Navigation HOME WHAT WE DO WHO WE ARE EQUIPMENT PEOPLE NEWS & EVENTS DEPLOYMENTS CAREERS In this section: WHO WE ARE ARMY CADET FORCE FUN, FRIENDSHIP, ACTION, ADVENTURE The Army Cadets aims to inspire young people between 12 and 18 years old to challenge their limits, grow their abilities and go further in life; we deliver this through the community-based Army Cadet Force and the school-based Combined Cadet Force. OUR SKILLS OUR PEOPLE OUR LOCATION OUR SKILLS In the Army Cadets we aim to inspire young people to develop themselves mentally and physically, to: Challenging their limits Grow their abilities and go further in life Unlock their talents Shape their own futures JOINING THE ACF MADE ME A BETTER PERSON OWEN JONES, 17 - LINCOLNSHIRE ACF We develop young people of all abilities and backgrounds physically and mentally, improving self-confidence, teamwork, friendship, leadership and community spirit through a wide range of fun and exciting activities as well as recognised vocational qualifications such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and BTEC Diplomas. Although we are not part of the recruiting process for the Armed Forces we do however promote an understanding of what the Armed Forces' roles and responsibilities are, and provide assistance to any cadet who expresses an interest in joining the Armed Forces later in life. In the mid-19th century the idea of cadet units in schools was developed by Secretary of State for War, Jonathan Peel, as part of Queen Victoria’s review of the Volunteer units (forerunner of today’s Reserve Forces). 30 years later social reformer Octavia Hill formed London’s first Cadet Battalion. 1860 The first cadet units in schools were formed and Volunteer units started to parade cadets. 1889 Octavia Hill formed the Southwark Cadet Company, London’s first independent Cadet Battalion. 1908 The title Cadet Force was introduced, administered by the newly named Territorial Army. 1948 The cadet units in schools were officially restructured into The Combined Cadet Force. 1960 The ACF celebrated its 100th anniversary with a review of the ACF and CCF at Buckingham Palace. 2010 The Cadet movement celebrated its 150th anniversary; The Prince of Wales hosted celebrations. ARMY CADETS OFFICIAL | THERE'S MORE TO LIFE IN THE ARMY CADETS RECRUITMENT Interested in joining the Cadets? JOIN NOW STAY CONNECTED Follow us on social media Facebook Twitter CCF Cadets Twitter Army Cadets ACCESSIBILITY SECURITY POLICY PRIVACY AND COOKIES FREEDOM OF INFORMATION GET IN TOUCH Find the contacts you need for recruitment, media enquiries and more. GET IN TOUCH FOLLOW US https://www.facebook.com/britisharmy https://www.youtube.com/britisharmy https://www.instagram.com/britisharmy https://twitter.com/britisharmy https://www.linkedin.com/company/british-army © 2020 Crown Copyright BACK TO TOP We use cookies to personalise content and advertising, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. If you would like an experience that is tailored to you, click ‘Accept All Cookies’. Alternatively, you can manage your Cookie Settings. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies