Australian Defence Force Cadets
The Australian Defence Force Cadets (ADFC) (Known as the Australian Service Cadet Scheme until 2001) consists of three Australian Defence Force affiliated community-based, youth development organisations of approximately 22,000 cadets and 2,200 cadet staff in 464 units and squadrons across Australia. Coordination of the Australian Defence Force Cadets is via the ADF HQ unit called Reserve and Youth Division, with Commander ADF Cadets - directly accountable to VCDF. The ADFC is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Defence, in partnership with the community.
| Australian Defence Force Cadets | |
|---|---|
 The Badge of the ADFC | |
| Active | 1976 – present |
| Role | Volunteer Youth Organisation |
| Headquarters | ADF Cadets |
| Commanders | |
| Head Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Divisions | Rear Admiral Brett Wolski |
The Australian Defence Force Cadets have been a large part of the Australian community since the 19th century. After the cadets were re-raised in 1976 the three cadet services were grouped together as the Australian Services Cadet Scheme, beforehand the three organisations were run under the directions of single service policy, in 2001 the name was changed to the Australian Defence Force Cadets as recommended by a review. While the Australian Defence Force Cadets is sponsored by ADF (Australian Defence Force) and runs under a similar rank structure, uniform and training activities, the ADFC is not an official branch of the Defence Force and runs in accordance with the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict which Australia has signed.
Cadet units are referred to differently depending on the parent service. Air Force Cadet units are referred to as Squadrons, Navy Cadet units are referred to as Training Ships and Army Cadet units are referred to as Army Cadet Units. The ADFC encompasses three organizations:
- Australian Navy Cadets (ANC)
- Australian Army Cadets (AAC)
- Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC)
ADFC Ranks
Officer of Cadets (OOC) ranks
| Australian Navy Cadets (ANC) | ||||||
| Insignia |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | |
| Rank | Sub Lieutenant ANC |
Lieutenant ANC |
Lieutenant Commander ANC |
Commander ANC |
Captain ANC | |
| Abbreviation | SBLT, ANC |
LEUT, ANC |
LCDR, ANC |
CMDR, ANC |
CAPT, ANC | |
| Australian Army Cadets (AAC) | ||||||
| Rank | Second Lieutenant AAC |
Lieutenant AAC |
Captain AAC |
Major AAC |
Lieutenant Colonel AAC |
Colonel AAC |
| Abbreviation | 2LT (AAC) |
LT (AAC) |
CAPT (AAC) |
MAJ (AAC) |
LTCOL (AAC) |
COL (AAC) |
| Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) | ||||||
| Insignia |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Rank | Pilot Officer (AAFC) | Flying Officer (AAFC) | Flight Lieutenant (AAFC) | Squadron Leader (AAFC) | Wing Commander (AAFC) | Group Captain (AAFC) |
| Abbreviation | PLTOFF(AAFC) | FLGOFF(AAFC) | FLTLT(AAFC) | SQNLDR(AAFC) | WGCDR(AAFC) | GPCAPT(AAFC) |
Instructor of Cadets (IOC) ranks
| Australian Navy Cadets (ANC) | ||||||||
| Insignia |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | |||
| Rank | Able Seaman ANC (Inactive rank) |
Leading Seaman ANC (Inactive rank) |
Petty Officer ANC | Chief Petty Officer ANC | Warrant Officer ANC (Inactive rank) | |||
| Abbreviation | ABANC | LSANC | POANC | CPOANC | WOANC | |||
| Australian Army Cadets (AAC) | ||||||||
| Rank | Trainee Officer of Cadets | Lance Corporal AAC | Corporal AAC | Sergeant AAC | Staff Sergeant AAC (Former rank) |
Warrant Officer Class Two AAC | Warrant Officer Class One AAC | |
| Abbreviation | TOOC | LCPL (AAC) |
CPL (AAC) |
SGT (AAC) |
SSGT (AAC) |
WO2 (AAC) |
WO1 (AAC) | |
| Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) | ||||||||
| Insignia |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | ||
| Rank | Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman (AAFC) | Leading Aircraftman/Leading Aircraftwoman (AAFC) | Corporal (AAFC) | Sergeant (AAFC) | Flight Sergeant (AAFC) | Warrant Officer (AAFC) | ||
| Abbreviation | AC/W(AAFC) | LAC/W(AAFC) | CPL(AAFC) | SGT(AAFC) | FSGT(AAFC) | WOFF(AAFC) | ||
Cadets ranks
| ADFC Cadets |
CDT 9 (Special Grade) | CDT 8 | CDT 7 | CDT 6 | CDT 5 | CDT 4 | CDT 3 | CDT 2 | CDT 1 | CDT (R) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Navy Cadets (Edit) |
No equivalent |  |
|
|
|
|
No equivalent | |
 |
No Insignia | |||
| Midshipman ANC | Cadet Warrant Officer | Cadet Chief Petty Officer | Cadet Petty Officer | Cadet Leading Seaman | Cadet Able Seaman | Cadet Seaman | Cadet Recruit | ||||||
| MIDN, ANC | CDTWO | CDTCPO | CDTPO | CDTLS | CDTAB | CDTSMN | CDTRCT | ||||||
| ADFC Cadets |
CDT 9 (Special Grade) | CDT 8 | CDT 7 | CDT 6 | CDT 5 | CDT 4 | CDT 3 | CDT 2 | CDT 1 | CDT (R) | |||
| Australian Army Cadets (Edit) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
No equivalent |  |
No insignia |
| National Cadet Under Officer | Regional Cadet Under Officer | Cadet Under Officer | National Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major | Cadet Warrant Officer Class One | Cadet Warrant Officer Class Two | Cadet Staff Sergeant | Cadet Sergeant | Cadet Corporal | Cadet Lance Corporal | Cadet | Cadet Recruit | ||
| NATCUO | RCUO | CUO | NATCDTRSM | CDTWO1 | CDTWO2 | CDTSSGT | CDTSGT | CDTCPL | CDTLCPL | CDT | CDTREC | ||
| ADFC Cadets |
CDT 9 (Special Grade) | CDT 8 | CDT 7 | CDT 6 | CDT 5 | CDT 4 | CDT 3 | CDT 2 | CDT 1 | CDT (R) | |||
Australian Air Force Cadets (Edit) |
No equivalent |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
No equivalent |  |
 |
No insignia | |||
| Cadet Under Officer | Cadet Warrant Officer | Cadet Flight Sergeant | Cadet Sergeant | Cadet Corporal | Leading Cadet | Cadet | Cadet Recruit | ||||||
| CUO | CWOFF | CFSGT | CSGT | CCPL | LCDT | CDT | CDTRCT | ||||||
See also
- National Cadet Advisory Council
- Ranks of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
- Cadet grades and insignia of the Civil Air Patrol
- List of United Kingdom Cadet Force by Rank
- Cadets Canada Elemental Ranks
- New Zealand Cadet Forces ranks