The patriotic cadets brimming with ‘moral courage’ bringing UK patriotism | UK | News

Patriotic Army cadets have told the Express they feel inspired to be Britain’s next generation of soldiers, as we joined 300 teenagers on a new science and technology kids’ boot camp. There are around 140,000 Armed Forces cadets, but June’s Strategic Defence Review said we should aim for 250,000, with youngsters aged 12-18 learning skills such as fieldcraft, drill and first aid.

A University of Northampton study shows being a cadet leads to better resilience, school attendance, academic achievement, mental health and fewer behaviour issues. Last summer, an alarming Daily Express poll revealed 64% of Brits would refuse to join the Army, Navy or Air Force to defend our nation if Vladimir Putin‘s increased Russian aggression plunged Europe into WWIII.

But last week, 300 boys and girls from the UK’s community-based Army Cadet Force (ACF) and school-linked Combined Cadet Force (CCF) flocked to Dorset for the annual ‘Army Cadet STEM Camp’ – for a week of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths-linked military activities.

And ahead of Armistice Day, while being put through their paces by soldiers at the Royal Armoured Corps’ Bovington Camp, we saw glowing national pride alive and well with kids dreaming of joining the Army.

Deputy Commander Cadets Brigadier Gary McDade told us: “I try to describe Army Cadets in four words.

“Fun; I want our Cadets to enjoy what they do. Friendship; joining an organisation with like-minded youngsters, making new friends. Belonging; wearing a similar uniform, cap badge and being proud of your cadet detachment. And lastly, Wellbeing; the physical is evident, but also mental wellbeing too.”

Explaining the six “core values” he wants instilled in all his youngsters – ‘courage’, ‘discipline’, ‘respect for others’, ‘integrity’, ‘loyalty’ and ‘selfless commitment’ – he added: “Moral courage so our children do the right thing in a difficult situation.

“Discipline could be as simple as looking smart, but is also linked to making your bed in the morning, helping clear the dining room table, loading the dishwasher, turning up to school, better attainment at school, and respect for others.

“Also respect for others, integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment. Just setting our youngsters up with these good core values, whatever path they choose, they can go off and be successful adults.

“You will have heard about cadet expansion, and we’re ensuring we’re responsible enough to enable this generation and the next of teenagers to step into adulthood in the next five to 10 years.”

During the eighth annual STEM camp, 300 cadets from across the UK competed in teams to trial military equipment and solve problems – all while having fun.

On one of the days, 25 different STEM businesses, including BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, National Grid and Malloy Aeronautics, attended an industry day to give career tips to the teenagers.

We also watched the immersive programme of STEM-focused activities, designed to give them hands-on experience with the British Army’s technical capabilities.

One exercise saw Royal Logistics Corps (RLC) cadets navigate a real bomb disposal robot round an obstacle course with a team shouting directions, and another being guided as they steered the machine around the track.

Afterwards, thrilled Corporal Cooper Woodford, 14, from the Isle of Wight, said the camp had been “really good” – especially learning how to drive the Army’s new Ajax fighting vehicle and the Challenger II tank.

Cooper added: “If I wasn’t a Cadet, I would never have been able to come to this camp. I would never have been able to learn about all this really cool different stuff.

“I want to go to university first, so I’m considering joining the Army as an officer.”

As we watched a different batch of cadets learn about an Army Jackal reconnaissance vehicle, cadet Abigail Amos, 14, from the ACF RLC based in Suffolk, told us she’s been so inspired she also wants to enlist when older.

Praising the STEM week camp she told us: “I think I learned a lot of life skills, so that was really fun. I learned how to chain a car onto the back of a lorry!

“I would like to be a driver for RLC. I think that’s really nice. Or I could be bomb disposal. I really enjoyed that. I think everyone’s missed their parents but we have all become a family over this week.”

Major Zak Wake, 54, from Gallipoli Company RLC on the Isle of Wight, told us: “Our cadets will be buzzing after this camp!”

While his colleague Captain Jacqui Wright, a 50-year-old married mum, added: “We can really set the children up for their later lives in the cadets, whatever they decide to do.

“They leave us as better people. It is not all about discipline but confidence and them learning the core values of the Army.

“That is what all the instructors like me want, for the kids to achieve their potential. I wanted to join the Army years ago but it did not happen.”

Other tasks included a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers electrical fault-finding challenge, a Royal Signals “Cyber in a Box” coding activity and an Army Air Corps helicopter-building challenge and flight simulator.

Air Trooper George Costello put me through my paces on the Apache helicopter sim, but after a brief barrel roll I managed to crash it down to the ground.

Air Trooper Costello explained afterwards: “It’s not about recruiting but ensuring the kids come back for more. This certainly has the ‘wow’ factor for them!”

A number of recent reports have explained the importance of structured activities like being a cadet on the outcomes and behaviour of UK youngsters – especially young boys.

The ‘Lost Boys – State of the Nation’ report saw the Centre for Social Justice travel across Britain to discover what was happening with boys and young men.

It found they are in crisis across many fronts such as that boys are now more likely to own a smartphone than to live with their dad.

According to the Youth Endowment Fund, as of last year, 630,894 young people aged 12 to 16 in England did not have access to a trusted adult.

The report led to Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s chief executive Paul Barber launching the ‘Lost Boys Task Force’ in July, for young men at risk of disconnection from society.

It was set up amid growing concerns that, without reliable role models, a generation of boys are becoming increasingly vulnerable to dangerous ideas online, issues highlighted in Netflix‘s drama Adolescence.

Mr Barber said he wanted young men to be given access to a trusted adult outside of their family who can help support their development

Following the separation of his parents in 1980, Mr Barber said he went into a “spiral” and a period of “playing truant” and “feeling lost in the world.”

Mr Barber added: “I know from my own experience how crucial having a reliable mentor when you’re young can be.

“At a time when toxic influencers like Andrew Tate are filling the void for so many boys, it’s clear that too many young men feel isolated and directionless.”

Post-COVID, education dropouts among boys have risen 40% (compared to 7% for girls), while one in four Year 6 boys in primary school is now obese.

The University of Northampton study shows being a cadet leads to better attendance (saving schools an estimated £1.14m-a-year); higher academic achievement (a £56m impact from improved GCSE results); improved mental health and resilience and fewer exclusions and bad behaviour – with schools with cadet units seeing a 25 percent drop.

Back at Bovington Camp – watching her Royal Fusiliers cadets, from 212 Hornsey in north-west London – Colour Sergeant Jenni Gilbert, 56, told us her cadets understand our nation’s Armed Forces history and are proud to wear their cap badges.

She added: “On the industry day the kids discovered that a lot of the STEM things they do at school can actually help them to get into careers in the army.

“Now a lot of the cadets have been thinking, ‘I need to now work harder on my GCSEs so that I can actually move forward that way’.

“I’ve had many of my cadets actually join the Army. I’m very proud. I see them on telly and I’m like, that’s one of mine!

“We’ve got remembrance Sunday coming up and the kids have asked to join the Fusilier Remembrance Parade. They all know the importance of those who gave up their lives for us and the people currently serving too. They’re very respectful of that.”