Rosie Appointed First Sea Lord’s Cadet for 2026
By Rosie A (L6)
Last September, I was nominated by the Sherborne Schools Combined Cadet Force (CCF) to apply for the role of First Sea Lord's Cadet for 2026. This is a role awarded to three cadets from the CCF across the UK, along with two Volunteer Cadets, six Sea Cadets and one newly introduced Sea Scout. The First Sea Lord's Cadet is the top position, representing the Cadet forces in the UK and the First Sea Lord himself. I also see it as a way of showing young people all over the country the integral skills and personal development gained from joining the cadet force.
On Friday 16 January I was invited to attend my investiture, having heard about the success of my application in November. This took place at HM Naval Base Portsmouth, where I was officially awarded the title by the First Sea Lord on board the HMS Victory. Arriving proudly in my Number 1 Blues uniform, I met the other 11 cadets who I noticed all shared the same deep passion and enthusiasm for the cadet force organisation. We were given a fascinating tour of the naval ship Dauntless and shown in great detail the machinery and technology of the Naval infrastructure. A lunch aboard the HMS Nelson Wardroom concluded the investiture and then we said goodbye to our parents and headed up to RMR London where we started our Ambassador Training weekend to prepare ourselves for the new role.
For me, this role is a huge honour; to havebeen considered and then offered this incredible opportunity is something for which I am so grateful . I am so grateful to my unit, for introducing me to something that I have loved more and more throughout my time in the cadet force. I am ecstatic when I think about the upcoming events that I will be attending with the other 11 cadets; including the Mountbatten Festival of Music in March, the Trafalgar Day Parade and the Admiralty Carol Service at the end of my tenure.
I am so excited to represent the cadet forces from all over the UK and demonstrate the values of empathy, motivation and initiative the CCF has drilled into me over the years. It is something so special and the experiences and life lessons I have gained from this is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. One of the most important things I wish to convey with the support of my role is to be able to stand up for female cadets in Britain and show them that they should not hold back and that they are more than capable of doing anything in their lives with the right mindset. The CCF has taught me that it is okay to push myself to the absolute limit, and I want every young person in the nation to experience that and begin to enjoy coming face to face with challenges.
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