Three Inverness-shire Cadet Force Adult Volunteers have had their service in helping the young people of the Highlands recognised.
Lieutenant Iain Cassidy (66), Regimental Sergeant Major Instructor Gordon MacLeod (42) and Sergeant Major Instructor Bruce Folley (62), from 1st Battalion The Highlanders, received various presentations to highlight their dedication to the cadets.
Lt Cassidy, who is currently the Detachment Commander of Aviemore Detachment, was presented with the Cadet Force Medal – marking 12 years of service to the Cadet Forces. The Cadet Force Medal is awarded to all Adult Volunteers after 12 years of service to the Cadet Forces. Over his time with the Battalion Iain has held several key appointments, from the Battalion’s Adventure Training Officer where he was responsible for planning Adventure Training activities for the cadets, to being appointed the Battalion’s Training Major where he was responsible for planning the Battalion’s Training Programme for the year. Between 2014-2020, Iain was appointed as the Battalion’s Commandant. The Cadet Commandant is responsible for all Officers, Adult Instructors and Cadets within Battalion and is responsible for training and administrating the Battalion effectively.
RSMI MacLeod, who is the Battalion’s current Regimental Sergeant Major, and SMI Folley, who is the Training Officer for the Battalion’s Inverness Company, were both presented with the Cadet Force Warrant. The Cadet Force Warrant was created in August 2020 after consent from the Defence Minister and is designed to recognise the value placed by the Ministry of Defence on the Senior Non-Commissioned Adults within the UK’s Cadet Forces. The new warrant will be presented to all adult volunteers on promotion to Sergeant Major Instructor in the Army Cadets and their equivalent within the other Cadet Services, this includes those who have already achieved and holds the rank of SMI, to highlight the effort, achievement and the commitment required to reach this rank.
RSMI MacLeod has been with the Army Cadets since May 2005, where he started as an instructor with Forres Detachment, where in 2007 he was appointed as the Detachment’s Commander. In 2013 he transferred to Culloden Detachment to take over the role as Detachment Commander. While he was the Detachment Commander for Culloden, Gordon was also holding the position of Company Sergeant Major for Moray Company. As CSM he was responsible for standards and discipline and the cadets as well as representing the views of the younger adult instructors of the company and highlighting any matters up through the Chain of Command. In 2019 he was appointed as the Battalion’s Regimental Sergeant Major, as RSM he is responsible for the discipline of all Adult Instructors within the Battalion and representing the views of those adults to the Battalion’s Commandant.
SMI Folley has been involved with the Battalion since 2000, where he began his ACF career with Inverness Detachment as an instructor. From April 2005 until September 2019, Bruce was appointed as the Training Safety Advisor for the Battalion. The Training Safety Advisors are part of each Brigade’s Cadet Training Team, with a TSA appointed for each Army Cadet County across the UK and are on hand to advise all Adult Volunteers on Training Safety matters to ensure the safety of the cadets and adults who supervise them. After finishing his role with the Brigade as the Battalion’s TSA he took a short break away from ACF but once again rejoined the Battalion in March 2021 where he was appointed as the Training Officer for Inverness Company.
All three instructors received their presentations from the Battalion’s Commandant Colonel Mike MacDonald, following the completion of an Adult Training day held at the Battalion’s Cadet Training Centre on 27 November.
