We are lucky to have a very committed group of staff at my squadron, we also have around 70 cadets. Some of the staff are keen to have a 3rd parade night each week, and I was unsure what the rules are on this? We have several shift workers who can’t always make every parade night, but having 3 parade nights would provide maximum chance of staff being able to attend. Myself and 3 others would parade all 3 nights no doubt. We considered running the 3rd evening as a specialist night, not dissimilar to running projects, and perhaps have alternating Wednesday’s dedicated to certain projects; e.g. Week 1: Project 1 and Project 2, and Week 2: Project 3 and Project 4.
Just a thought, do any staff run 3 nights? Is this even possible? Are there are admin related issues I will need to deal with?
As i understand it the larger Squadrons parade 3, 4 or even 5 nights a week (Bath, 150+ Cadets?)
the staff chose their nights and stick to them…i’m not sure about the Cadets though.
we during Apr-June run alternate DofE evenings. these are however booked with a ICdt and Sqn DofE Officer with a max of two Cadets a night (booked in 60minute slots) to go through E-DofE and the like.
i dont know the admin required but with OC and Wg OC/WExO’s approval i cant see this being difficult
I think it will definitely require approval from above - possibly region.
ACP300 “Home to Duty” (Fi 312, para 9b,) contains the statement that “Parade nights when electricity/water/gas etc may be consumed at public expense are restricted to 2 evenings per week.” - so long as you leave the lights and heating off on your 3rd night you may be OK
Of course, actual Home to Duty is also limited to 9 return journeys per month.
There are already a number of larger/busy units out there that meet more than the standard 2 nights a week.
One unit I know who is a Mon/Thu unit for the “main” Squadron operate their recruit flight on a Wednesday evening and on conclusion of the recruit training they the cadets then move to parade Mon/Thu.
I know a number of units with specialist areas (bands, shooting, etc) who meet an extra evening a week for those cadets involved in the specialist area. Seems to work but of course can be a bit busy for the staff!
We - as a joint service building - theoretically require permission from the ACF to parade a 3rd night.
I remember a few instances where they said no (only find out they didn’t bother showing up or doing anything on those nights!) - so we stopped asking and just cracked on! Never had any complaints*
Hold your 3rd parade night away from your squadron, at a location we’ll call a “pub” for now.
Cadets shall of course not be able to attend this 3rd parade night as they have things like homework, playstation, socialising etc to get on with.
The 3rd parade night shall be attended in a kind of camouflage to disgusise your membership of the aco (anything apart from uniform would be acceptable).
All in attendance shall be invited to partake in general merryment/gossip/putting the world to rights.
ACO related paperwork would of course be prohibited.
Home to duty etc shall not be claimable (but then these days whats the point anyway).
No need to thank me for my suggestion - it comes free of change in this instance!
We have found that sticking to two parade nights (although one is on a Sunday morning - allows as to do practical training year round) the best solution.
We then kayak / shoot on a Tuesday night. Band on a Thursday night and DofE exped training on a Saturday morning.
We put a lot of work into the DofE Award Scheme and the cadets can choose which activities they want to take part in. It also means that we see all the cadets twice a week in one group - its busy but worth it.
Yup. All three squadrons I’ve been with have been 1-nighters. My present squadron is VERY rural, with cadets coming an average of 15 miles and some as much as 30 (I’m 25 miles from the squadron). We do quite a long parade night - 1800-2130.
