Updates on Training Program (II)

Enrichment activites planned by HQ include OBS, Visit to Malaysia, Visit to Hong Kong, Cadet Journalism for the quarterly Rhino Magazine, Bowling Competition, Adventure Dragon Boat, kayaking expedition, 1-star and 2-star kayaking.

Besides wearing your No. 4 uniform on CCA days, there are many external activities / school events in which you have to wear your NCDCC uniform e.g. Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Course, Automated External Defibrillator Course, Homefront Security Badge Course, Relational Leader Course, 2-Rescuer CPR Course, NCO Course (for Sec 1 student leaders in December), SNCO Course (for Sec 3 sergeants in June), National Camp, Inter-Unit Quiz, Swearing-in Ceremony, NCDCC Day (11 April in school) / National Day Parade / Singapore Youth Festival and Service Day.

Some of these practical courses e.g. CPR, USAR, HAZMAT and Footdrill (Gold) are conducted by SCDF staff in Home Team Academy / Civil Defence Academy. Some training activities are conducted by external organisations e.g. SANA (May, June, November), NHB and SMRT. There must be a gap of at least 4 months between promotions. It will be a steep learning curve for Sec 2s who just joined this year. Mrs Lim will accelerate their learning. They can attend CPR course (June / July), SANA course in November and ATC (30 - 31 Oct 2008).

The Footdrill (Gold) Proficiency Test is not for everyone. Only 3 best cadets with leadership quality will be nominated by the OC Unit and trained by HQ Training Officer to be Unit Drill Instructors, out of which two of them will be interviewed by HQ Officers. If they are found suitable, HQ officers will then promote them to be Warrant Officers. (Cadet --> Lance Corporal --> Corporal --> Sergeant --> Staff Sergeant --> WO)

Special NCDCC Badges ( Only for selected cadets )

Unit Best Cadet Badge Criteria
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- Minimum rank is CPL
- Outstanding as a cadet
- Good academic records
- Good discipline in Corps as well as in school
- At least 4 NCDCC Proficiency Badges
- Regular attendance for all activities
- Smartness in bearing and turnout
- Contributed to progress of school unit
- Good Leadership

SCDF-NCDCC Pinnacle Badge Criteria
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- At least a Staff Sergeant (SSG) in Sec 4/5
- Possesses Total Defence Badge, Footdrill Badge, ATC, National Heritage and 4 CD Badges + CD Knowledge Badge
- Passed NAPFA
- Possesses good attributes – Conduct, Commitment, Performance, Attitude, Attendance.

Urban Search and Rescue Badge Criteria
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- 3-day USAR Course at CDA
- Practical Assessment on Basic Rescue Equipment, 4-Point Suspension, Ladder and Donning of Breathing Apparatus

PROMOTIONS

1st promotion: September 2008
Compulsory badges: First Aid, Total Defence (Bronze), Fire Safety


2nd promotion: May - June 2009
Compulsory badges: Campcraft, CD Shelter, Rescue


3rd promotion: Dec 2009 - Jan 2010
Compulsory badges: Footdrill (Bronze), CPR


4th promotion: June 2010
Compulsory badges: HAZMAT, CD Knowledge, Footdrill (Silver), ATC (Adventure Training Camp - organised by NCDCC HQ in Pulau Ubin)


5th promotion: Dec 2010
Compulsory badges: Crime Prevention, SANA, Footdrill (Gold), National Heritage Badge

Cadets' Service Sheets

There are 3 cadets who have not attached a photo in the booklet and 1 cadet, Linda Poh, has not returned her booklet.

With your participation in the NCDCC Open House / Fun & Fitness Day / Kayaking Expedition / Dragonboating, the list of activities for each cadet will be updated in an online system, CIS which is known as Cadet Information System. In school, we will keep track of your participation in NCDCC activities in MOE Intranet. At the end of the year, the summary of activities of which you were a participant would be inserted in the last few plastic folders of your report book so that your CCA points could be accumulated for the next three to four years.

Uniform sizing

Date: 24 March 2008

Time: 2 to 3.30 p.m.

Venue: Sec 107 classroom

You will receive your NCDCC uniform on 26 March and nametag on 9 April. Do not forget to polish your boots with Kiwi (black), starch (boil tapioca flour or buy Easy Starch from NTUC and let it dry overnight) and last but not least, iron your uniform!

Uniform No. 4 - a jockey cap, a beret, a belt with buckle, a garter, a pair of black socks, name tag with velcro, NCDCC rank, shirt to be neatly tucked into your pants. Besides getting free boots and uniform, you will also be given a free NCDCC t-shirt.

Even though Capt Lim has told the cadets about uniform manners and etiquette on 5 March, all cadets can kindly refer to the NCDCC official website http://www.ncdcc.gov.sg/index.html for more information.

NCDCC Open House at CDA

Date: 8 March 2008

Time: 1345 - 1745 h

Venue: Civil Defence Academy, Jalan Bahar Complex

Attire: PE attire with long track pants

The main objective of this event is to allow students to have an insight to the contributions of Civil Defence within the Total Defence Framework and the roles that they can play. All these activities are carried out through elements such as LFAV (Red Rhino) rides, simple Fire Extinguisher training, Combined Platform Ladder Rides, hand on sessions with rescue equipment such as airbags etc. There is a choice of more than 15 activities to choose from for the 4 hours the cadets are there.

Please rest assured that there would be good service support from NCDCC HQ with the following:
(a) Transport to and from school
(b) Refreshments
(c) Goodie Bags from NCDCC
(d) Medical coverage
(e) Games and Prizes for redemption (whilst stocks last)
(f) Information posters and flyers
(g) Guides for the day / group etc.

Sixteen cadets have given your parent's consent form to Mrs Lim. You are to assemble at 1 p.m. in the school foyer. The accompanying teacher is Mr Chew.

Attendance

There were 2 cases of latecoming and 4 cadets with poor attendance in Term 1.

Punishment will be imposed on latecomers e.g. bumping. One Sec 2 cadet will be exempted since her lesson ends at 2.15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Based on feedback given by the two seniors, we will consider changing the CCA day to Friday in 2009 so as to interact with cadets from SJAB and NCC.

Four Sec 1 cadets have been absent for 3 CCA sessions. They will be given a 'Fair' conduct in the term 1 progress report. If their attendance continues to be below 75%, they will not be entitled to any MOE Edusave Award (e.g. Good Progress, Bursary and Scholarship Awards) or school awards such as Model Student of the Month and Speech & Prizegiving Day awards. Once you have made up your mind to join NCDCC by end of January (grace period is over), you have to attend CCA sessions regularly from Sec 1 to 4 and are not allowed to quit from a UG. In fact, they have deprived other Sec 1s from joining NCDCC due to limited vacancies. Also note that the enrolment list has been sent to NCDCC HQ before CNY.

Promotion is based on both attendance (Mr Chew is in-charge of attendance) and performance in assessments (Mrs Lim is in-charge of assessments). Cadets who absent themselves will miss important lessons. The remaining four assessments are fire safety (in March), footdrill (in May), first aid (in July) and campcraft (in August). Cadets will be informed the requirements for each assessment e.g. for the footdrill proficiency badge test (bronze), you have to learn to execute 12 commands. You will be given a retest until you pass. Although footdrill has its benefits, it is just part of the training program as we have other topics to cover each week.

ATTENDANCE IS COMPULSORY ON 26 MARCH. It is difficult to arrange for the SCDF staff from Tampines Fire Station to bring the fire woks and fire extinguishers to KC on a fixed day and fixed time because priority goes to attend to real-life fire emergencies.