My sons army cadets.

[Jack198012]

Hi my sons in year 9 and joined army cadets last year but because of lockdown the year ended quicker than expected. He's been telling me recently about that they have the same uniform the whole year. (A t-shirt fleece jumper and smock with a belt that needs to be tight). The fleece bit is like optional but recommended. Now from how things are looking he will probably be returning around the start of summer but surely he can't be expected to wear 3 layers in the summer heat. Know sometimes there parades last hours of standing in the sun etc. Is this like normal or not?

Have you or your son actually been told that he will have to wear the jumper on a hot day on a long parade, or are you surmising?

Oh dear lord, having your mum fret over whether you’ll be too arm is the exact opposite of the point of Army Cadets 🙈.

*warm

@Outbutnotoutout

They should get

2 x shirts
2 x trousers
2 x T-shirts (they pick up extra ones on annual camp)
1 x Fleece
2 x sock
1 x belt
1 x smock (jacket)
1 x beret and badge

He received 2x trousers 1x tshirt 1x jumper 1x fleece 2x sock 2x belt 1x smock 1x beret.

@EduCated

Have you or your son actually been told that he will have to wear the jumper on a hot day on a long parade, or are you surmising?

When I asked about it they said that yes the jumper is part of the uniform.

I wouldn't worry about this. If it's hot the cadets will be allowed to wear less. The school/club won't want cadets passing out. Your son will find this all out and is part of it all. He doesn't need his mum ringing the club in February about uniform in the summer.

Yes but there’s a difference between ‘part of the uniform’ and ‘must be worn at all times in all conditions’.

Summer

T-shirt
Shirt, sleeves rolled up
Trousers
Belt
Beret

Winter
As above but
Shirt sleeves rolled down

Fleece if cold
Smock if cold
Waterproofs if raining

These three items are removed if for instance
It stops raining - Waterproofs removed
It warms up/cadets are inside - fleece removed/smock removed

Adults are trained to spot heat and cold injury and make sure cadets are hydrated, fed etc

DS has just joined cadets too. He'll be getting the uniform when he goes back.

Yesterday you said you had asked about shirts and he only had the uniform in the OP but your list says he has a shirt.

This isn't something you should be giving any headspace to. The army cadets know about weather.

The fleece should not be worn unless it is cold enough to warrant it. Even when it is cold, there is no real reason to wear it on an average parade night as buildings are heated. He can always take a bag with him with the fleece in and put it on if they go outside in the cold.

When it is warm, we do NOT recommend that fleeces are worn. Smocks will not normally be worn when it is hot, only shirts and t-shirt. Smocks are sometimes worn in the field even when hot, in which case it is smock and t-shirt. I can only assume something has gotten lost in translation here as no instructor should be forcing a cadet to wear a fleece in hot weather.

I'm a captain in the Army Cadets.

There should definitely be a shirt. I think he’s missing an item

I've checked with them they don't have shirts only smocks and they are required to be worn at all times.

is he worrying about this, or only you.
don't you think you might be undermining his independence by fussing about this.
he is not in infant school. let him have the dignity of his years.
reminds me of private pike and his mother from dads' army, insisting he wear his woolly scarf to parade.