Army Cadet Force: An Introduction

The following extract is from the Cadet Pocket Book 2024 Edition - find out more here

INTRODUCTION
The first Cadet Pocket Book, written by John Harris, was published
in 1981 and was designed to help cadets and Cadet Force Adult
Volunteers (CFAVs) get the most out of their time with the Army
Cadets. It has gone on to sell over 100,000 copies and is still
extremely popular today.
UPDATE 2023
Since its first release, there have been many revisions as the Cadet
Forces have changed to keep up with the modern world but 2020 saw
one of the biggest periods of change as a global pandemic stopped
face to face training for the first time in over a hundred years. This
pause on training brought about a whole array of changes to the
Army Cadets, from new systems for booking and running events, right
through to a completely new syllabus.
This release has been completely re-written by Dave Hazlewood to
bring the pocketbook right up to date and continue the good work
started by John Harris over 30 years ago.

AIDE MEMOIR
This pocket book provides general information and revision only
and is not a substitute for the official training manuals and resource
centre training aids. Instructors are encouraged to make full use of the
official materials provided and create lesson plans for all training.
At the time of publication, after extensive research, all information
contained in this publication is accurate to the best of our knowledge
and belief. Any feedback, comments or suggestions are always
welcome, so please feel free to contact us via our website:
www.cadetdirect.com

Dedicated to Major John Hobbis Harris (1927-2015)
Original author and creator of the Cadet's Pocket Book

IV
THE CHARTER OF THE ARMY CADET FORCE
The Army Cadet Force is a national voluntary youth organisation. It is
sponsored by the Army and provides challenging military, adventurous
and community activities. Its aim is to inspire young people to achieve
success in life with a spirit of service to the King, their country and their
local community, and to develop in them the qualities of good citizens.
This aim is achieved by:

Providing progressive cadet training, often of a challenging and
exciting nature, to foster confidence, self reliance, initiative, loyalty,
and a sense of service to other people.
Encouraging the development of personal powers of practical
leadership and the ability to work successfully as a member
of a team.
Stimulating an interest in the Army, its achievements, skills
and values.
Advising and preparing those considering a career in the Services or
with the Reserve Forces.
The motto of the Army Cadet Force
'TO INSPIRE TO ACHIEVE'
The Cadet Training Centre, Frimley Park, Camberley, Surrey

V
CHAPTER ONE
GETTING STARTED
Uniformed Youth Organisations
Becoming an Army Cadet
The ACF Detachment
Values & Standards
Security
Welfare
The Cadet Portal
Becoming an Adult Volunteer
CHAPTER TWO
STRUCTURE & ORGANISATION
ACF Structure
ACF Staff
CCF Structure
CCF Staff
Affiliation
Structure of the British Army
Organisation of the British Army
CHAPTER THREE
UNIFORM & APPEARANCE
What is Issued
Preparing Uniform
Wearing Uniform
Maintaining Uniform
Dress Regulations
Inspections
CHAPTER FOUR
TRAINING & EVENTS
Army Cadet Activities
Army Cadet Events
Getting Involved
Staying Away
CHAPTER FIVE
KIT & EQUIPMENT
Overview
Wash Kits
First Aid Kits
Boot cleaning & sewing kits
Full Kit List - Camp
Full Kit List - Field
Full Kit List - Expedition

CHAPTER SIX
PROGRESSION
Overview
Cadet Star Levels
Cadet Rank Structure
Cadet Qualifications
Cadet Badges
Advanced Cadet Roles
Adult Rank Structure
Adult Qualifications
CHAPTER SEVEN
ARMY CADET SYLLABUS
Introduction
Recruit Cadet
Basic Cadet
One Star Cadet
Two Star Cadet
Three Star Cadet
Four Star Cadet
CHAPTER EIGHT
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES
Intro to CFIT
Overview of CFIT Lessons
Identify & Plan Training
Deliver Training
Assess Cadets & Evaluate
CHAPTER NINE
MILITARY KNOWLEDGE
Introduction & Basic Overview
One Star Training MK Overview
Two Star Training MK Overview
Three & Four Star Training
CHAPTER TEN
DRILL & TURNOUT
Introduction
Drill Timing
Basic Training DT Overview
One Star Training DT Overview
Two Star Training DT Overview
Three Star Training DT Overview
Four Star Training DT Overview
CONTENTS

