This is available to all with a SharePoint login if you know where to look. I thought that while the general content was negative there is clear support towards the CCF from CAC and should therefore be taken positively.
At least you have received an explanation from HQAC for the reduced service you are currently experiencing due to manpower issues, unfortunately this is also the case in a number of WHQs throughout the corps.
I would only worry about it if your unit was in a village or very small town. I share my town with an ATC squadron and one of the local schools has a CCF. I also happen to have the most successful ACF detachment in the company and one of the top 10 in the county so it doesn’t really affect us. The students from that school don’t come to our unit but there are multiple secondary schools in the town so…
Re the commission, the only reference I have seen to it is that new commissions from 1 April will be the cadet force commission. I don’t know what the plans are to switch existing commissions over.
How do you think it’ll effect those on their 2 year probation?
I imagine those currently on probation would get the General List Group B commission until such time as everyone is forced to switch, but I am by no means an expert in such things. In reality I don’t see it making a huge amount of actual difference to ACF officers as it is still a Queen’s commission, just with slightly fewer rights than the old one.
POP - first I’ve heard of that, and I’m genuinely surprised. Next time I bump into OC Wg I’ll ask if he’s heard of this. It doesn’t fit what I’ve been told. (PS what’s CEF when it’s at home?)
GHE2 - you’re wrong that all CEP schools are Army; in fact quite a few are RAF only, and not just Heathrow UTC. We’ve been involved with supporting one of the latter e.g. they have been shooting and L98A2 training here as CEP schools don’t get ranges and armouries.
Hot of the press .
CADET FORCES COMMISSION - LINES TO TAKE (LTT)
• In July 2016, Her Majesty The Queen approved the principle of establishing a new Cadet Forces Commission
• It will be a new Commission designed specifically to acknowledge the role that Cadet Force Adult Volunteer (CFAV) officers perform as national youth leaders, while continuing to recognise the traditional values, standards and strong links with the Armed Forces
• It will, for the first time, allow a level of consistency and recognition across ALL CFAV officers
• Under the new commission, Cadet Forces Commissioned Officers will continue to benefit from many of the privileges currently enjoyed eg access to officers messes etc
• The aim is that from 1 Apr 17 all new officers will be appointed to a Cadet Forces Commission; there will be transition arrangements for current CFAV officers
• Transition will include new Terms and Conditions of Volunteering (T&COV). These will be outside of the Armed Forces Act and Defence Reform Act
• Single Service Cadet Force Regulations will contain all relevant details on the Cadet Forces Commission and T&COV which are currently spread across a significant number of JSP and sSvc publications. This change will reduce the administrative burden
• CFAV officers will be involved in developing the detail of the Commission
• The Cadet Forces Commission is one strand within the overarching Cadet Forces 2020 Strategy. This strategy aims to deliver a progressive and coherent cadet experience that develops and inspires our youth
• Further work relating to recognition of non-Commissioned Cadet Force Adult Volunteers will be undertaken as part of CF2020.
Background
Several cadet-related studies and reviews over a number of years have resulted in many recommendations that have been brought together in the overarching Cadet Force 2020 Strategy. There has been much discussion about the Commission that Cadet Force Adult Volunteer officers hold and whether this should remain a Reserve Forces Commission.
Reserve Forces now operate much more closely with their Regular counterparts in terms of operations and mobilisation and their Terms and Conditions of Service have been changed to reflect this.
It is therefore now appropriate to review and amend the Terms and Conditions for CFAVs to ensure they reflect more accurately the role they perform as national volunteer youth leaders.
As the cadet forces are modernised through the Cadet Force 2020 strategy, and Regulars and Reserves become more closely integrated, it is no longer appropriate for Cadet Force officers to be subject to Service Law and military administrative action as Regular and Reserve service personnel.
Importantly, the new Commission will not dilute the close links Cadet Force Adult Volunteers officers have with their parent Service.
