Cadet A cadet is a trainee . The term is frequently used to refer those training to become an officer in the military , often a person who is a junior trainee . Its meaning may vary between countries . The term is also used in civilian contexts and as a general attributive , for example in its original sense of a branch of a ruling house which is not currently in the direct line of succession . Etymology . The term comes from the French term " cadet " for younger sons of a noble family . Military context . In Commonwealth countries , including the United Kingdom , a " cadet " is a member of one of the cadet forces . In the United Kingdom these are the Combined Cadet Force , the Sea / Royal Marine Cadets , Army Cadet s and the Air Training Corps . Military officers in training are called " officer cadets " . In Canada , the term " cadet " refers to an officer in training , with the official rank names as Officer Cadet for the Air Force and Army and Naval Cadet for the Navy . It also refers to any member of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets , Royal Canadian Air Cadets or Royal Canadian Sea Cadets . These three organizations are volunteer youth groups administered by the Department of National Defence . In Germany , the rank " Cadet " ( ) only exists in the German Navy for officers in training . In the Army and the Luftwaffe , officers in training usually have the rank of a " Fahnenjunker " or Ensign ( German : " Fähnrich " ) before they are promoted into the rank of a Lieutenant . In the Philippines , the term cadet is used in mostly military attached organizations , but it is more distinctive in the service academies of the Philippines , such as these are the Philippine Military Academy ( PMA ) , the Philippine National Police Academy ( PNPA ) , and Philippine Merchant Marine Academy ( PMMA ) . Graduates of these service academies , are automatically given officer commission in the Armed Forces of the Philippines , the Philippine National Police , Philippine Coast Guard , the Bureau of Fire Protection , and Bureau Of Jail Management and Penology . Graduates of PMMA are given reserve officer status in the Philippine Navy and mostly go to private shipping firms . The term cadet is also applicable to the enrollees of Citizen ' s Army Training ( for high school ) and Reserve Officer Training Corps ( for college ) . Service academy cadets are thought to be between the NCO and Officers ranks , and NCO consider cadets as rank higher to them . In Ireland , a " Cadet " is a pupil of the Military College , which carries out officer training for the Air Corps , Army and Naval Service . Training takes two years and the Cadets are split into Senior and Junior Grades and Classes . In Norway , a " cadet " is a pupil of either of the three " Krigsskolen " ( " war schools " ) , which educate commanding officers for either the Army , the Navy or to the Air Force . In the United States , " cadet " refers to a full - time college student who is concurrently in training to become a commissioned officer of the armed forces . Students at the United States Military Academy , the United States Air Force Academy , and the United States Coast Guard Academy respectively hold the rank of Cadet , United States Army ; Cadet , United States Air Force ; and Cadet , United States Coast Guard , while students in the ( Army ' s ) Reserve Officer Training Corps ( ROTC ) and the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps ( AFROTC ) respectively hold the rank of Cadet , United States Army Reserve ; and Cadet , United States Air Force Reserve . Students at the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the preponderance of students at the Maine Maritime Academy , the Massachusetts Maritime Academy , the California Maritime Academy and the State University of New York Maritime College , though called cadets at their respective institutions , actually hold the rank of Midshipman , United States Merchant Marine Reserve , United States Naval Reserve . Some state - sponsored military colleges , including The Citadel , Virginia Military Institute ( VMI ) and private military college , Norwich University ( NU ) , refer to their students as cadets . In Australia Cadet also refers to an officer in training . The official rank is Officer Cadet ( OCDT for members of the Australian Regular Army and OFFCDT for members of the Royal Australian Air Force ) however OCDT ' s in the Royal Military College — Duntroon are referred to as Staff Cadet ( Scdt ) for historical reasons . Youth cadet corps . In the British and Commonwealth ( formerly Empire ) as well as Russian service , these groups of boys or youths are organized , armed and trained on volunteer military lines . Antigua and Barbuda . The Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps