Happy Birthday to
Cadets, Officers, Supporters and Alumni
of the American Cadet Alliance!

Our program traces its heritage back to 98 years ago today when the "Colonel Cody Boy Scouts" was first formed.  The first Unit, Alexander Battalion, drilled at the First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York.  Today, the ACA possesses the sole distinction of being the oldest military youth organization in continuous existence in the United States.
 
Much has happened within our beloved Corps within the past year: 

 

·        Continued growth of the program to include members and units in several new states, including:  Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Virginia.

·        Expansion and greater support of the Army Cadet Corps.

·        Under the leadership of MG(CA) Ron Markarian, Chairman of the ACA's Board of Advisors, we have added several additional members of the Board of Advisers, including the former Chief of Staff of the Army GEN Fred Weyand, USA(Ret.), Medal of Honor Recipient Col Jay Vargas, USMC(Ret.) and several other General Officers.

·        A number of ACA Cadets have left our program so that they may serve in the Armed Forces of our great country.  Just in the past few weeks we've learned of nearly a dozen former ACA Cadets who are either serving in the Armed Forces, will soon be commissioned, or have recently enlisted.

 
As we celebrate 98 years of service to America's youth, I am extremely proud to announce that the American Cadet Alliance has secured a new National Headquarters location in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania (about an hour from Pittsburgh), effective today.

This 60,000 square foot facility has numerous offices and classrooms, a large gymnasium that will serve as a perfect drill hall, sufficient space to sleep more than 150 Officers and Cadets, and plenty of warehousing, all situated on five acres, which will ultimately serve as both our National Headquarters and National Training Site, as well as the Headquarters for the International Association of Cadetting.   Our National Headquarters is a prestigious facility, which is befitting of the proud heritage of our Corps.   We will not only conduct the business of the Corps from this facility, we also expect to host numerous training programs for ACA personnel as well as others in the Cadetting community.   This is a major move for our program, and an exciting opportunity for us to serve America's youth.  We have long searched for a suitable facility, which was within the financial reach of ACA.   This is the right place at the right time.

I'd like to take this opportunity to extend a sincere THANK YOU to the men and women who serve in the ACA Officers' Corps.  Without your dedication to the core values of HONOR, COURAGE and COMMITMENT, we would not be able to serve our Cadets.  Further, to all the members of the ACA family - Cadets, officers, parents, alumni and supporters - let me extend a sincere and warm HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
 

Keep Charging!
 

//CRT//
 

CHARLES R. TORNOW
COL, IN, USACC
National Commander
American Cadet Alliance
www.militarycadets.org
 
"ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!"

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