103
CHAPTER ELEVEN
FIELDCRAFT & TACTICS
Introduction
Basic Training FC Overview
One Star Training FC Overview
Two Star Training FC Overview
Three Star Training FC Overview
Four Star Training FC Overview
CHAPTER TWELVE
NAVIGATION
Introduction
Basic Training Nav Overview
One Star Training Nav Overview
Two Star Training Nav Overview
Three Star Training Nav Overview
Four Star Training Nav Overview
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EXPEDITION
Introduction
Basic Training Exp Overview
One Star Training Exp Overview
Two Star Training Exp Overview
Three Star Training Exp Overview
Four Star Training Exp Overview
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SKILL AT ARMS
Introduction & Basic Overview
One Star Training SAA Overview
Two - Four Star Training
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SHOOTING
Introduction
Firing Ranges
Grouping & Zeroing
The Marksmanship Principles
Basic Training SH Overview
One Star Training SH Overview
Two Star Training SH Overview
Three Star Training SH Overview
Four Star Training SH Overview

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
FIRST AID
Introduction & Primary Survey
Syllabus First Aid
Basic Training FA Overview
One Star Training FA Overview
Two Star Training FA Overview
Three Star Training FA Overview
Four Star Training FA Overview
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Introduction & Basic Overview
One Star Training CE Overview
Two Star Training CE Overview
Three Star Training CE Overview
Four Star Training CE Overview
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
KEEPING ACTIVE
Introduction & Basic Overview
One - Three Star Training KA
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ADVENTUROUS TRAINING
Introduction & Basic Overview
One Star Training AT Overview
Two Star Training AT Overview
Three Star Training AT Overview
Four Star Training AT Overview
CHAPTER TWENTY
COMMUNICATIONS
Introduction
Basic Training CIS Overview
One Star Training CIS Overview
Two Star Training CIS Overview
Three Star Training CIS Overview
Four Star Training CIS Overview
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
MUSIC
Overview
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
INITIALS, ACRONYMS & SLANG
Overview

1
CHAPTER ONE
GETTING STARTED
CONTENTS:

Uniformed Youth Organisations
Becoming An Army Cadet
The ACF Detachment
Values & Standards Of The Army Cadets
Security
Welfare
The Cadet Portal
Becoming An Adult Volunteer
REFERENCES:
Army Cadet Force regulations - AC14233
(Version 3.2.0 - November 2022)
Army Cadet Syllabus - AC71101
(Version 1.2 - July 2022)
Army Cadets Military Knowledge Training Manual - AC72158
(Version 1 - 2021)
Army Cadet Resource Centre via Westminster

2
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
UNIFORMED YOUTH ORGANISATIONS
There are five national voluntary uniformed youth organisations
sponsored by the Ministry Of Defence (MOD) in the UK. Each have
their own identity and specialise in skills practiced by their relevant
service but all of them do exceptionally good work in assisting young
people develop confidence and skills such as teamwork, leadership
and discipline.

The Army Cadet Force (ACF) - Army
The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) - Air Force
The Marine Society and Sea Cadets (MSSC) - Navy
The Volunteer Cadet Corps (VCC) - Navy
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) - Army, Navy & Air Force
The first four organisations focus on just one of the three Armed
Forces whereas the Combined Cadet Force has elements of all three.
Note: Although sponsored by the MOD, the cadet forces are not part
of the Armed Forces. Cadets and instructors are not expected to take
part in any military action and cannot be called up for service.
ARMY CADETS IN THE ACF AND THE CCF
The CCF Logo
The ACF Logo
ACF: The ACF specialises in Army related
training and is open to anyone above the age
of 12, local to one of the 1,600 detachments
spread out over the UK.
CCF: CCF units can run Army, Navy and Air Cadet
sections and are based in schools. Not all schools
run all three options but pupils can choose which
they would like to join out of what is available.
Army Cadets in the CCF are almost exactly
the same as those in the ACF and use the
same syllabus and are governed by the same
authorities. They both carry out the same
military style training as well as activities such
as expeditions and Adventurous Training (AT).
Information in this book relates more to the ACF
but most of it will be the same for the CCF.

