Advanced Training

ADVANCED TRAINING

Expedition

Since 2000, the Army Cadet League of Canada and the Department of National Defence have sent Army Cadets on International Expeditions to Morocco, Australia, South Korea, Costa Rica, the United States, Mont Blanc, Italy, Spain and France. Army Cadets have had the opportunity to explore the Canadian landscape too through National Expeditions from coast to coast to coast.

Army Cadet Expedition is the premier Army Cadet activity challenging the best Army Cadets in Canada to the push their mental and physical limits. It is the culmination of at least four years of training for the cadets requiring a high level of fitness and maturity. This travel experience provides cadets the opportunity to put into practice self-reliance, leadership, and the spirit of adventure, as well as a sense of being Canadian!

Expedition activities challenge cadets to develop skills in field training, navigation, trekking, wilderness survival and leadership. Participation in expedition activities is mandatory at the local and zone levels. Senior cadets may also decide to take part in more advanced regional, national and international expeditions depending on their personal interest, skill level and desire to challenge themselves.

Skills include:

canoeing and kayaking
caving
climbing and mountaineering
cross-country skiing
hiking and backpacking
mountain biking
orienteering
rafting
ropes and challenge course

National Star of Excellence

NSE Points (PAGE)

The NSE is the most comprehensive assessment system ever offered to Army Cadets. The goal will be for all cadets, starting at the Gold Star year, to accumulate performance points through their involvement in mandatory and optional training. All cadets will be registered in the NSE, without exception, when they reach Gold Star.

There are 24 areas of assessment in the NSE, including leadership, instructional techniques, drill, expedition, navigation, wilderness survival, outdoor leadership, community service, physical fitness, music, marksmanship, citizenship, attendance, D of E, participation in optional teams, participation in the Colonel Robert Perron Award, achievement in zone, regional and national competitions, etc.

Some of the areas of assessment are mandatory for all to complete. Each cadet can also select from others areas of assessment based on their preference. Each area of assessment will be challenged individually to accumulate points.

There are 4 levels of NSE. To reach NSE Level 1 you must accumulate 450 points, for NSE Level 2 you need 750 points, for NSE Level 3 you need 900 points and for NSE Level 4 you need 1000 points. It will take roughly one year to achieve each level.

The name of all cadets that pass each level will be listed on a National NSE Honour Roll on Cadets.ca. As you accumulate more points, your name will climb the honour roll. You will be able to consult the honour roll at any time to compare your score with that of your friends in other corps and in other provinces!

The more you accumulate points and the higher you will be listed in the priority list that will be used to select candidates for advanced training, high level expeditions, international exchanges and awards.

The NSE will require hard work. You have to do more than show up. You need to achieve. Your personal mission will be to ensure that you accumulate enough performance points to be considered in priority for the advanced training activities you desire.

National Courses

Full-bore Marksman Phase 1
The Full-bore Marksman Phase 1 Course provides cadets an opportunity to develop as a specialist with the attitude, skills and subject matter knowledge required to participate in competitive full-bore marksmanship as an individual competitor. Activities include first aid, biathlon, team development and marksmanship. Cadets applying for this course should be 14–15 years of age, have achieved the Basic Marksman qualification and have successfully completed Silver Star.

Full-bore Marksman Phase 2
The Full-bore Marksman Phase 2 Course provides cadets an opportunity to develop as a specialist with the attitude, skills and subject matter knowledge required to participate in competitive full-bore marksmanship as a member of a competitive team. Activities include advanced marksmanship and adventure training. Cadets applying for this course should be 15–16 years of age, have achieved the Full-bore Marksman Phase 1 qualification and have successfully completed Gold Star.