consists of students between the ages of 12 and 19 . The Antigua & Barbuda Cadet Core ( ABCC ) ) Is a voluntary youth organization , sponsored by the Government & People of Antigua & Barbuda that acquires its membership from the Secondary school . The main objective is to provide training and personal development to the youths through military paramilitary activities also embrace community actives . The training is geared to inspire young men and woman to become model citizens . Emphasis during training often based on discipline , loyalty , leadership and good citizenry . this is often acquired though a completed training course of being an active member in the Corps . Presently , the cadet corps has 200 active members and falls under the direct command of the colonel Glyne V . Dunnah , A regular officer of the ABDF . , and is a part of the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force ( ABDF ) . There are two categories in the Cadet Core : Sea Cadets and Infantry Cadets . Ranks start from Recruit — WNCO . Australia . In Australia , a " cadet " can be a person aged between 12 and 20 who is a member of the Australian Defence Force Cadets ( ADFC ) . The ADFC is composed of the Australian Army Cadets ( AAC ) , Australian Navy Cadets ( ANC ) , Australian Air Force Cadets ( AAFC ) , which are funded by the Australian Government via the Department of Defence . Other cadet movements include the St John Ambulance Cadets ( Operations Branch ) , and the South Australian Country Fire Service Cadets . The longest running cadet corps in Australia is the Newington College Cadet Unit . Bangladesh . In Bangladesh , the students of cadet colleges and MCSK ( Military Collegiate School Khulna ) are called cadets . The students of Bangladesh Marine Academy are also called Engineering Cadets or Officer Cadets . Bangladesh Marine Academy is the pioneer ( established in 1962 ) academy of Bangladesh . The recruits of the Bangladesh Army , Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force are called Gentleman Cadets ( GC ) . There are 12 cadet colleges in Bangladesh , 9 for men and 3 for women . Faujdarhat Cadet College is the first cadet college of the country , established in 1958 . In addition , the students of MCSK ( Military Collegiate School Khulna ) , an English version eudcational institution under the direct supervision of Bangladesh army are also addressed as cadets . It has an administrative structure as like the other regular cadet colleges and trains it ' s cadets with primary paramilitary training . Voluntary members of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps ( BNCC ) are also called cadets in Bangladesh . They are the strongest philanthropists to promote youth development movement in Bangladesh . Bangladesh National Cadet Corps ( BNCC ) is a voluntary organization for teachers and students . It is one of the oldest organisations in Bangladesh . It started its operation in the Indian sub continent in the year 1923 as University Officers Training Corps ( UOTC ) . During the Bangladesh Liberation War , cadets of this organisation played a glorious role as freedom fighters . Many of them sacrificed their lives for the motherland . The cadets are committed to show the same devotion . This is one of the most motivated forces existing in Bangladesh , operating under the dual administration of The Ministry of Defence ( MoD ) and The Ministry of Education ( MoE ) . Its main objective is to develop leadership qualities , sense of dedication and patriotism among the members through sound military based principles . Another mission is to prepare a 2nd or 3rd line of reserve forces having the capabilities to operate with the regular armed forces to counter any emergencies or in the wake of external aggression . Bangladesh National Cadet Corps ( BNCC ) is the apex organisation that provides Voluntary Military Training ( VMT ) to the students of as BNCC cadets to build them with good character and infuses dedicative , patriotic and leadership qualities . In military academies , cadets are trained in isolation to make them efficient military leaders to lead the soldiers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces as officers . But BNCC cadets are basically students of the universities , colleges and high schools who voluntarily join the corps to develop themselves as good citizens of the country and also enjoy the incentives provided by BNCC . Cadets take military training voluntarily twice a week during school hours within the premises of their respective institutions and some intensive training during the Annual Training Exercise and collective exercise with the Bangladesh Armed Forces Canada . The Canadian Cadet Organizations comprise the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets , the Royal Canadian Air Cadets and the Royal Canadian Army Cadets . The program is sponsored by the Canadian Forces and funded through the Department of National Defence ( DND ) in partnership with the Army Cadet , Air Cadet , and Navy Leagues of Canada . The term Cadet Movement applies when speaking of everyone associated with the program including the CF , DND , Leagues , Community Sponsors , Cadets , and parents and guardians of cadets . The Royal Canadian Mounted Police used to maintain police cadet partnership with Scouts Canada called the RCMP Rovers and Ventures ; however , it has been re - constituted into the RCMP Stetsons and Spurs and is run by various RCMP detachments . St . John Ambulance in Canada supports a youth division that includes " cadets " . Although cadets in other countries may have to take part in the military in their country , cadets in Canada do not have to join the Canadian Armed Forces . The Canadian cadet organization is the largest youth organization in Canada and the largest Cadet group in the world . Its core aims include . 1 ) Developing in youth the attributes of good citizenship and Leadership 2 ) Promoting physical fitness 3 ) Stimulating an interest in the Canadian armed forces . Each branch of the Cadet organization ( army , air and sea ) share some of the same training , but they also complete specialized training that corresponds with that element . For example , Air cadets ' complete training includes planes , V . O . R ' s , and gliding . Army cadets complete training including abseiling , hiking , fieldcraft , camping , biking , knots , map and compass and many others . This program provides youth between the ages of 12 – 18 opportunities including friendship , important life skills , and a chance to travel throughout Canada and the world . The cadet program is free . The oldest operating cadet corps in Canada is the Bishop ' s College School # 2 Cadet Corps in Lennoxville , Quebec . Germany . Prussia and Imperial Germany ( 1871 – 1899 ) . The Prussian military system created a caste of gentlemen - cadets called Junker s ( from " Jung Herr " , " Young Lord " ) . Their family would receive a title and a land grant in exchange for service in the Army . When their sons became of age ( about 14 or so ) , they would be sent off to either a military academy ( " Kadettenschule " ) or apply directly to a regiment . Both required that the candidate be sponsored by a colonel or general , come from a respectable family , have the means to support their livelihood , and have no outstanding debts . New cadets were classed as a " Fahnenträger " ( " Flag - bearer " ) if they had already attended an academy or " Offizier - Aspirant " ( " Officer Candidate " ) if they had not . Later the title was changed to " Portepee Fähnrich " ( " Cadet with lanyard " ) ; they received the right to wear a senior NCO ' s lanyard knot on their service dagger . After six months to a year , they were promoted to " Fahnrich " ( Cadet ) . They were later renamed " Degen Fähnrich " ( " Sword Cadets " ) , who received the sword of an officer . They were considered probationary officers . The cadet was allowed to eat in the officer ' s mess and have a " Offiziersbursche " ( enlisted servant ) . After a probationary period the cadet would submit a request to be commissioned . The officers of the regiment they were assigned to would vote on whether they deserved a commission . Those who passed the vote would have their names submitted by their colonel to the Kaiser , who would approve their promotion to " Leutnant " . Later Imperial Germany ( 1899 – 1920 ) . A series of reforms in 1899 / 1900 led to a change in the system . The rank of " Fahnentrager " was changed to " Fahnenjunker " . They had to pass an exam to be promoted to " Fahnrich " . Hong Kong . Three cadet corps are linked to Hong Kong colonial past : They are now funded by the Hong Kong government and has no ties to either the British Forces or the PLA . Jamaica . The Cadet Force came into being on November 1 , 1943 , and was then known as the Army and Air Cadet Force . The first Commandant was Colonel ( then Major ) Michael Ralph DeCordova , M . B . E . , who evolved the organization , rules and regulations and also designed its badge . At the end of 1943 , sixteen ( 16 ) Cadet Units were formed in Secondary and Technical schools . The fifth and tenth anniversaries of the Force were celebrated by special parades held at Knutsford Park ( now New Kingston ) in 1948 and Up Park Camp in 1953 . The Force Standard , donated by parents of cadets and by ex - cadets , was presented at the Tenth Anniversary Parade on November 26 , 1953 . On April 12 , 1954 , the Force received a great honour . The Mayor and Corporation of Kingston awarded it the Freedom of