As outlined in earlier episodes, today we will discuss the four wings of National Cadetting. They are the cadets of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police. In the military world the tri-forces and police are involved in different areas of national security. These differences are seen in cadetting too.
For instance, Navy cadets will learn exclusively about ships . They will learn about knots and other specialised areas for marines as well.
Air Force cadets will learn about flying planes.
The cadet drill will also be different from one wing to another.
However, the main subjects on the curriculum are general and all vital subjects are covered for all, whatever their platoon maybe.
According to the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Headquarters a school has the right to begin any platoon they would like to start with. But in practice, most of the schools would begin with the Army platoon. There are some schools specially in Colombo where they have all four types of platoons and two (western and eastern) cadet bands as well.
However NCC HQ does not allow any school to keep two platoons in one wing. For example if a school already has an Army platoon and if they want to start another, then it definitely has to be either an Air Force, Navy or Police platoon. Cadets are also not allowed to switch between platoons during training.
Prerequisites
When a school wants to start a platoon, it must complete some prerequisites. The number one requirement is to have a platoon commander in the school. Platoon commanders are specifically trained for the job. Most often it will be a teacher of the school who takes up the challenge, voluntarily. If the school doesn’t have any such responsible person in the school, the school's administration can communicate its desire to the NCC HQ.
Prerequisite number two is to have a dedicated room for cadets in the school. This room will be used for dressing purposes, as well as for storing weapons (imitation) and other equipment.
Having a yard or some other open space which can be used for training purposes is also a must, prior to commencing a cadet platoon.
However, as some schools have minimum facilities, NCC HQ does not strictly follow these requirements. Its purpose is to reach as many students as possible to help them shape their future.
Before members are recruited to the platoon, it is compulsory that they undergo a medical test. The medical test is carried out under the supervision of the sports unit of government hospitals. Blood sugar, ECG and many other tests are carried out, to check whether the student is ready for cadetting.
NCC HQ does not allow the recruitment of students who fail the medical test.
(Let’s discuss Rantambe's training process next week. Special thanks – NCC HQ)