3
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
BECOMING AN ARMY CADET
Anyone between the ages of 12 and 18 can become an Army Cadet
and join either the ACF or the CCF.
If you are lucky enough to have a CCF contingent in your school, you
will be able to join there and can apply to join direct.
JOINING THE ACF
If you do not have access to a CCF unit in your school, there is likely to
be an ACF unit very close to where you live that you can join instead.
The joining process is all done online and is extremely easy.
APPLICATION

Go to www.armycadets.com
Click on ‘Join Now’.
Enter your postcode and hit return. This will bring up a map of your
local area marked with the detachments (venues) closest to where
you live along with parade nights and times.
Find the one you would like to join and click ‘Join as a cadet’.
Here you will need to fill in the details for the person wanting to join
along with their parent/guardian details.
Once this has been done an email will be sent to the parent/guardian
which has the next steps of the joining process.
It is important to remember that this process is dealt with at a
national level before being sent on to the relevant county to process
so it might be a few days before you hear anything back.
For more info or to join go to the official ACF website:

4
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
VISIT
Once your application has filtered down to your local area, you will
receive an email from the person in charge of the detachment you
want to join (called a Detachment Commander or DC). They will explain
a bit more about the detachment and invite you in for an evening to
meet the staff and cadets and see how a normal cadet night runs. This
is always a bit daunting and requires some courage to go along but
once there, everyone does their best to make all potential new cadets
feel welcome and at ease.
TRIAL PERIOD
The first few parade nights are a great time to see how you enjoy it
and decide if it is something you want to continue with. Anyone can
leave or change detachment at any time so there is no pressure to
commit. Remember, everyone there has been through the same thing.
UNIFORM
Once you have decided to continue as an Army Cadet the
process moves along and you can be measured for your uniform.
Measurements can be done at home or at detachment and the sizes
will then be sent off to have your uniform ordered. Availability of
certain items can change so waiting times can vary.
Unless the detachment has some spare, you will not be issued boots
so you need to buy your own.
Note: More information on how to prepare, wear and look after your
uniform is in Chapter Three.

5
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED

Military Knowledge
Drill & Turnout
Fieldcraft & Tactics
Navigation
Expedition
Skill At Arms
Shooting
First Aid
Community Engagement
Keeping Active
Adventurous Training
Communications
Training is progressive and is measured in star levels. It should take
around three to six months to pass basic training and then start One
Star training. Initially most of your training and assessments can be
done at your detachment but, as you progress, more training will take
place at other locations on training weekends.
Note: More information about training and events can be found in
chapter four. More information about lessons and assessments can be
found from Chapter Nine onwards.
BASIC TRAINING
As soon as you start as an Army Cadet you will take part in lessons at
detachment. You start as a recruit or ‘basic training cadet’ and you will
take part in lessons and assessments on the following subjects:

6
THE ACF DETACHMENT
As you progress as an Army Cadet you will get lots of opportunities to
go away on training weekends and other activities but, initially, you
will do most of your training at your local detachment.
STAFF
The ACF is a non-profit organisation and most of the staff within
it are volunteers. Most staff have day jobs and are only part of the
Army Cadet Force in their spare time. On training events away from
detachment, volunteers receive a small payment called a volunteer
allowance, but the majority of what they do is unpaid. A lot of time
and effort goes into making sure things go as smoothly as possible
and create as many opportunities for the cadets as possible, but
please be patient if things don't always go to plan.
COSTS
All Army Cadet activities are heavily subsidised by the Ministry Of
Defence (MOD) which means they are always a lot cheaper than
you would find within other organisations. Any money taken after
expenses goes back into cadet funds which helps pay for extra
equipment, stationary and other items needed by the cadets.
Approximate Costs

Enrolment fee: A one off initial payment of around £10 may be
required to join.
Subs: Some detachments charge a small amount to parade each
night called 'subs'. This is normally no more than £1 - £2.
Snacks & drinks: 50p - £1.
Local events: Free or specific to activity.
Weekend training (all inclusive): £15 - £25.
Annual Camp 1 - 2 weeks: (all inclusive): £75 - £150.
WELFARE FUND
A welfare fund is also available for cadets parents/guardians that may
have difficulty to pay for events and can be applied for via Area or
County Headquarters.
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED

7
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
NAAFI
There will be a break around the middle of each evening to get snacks
and drinks. This is called NAAFI which stands for Navy, Army, Air Force
Institute and refers to the organisation that has provided catering,
retail and leisure to the Armed Forces for many years.
FORMAT
Evenings will be taken up mainly with training, but can also include
social events, sports nights and other variations. Each night will have
similar timings and format though:

Arrival: Meet up with friends and check uniform is looking good.
First parade: Normally led by a senior cadet, everyone forms up to
pay their subs (if required), have a uniform inspection and receive a
briefing on the evening's activities and any other important updates.
Training period one: Lesson or other activity.
NAAFI break: Chance to chat to friends and relax.
Training period two: Another lesson or activity.
Clear up: Taking time to keep the detachment clean and tidy.
Final parade: Similar to the first parade, cadets receive feedback on
the evening and get details of upcoming parade nights and events.
Leave: Instructors always wait until all cadets have been collected
(or set off on their journeys if they walk home).
POINT OF CONTACT (POC)
As volunteers, staff are not required to give out their personal
phone numbers so communication is generally done via email (staff
all have Army-Mail email accounts), closed social media groups and
at detachment. If you have serious issues, you can also contact the
detachment's Area Headquarters or the County Headquarters.
HOLIDAYS & DETACHMENT CLOSURES
All detachments are different but quite a few close during school and
national holidays and detachment staff will advise you of that. If staff
are sick or held up at work, there may also be the occasion when a
parade night is cancelled last minute so it is always worth checking
before leaving home that there are no last minute updates.

8
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
VALUES & STANDARDS OF THE ARMY CADETS
The British Army has a set of Values and Standards that form the
basis of how soldiers and officers at all levels should behave and act
in all situations. The ACF has a similar set of Values and Standards.
VALUES
Values are the beliefs that we need to adopt to help us make the right
decisions and do the right thing. Some may not seem natural to you,
so it is important to learn what they are and allow them to develop
who you are.
Use C DRILS to help remember the six values.
C: Courage: Have the physical courage to push on and not give up
when things are tough or scary such as a long expedition or using a
climbing wall for the first time. Have the moral courage to stand up
for what is right even if you think it will make you unpopular, such
as not allowing bad conduct from other cadets.
D: Discipline: Be self disciplined with things like looking after your
uniform and getting out of bed and ready on time. Stick to the
rules and regulations laid down to you when taking part in cadet
activities and respond to direction from instructors and officers.
R: Respect for Others: Treat others as you would like to be treated.
Avoid any discrimination against people of different gender, race,
religion etc. Listen to other people's views and keep an open mind.
I: Integrity: Always be honest and truthful and trust team members.
Admitting a mistake is much better than trying to hide it.
L: Loyalty: Being loyal to the people around you will help build trust
and allow you to achieve a lot more. Back team decisions and learn
how to work through differences. However, loyalty does not mean
accepting poor behaviour or conduct from friends or peers.
S: Selfless Commitment: Putting the needs of others ahead of your
own. This means looking out for those that are less fortunate than
you or that struggle with tasks that you find easy.
These values help us by building trust within ourselves and others we
come into contact with. Trust is broken when we let others know our
values but then do not stick to them.

