This is something myself and others on my sqn talk about a fair bit, so I want to know what everyone else thinks. If you could create a new badge, what would it be for? How would it be done? If you were change anything about any badge, what would it be? The syllabus? How its taught?
Nothing personal, just asking out of curiosity 
Iād modify the current PTS syllabi to require a more even level of accomplishment across the board - ie giving out a badge for heartstart is ludicrous IMO.
Blue badge - 8h teaching, practical assessment
Bronze badge - 16h teaching, practical and theoretical assessments
Silver badge - 1 week residential course, or two weekends plus additional learning. At least 3 assessments, at least one each written/practical
Gold - equivalent of two full weeks, at least one week continuous - four assessments, at least one each written/practical
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That does seem to make rather good sense. But if we were to talk about cyber for example. Obviously there isnāt a blue badge, to gain the āblue cyberā qualification, it is literally just watching a video. Bronze cyber IMO wouldnāt need 16 hours, only based on the fact that the current course (not sure what it will be like after amendments) does not take that long to teach, however I do definitely think some form assessment should be implemented. As for silver, I do feel that the self taught syllabus is ridiculous as a lot of people may gain the qualification but have little to no interest in cyber and the information given would be no use to them whatsoever. My apologies for using Cyber as an example, mainly due to the fact that I think, personally, that it should be changed, a lot.
Not at all - and that follows my point.
By the sounds of it all of the cyber should be moved down a level.
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Looks fine in theory, but what is it in reality a bit of cloth to go on a uniform. You can pimp it all you like but thatās what it is when all said and done. Greater than 99% of cadets wouldnāt think about it or refer to it.
What is the timeframe for this idea? Given it seems the average 2Ā½ year life expectancy of a cadet.
The weekends require staffing and in our Wing apart from those within the cliques, no one gets involved. It has seen a reduction in people helping unless they need a tick for their matrices.
You also need cadets and they can get too much in the way of courses and parents make the final call on their attendance.
The main thing I would change about the badges is that we should actually have them available through the system, free to the units, when they are needed and earned.
Iād look at which major activities we carry out which do not currently have a badge associated with it and add badges - sports and drill spring to mind. I would also make the radio/cyber badges share a single badge position and Iād fix the shooting badges so that colour represents skill just like every other badge.
The underlying PTS needs modification and proper management to ensure that the effort required at each level is comparable with other subjects: A few hours of DPP, practice and an assessment (radio) is not equivalent to sitting through a video for 2 hours and having a quick go (heartstart).
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Iād solve the badge supply problem by scrapping all these damned badges.
Progressive training with levels of assessment - yes. Iām a big supporter.
A badge to celebrate each level, no matter how utterly basic - hell no!
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Yup, that was essentially my point.
Very little would actually change based upon my scheme, other than what badges actually get awarded for what course.
Iām evermore sceptical that you actually have any interactions with any cadets these daysā¦
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He doesnāt. Heās said on previous posts that as OC he wouldnāt accept a request to talk from a cadet, they need to go to the squadron SNCO
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to be fair there are sports badges - Wing Blues. however these have no place on the uniform.
i have heard several times in my several years that the Wing blue should have a location on uniformā¦
I know, but they arenāt appropriate for use on a brassard, hence the suggestion. I probably should have specified āa brassard badge associated with itā
@Giminion They may get āexcitedā at the time but a couple of months after and then on leaving the Corps, it wonāt figure in their lives.
What has to become front and centre for anything like this is the impact on cadet and staff free time. On paper itās easy to say x weekends for this or that, but those weekends are peopleās free time. OK if you are single and or have no home life, or like a few staff I know only have the ATC and their whole life revolves around it, but for the normal ones out here we have other things to do. I give my time for the things I enjoy as I donāt feel I have to run around like a puppy. Not gone unnoticed as people say they donāt see me around as much and when I explain, I get an OK. Iāve done my bit with chasing around, so now itās the young bloodsā chance.
@Farmerdan Never heard of the CoC? As a cadet it was speak to the cadet SNCO, then the SWO and then and only then if after the SWO had spoken to the OC and spoken to you, did you get to speak to the OC.
I have heard of the chain of command, but I also understand the importance of the OC not being a stand offish, arrogant, stuck up individual who refuses to engage with the kids unless forced to. As a cadet I had a fantastic OC who led a staff team of 12 ( those were the days!) but who was always involved and spoke to the kids.
I also find it funny you mention the chain of command here when it means you donāt need to get involved but denigrate the whole military system or any form of hierarchy elsewhere
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We know from the safeguarding thread that heās not very up on these things. Why, do we all suppose, would a cadet would be wanting to circumvent the CoC?
So youāre complaining about stuff that doesnāt affect you because you take the option available as a volunteer to prioritise other things, while you admit that those it does affect are better able to be affected and also exercise their right to choose?
Youāve been doing a lot of mental gymnastics recently.
3/10, must troll harder.
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Iād move the goal postsā¦some of these blue badges seem to be an attendance badge
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Ive fixed that for you
Thatās not fair - blue radio definitely isnāt (if done correctly), along with leadership and pre-DofE.
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Iāll second this. I definitely fail more blue leadership task attempts than I pass!
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