Training

Cadets meet on Monday evenings throughout the school year from 6:30-9:30pm. Training consists of three classes per night, with breaks for socializing interspersed throughout the evening. Cadets will learn the structure of the Canadian Forces, details about effective leadership, and how to become a responsible and caring Canadian citizen. Wednesday evening training is an important step towards building a knowledgeable, well-trained, and cohesive army cadet corps.

Mandatory Training

As a cadet advances through their training career, they will progress through several star levels. Green star is the first star level and serves as an introduction to the mandatory training that will be conducted at the corps. It is designed to give the cadet basic skills and knowledge such as drill, basic discipline, fundamental training, and so on.

Red Star is designed to reinforce and expand upon the Green Star program. Training continues in drill, fundamentals, bushcraft, map and compass, marksmanship, public speaking, leadership, citizenship and physical fitness. As a Red Star qualified cadet, you are the model for new cadets and are fully capable of demonstrating skills to recruits and Green Star cadets.

Silver Star is basic training for new leaders and instructors. Cadets who complete Silver Star will have the knowledge, skill and experience to take on new responsibilities as a leader of a small team. A Silver Star qualified cadet will have mastered almost all of the mandatory skill training of the Army Cadet Program. The Silver Star cadets will also attend an expedition weekend in the spring where they will participate in a team training activity, consisting of mountain biking, hiking, map and compass navigation, basic expedition skills and canoeing.

Gold Star training expands on all previous training, and contains a significant amout of theoretical study and learning. Most of their training involves planning and conducting activities. Gold Star cadets are expected to lead and instruct cadets from senior positions within the corps. The Gold Stars attend an expedition training weekend in the fall, where they will expand upon the knowledge learned during the silver expedition weekend. Once a cadet has successfully completed gold expedition training, they are eligible to apply for the regional expeditions, including white water rafting on the Petawawa River, Sea Kayaking on Georgian Bay or Dog Sledding in Northern Ontario (to name a few). A regional expedition is required to apply for the domestic and international expeditions. Check out the following website for an overview of the expedition program: Army Cadet Expedition Program.

Throughout the training year, three mandatory field training exercises are scheduled. Cadets are given the chance to learn and practice bushcraft, map and compass, adventure training and physical fitness skills. Cadets will learn how to build improvised shelters, light stoves and lanterns, use proper radio procedures, and navigate their way through the field using only a map and compass. These activities are just the beginning of what can be gained from our weekend training.

The marksmanship program is an optional training activity that is offered through the Woodstock Army Cadets. Rifle team practices take place on Tuesday nights, and competitions are usually on weekends. Members of the rifle team have had the opportunity to travel to Ottawa, and Iqaluit, Nunavut, free of charge, in order to compete. The rifle team continues to impress; always achieving excellent standings in the zone and provincial competitions.

Sports nights are scheduled throughout the training year on Monday evenings. Cadets play fun, interactive games of football, basketball, dodgeball, soccer, and occassionally partake in tabloid sports meets.

In October 2006 Central Region created the Regional Orienteering Competition, open to all cadets in Ontario. Orienteering is a running sport involving navigation with a map and compass. The first year of competition, 2833s male team placed second in Western Ontario Area, allowing them to advance to the Regional Competition. In 2007, a new team competed and again qualified for Regionals, this time with a 4th place finish.

The corps also offers Standard First Aid Training with CPR through St. John Ambulance.
This course is at no charge to the cadet and is offered every few years.

Finally, the army cadets give a great deal back to the community as part of the cadet citizenship program. Cadets assist the legion with activities such as the Victoria Cross Tattoo, Church Parade, Armistice dinners, Poppy Campaign, and Remembrance Day Parades, to name a few. We also assist the City of Woodstock during the Dairy Capital Run each year.