9
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
STANDARDS
Standards are how we put our values into practice. They allow us to
act in the correct way to ensure we can always stick to our Values.
Use PLAD to remember the four standards.
P: Professional Behaviour: Our conduct should always be of a high
standard that shows respect for the uniform we wear. Even when
not in uniform, we should still act in a way that does not put the
ACFs reputation at risk.
L: Lawful Behaviour: We must abide by the law at all times. With
cadets, there are laws in place with regard to drinking alcohol and
smoking etc that also must be adhered to.
A: Appropriate Behaviour: Our behaviour must always be
appropriate and avoid any conduct that demonstrates a lack of
tolerance for any race, religion, gender etc. Bad language and views
that are biased must be avoided.
D: Duty of Care: This applies more to instructors and officers within
the ACF as they have a Duty of Care to all young people but cadets
can still look out for each other and report anything they feel may
be affecting the welfare of any fellow cadets.
Learn these values and standards and start to build them into how
you act as you develop as an Army Cadet or CFAV. The lessons learnt
here will transfer into everyday life, too, and will help in all aspects of
your future career and family life.

10
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
SECURITY
Anyone that is part of the military community in the UK has to take
security extremely seriously and, although not officially part of the
Army, UK Army Cadets wear the same uniform and can therefore
be mistaken for Regular or Reserve British Army soldiers. We must
therefore also be aware of this and take the necessary precautions.
THREAT LEVELS IN THE UK
In the UK, the government has five levels of threat which let people
know how likely a terrorist attack is.

Low - An attack is highly unlikely.
Moderate - An attack is possible but not likely.
Substantial - An attack is likely.
Severe - An attack is highly likely.
Critical - An attack is highly likely in the near future.
Note: When writing this book, the UK threat level was 'substantial'.
Threat from terrorists is now always a concern but criminal gangs may
also take an interest in someone with military connections.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Security is the responsibility of all cadets and CFAVs to protect
themselves from any form of attack and to avoid the leak of any
sensitive ACF or military information that could compromise security.

Uniform - Everyone feels proud to wear their uniform but there
may be occasions when it is not suitable, for example, when walking
through a busy town or city on the way to a parade night. If concerned
at all, travel in civilian clothing and then change at detachment.
Social media - Being on a Regular Army camp can be quite
exciting, especially if there are regular units conducting training.
It is important not to take photos of these things and there should
definitely not be anything posted on social media.
Cadets and CFAVs should also be careful if posting photos of
themselves in uniform on social media and photos posing with rifles
or looking very soldier-like should be avoided.

11
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED

Talk - Be careful what you are talking about in public, especially
when discussing camps, unit locations and exercises you may
have seen. Within the ACF there are also sensitive issues so avoid
discussing them in public places where you may be overheard.
Documents - Careful handling of documents is important to avoid
information being seen by the wrong people (see page 299 for
details on security classification). Data protection rules also have to
be followed to keep individuals personal details safe. A breach of this
could also lead to legal action being taken.
There are a lot more measures that can be taken and many more
examples of situations where security is important, but hopefully this
has given a brief insight and will make you think more in the future.
WELFARE
The primary role of all CFAVs, regardless of rank or job role, is to
look after the welfare of young people, even if not under their
direct supervision. This means that training and cadet activities are
secondary to the welfare of the people taking part. CFAVs also have a
responsibility to look after the welfare of other adults.
Welfare issues can range from serious problems at home or at school
through to general health and safety concerns on training weekends
or when at detachment. Full training is given to all CFAVs and this
training is revised and assessed annually to make sure they are
prepared to deal with anything they may encounter.
TALK
Cadets should feel that they can talk to their instructors about any
problems or worries, even if they are happening away from the ACF
environment. The ACF is a family and everyone involved is committed
to looking out for each other and helping deal with issues.
Cadets can also talk to the following organisations:
NSPCC - 0808 800 5000
Childline - 0800 1111
CFAVs should also feel that they can talk to their fellow instructors or
officers that they feel comfortable with.

