Royal Canadian Air Cadets (Paramilitary technically?)

[bsd058 296]

On the N-400 form, they ask the following question:

"15. Were you EVER a member of, or did you EVER serve in, help, or participate in any of the following groups:

B. Paramilitary unit (a group of people who act like a military group but are not a part of the official military)?"

I was an Air Cadet (not military, but they do drill and survival stuff for kids under the age of 18,) in my teens for a short period of time. To me it probably doesn't meet the qualification because you would never be called on for war, but it's the part in the question that reads, "act like a military group" and they are very much structured like a military group with ranks and drill and they are technically associated with the Canadian Armed Forces. Should I just say yes and explain, or should I leave this for question 9a?

"9 A. Have you EVER been a member of, involved in, or in any way associated with, any organization, associate, fund, foundation, party, club, society, or similar group in the United States or in any other locations in the world?"

 

Or just put it in BOTH to be safe? Sounds so stupid. It's like a strict version of the boy scouts. lol.

[Mike E 11,739]

Per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Cadet_Organizations the reason the Cadets were set up was to deal with national threats to Canada. RCAD is not a paramilitary unit: RCAD is neither unofficial (it is official, the department of Defence sponsors it), nor does it act like a military.

 

It is however associated with the Canadian military. 

 

So I'd answer no to 15B and yes to 9A.