Tristan Crossley

Australian Army Cadets

The Australian Army Cadets (AAC) is a youth organisation that is involved in training and adventurous activities in a military setting. The programme has more than 19,000 Army Cadets between the ages of 13 and 19 based in 237 units around Australia. The motto is "Courage, Initiative, Teamwork" and a recently added motto "respect". The cadet programme has strong links to the Australian Army and is a part of the Australian Defence Force Cadets. However, its members are not members of the Australian Defence Force by virtue only of their membership of the Australian Army Cadets. While cadets are encouraged to consider enlisting in the military, it is not required that they do so. Activities of the Army Cadets include navigation and orienteering, fun games, team-building games, field camps, ceremonial drill, radio communication skills, basic bush skills, first aid, equipment maintenance, participation in cadet bands, shooting the Australian Defence Force Service Rifle, the F88 Austeyr and the Australian Army Service Light Machine Gun, the F89 Minimi with one-on-one Army supervision.