Leadership and Challenge
The Leadership and Challenge Course provides cadets an opportunity to develop, through the use of unique advanced adventure training leadership and challenge development activities, as a self-aware outdoor leader with the skills and subject matter knowledge required to act as an activity leader at a Cadet Corps, Expedition Centre or Cadet Summer Training Centre (CSTC). Activities include wilderness first aid, outdoor leadership, and adventure activities such as biking, kayaking, horseback riding or mountaineering. Cadets applying for this course should be 15–16 years of age, have achieved a minimum of the Bronze Level of the Cadet Fitness Assessment Incentive Level, and have successfully completed Gold Star.

Canadian Forces Basic Parachutist
The Canadian Forces Basic Parachutist Course provides cadets an opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge to become a Canadian Forces Basic Paratrooper. Cadets applying for this course must be certified by a CF medical officer as being

physically and mentally fit, be 16 years if age by 1 July of the year of training and shall not have reached 19 years of age during the course, have no participation limitations which may preclude them from participating in intense level physical training activities in remote locations and in high altitudes, have achieved the minimum fitness requisite of 31 sit-ups and 7 chin-ups and a 1600 metre run in under 7:30 minutes, and have successfully completed Gold Star.

Corps Competition Teams

Marksmanship

The Cadet Marksmanship Program is a challenging and competitive sports program accessible to all cadets. It develops skills through superior training and Olympic-style competition. This is why every year, thousands of cadets participate in this fun and rewarding program.

Cadets have the opportunity to participate in a series of competitions at the local level that culminate in provincial/territorial competitions and an annual National Cadet Marksmanship Championship.

Set your Sights High

promote safe handling of rifles;
build self-esteem and practice focus;
promote sportsmanship, sport etiquette and self-discipline;
develops high level of marksmanship technical skills;
provide personal challenge and achievement opportunities.

Bullseye!
Many of our corps/squadrons have long reaped the benefits of competitive marksmanship programs at the local, zone, provincial/territorial and national levels. Whether your are aiming for success or achievement or just participating in a challenging sport - there are many ways to successfully hit your target!

What are you aiming for?
The cadet marksmanship program has a rich and long tradition of excellence going all the way back to 1910 when Canada sent a team of cadets to compete in Bisley, England.

Orienteering

Orienteering is a sport that combines physical fitness with the ability to navigate through wilderness using a map and compass. It can be both an individual or team challenge. As such, it touches on several aspects of cadet training – physical fitness, the ability to make decisions, navigation skill, map reading ability, travelling in the outdoors, confidence and discipline.

Orienteering team will consists of single cadets or teams of 2, navigating around a plotted course, marking punches in order or in the fastest time. Orienteering is a sport which matches up physical fitness and map reading skills. There will be weekend and evening practices where we will practice map reading as well as hiking through different terrain to train cadets in identifying hills, cliffs, trails and using that to their advantage when competing on the course. Cadets on this team will also learn the basics of setting up courses and competitions, and the different types of Orienteering courses.
The goal for the team is to complete the course is the shortest possible time. There are both Zone and Regional competitions in the fall to test a cadet’s skill.

Biathlon

Biathlon is a combination of cross-country skiing or running and marksmanship. It requires tremendous endurance and strength as well as skill and precision. Unpredictable elements including weather and wind conditions make this outdoor sport a fun and rewarding challenge that thousands of cadets participate in each year.
Cadet biathletes participate in a series of competitions at the local level that culminate in provincial / territorial competitions and an annual National Cadet Biathlon Championship.
Pursuit of Excellence - Cadet Biathlon Program

promotes physical fitness;
promotes sportsmanship, sport etiquette and fair play;
develops marksmanship skills;
provides personal challenge and achievement opportunities;
builds self-esteem

A Golden OpportunityMany of our cadet corps / squadrons have long reaped the benefits of competitive biathlon programs at the local, zone, provincial / territorial and national levels. Whether you are aiming for success or achievement in biathlon, physical fitness or just participating in an exciting sport - there are golden opportunities available through cadet biathlon.
What are YOU aiming for?This ever-popular program has produced many world class athletes, including Myriam Bédard and Jean-Philppe LeGuellec.