California Cadet Corps
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The California Cadet Corps (CACC) is a paramilitary youth organization in California open for students in the high school, middle school and elementary grades.
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[edit] Role and purpose
The six objectives of the California Cadet Corps are to develop leadership, citizenship, patriotism, academic excellence, basic military knowledge, and health, wellness, and fitness. Also their motto is Essayons(let us try).
The Brigade Advisors, Commandants and other personnel alike claim to make a positive influence in the lives of the cadets, including instilling leadership, citizenship, patriotism, encouraging strong academic excellence, teaching basic military knowledge for structure, and encouraging healthy lifestyles.[citation needed]
The CACC's primary goal is not to send all of their cadets to the military.[citation needed] A greater number of the CACC's cadets have become astronauts, chemists, doctors and other professions of the sort than the number of the cadets who have joined the military.[citation needed]
[edit] History of the California Cadet Corps
The CACC was originally founded on 5 April 1911 by Brigadier General Edwin Alexander Forbes. At that time every California High school was required to have a California Cadet Corps unit if there were at least thirty-two students interested in the program.
The California Cadet Corps was originally called the California High School Cadets, created by an act of the Legislature on 5 April 1911. The California High School Cadets was designed to prepare young men for service in the California National Guard. In 1935, the Legislature changed the organization's name to the California Cadet Corps.
The program flourished all through both of the World Wars and beyond until the start of the Vietnam War. At that time the citizens of the United States began to look down upon the military and related organizations therefore the CACC's funding was cut by the state of California. The program was basically "dead" all through that time period. The CACC just regained its funding in 1999.
[edit] Authorization
The California Cadet Corps is referenced under sections 500 through 520.1 of the California Military and Veterans Code (M&VC). All colleges, community colleges and high schools are required by law to form companies of cadets on their campuses whenever at least 100 students on those campuses voluntarily enroll in the program (M&VC 500-500.1[1]). The California Adjutant General may organize those cadet companies into battalions and regiments at her or his discretion (M&VC 505[1]). California boards of education, school principals and college presidents are required by law to cooperate with the Adjutant General to implement California Cadet Corps programs (M&VC 517[1]). Those public college and school districts that are not in compliance are denied additional funding and supplies for failing to implement California Cadet Corps programs (M&VC 510, 511, 511.5, & 512[1]).
[edit] Organization
The California Cadet Corps is one of several youth programs of the California National Guard. Oversight of the Corps on the state level is provided by the "M-Day Staff" led by the Executive Officer of the California Cadet Corps, Colonel Larry R. VanZant.
Colonel]] David B. Werner will become the Executive Officer of the California Cadet Corps effective 1 July 2008.[2]
M-Day Staff members:
- Executive Officer - Colonel Larry VanZant
- Assistant Executive Officer - Lieutenant Colonel Mark P. Ryan
- Special Projects Officer - Colonel David B. Werner
- Administration Officer (S-1) - Major Laura Lagge
- Safety and Security Officer (S-2) - Major Kris Knutson
- Training and Operations Officer (S-3) - Major David Archer
- Supply and Logistics Officer (S-4) - Major Denver Tate
- Civic, Public and Military Affairs Officer (S-5) - Major Matthew Kus
- Assistant Civic, Public and Military Affairs Officer (S-5) - Second Lieutenant Kenneth Cook-Askins
[edit] Opposition
The California Cadet Corps is explicitly opposed in Los Angeles Unified School District by the Coalition Against Militarism in Our Schools, which in their mission statement writes that they are "…working to eliminate the Junior Reserves Officer Training Corp in our High Schools and the California Cadets in our Middle Schools, along with the school community."[3]
