The
purpose of the CCF, or
Combined Cadet Force, is to introduce British
youth to its
military. In contrast to the
ACF or Army Cadet Force which is done
regionally the CCF is done by schools - all
officers are school
teachers and most of the
impetus comes from inside the school. The CCF does very well to give
students a good start on the road to the military
profession, introducing the basics, providing chances to try out
leadership roles and linking the cadets to
recruitment and
scholarship services. Obviously this is good for the services as well, which is why so much money is available to
contingents. Trips, equipment, and training from military personnel are all provided by the MOD's
money.
There are roughly 40,000 cadets in the CCF, split into three sections: Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Also there is the Royal Marines who are a special part of the Royal Navy. The army section is the largest, comprising over half of the total cadet population.