Australian Defence Force Cadets
| Australian Defence Force Cadets | |
|---|---|
 The Badge of the ADFC | |
| Active | 1976 – Present |
| Role | Volunteer Youth Organisation |
| Headquarters | ADF Cadets |
| Commanders | |
| Head Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Divisions | Rear Admiral Bruce Kafer |
The Australian Defence Force Cadets (ADFC) (Known as the Australian Service Cadet Scheme until 2001) consists of three Australian Defence Force affiliated community-based, youth development organisations of approximately 22,000 cadets and 2,200 cadet staff in 464 units and squadrons across Australia. Coordination of the Australian Defence Force Cadets is via the ADF HQ unit called Reserve and Youth Division, with Commander ADF Cadets - directly accountable to VCDF. The ADFC is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Defence, in partnership with the community.
The Australian Defence Force Cadets have been a large part of the Australian community since the 19th century. After the cadets were re-raised in 1976 the three cadet services were grouped together as the Australian Services Cadet Scheme, beforehand the three organisations were run under the directions of single service policy, in 2001 the name was changed to the Australian Defence Force Cadets as recommended by a review. While the Australian Defence Force Cadets is sponsored by ADF (Australian Defence Force) and runs under a similar rank structure, uniform and training activities, the ADFC is not an official branch of the Defence Force and runs in accordance with the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict which Australia has signed.
Cadet units are referred to differently depending on the parent service. Air Force Cadet units are referred to as Squadrons, Navy Cadet units are referred to as Training Ships and Army Cadet units are referred to as Army Cadet Units. The ADFC encompasses three organizations:
- Australian Navy Cadets (ANC)
- Australian Army Cadets (AAC)
- Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC)
ADFC Ranks
Officer of Cadets (OOC) ranks
| Australian Navy Cadets (ANC) | ||||||
| Insignia |  |
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| Rank | Sub Lieutenant ANC |
Lieutenant ANC |
Lieutenant Commander ANC |
Commander ANC |
Captain ANC | |
| Abbreviation | SBLT, ANC |
LEUT, ANC |
LCDR, ANC |
CMDR, ANC |
CAPT, ANC | |
| Australian Army Cadets (AAC) | ||||||
| Rank | Second Lieutenant AAC |
Lieutenant AAC |
Captain AAC |
Major AAC |
Lieutenant Colonel AAC |
Colonel AAC |
| Abbreviation | 2LT (AAC) |
LT (AAC) |
CAPT (AAC) |
MAJ (AAC) |
LTCOL (AAC) |
COL (AAC) |
| Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) | ||||||
| Insignia |  |
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| Rank | Pilot Officer (AAFC) | Flying Officer (AAFC) | Flight Lieutenant (AAFC) | Squadron Leader (AAFC) | Wing Commander (AAFC) | Group Captain (AAFC) |
| Abbreviation | PLTOFF(AAFC) | FLGOFF(AAFC) | FLTLT(AAFC) | SQNLDR(AAFC) | WGCDR(AAFC) | GPCAPT(AAFC) |
Instructor of Cadets (IOC) ranks
| Australian Navy Cadets (ANC) | ||||||||
| Insignia |  |
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| Rank | Able Seaman ANC (Inactive rank) |
Leading Seaman ANC (Inactive rank) |
Petty Officer ANC | Chief Petty Officer ANC | Warrant Officer ANC (Inactive rank) | |||
| Abbreviation | ABANC | LSANC | POANC | CPOANC | WOANC | |||
| Australian Army Cadets (AAC) | ||||||||
| Rank | Unit Assistant AAC | Lance Corporal AAC | Corporal AAC | Sergeant AAC | Staff Sergeant AAC (Former rank) |
Warrant Officer Class Two AAC | Warrant Officer Class One AAC | |
| Abbreviation | UA (AAC) |
LCPL (AAC) |
CPL (AAC) |
SGT (AAC) |
SSGT (AAC) |
WO2 (AAC) |
WO1 (AAC) | |
| Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) | ||||||||
| Insignia |  |
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| Rank | Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman (AAFC) | Leading Aircraftman/Leading Aircraftwoman (AAFC) | Corporal (AAFC) | Sergeant (AAFC) | Flight Sergeant (AAFC) | Warrant Officer (AAFC) | ||
| Abbreviation | AC/W(AAFC) | LAC/W(AAFC) | CPL(AAFC) | SGT(AAFC) | FSGT(AAFC) | WOFF(AAFC) | ||
Cadets ranks
| Australian Navy Cadets (ANC) | |||||||||||||
| Insignia | (No insignia) |  |
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| Rank | Cadet Recruit | Cadet Seaman | Cadet Able Seaman | Cadet Leading Seaman | Cadet Petty Officer | Cadet Chief Petty Officer | Cadet Warrant Officer | Midshipman ANC | |||||
| Abbreviation | CDTRCT | CDTSMN | CDTAB | CDTLS | CDTPO | CDTCPO | CDTWO | MIDN, ANC | |||||
| Australian Army Cadets (AAC) | |||||||||||||
| Rank | Cadet Recruit | Cadet | Cadet Lance Corporal | Cadet Corporal | Cadet Sergeant | Cadet Staff Sergeant (Former rank) | Cadet Warrant Officer Class Two | Cadet Warrant Officer Class One | National Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major | Cadet Under Officer | Regional Cadet Under Officer | National Cadet Under Officer | |
| Abbreviation | CDTREC | CDT | CDTLCPL | CDTCPL | CDTSGT | CDTSSGT | CDTWO2 | CDTWO1 | NATCDTWO | CUO | RCUO | NATCUO | |
| Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) | |||||||||||||
| Insignia |  |
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| Rank | Cadet | Leading Cadet | Cadet Corporal | Cadet Sergeant | Cadet Flight Sergeant | Cadet Warrant Officer | Cadet Under Officer | ||||||
| Abbreviation | CDT | LCDT | CCPL | CSGT | CFSGT | CWOFF | CUO | ||||||