12
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
THE CADET PORTAL
Cadets and CFAVs have access to the cadet portal which is a great
online resource that allows individuals to manage their cadet
experience. Available through a computer, tablet or mobile phone
there is a whole array of options.
PERSONALISE

Choose what information you see.
Set favourites.
Make it your own.
Search for events and courses.
One click to show you're interested in taking part.
Get event details such as dates, times, location etc.
ACTIVITIES
Track your star level progress.
View current rank and qualifications.
See what next steps are available to you.
TRACK YOURSELF
Get news and info on everything that interests you.
Customise your notifications to only get what you want.
Choose to receive updates by text or email.
NOTIFICATIONS

13
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
Sign up here:
www.portal.cadets.mod.uk

Click on 'create account'.
Click 'yes' to say you are current serving MOD personnel.
Fill in the relevant details.
Read and confirm you have read SyOps & JSP740 and submit.
Check your emails and verify.
Login using your details but DO NOT click 'Continue to defence
gateway' after verification.
Go to www.portal.cadets.mod.uk and login there.
WESTMINSTER
CFAVs are all issued with an Army Mail email account and have access
to Westminster which is an online resource available through the MOD
Defence Gateway. Full training is given and it is an extremely useful
tool to manage everything to do with the ACF.
Here are just a few things that can be done:
Send and receive emails via Army-Mail.
Access training manuals, lesson aids and assessments.
Access event forms, documents and guidelines.
Book on courses and events and set up your own.
Do online learning modules and pre-course training via the 'Defence
Learning Environment (DLE).
Record parade night and event attendance and claim VA payments.
Monitor cadet progress and update records.
SIGN UP
CFAVs have automatic access to the cadet portal but cadets will need
to register online.
Before starting you will need the following:
Email address of parent/guardian that can easily be accessed.
Cadet ACF service number (detachment commander can provide this).
Service number will need to have been active for at least 24 hours.

14
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
BECOMING AN ADULT VOLUNTEER
Subject to strict background checks and security screening, anyone
above the age of 18 can become a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer
(CFAV). No military or cadet background is required as full training will
be given.
There are three options available:

Non Uniformed Volunteer (NUV) - Supervise and assist.
Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) - Supervise and Instruct.
Officer - Manage, plan and lead.
The choice between these 3 options is down to personal preference
and background which is explained in more detail below.
NON UNIFORMED VOLUNTEER (NUV)
The role of the non uniformed volunteer is not always explained
enough to potential new volunteers but it is an extremely important
and useful role which requires the least commitment.
Background and security checks are done, as with all volunteers, but
beyond that there is very little training. Volunteers do not wear a
uniform or receive any VA (Volunteer Allowance) payments, although
travel expenses can be claimed. They are not allowed to teach cadets
but there are lots of useful tasks that can be carried out such as:

Supervise cadets
Clean & tidy detachments
Operate the tuck shop (NAAFI)
Help with detachment admin
Become a minibus driver
Act as a first aider
Shop for detachment items
Monitor detachment accounts
Run camp guard rooms
Perform fire checks
Maintain stores & equipment
Run closed social media groups
The most suitable people for this role would be parents of cadets,
older members of the community, people with busy work schedules
that cannot commit to lots of training or anyone who just wants
to be involved but does not want to go though the full training to
become an instructor.
It is also an ideal way to join the organisation and get a feel for how it
works before taking the next step to becoming a full instructor.

15
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER (NCO)
These are the backbone of the Army Cadets and work tirelessly to
make sure our cadets are looked after and have great fun taking part
in all of the amazing activities provided.
Background and security checks are done as with all volunteers but
then full instructor training is given. No military or cadet experience
is required as the comprehensive training package covers all of the
lesson material as well as how to teach it.
Those that do have military or cadet experience will normally go
through the same process to make sure everyone is at the same
standard. It is also important to see how certain lessons are taught
from a CFAV perspective rather than that of an ex-soldier or ex-cadet.
Once fully trained and qualified, Sergeant Instructors (SIs), can do
all of the things that a NUV can do but can also book, plan and run
events, teach cadets up to a reasonable level and move onto more
specialist courses in subjects such as Navigation, Shooting or First Aid.
Being an adult volunteer is extremely rewarding and is a great way
to make new friends, develop leadership skills and gain qualifications
that are recognised in civilian life.

