New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps

The New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps (also known as Navy Cadets, SCC, and Sea Cadets) is one of the three corps in the New Zealand Cadet Forces, the other two being the Air Training Corps, and New Zealand Cadet Corps. It is a military style training organisation for young people between the ages of 13 and 21. Activities include sailing, and boat work, ropework shooting and drill, amongst other activities, many of which involving the other branches of the NZCF. Cadets need to pass an annual swimming test to undertake water based activities.

A meeting in May 1940 established a central office for the Sea Cadet Corps which at the time included the two units based in Christchurch and Dunedin. The purpose of this office was to gain more formalised assistance from the Naval Authorities. This office was established in Christchurch user the auspices of the Canterbury branch of the Navy League. In 1941 the corps expanded again with a Wellington based unit being established and absorbing the Collingwood Sea Scouts. April of the same year saw the first two sailors of the sea cadet corps join the Royal Navy. On Saturday 7 November 1942 the Training Ship Waireka was commissioned by Commander F. G. McDonald, R. N. R. The training ship, permanently moored in harbour was used throughout the war to provide practical training to cadets. During the war the sea cadet corps contributed to New Zealand's war effort through assistance in the production of essential equipment for light armoured fighting vehicles manufactured in New Zealand. 1943 saw the introduction of units in Auckland with an advertisement to gauge interest receiving 112 applications. The unit was temporarily located at St Mary's bay while permanent accommodation was organised. The four units first met together in January 1944 when they gathered together on Quail Island. At the conclusion of the war the sea cadet corps had provided more than 130 personnel to the Royal Navy or Merchant Navy and had 23 former members present at the Japanese Surrender while aboard HMNZS Gambia.

Post war sea cadets were able to take advantage of the significant size and presences of both domestic and foreign navies with cadets being able to take trips on the in 1937. During the same year attempts were made to have the name changed to "Royal New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps" to bring the organisation in line with its commonwealth equivalents, unsuccessfully. Late in the year a carnival was held between 31 Squadron, Air Training Corps (Not the same 31 Squadron that exists today) was held at the tepid baths. In 1948 a joint exercise was conducted between the sea cadet corps and the Air Training Corps which saw the sea cadets facilitating a mock attack on Ripapa Island which after four attacks saw the successful capture of the island by the sea cadet corps. The same year saw the first international invitation by the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets where 25 cadets were invited to an 'Empire Camp'. The New Zealand Naval Board agreed in 1950 to provide uniforms to all members of the sea cadet corps and established the protocol of sea cadet officer's receiving commissions in the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve Special Branch. 1951 saw the proposal of closed cadet units being established in schools, similarly to how the New Zealand Cadet Corps operated. At this time the Sea cadet corps was made up of 397 personnel.

Around 2006 the Sea Cadet Corps began research into acquiring a new and modern fleet of sailing craft for Cadet training. The Sea Cadet Corps Boats Officer, LT R. Glover sought feedback from every Navy Cadet unit in the country as to their requirements and thoughts about the new fleet. The result of this project was the selection of the RS Feva, manufactured in the United Kingdom. The first seven RS Feva's arrived in New Zealand in October 2009 through the importer, Takapuna Sailing Centre (Boats Bits Ltd.). A second delivery of five vessels arrived later in 2009, with each of the 17 units around the country having at least one craft by mid 2010. The RS Feva is the first new class of training vessels the New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps has adopted since 1978.

In 2011 the rank of Master Cadet was replaced by the more generic rank of Under Officer with the last Master Cadet's being either Commissioning or leaving the NZCF by the end of 2012.

The SCC is managed at a national level by the Commandant (usually a Regular Force Lieutenant Colonel/Wing Commander/Commander), and their staff at Defence Force Headquarters in Wellington. It is supported by the Sea Cadet Association of New Zealand.

The country is divided into 3 areas, Northern (Northern half of the North Island), Central (Southern half of the North Island) and Southern (entire South Island). Each area has a NZCF Training and Support Unit (CFTSU), commanded by NZDF Senior Non commissioned Officer or Commissioned Officer. Area Coordinator, with advisors for Sea Cadet Corps units. A typical unit has between one and four officers filling various roles. The Cadet Unit Commander appoints all personnel in the unit to their positions. Each unit has an Adjutant, Training Officer, and Stores Officer. These positions are usually filled by a commissioned officer (officers can hold multiple positions if necessary). One or more of the positions may have assistants, the assistants are often junior officers or Senior NCOs. Each unit also has a cadet NCO holding the position of Ships Coxswain (COXN), this individual will almost always hold the rank of Warrant Officer (personnel occasionally are bestowed the position without the rank, however, this is a rare occurrence and only when the individual is close to meeting the promotional requirements). If the Training Ship is large enough, each division of cadets may be led by a Chief Petty Officer. The Ships Coxswain is normally responsible for supervising all the NCOs in their various tasks, as a result, the Coxswain can skip the normal chain of command, enabling them to liaise directly with the Unit Commander.

