The New Zealand Cadet Forces (NZCF) are established under section 74 of the Defence Act 1990, and comprise the Sea Cadet Corps, the New Zealand Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps. The individual units are local community youth groups which, although not part of the New Zealand Defence Force, operate under the direction of, and gain support from, the Chief of Defence Force in partnership with the New Zealand Returned Services Association, the Sea Cadet Association of New Zealand, the Cadet Corps Association of New Zealand and the Air Training Corps Association of New Zealand.
The NZDF principally provides the rules of operation of units, the conditions of membership, the national training programmes and some resources of a military type or style, not normally available within local community resources support, and which reinforce the cadet/NZDF links. The Cadet Forces budget funded from HQNZDF amounts to approximately $1,900,000 and, additionally, single Services directly fund resources of approximately $200,000 each for the programmed training camps and courses.
There are currently 106 cadet units (18 Sea Cadet, 37 New Zealand Cadet Corps and 51 Air Training Corps), with a strength of 249 officers and 3,446 enrolled cadets. In addition to these units, there are approximately 6 other locally organised youth groups which are in various stages of formation towards desired membership as NZCF units.
Although the principal role of the Cadet Forces is that of a youth organisation, the rank structure, disciplined approach and training methodology is based on NZDF military principles. The training programme is designed to provide officers and cadets with leadership, teamwork and self-discipline skills in order to undertake adventurous activities safely, to develop an ethic of community service and to understand the functions and roles of the Armed Forces.
Being outside the New Zealand Defence Force, the Cadet Force units are independent of the normal Service chains of command, and the members of Cadet Forces are not subject to normal military discipline.
Feature article - NZCF Combined Junior Leadership Course