all 25,000+ army cadets across the country at the time. Canada Post honoured the cadets with a stamp which was unveiled in Ottawa in March 2004. Many parades honouring the century-and-a-quarter of cadets occurred across Canada: there were Freedom of the City parades in Vernon, Oromocto and Calgary as well as other major cities and towns across the country. The original Royal Banner was laid up in Vernon during the final battalion parade on August 19 at the Army Cadet Summer Training Centre, and the new Royal Banner was paraded in front of 1,500 cadets and 2,000 members of the audience. RCAC Training Optional Training In the cadet program there are several optional training programs which consist of: Military Band and Pipes Band Marksmanship Biathlon First Aid Program Drill Team Orienteering Rappelling Parachuting This optional training is an extension of the mandatory training that cadets receive within their individual corps. Star Level Program The Star Level Program is the main training program carried out by all Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps within Canada. This program is mandated by the Department of National Defence and specifically through the Directorate of Cadets & Junior Rangers. The Star Level Program is composed of five levels: Green Star (Level 1) Red Star (Level 2) Silver Star (Level 3) Gold Star (Level 4) Master Cadet (Level 5) Starting in the 2012-13 training year, the National Star of Excellence or NSE replaced the National Star Certification Examination or NSCE as a ranking tool for Senior Cadets. Year 5 of LHQ training was also introduced as "Master Cadet" consisting of a great deal of On the Job Training (OJT) and self-led professional development opportunities. Cadets are taught a variety of subjects, known as Performance Objectives (PO) that include: citizenship, physical fitness, healthy living, drill, marksmanship, map and compass, outdoor survival, eco-friendly camping and military history and traditions. To better assist in understanding the Star Level training, the Star programs are identified as follows: Green Star PO 101—Participate in Citizenship Activities: Cadets are introduced to Canadian history, traditions and symbols. Cadets are also introduced to Canada’s political system, along with a high-education of the Canadian Forces. PO 102 – Perform Community Service: Cadets are introduced to the concept of volunteerism and importance of community involvement. PO 103 – Participate as a Member of a Team: Cadets are introduced to the concept of teamwork and are introduced to the