VCC

I'm serving at COLLINGWOOD at the moment, and talking about the unit on base referred to the Volunteer Cadet Corps (VCC) as being Sea Cadets. For this, I was roundly abused by an ex-VCC lad who stated that they were much better than the Sea Cadets and yah boo sucks etc etc.

So who the hell are the VCC then? Are they only in Portsmouth area? Why aren't they just Sea Cadets? All Google will tell me is that the MoD pays for them, and that COLLINGWOOD, SULTAN, EXCELLENT, DRYAD and DOLPHIN have their own VCC units. As do the Met Police, although I'm guessing they're not the same thing...

 

the VCC that you speak of is i assume the RMVCC (Royal Marine Volunteer Cadet Corps).

these were started up on RM bases by serving RM parents, as a youth group for their sons.

the sea cadets are a charity, but get some funding form the MOD.

im not sure of the RMVCC status, but they are also funded by the MOD, but to what extent i dont know either.

basically, they are a youth group that uses the traditions of the RM in their training. (much like the sea cadets/atc/acf.

being as they are on RM bases, they will definatley be better equipt and trained than their marine cadet (scc) opposites, as they will have some access to the stores, and their staff are all serving (i think) booties.

not sure where the RMVCC stand with female cadets though.

yours aye

jason

www.savedutchy.co.uk

 

I think it's basically cadets for servicemen's sons/daughters (they allow girls too).

 

No, these aren't baby booties, they're definitely dressed like sea cadets, in square rig and everything!

 

They're just sea cadets but with a different name really. My guess as to why they aren't just normal sea cadets is that being on a naval base, they will be run by RN personnel instead of civvies. But that's still odd as HMS Caledonia has a sea cadet unit inside it (and an ATC unit too).

 

You're right, dunkers, they do. BRNC also has a Sea Cadet unit in the establishment, as does Whale Island and RNAS Yeovilton (all, IIRC).

Aren't the VCC the sworn-enemy competitors to the SCC? I seem to remember a Field Gun competition between VCC units at a DRYAD "fun day" in the mid-1990s and they all had tee-shirts on saying "No, we're not Sea Cadets - we're much better!" on them, or words to that effect.

 

If they are, the SCC has never heard of them (I was a cadet until fairly recently). I only heard of them when I came across their website by chance. They're putting themselves on a pedestal, but really, they aren't any better than the SCC if you ask me. Just kids playing at being sailors, just like the SCC.

 

You wouldn't happen to be at Scotia RNR would you fangita?

 

these links may help

http://www.hants.gov.uk/dolphin-vcc/index1.html

and try this

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051219/text/51219w13.htm

yours aye

jason

www.savedutchy.co.uk

 

Well the RMVCC are younger kids, much younger than their SCC RM Section counterparts, and do look a little out of place in blues.

But if you really want a comparison, the CCF RN Section, and SCC. CCF looked awful, long hair, I mean female length hair, poorly kept uniforms, no wonder they are not issued with Number Ones!

And they are supposedly officers of the future!

 

Don't get me started on the CCF :roll:

By the way I don't suppose you know a Liam Bass? Medway Towns SCC.

 

Dunkers, he went to my old primary school! He was in a different school year to me though.

 

Cool, I went on a cadet exchange trip to Hong Kong with him last year.

 

i thought it was open season on CCF???

 

As a serving member of the RMVCC i say we VCC chaps navy or marine are the best even if our younger kids look like the hitler youth in their blues

 

Geoff man, didn't realise that you served in the college of knowledge. Talk to SECWO, he's I/C of the VCC and I'm sure that he will resolve any differences that you may have with civvies that dress in the fashion of olde sailors, ie square rig. :wink:

 

VCC Units are funded by their parent establishments. The RMVCC at Whale Island share a HQ with Portsmouth Sea Cadets but have lots more cadets mainly because they take them very young, They are also not tied down by the same amount of red tape as the SCC.

There is no real comparison between the VCC and the SCC as the SCC is a National Charity with over 400 units. VCC units can be counted on two hands and are mainly found in the Portsmouth Area. At the moment we do not compete with them in sports, band, drill etc. but it was muted a couple of years ago that they would like to take part in some of our competitions.

The CCF are a different kettle of fish but they are not all privileged upper class private/public school children, some state schools have CCF. The cadets are no different to their counterparts in the SCC, ACF & ATC however they do receive better funding and have all the facilities available in large schools.

At the end of the day all cadet organisation no matter what uniform they wear are giving children something to do rather than hanging around street corners. It is a known fact that servicemen and women who started off in the cadet forces have a lower fall out rate in basic training and generally stay in the service longer.