Veterans wanted to volunteer with Army Cadets amid shortage ahead of £70m boost

Plans are being drawn up to target more military service leavers to volunteer with the Army Cadet Force as major expansion plans get under way. It is hoped the pathway will help veterans continue to feel part of the Armed Forces community after transitioning to Civvy Street, while also benefitting cadets who will get to learn from instructors who've only just left service.

Brigadier Gary McDade, Deputy Commander Cadets, said between 2,500-3,000 new adult volunteers are wanted in the Army Cadet Force. He told the Express: "We get somebody who perhaps comes with some training qualifications, some skills that their time in service has brought them. What the person who's leaving the service gets as they become a veteran, they get the opportunity to continue to wear the uniform, to continue to have that sense of belonging, which is very important in what we deliver, and feel still part of the military community."

It follows the launch of a new '30 by 30' campaign which aims to increase the number of cadets by 30% by 2030.

It is being backed by £70 million of new Government funding after the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), published in June, recommended the UK boosts its cadet forces.

The plans are set to see over 40,000 more cadets across the UK, meaning a significant increase in adult volunteers is also required.

A report from a cross-party group of MPs last month said Britain lacks a clear plan to boost the numbers of both its cadets and reservists.

The Public Accounts Committee warned there is a "shortage of adult volunteers", with chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown saying the 30 by 30 drive will "stumble" if this is not addressed.

Brig McDade said plans to better target veterans are a "real opportunity" to improve volunteer recruitment.

He said those leaving service need to be provided with "more options", adding: "This is something we're working on.

"It hasn't actively been enacted yet but I've had conversations with a career transition partnership about how as people are starting their journey of leaving the service, how we can perhaps make more obvious to them the opportunities of volunteering."

Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois MP said: "We welcome this initiative to expand the cadets, by encouraging experienced veterans to become instructors and if some of those cadets are then inspired by them to eventually join the Armed Forces, so much the better."

The news was also supported by The Veterans Association charity.

"Opportunities like this with the Army Cadets can make a real difference, not just for the cadets, but for the veterans themselves," a spokesperson said.

"Many service leavers miss the camaraderie and structure of military life, and volunteering gives them a way to use their experience for good while easing that transition into civilian life.

"We've seen first-hand how giving back to the community helps veterans rebuild confidence and rediscover their strengths. Initiatives like this are exactly what keep the spirit of service alive and will make a real impact."

Brig McDade confirmed the Army Cadets are also looking at different ways people can give up their free time to encourage more volunteers.

"Come here, inspire the next generation to be the best possible version of themselves and feel an incredible sense of achievement in doing so," he said.

The 30 by 30 campaign is expected to see up to 23,000 more young people join the Army Cadets alone.

There are currently around 140,000 Armed Forces cadets, but the SDR recommended this figure should hit 250,000 in the longer-term.

Youngsters aged between 12 and 18 are eligible and can learn skills such as fieldcraft, drill and first aid.

Brig McDade, a former cadet himself who has spent 32 years in the Army, said young people can build confidence and develop resilience, leadership and communication skills in the cadets.

Military youth organisations are not a recruitment arm for the Armed Forces, although about 25% of those who take part do go on to serve, Brig McDade added.

Research shows those who do attend cadets before signing up for King and country are more likely to serve for longer and reach a higher rank. The UK Armed Forces are currently experiencing a recruitment and retention crisis.