Junior Leaders facts for kids

Junior Leaders were special training groups in the British Army. They were for young people, usually starting at age 15. These young people would learn important skills and training before joining the main army units when they were about seventeen and a half. Their main goal was to train future Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) for their specific army groups, called Regiments or Corps. NCOs are leaders like sergeants and corporals.

A Look Back: History of Junior Leaders

The idea of Junior Leaders' Regiments started in the mid-1950s. It grew from an older system called 'Boy Service'. These programs continued until the 1990s. There were different Junior Leader Regiments for young people joining various parts of the Army.

Some of these special training groups included:

• The All Arms Junior Leaders' Regiment, All Arms Junior Leaders' Regiment
• The Junior Infantryman Battalion (started in 1967)
• The Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion
• The Junior Parachute Company
• Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (for tank and armoured vehicle crews)
• Junior Leaders Battalion Royal Army Ordnance Corps (for managing supplies and equipment)
• Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport (for moving people and goods)
• Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Army Service Corps (another logistics and transport group)
• The Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Artillery (for gunners)
• The Junior Leaders Regiment, (JLR), Royal Corps of Signals (for communications)
• The Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Engineers (for building and engineering tasks)

What Did Junior Leaders Learn?

Junior Leaders received training in many different areas to prepare them for their future roles.

Education and Learning

Young Junior Leaders had the chance to study and pass the Army Certificate of First Class Education. This helped them become Warrant Officers or even Commissioned Officers later on. They could also study for O levels, which are important school exams.

Military and Job Training

Junior Leaders got full military training. They learned important skills like:

• Drill (marching and formations)
• How to handle Weapons safely
• Shooting practice
• Physical fitness training

Many also learned a specific job skill, called 'Trade training'. This meant they often joined their main army units with special job qualifications already. At first, training lasted two years, split into six terms, starting at age 15. Later, it was shortened to 12 months when the school leaving age went up to 16.

Weapons Training

Junior Leaders learned to shoot and drill with their army rifles. These included the Lee–Enfield, then the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle, and later the L85A1. They also learned bayonet drills (how to use a knife attached to a rifle). They were taught to shoot other weapons like the SMG (Submachine Gun), LMG (Light Machine Gun), GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun), Carl Gustav (a type of rocket launcher), and how to throw grenades safely.

Special Job Skills

Junior Leaders were trained in the main jobs needed within their chosen army group. For example, a Junior Leader in the Royal Corps of Signals might learn how to set up and operate radio systems.

Leadership and Adventure

A big part of the training was about leadership. This was very important because they were being trained to become future senior NCOs. They were encouraged to try all sorts of active outdoor activities, including:

• Canoeing
• Sailing
• Rock climbing
• Map reading
• Cooking outdoors in the field
• Survival skills in tough conditions

Junior Leaders also went on special military and civilian Outward Bound courses. These courses teach teamwork and survival skills in the UK and other countries. They also took part in many sports and competitions against other youth groups.

Junior Soldiers Today

Today, the British Army still trains young people, but they are called junior soldiers. They go to the Army Foundation College. Here, they get basic and special training. However, they do not join adult service or go into combat until they reach the legal age. This is different from the 'Boy Soldiers' of the 1800s, who sometimes went to battle alongside adults in non-fighting roles, like buglers.

Today's junior soldiers are named after their army group, for example, a "Junior Infantryman". The Army Foundation College trains them for their roles as private soldiers. It does not specifically train them to become senior NCOs or Warrant Officers, though they can achieve these ranks later.

Junior Leaders in Bermuda

The Royal Bermuda Regiment, which protects the British island of Bermuda, also had its own Junior Leaders program. It started in 1969 with 19 boys. This program continued until the 1990s, when it became part of the separate Bermuda Cadet Corps. The Junior Leaders were part of the Bermuda Regiment and wore the same uniform. The Cadet Corps was a separate group linked to schools.

In 2012, the Bermuda Cadet Corps stopped due to money problems. The Bermuda Regiment then brought back its Junior Leaders program. Many of the Royal Bermuda Regiment's top leaders, including Lieutenant-Colonel Brian Gonsalves, started their army careers in the Junior Leaders program.

It's important not to confuse Junior Leaders with groups like the Army Cadet Force, Combined Cadet Force, or the University Officers' Training Corps. These are different youth organizations.