16
APPLICATION
Whichever role is being applied for the process starts off the same.

Go to www.armycadets.com
Click on ‘Join now’.
Enter your postcode and hit return - This will bring up a map of your
local area marked with the detachments (venues) closest to where
you live along with parade nights and times.
Find the one you would like to join and click ‘Join as a volunteer’.
Here you will need to fill in the details required and answer a few
simple questions.
Once this has been done an email will be sent to you which has the
next steps of the joining process.
It is important to remember that this process is dealt with at a
national level before being sent on to the relevant county to process
so it might be a few days before you hear anything back.
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
OFFICER
Officers are senior in rank to other CFAVs and are responsible for
planning events, leadership and management of adult instructors
and other admin related tasks. They do not always have the time
to interact with the cadets as much but make a real difference by
ensuring that things run smoothly in the background.
It is possible to join the organisation as an officer but, for anyone that
has no previous experience, it is a good idea to spend some time as a
Sergeant Instructor first. Ex-Regular or Reserve officers may be able
to carry their commission over to the ACF although it may not be at
their previous rank.

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CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
ADULT JOINING PROCESS
After your initial application has been submitted things start to
get moving behind the scenes. This is a general overview of what
happens next:

Application screened and sent onto the County Headquarters of the
requested detachment.
An open evening may be organised for new applicants at this point.
County Headquarters process the application and send it onto the
Area Headquarters of the requested detachment.
The Area Headquarters staff make contact with the applicant and
arrange a convenient time for an initial interview.
Initial interview takes place (normally at the Area Headquarters)
between the applicant and the Area Commander.
If all is good at this point, the application is passed back to the
County Headquarters for the relevant checks to be done and for the
applicant to be set up on the ACF's 'Westminster' computer system.
Relevant checks such as Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS),
security and vetting are carried out which can take quite a long time.
A familiarisation day or weekend is organised for any new applicants
to explain the joining process and training schedule. These are low
pressure, fun events that allow applicants to ask questions and meet
staff and other new recruits. Those that continue from here sign an
Adult Volunteer Agreement and are 'boarded'.
Once all of the above has happened and the relevant checks have
been returned with no concerns, applicants are allowed to parade at
their chosen detachment. An Army number (PNumber) is allocated,
uniform is issued and the applicant is officially a Probationary
Instructor (PI) ready to start training.
Probationary Instructor (PI)
PIs are allowed to assist with lessons and
supervise cadets but are not permitted to teach
alone or plan events.
They wear the first PI rank slide which has a red
stripe across it and the initials PI.

18
CHAPTER ONE: GETTING STARTED
INITIAL CFAV TRAINING
Here is a general outline of the different elements of PI training:

Basic Induction Course (BIC): Run over several weekends or a
complete week, this introduces PIs to life in the ACF and covers
lessons relevant to basic training cadets.
Basic Westminster User Course: Training on the official Army
Cadet website called 'Westminster' which is hosted through the
MODs Defence Gateway. Instructors can access resources, perform
admin tasks and send/receive emails via an Army-Mail email address.
Red Book Test: All CFAVs are issued a small reference booklet called
'The Red Book' that has important information regarding safety,
safeguarding and dealing with emergencies. An annual open book
test must be done by all CFAVs.
Responsible For Information (RFI): An online course that deals
with security of information which must be completed by all
CFAVs annually.
Safeguarding: Made up of an online course and a face to face
briefing, all CFAVs need to complete this annually.
D of E e-induction: Introduction to the Duke of Edinburgh award
scheme which allows instructors to assist on expeditions.
Intermediate Induction Course (IIC): Further development of
instructional techniques and one star lessons. Run over weekends or
a full week, once completed, a new rank slide is issued (See page 74).
First Aid At Work (FAAW): This is an official qualification that
allows instructors to teach first aid up to two star level and provide
first aid cover at events or when on a range etc.
Shooting & Coaching course: A short course to allow CFAVs to
assist cadets shooting.
Advanced Induction Course (AIC): This is normally a week long
course run by Regular Army Soldiers and experienced CFAVs. It is
designed to finish the PI training to a level where they can look after
cadets and comfortably teach most subjects up to two star level.
New recruits are given up to 2 years to complete all the above, some
of which can be done from home.

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Army Cadet Force: An Introduction