the City and its symbolic “ Key ” . Advantage is occasionally taken of this high privilege and the force marches through Kingston with fixed bayonets . From as early as 1944 , efforts were made to start an exchange of Cadets between Canada and Jamaica . From 1962 to 1972 the annual camp was at an international level , attended by officers and cadets from Canada and , from other Caribbean territories with air cadets from the United States participating on one occasion . A group from Jamaica attended the camp of these countries in exchange . This was possible through co - operation of the Canadian authorities and the Royal Canadian Air Force . On one occasion the Jamaican Defence Force Air Wing flew five ( 5 ) cadets to the Southern Caribbean . Col DeCordova relinquished command in 1963 and was succeeded by Lt . Col W . R . Goldsworthy . The rank of Honorary Colonel ( of the Cadet Force ) was bestowed on Col DeCordova and in 1966 he received the honour of C . B . E . ( Commander of the British Empire ) from Her Majesty the Queen . Lt . Col Goldsworthy resigned in 1964 because of ill - health and was succeeded by Lt . Col A . N . C . Ince JP , who left Jamaica for several years and was succeeded by Lt . Col M . K Nunes Lt Col Nunes became the fourth ( 4th ) Commandant of the Force in 1969 and relinquished command on November 25 , 1991 . He was succeeded by Col S B Francis the Fifth ( 5th ) Commandant of the Force . Col Francis relinquished command on January 30 , 1999 and is succeeded by Col Lemuel Augustus Lindo the sixth Commandant . With the introduction of Seamanship training , the Force ’ s name was changed to the " Jamaica Combined Cadet Force " in 1967 . Originally , the Force was under the control of the Ministry of Education , but was transferred to the Ministry of Defence on the request of the then Prime Minister , The Honourable Sir Alexander BUSTAMANTE , who had always displayed a keen interest in the Cadet movement . When the office of the Prime Minister became a separate Ministry , the responsibility for the Cadet Force was transferred to the Ministry . Presently we are the responsibility of the Ministry of National Security and Justice , Defence Branch . The JCCF now consists of a moderate headquarters staff , sixty ( 60 ) post - primary schools . On September 17 , 1988 HQ JCCF was relocated at the southern end of Up Park Camp , ( De Cordova Barracks , named after its founder ) . The official opening was on December 10 , 1988 by the then Governor General Sir Florizel Glasspole . In 1975 , the Force was presented with a Cessna - 150 , aircraft registration number 6Y – JJK , by Air Jamaica . It is decorated in the colours of Air Jamaica and has the JCCF Crest painted on its tail fin . This acquisition has made the training of Cadets in aviation easier . On July 12 , 1980 , girls in co - ed schools were permitted to join units at their schools . On February 14 , 1983 , the Force provided a Guard of Honour at The National Stadium on the occasion of the visit of Her Majesty , Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness , The Duke of Edinburgh . In 1985 , the Force was presented with a Yacht , S / V China , to conduct Sea Training . In 2008 , the JCCF celebrated 65 years of service to the youth of Jamaica with a major parade in Up Park Camp and several other activities to mark the occasion all over the country . The Cadet Force in Jamaica is now organised into 6 regular Battalions , 1 Support & Services Battalion , a Band & Drums Unit as well as an Air Section operated out of the Force ' s HQ India . In India , the National Cadet Corps is a voluntary cadet organization for motivating college students to pursue a career in the Indian Armed Forces . It aims to develop qualities of character , discipline , team work , leadership and adventure in the students . The corps organizes outdoor activities , such as camping , trekking , mountain climbing , etc . besides providing small arms training to cadets . Cadets have no commitment for serving in the armed forces , but are given a preference by the Services Selection Board when applying for officer commissions in the military services . " Cadet " is also used as a rank for those enrolled in military academies of India , such as the National Defence Academy , Indian Military Academy , Indian Naval Academy , Air Force Academy or the Indian Coast Guard Academy . These cadets are commissioned as officers in the respective service upon graduation , and make a commitment to serve . Ireland . In Ireland a cadet is a young member of the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps or the St . John Ambulance Brigade of Ireland and trainee army officers are cadets from DFTC . New Zealand . In New Zealand , the cadet forces are the Air Training Corps ( ATC ) , the New Zealand Cadet Corps ( NZCC ) and the Sea Cadet Corps ( SCC ) . All of these organisations are part of the umbrella organisation of the New Zealand Cadet Forces Another prominent cadet movement in New Zealand are the St . John Cadets who train in first aid skills and other important life skills . Russia . Russian cadet corps have existed since 1732 and despite being banned by the Soviet government for their support of the White movement , were reintroduced after the fall of the USSR . Today the equivalent to the Cadet in the US , or the Fenrik in German speaking countries is the Kursant . However , " Kursant " ranks are often mixed up e . g . to the rank of an Ensign in the British Army , which is that of an already commissioned officer . Singapore . In Singapore , three national cadet forces exist : the National Cadet Corps , National Police Cadet Corps and the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps . These cadet organisations have a uniform and rank structure which closely mirrors that of their parent body . In addition there are other non - national cadet organisations , namely the The Boys ' Brigade in Singapore , Girls ' Brigade , The Singapore Scout Association , Girl Guides Singapore , St . John Ambulance in Singapore and Red Cross Youth . Sri Lanka . In Sri Lanka , there is one primary cadet force which is the National Cadet Corps ( NCC ) . In recent years the NCC developed an Air Wing , a Naval Wing and a Police Wing . United Kingdom . In Commonwealth countries , including the United Kingdom , a " cadet " is a member of one of the cadet forces . In the United Kingdom the government funded cadet forces are the fire cadets , Sea Cadets , Army Cadet Force , Royal Marines Cadets , Air Training Corps , Police Cadet Corps , and ( each is a stand alone youth organisations ) and the school - based Combined Cadet Force . The Royal Marines Volunteer Cadet Corps and the Frimley and Camberley Cadet Corps ( both formed in the early 1900s ) were the forerunners to later government funded associations and still exist independently , uniquely offering cadet opportunities to younger cadets ( 7 – 18 ) . St Aubyn ' s School in Woodford Green London , are the only school in the UK to offer cadet activities to 8 - to 13 - year - olds within its own cadet corps . The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service also offers a programme for aspiring Fire Fighters . At the next level of training there are university cadet forces — University Officer Training Corps ( UOTCs ) , of which there are 19 across the country , University Air Squadrons ( UASs ) , of which there are 14 , and University Royal Naval Units ( URNUs ) , of which there are also 14 . They are designed to train university students in military leadership , to promote the military across universities and to increase civilian - military relations . Students are not committed to serve in the armed forces , but can gain qualifications and commissions through the organisations . Cadets can gain a Territorial Army ( Group B officer ) commission through a UOTC , an Acting Pilot Officer commission through a UAS , while URNU students hold the rank of Honorary Midshipman . Cadets also represent St . John Ambulance in the line of public duties and first aid . There are many competitions for cadets within the UK , for example the " Swift and Bold Competition " , held at " The London Oratory School " , whose CCF still holds the name Royal Green Jackets long after the regular army and territorial army regiments have been amalgamated into The Rifles . United States . The United States also has several youth cadet organizations . The Junior Reserve Officers ' Training Corps is a youth citizenship program with units administered by either the Army , Air Force , Navy , Marine Corps , or Coast Guard in American high schools . One of the primary functions of the Civil Air Patrol is to administer a similar cadet program training in elements of leadership , aerospace studies , and emergency services . There are other programs including the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps and the Young Marines . The oldest cadet program in the United States is the United States Army Cadet Corps which traces its lineage to 1909 and is headquartered in Millersburg , Kentucky . For those who choose to enter a formal program to become an officer , Cadet is the rank bestowed on those in the United States Air Force Academy , United States Military Academy , the United States Coast Guard Academy and Army and Air Force ROTC ; the equivalent rank for students at the United States Naval Academy , United States Merchant Marine Academy and in Naval ROTC is midshipman . Members of these programs will be commissioned in the military , with a term of commitment afterwards . In addition , students at a senior military college such as The Citadel , Norwich University , The University of North Georgia , The Military College of Georgia , the Virginia Military Institute , the Texas A & M University Corps of Cadets , and the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets or U . S . Merchant Marine officer license candidates at any one of the six state Maritime Colleges are referred to as cadets — although they may or may not be enrolled in a formal officer commissioning program . Students at militarily structured preparatory schools , such as Forest Hill Military Academy , Culver Military Academy , Fishburne Military School and others , are referred to as Cadets . Civilian context . Hong Kong . In early colonial history of Hong Kong , " cadet " was a system for training young Englishmen to be officials for Hong Kong , where they had to learn Chinese culture and sometimes Cantonese language and written Chinese in Hong Kong . Some cadets became major officials and even Hong Kong Governor s . Later " cadets " were young policemen under training in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force . United States . In the United States , " cadet " refers to an officer in training for the police , firefighter and EMT services . Some police and sheriff ' s departments employ cadets as non - sworn law enforcement officers , either before or after entering a training academy , to allow them to gain experience in law enforcement without becoming a fully sworn officer . They conduct various duties , similar to the UK ' s PCSO s , ranging from office work to parking and traffic enforcement . An example is the NYC police cadet corps , which is similar to an internship . Merchant Navy . In the Merchant Navy , a cadet is an officer under training in much the same way as the military context . All Cadets receive training in firefighting , first aid and survival techniques . Cadets choose either one of two branches for professional development . Deck cadets train in the fields of navigation , shiphandling and cargo handling as well as maritime law . Engineering cadets train to become marine engineers , and as such their fields encompass a range of theoretical and practical engineering subjects , including Mechanical engineering , thermodynamics , control engineering , applied mathematics , welding and fabrication . Engineering practice is mostly learned during the cadet ' s assignment to a ship . The cadet training scheme differs from country to country , but the learning objectives are always the same . In the UK for example , cadets undergo training in a block - release format , spending a shorter time in college before going to sea for a short assignment after which the cadet returns to college . Other countries allow the cadet to finish his / her degree before going to sea , but most countries seem to prefer a system where a cadet completes all of his / her sea time before returning to college for the final year of their degree . Other usage . Some sports teams also refer to players that are in the process of being built up to play for the team at a later date as cadets . Such players often play for a lesser team in the same club . This is done quite commonly in the National Rugby League ( NRL ) . The Serie B , the second most important football league in Italy , is nicknamed " campionato cadetto " , meaning " championship of the cadets " . Cadet is also used in short track auto racing for the name of a category of cars . This division is usually an intermediate division that allows drivers to gain experience for faster classes in the future . This name has been used at race tracks in the Western PA / WV / Southwestern NY area and the GA / AL / SC area . In Australia , the term is also used to describe a person pursuing a career as a Chartered Accountant under the " Cadetship " program , designed to accelerate career progression for motivated students . The programs are offered to students finishing high school or currently undertaking tertiary studies in relevant courses by several Accounting firms such as the Big 4 accountancy firm s ( Deloitte , KPMG , PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young ) , and mid - tier firms such as BDO and Grant Thornton . To refer to someone as a " space cadet " is to imply that they are " on another planet " , i . e . foolish or unaware of their surroundings , for example , " That guy is a total space cadet . " The phrase was inspired by science fiction author Robert A . Heinlein ' s juvenile novel " Space Cadet . " In The Bahamas , it is not uncommon to refer to upper primary or high school students job shadowing various professionals as cadets . E . g . teacher cadet , library cadet , police cadet , nurse cadet and technical cadets .