The uniform worn by SCC members is the same as that of the Royal New Zealand Navy, except that for all ranks, the lettering on the bottom of the rank insignia shoulder boards reads "CADET FORCES" rather than "NEW ZEALAND" to differentiate SCC personnel from RNZN personnel. Officer Ceremonial Dress Uniforms have a shoulder flash reading "NEW ZEALAND CADET FORCES" rather than "NEW ZEALAND" for the same reason. Cadets wear a cap ribbon on their caps with the wording 'T. S. (Name of Ship)', while officers and officer cadets wear the same cap insignia as RNZN officers. Unlike the Air Training Corps and the New Zealand Cadet Corps, Cadets of the SCC do not wear a brassard. Badges such as the marksman badge are still awarded however are only worn on their ceremonial uniforms (full blues).

The Sea Cadet Corps follows the Royal New Zealand Navy with regards to uniform standards and clothing items, with all mandatory clothing being issued from the RNZN. In the past the system used was that a unit would be graded 1 5 based on the quantity of personnel that attended a units parade night. Based on that grading the unit would then be issued an annual allowance for the unit to order new uniform as replacements or to provide to new cadets. In December 2020 a major overhaul was announced. In combination with the update to cadet net, new uniform will be issued directly to a new cadet upon their enrolment into a squadron. Unit equipment officers will source measurements for each cadet and enter them into CadetNet. The cadet will then be issued with uniform. Units will still maintain a local supply of uniform as spares however the bulk of uniform issued to new recruits will come from Headquarters New Zealand Cadet Forces.

All active Sea Cadets are able to work towards being promoted. The size of each Training Ship dictates the quantity of each rank that a unit is allowed.

Interested personnel can join between the ages of 13 and 15 (or if attending the first year of high school) and can stay on without being promoted to the age of 18. Senior Non Commissioned Officers may serve until their 20th birthday. The exception is the sole school based unit, as opposed to city or regional based units. Hamilton's Fraser High School Cadet Unit permits all students enrolled at the school to enroll in the unit. Other than black lace up shoes, all uniform is provided upon enrolment into a unit and completion of a training camp where wearing of the uniform is taught. Bonds are sometimes held to ensure that they are returned.

Unit fees are set by each unit Parent Support Committee annually. Due to fluctuating operating costs, these vary from unit to unit dependent on the type of activities the unit has planned, although typically fees will be no more than $200 annually.

In 2017 the New Zealand Cadet Forces updated their Child Protection policy surrounding cadets who are either Non Commissioned Officers or personnel who are completing cadet level training that are aged 18 and over. There is a deliberate delineation between an 'Adult' and an 'Officer' as the latter has specific authority to exercise command and control over cadets and other NZCF Officers. The key difference between a cadet who is an adult and a cadet who is under 18 is that adult cadets and indeed all adults within the New Zealand Cadet Forces are charged with the responsibility of maintaining the safety and welfare of cadets during all NZCF activities. While this doesn't mean that cadets who are classified as adults hold authority over other cadets due to their age, it means that adult cadets are expected to at the very least vocalize to an Officer or Supplementary Staff member when they believe safety and welfare have been compromised. Cadet Non Commissioned Officers who are 18 or older are issued a thin white band which is sewn into the rank slide of the individual immediately above the "CADET FORCES" lettering and below the rank emblem.

Adult members can serve in two capacities: commissioned officers or Supplementary Staff. Officers are commissioned into the New Zealand Cadet Forces, with the post nominal letters NZCF, at the rank of second lieutenant, and can be promoted to lieutenant, captain or major after completing the necessary training and service. In 2014 the organisation introduced a new position of National Support Officer (NSO). This position was designed to place a New Zealand Cadet Force Officer at high level of influence within HQNZCF, which traditionally had his position had been solely occupied by New Zealand Defence Force Personnel. In 2016 with the adoption of the continental staff system the position was renamed to Assistant Commandant. NZCC officers, as opposed to an ATC or SCC officers, hold the rank of lieutenant colonel. Officers are unpaid volunteers, therefore they receive no pay for routine parades and unit activities. They are paid when attending training courses run by the New Zealand Defence Force. Supplementary Staff or SS for short, are civilians who help train cadets. They do not wear uniform, but they are generally treated similarly to officers by cadets. Members of the NZDF are occasionally attached to cadet units to assist in conducting training. This is normally because they know a cadet/officer in that unit, or if they have a particular interest in cadet forces. They are addressed as "Instructor" or by cadets choice, "Sir" or "Ma'am".

Most NZCF Officers do not pay any membership fees, this is typically to balance the time and effort put in by NZCF Officers. While Officers are not encouraged to, a large amount contribute anyway, by way of purchasing stationary and equipment for their unit.

Any Commissioned Officer in the NZCF or Supplementary Staff member that has an active security clearance is eligible to become an award facilitator, allowing cadets within their unit to actively participate in the award and allows any progress towards the award to be signed off. There is no limit to the number of staff members that can be award facilitators, allowing larger units to focus a staff member to each section of the award. While the award is directed towards young adults and within the NZCF specifically, the cadets and NCOs, Junior Officers and adults under the age of 25 are also eligible to complete any of the awards (although the Gold award would be the most reasonable).

Each year, the Sea Cadet Association of New Zealand (SCANZ) holds a competition for the most efficient unit in the country. Each area (Northern, Central and Southern) selects one unit, which is awarded either Charles Palmer Cup, The HMNZS Gambia Shield, or the South Island Annual Efficiency Shield, respectively. Then a naval officer inspects each of the three units chosen and selects the winning unit. The winning unit earns the Ex Royal Navalmans Trophy which they are entitled to keep for a year, and earns a placement for one cadet aboard the sail training ship Spirit of New Zealand.