Educators or leaders of learning? : perceptions from CIC officers about their non-traditional role in the Canadian Armed Forces

Cadet Instructor Cadre (CIC) Officers are commissioned Officers of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Reserve Force, with an occupational specialty in youth development and instruction. CIC Officers are the adult leaders of the Cadet Program; a nationally directed, extracurricular Canadian youth program for 52 000 Cadets from ages 12-18 that promotes citizenship, leadership, physical fitness, and an interest in the sea, army, and air activities of the CAF. CIC Officers function between professional identities: the prototypical military role and the youth educator role, yet no peer-reviewed scholarship exists about CIC Officer identity or their occupational training. This study explores the following research questions: How do CIC Officers perceive their role? Does their training support or challenge that perception? This study uses qualitative methods of phenomenology to gather perceptions of CIC Officers who work with Cadets. Data was gathered from seven participants from across Canada through a one-hour semi-structured video interview. Analysis of the data included in vivo and values coding to gather the essence of attitudes, values, and beliefs. Two themes emerged from data: roles perceived to align with CIC Officer training, which include the educator, leader, manager, and guide/ mentor; and roles perceived to misalign with CIC Officer training. The findings highlight the complexity of the occupation and non-prototypical nature of CIC Officer roles in the CAF.