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13-16 – National Cadet Honours and Awards

Cadet Administrative and Training Orders (CATOs)

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General

1. This order describes the organization and attribution criteria of national cadet honours and awards.

2. This CATO supplements Queen’s Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Cadet Organizations (QR(Cadets)) and takes precedence over elemental cadet dress instructions with respect to the wearing of medals.

3. The National Cadet Honours and Awards is not part of the Canadian Military Honours (Orders, decorations and medals) system.

Authority

4. This order is promulgated under the authority of the Chief of the Defence Staff.

5. The Director Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers (D Cdts & JCR) and the Navy League, the Army Cadet League and the Air Cadet League jointly issue this order.

Canadian Cadet Organizations National Honours and Awards Committee

6. The Canadian Cadet Organizations (CCO) National Honours and Awards Committee shall review recommendations for Cadet National Honours and Awards.  This committee shall be composed of:

  1. Chairman: D Cdts & JCR;
  2. Secretary: D Cdts 2-2 (Administration);  and
  3. Members:
    (1) D Cdts 2,
    (2) D Cdts 3,
    (3) D Cdts 4,
    (4) D Cdts 5,
    (5) D Cdts 6,
    (6) Executive Director of the Navy League,
    (7) Executive Director of the Army Cadet League, and
    (8) Executive Director of the Air Cadet League.

7. The CCO National Honours and Awards committee is the approving authority for all honours and awards worn on or with the cadet uniform.  Consequently, no medal or award shall be worn until appropriate authorization is given.

8. See Annex A for the terms of reference for this committee.

National Cadet Honours and Awards

9. National Cadet Honours and Awards that may be awarded to Sea, Army and Air Cadets are the following:

  1. Cadet Award for Bravery, Annex B;
  2. Cadet Certificate of Commendation, Annex C;
  3. Lord Strathcona Medal, Annex D;
  4. Royal Canadian Legion Cadet Medal of Excellence, Annex E;
  5. Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada Cadet Medal of Merit, Annex F; and
  6. The Colonel-Robert-Perron Award, Annex G.

10. National Cadet Honours and Awards that may be awarded to Sea Cadets are the following:

  1. Navy League of Canada Award of Commendation, see the Navy League of Canada documents;
  2. Navy League of Canada Medal of Excellence, see the Navy League of Canada documents; and
  3. Sea Cadet Service Medal, see the Navy League of Canada documents.

11. National Cadet Honours and Awards that may be awarded to Army Cadets are the following:

  1. Master Cadet Royal Canadian Army cadets, CATO 47-01;
  2. The Major-General W.A. Howard Award (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada);
  3. The Lieutenant-General J.W. Quinn Annual Music Award for Excellence (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada) ;
  4. The Lieutenant-General J.E. Vance Leadership Award (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada);
  5. The Army Cadet League of Canada Award (Para) (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada);
  6. The Army Cadet League of Canada Award (Rocky Mountain) (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada);
  7. The Army Cadet League of Canada Centennial Award (Rocky Mountain) (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada);
  8. The D.W. Fleck Award (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada);
  9. The Lieutenant-General C.H. Belzile Trophy for Excellence in largebore shooting (responsibility of The Army Cadet League of Canada); and
  10. Army Cadet Service Medal, the Army Cadet League of Canada Policy No 13.1.

12. National Cadet Honours and Awards that may be awarded to Air Cadets are the following:

  1. Air Force Association Medal Royal Canadian Air Cadets, CATO 52-08; and
  2. Air Cadet Service Medal, see the Air Cadet League of Canada documents.

13. The National Cadet Honours and Awards presented to cadets by the Leagues or other organizations remain under their control.  The CCO National Honours and Awards committee may request a League or an organization to attribute an honour or an award to a cadet.

14. A cadet who transfers to another element shall be permitted to wear on his new elemental uniform any medals and/or ribbons awarded while he was a Sea Cadet, an Army Cadet or an Air Cadet.

15. A Sea Cadet, an Army Cadet or an Air Cadet who was awarded the Navy League of Canada Award of Commendation and/or the Navy League of Canada Medal of Excellence, as a Navy League Cadet, is authorized to wear this medal and/or ribbons on his Sea Cadet, Army Cadet or Air Cadet uniform.

16. If a cadet transfers to another element, all periods of time spent as a member of Sea Cadets, Army Cadets or Air Cadets may be counted towards the eligibility period of the Cadet Service Medal of any element.  However, a cadet may only be awarded one Cadet Service Medal.  As soon as a Cadet Service Medal from one element is awarded to a cadet, this medal shall be worn on his uniform no matter what element the cadet transfers to.

Wearing of Medals and Ribbons

17. National Cadet honours and awards in the form of a medal (with or without a ribbon) shall be worn immediately above the right breast pocket.  Details on the wearing of medals or ribbons are found in elemental specific Cadet dress instructions.

18. In exceptional circumstances, a cadet may be awarded, as a cadet or a citizen, a Canadian Order, Decoration or Medal (e.g. the Queen’s Jubilee Medal).  In such a case, the Canadian Order, Decoration or Medal shall be worn immediately above the left breast pocket.

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Order of Precedence

19. The order of precedence of medals/ribbons is:

  1. Cadet Award for Bravery;
  2. Lord Strathcona Medal;
  3. Royal Canadian Legion Cadet Medal of Excellence;
  4. Navy League of Canada Medal of Excellence;
  5. The Major-General W.A. Howard Award;
  6. Air Force Association Medal;
  7. Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada Cadet Medal of Merit;
  8. Sea Cadet Service Medal;
  9. Army Cadet Service Medal; and
  10. Air Cadet Service Medal.

Annexes

Annex A

Terms of Reference – Canadian Cadet Organizations (CCO) National Honours and Awards Committee

Annex B

Cadet Award for Bravery

Annex C

Cadet Certificate of Commendation

Annex D - Cancelled

Lord Strathcona Medal​ - superseded

Annex E

Royal Canadian Legion Cadet Medal of Excellence

Annex F

The Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada Cadet Medal of Merit

Annex G

The Colonel Robert Perron Award

Annex G - Appendix 1

Perron Award Scoring Matrix Standards

Annex G - Appendix 2

Application Colonel Robert Perron Awards

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OPI: D Cdts 5

Date: Nov 02

Amendment: Ch 5/02

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