If you have the time to support both the RAFAC & ACF and the room to store the extra uniform and change the badging etc. as appropriate.
In the same way you can be RAF Reserves and a full RAFAC CFAV.
An external instructor should not be the RAFAC Activity IC so that to me is a moot point. If I was taking some cadets to an ACF exercise I’d be the RAFAC Activity IC for that Activity.
When you take your cadets to the local climbing centre, do you get the Centre Manager set up on SMS so they can be the Activity IC or is that you who is taking them?
The abbreviation for Wing is Wg; for Commander is Cdr; for Squadron is Sqn; for Flight is Flt. All of those are faithfully recreated in the rank abbreviations. (See also Group, Captain, Commodore.)
when I was a cdt it was (at least, in my Wing / Region, even if not officially). When I later became staff in a different part of the UK it took me a long time for me to change my muscle memory!
because it isn’t wanted/seen to be no need? - it would appear that there is simplicity in it, and does seem odd that we’re all doing the same thing yet have two systems to manage it (although appreciate this is no real difference to the parent services - so why should the Cadet Forces be any different!)
Because, historically, that’s what the RAF has done (and continues to do). When I received my original Commission as a University Cadet it was as an Acting Pilot Officer and I was referred to as ‘APO’ for nearly 3 years (until I qualified for my BSc).
Even today the RAF refers to Acting Pilot Officers on UASs as 'APO’s.
I’m a RAFAC officer with the ATC and was recently offered the job of Instructor running a school ACF Linked Detachment under the CEP. I didn’t end up taking the role but did ask if I would need to formally join the ACF or go through their adult staff training process. I was told my current rank could carry across and I could take up post in RAFAC uniform. Strange scenario and still not 100% sure if HQAC would have allowed it.
Would have been worth it though, to see their faces as you turned up to a range or fieldcraft session in No1s. Deckchair, Mae West and gramophone optional.
Not disputing directly as i can’t find a link to official source. A quick google search + twitter & Facebook, shows APO to be the more common & our local sea cadets (& capt sea cadets when I met him once) used APO.
I will ask them when I next speak but it might have been they tried using PPO, everyone still kept using APO so the went back to it as it meant the same thing.
Still not the correct abbreviation for acting Pilot Officer
Unless it has changed very recently that’s not quite the case.
Ex-Cadet Senior Rates can direct entry to Probationary Petty Officer (PPO) in uniform. Brand new instructors become Probationary CI in civies.
Both then have to complete the equivalent to AVIP and serve 6 months probation.
After those 6 months and completed course they both progress to Acting Petty Officer (APO).
Then they start on the modular training (Drill, Instructional Methods, Youth Development, Seamanship). They must also complete a Basic Leadership Course and a minimum of 12 months in uniform, after which they can be appointed as a substantive Petty Officer.
The probationary ranks are literally just whilst they serve their probation and it’s just that those ex cadets are automatically granted uniformed rank instead of CI.
The PPOs therefore have at least a 6 month lead ahead of those starting as PCIs in the required 12 months of uniformed service for substantive rank
Appreciate we are are starting to go a little off topic but I have managed to find an image source now.
As stated above it looks like PPO & APO are both used. My partner is also SCC so I’ll ask but Locally we only have APOs and no PPOs.
Re the topic in hand (one service CFAV volunteering with another) it would be good to have a system to formally register this without full re-enlisting. It then means we can then utilise other services for things like minibus drivers, first aid, ratio and female cover if needed. It just gives us more flexibility as an organisation with minor admin.
Back to the point, I’ve only heard of people going from one cadet force to another. Let’s face it it’s a big commitment just being in the one organisation!
