Advice for future RAFVR(T) process

Don’t worry mate. It always happens on here. There’s too many negative people who love to hijack threads.

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It’s a shame.Surely being part of our organisation we have almost a moral obligation to be positive. I feel for cadets who are in Sqn’s where such negativity exists.

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I wouldn’t say the actual process and preparing for it is the concern it is a process that you can be coached to get through. It’s more about you and how you prepare yourself mentally and psychologically for the challenges of being an officer and more so a squadron commander and combining your personal life with the demands of being a squadron commander. It can be enough of a task just being a member of squadron staff but taking the main job is on an exponential scale in terms of demands. Watching our last 3 incumbents they all have/had ATC emails linked on their phones and do/did the social media thing so never really switched off from the ATC … a dangerous thing to do. The ATC puts more and more demands on us and doesn’t seem to understand the demoralising effect it has so increasing these personally is a dangerous step. It isn’t helped by people in the organisation both paid and unpaid who show little or no concern for the people ‘under them’ or their actions, right down to squadron commander. Plus the lack of support ‘from above’ for new commanding officers is even more evident than when I took my first command.

Some will talk about ‘the team’ you build, but ‘the team’ is a fickle beast and subject to all of pressures and things that affect any team, but as we all volunteer, rather than put up with it as you might at work as the lure of a monthly deposit in the bank makes it more bearable, there is nothing to tie people to a volunteer role so if they aren’t happy for whatever reason they can just walk. Remember these same things will also affect you at some point and or to some degree, no one is immune.

OASC or the courses at ATF won’t prepare you for this. It might be worth asking about these things when you get to the “do you have any questions” part at OASC or maybe save it for open forums (especially with CAC or similar) at ATF. It would show that you are thinking about the bigger picture.

I wish you well, but you and yours are the most important things in the world, which you must never allow yourself to lose sight of.

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What was the book and who was is written by?

Hope this helps

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Yup thanks. Same one I purchased.

Did it help you pass? Would you stay it’s worth getting?

Absolutely TS. I found it informative and with very good examples to work from. It is set out in a sensible content with clear hints and tips. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it. Some may not struggle passing OASC and of course some will pretend they didn’t struggle but that’s probably because they passed and don’t want to look weak. Quite sad really. I was an ex-Soldier, ex-SNCO and then SNCO in the ATC. I personally found that many of my skills, some of which were learnt as an Instructor at Sandhurst, were not suitable or what was really required. I’m convinced this book did, at the very least, when coupled with advice from other newly OASC qualified O/Cdts and Plt Off’s, help me immensely and I would recommend it without hesitation.

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Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it! I will definitely invest in it as I’m looking to complete OASC next year.

Best of luck, pal. Another secret, if you can, enjoy it. It is hard to, but I think going with the right frame of mind; of doing your very best, pays dividends. Let me know how things go.

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I’m very nervous but I’m excited too. I have my wing interview in December. Thank you for your help, thankfully there a lot of helpful people on here!