The Sovereign will continue to appoint personnel to the new Commission.
If this is hot off the press, then I think that this statement is a little late for something that is due to happen in 6 months; however lets hope that there are already moves afoot to do this with a group of willing volunteers. This said, I don’t see too much that should cause dummies to be spat out.
Just received this through the CoC, from teh email trail can see that this document was issued to CAC from the RFCA Youth & Cadets COS yesterday morning, so has been passed through in relative quick time 
Not seen anything as yet. 
Just had the same email. Sad day for the VRT
waves good bye to the ATC it was a good 75 year run but someone ruined it
What? Why aren’t you “waving goodbye”? Do you not like the thought of being able to do what you did before in the same way in the same uniform?
This will be the thin edge of the wedge … beginning of the end. Once they have got this established you can see an edging towards a single cadet force encompassing all three, not a multi strand CCF set up and you can see that going as well. All of the CF struggle getting adult staff so having a single cadet force has the potential to give more staff and seems entirely sensible IF a militaristic cadet force has a place in a future society. Plus the only consistent message is one of lack of funding, so again one force one spend and not 2 or 3 all getting funded to essentially do the same thing. Saying schools will be the bastion via CEP is BS, as you will lose the community side ie cadets doing things in the community. I cannot see state sector teachers or school staff doing much at the weekends, unless there are some major re-writes of contracts.
The ATC is floundering has been for the last few years; no gliding, very little flying, annual camps for 30-40 per week and a greater reliance on Wings filling in with camps, shooting has been a postcode lottery, FMS has become harder to deliver after typical knee jerk reaction to something, about the only thing that we can still do with any real benefit is DofE. So all in all something has got to give and if it means the RAF senior officer ATC gravy train is shunted into the sidings so be it.
CEF being the main lead BS you say? Tell me, who has had INCREASED funding for the last four years? Tell me who’s had DECREASED funding for the same. Tell me, who’s just been told to look at closing units to save estates money?
Writings on the wall. It’s not my fault if you don’t speak the language.
It doesn’t need to change…i’m not a officer so it doesn’t affect me, but it is a major selling point of people coming to ACO that you get a Queen’s RAF commission, it makes the person more proud to wear the uniform, rather being turned into a glorified scout organisation that it’s only remaining link to our parent service is a uniform that we have fight tooth and nail to stay in. It is also, for some, the closest they can get to joining the armed forces for one reason or another, so to say your piece of paper you had to go to the trouble of earning is now not worth anything? You are now a no body in the eyes of the RAF? Yep. Great. Really helps regaining morale levels in the ACO.
If I’m honest, anyone citing that reason as their primary driver to joining isn’t someone I’d want in this organisation. Yes it’s a nice to have, but someone saying that - sorry, but no thanks.
Oh and it DOES need to change. Too many idiots have ruined it for the rest of us. I know of two walts who have been canned and are trying to force it to the upper levels. God only knows why and what they think it will achieve. Anecdotally I was aware one was doing it, “just to [fornicate] them over and those left behind” probably in an attempt to tie up man hours which should be spent on their stuff.
They will still have a Queen’s commission…
Wouldn’t say it’s a primary reason for people joining, as you said we want the right people. However it will also would be a factor in someones mind. I agree it is always the few that spoil it, but when there is very little going for us as a organisation at the moment and they keep giving us more crap to deal with on a weekly basis. One does wonder how much more slapping down staff and cadets can take. In all honesty I wish all the cadet forces had the same commmissioning service we have, but they don’t. Surely the few that ruin it for everyone else should be made an example of and not brushing with the same brush.
Rather than change the entire commission, wouldn’t it have been easier to preserve the fundamentals of the existing commission but remove the right to petition HMQ via a revision of the Royal Warrant\TCOS\AP1919 or whatever regulation that permits VR(T) to do this?
I’m only guessing but that would require primary legislation and that would be too difficult to navigate I suspect.