About 248 Army Cadet Unit - City of Sydney (Gadigal)

Established in 2022, 248 ACU is a community-based cadet unit at Victoria Barracks, Sydney. Anyone aged 13-16 may join the unit, regardless of what school you go to or which area you come from.

248 ACU is supported by Headquarters Forces Command, and it is part of 22 AAC Battalion, within the NSW Australian Army Cadet Brigade.

“Gadigal” is the name of the indigenous people whose ancestral lands included the area upon which Victoria Barracks, Sydney is located. Permission was granted in 2022 by the Local Aboriginal Land Council to use the name for 248 ACU.

Unit Structure

Like most Army Cadet Units, 248 ACU is headed up by the Officer Commanding (OC), who is the senior adult leader with command of the unit. The OC is supported by other adult volunteers (Adult Cadet Staff, ACS) who deliver, administer and support the AAC program at the unit level.

Cadets within 248 ACU are organised into platoons, depending on the level of training which they are undertaking. All cadets are led by fellow cadets - non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who are more senior and have attained rank and position. In accordance with the Cadet Development Curriculum (CDC), cadet NCOs may be section, platoon or company leaders, or they may be a specialist with a certain skill. All cadet NCOs are capable of teaching lessons (delivering periods of instruction), and are the role models for more junior cadets.

Parade Nights

248 ACU parades during the school term, weekly on Tuesday nights. This is where our cadets do the majority of their learning and skills development, and regular attendance is a must. During parade nights, cadets wear general duty DPCU uniform, and uphold the customs and traditions of the AAC and the Australian Army whilst they are “on duty”.

Want to find out more?

Read our frequently asked questions, or contact us.