Evening Colours and insure the smooth running of the ship. As an Able Cadet takes on more responsibility, teaches lessons and controls bad behaviour by junior and younger cadets that may not be as mature as the Able Cadet.

Promotion to Leading Cadet requires going away on a Board / Examination to pass. This must be done at a district level and can not be done by the ship's Commanding Officer / Officer in Charge. Candidates must be 15 years old to achieve this rank and also must have certain qualifications before the promotion in conjunction with ASCR (Appendix to the Sea Cadet Regulations) 1 - Training Instructions (TIs.)

The final and most senior cadet rank of the Sea Cadet Corps is Petty Officer Cadet (POC) also just known as Petty Officer. Candidates must be 16 years old and have been a Leading Cadet for at least six months to become a POC. Promotion again requires going to a Board / Examination course at district/area/national level to become the rank and certain qualifications.

Staff of the Sea Cadet Corps
Sea Cadet Staff must always use SCC in brackets after their rank such as: Lieutenant Commander (SCC) to show they are part of the Sea Cadets and not the Royal Navy itself. Also they must have RNR (Royal Naval Reserve if it is an officer or Warrant Officer such as: Lieutenant Commander (SCC) J K Bloogs RNR. The ranks of the Sea Cadet over 18 year old staff members:
 * Unit Assistant (UA)


 * Civilian Instructor (CI)


 * Training Instructor (TI)


 * Probationary Petty Officer (PPO) or Acting Petty Officer (APO)
 * Petty Officer (PO) (SCC)


 * Chief Petty Officer (CPO) (SCC)


 * Warrant Officer (WO2) (SCC) RNR
 * Warrant Officer (WO1) (SCC) RNR - only one per area (total of 6 in the sea cadets excluding HQ Warrant Officers)


 * Midshipman (SCC) RNR


 * Sub-Lieutenant (S-Lt) (SCC) RNR
 * Lieutenant (Lt) (SCC) RNR
 * Lieutenant Commander (SCC) RNR
 * Commander (SCC) RNR

The Sea Cadets have recently brought in the rank of Commander. There are only 7 in the UK so far. All SCC Commanders are the area Senior Staff Officers (SSO). The Royal Naval Reserves can go up to a Commodore RNR.

Sea Cadet Officers wear the RNVR uniform, the current RNRs have the Royal Navy Rank Insignia however the small R in the bottom of the cuff has been recently removed from RNR Uniform.