HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS:
The way the program works is we use positive peer pressure. positive peer pressure causes the cadet to reinforce in his/her fellow cadet positive behaviors because one doesn't want to get in trouble for what the other one did. the other thing that we do is we take the worst kids and we give them the best positions. Why do we do this? It has been proven through this program that when we take “bad” kids and give them things to do that are important, their behavior changes because now they have responsibilities and it makes them accountable. That cadet does not want to let you down, him/herself down, and they don't want to face the reality of being up here and then finding themselves down there.
I've seen “bad” kids, “horrible” kids go from punching their mother in the face to being some of the best kids in the program, because rather than the label that kid as “bad” when they come through the door and they're cutting up, what we do is say “I see you a tough guy, I know exactly what to do with you.” They automatically think that something negative or some sort of punishment is getting ready to follow that statement, but that are shocked when they here s say “I'm going to put you in charge of this and you're in charge of that right there, and we expect you to get that done” and they say “but, I don't know how to do that” and we say “don't worry, you will”
Now that child has responsibility, and now that cadet wants to hurry up and show up to get to the program, they even show up early because they say to themselves “ I got responsibilities, and there are other Cadets and things that are dependent on me” Now they feel a sense of self-worth, and the behavior changes.
That's how the program works. The program is designed to reinforce positive behaviors and to really build on their strengths. We help them to identify what their weaknesses are, but we don't focus on that. We can focus on helping them to direct all of their focus on their purpose, and we focus on teaching them how to identify that purpose and how to walk and live in that purpose.
Field Training Exercises (FTX)
Field Training Exercises are really good because they allow the cadets to put that what they've learned in training to the test it. FTX is an intense training experience for the cadets and their cadre. During FTX Cadets experience everything from rock climbing, to repelling, to white water rafting, to drill and ceremony competitions, to combat maneuvers. FTX is both fun and intense.
There's an extensive amount of discipline required for every fun thing that they do, and every fun thing that they do is the result of everything they have accomplished up to that point. YEA Cadets don't just have fun, they go through extensive training and now the fun part is putting everything that they've learned to test.
Skills Training
The YEA Cadets program provides skill training for Cadets on all levels. Cadets are provided the opportunity to select a specialized field of concentration. Once that Cadet has been trained in the field of concentration, that Cadet will function in that skill set for the duration of his/her time in the program and advancing in that concentration throughout his/her Cadet career. These Fields of Concentration are similar to having a Military Occupational Specialty also knows as a MOS. Ongoing training opportunities include tactical, technical, physical, and leadership development. These programs help Soldiers to develop skills for an Army career and beyond.