The views on this forum come from a passionate minority and don’t always reflect the lived experience of volunteering across the RAFAC. It has its issues, as does any volunteer organisation, but it is still a fantastic organisation to be a part of, in my humble opinion.
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I explicitly don’t for my main ‘occupation’, although there is an overlap with the industry in which I perform my role and some of what we do as a Corps.
If I had to do my day job at cadets, I wouldn’t do cadets.
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Cyber and drones. I’m up for that!
The issue is that this is a symbiotic development resulting in chicken & egg.
The cadets are service users so whilst you could use them for beta testing they are not the best for long term development.
For example to use a situation that won’t change, the L81 target rifle was exceptionally fun & engaging for cadets to use. They enjoyed the discipline & the technicality. However as it was not widespread it’s became niche then forgotten then mythical and so it’s passing wasn’t really noticed and the fun & benefit of the activity was easily understood.
Go back to our core business - use the ethos, structure & culture of the RAF to develop young people in leadership, teamwork, moral courage & citizenship.
In pragmatic terms a cut down version of basic phase 1 training that is adaptable & easy to deliver.
Everything we do should substantively link to military practice & knowledge (so sorry projects on jewellery making & website design your gone)
Which then comes down to the question -
Why are we doing an activity
What skills will the cadets & staff gain that they can apply elsewhere in the organisation or the RAF (e.g. big drill parade or recruitment stand = able to plan & run events)
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Our previous commandant got far too fixated on this, as his only answer was because ‘it leads to a qualification’. He even said in one of the interviews something to the effect of ‘why bother doing something if it doesn’t lead to a qualification or something that can be useful outside of cadets’. Because things need to be fun, Tony, that’s why. Thankfully, our new commandant understands that.
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Some really good points and discussion here.
I’m not going to try to respond in line as I’m on my phone and it’s been a very long way.
If we are going to expand cadets as suggested we need to find ways to add more paid staff to delivery (not just admin) or find ways to pay the people we have.
One idea could be allowing a course director VA for course preparation and post course admin, with additional days for activities that need recces, accommodation handover etc. I think the Reserves can claim for this?
The other would be to have the CAA admin assistants the ACF have. RFCA funded, do a lot of the prep and logs, and I think most are also uniformed CFAV?
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Cadet Voice is a big aspect of the Sea Cadets.
Since I’ve been in we’ve had cadet Voice sessions on how we can improve parade evenings, their views on summer camp and the District Officer did a long one with them at Divisions about the new proposed promise.
Noone so far has advocated we drop drill or give up on uniform. I’m sure that’s exactly why they all joined a uniform organisation though, to destroy it from within…
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I think before we do this step you would need to map & record all the hours volunteers are doing.
It brings us back to the volunteer duty management system & recording volunteer hours. Once you have that data you could then demonstrate & be able to offer the extra va.
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That would be useful but perhaps not essential. It’s simply adding an admin day or however many hours per activity, for the director or their nominated assistant (if they are doing the work)
Could we use whatever system the Reserves have as a basis?
Of course we also need to invest (more) in automation and admin reduction too.
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Because they don’t have enough to man regular posts and will it happen, we don’t really know what to do with Bloggs, he’s not promotable, and he’s an idiot, oh I know we’ll send them to the cadet forces.
Plus local facilities, such as Squadron buildings etc.
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AOC 22 Group is probably due to tour ex soon, his agenda is set from above and be careful what you wish for!
I’ll have you know my IQ is double digits!..
Sir, your next posting is to be a politician.
Seriously, the idea of posting people in for two to three years from the regulars leaves the individual with a couple of problems such as are they temperamentally suitable, where does that place them in the career ladder against their peer group, would it be seen as a dead end posting, that they are not suitable for further promotion in the future?
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The Requiremnts are the issue, Specifically targetting those leaving the force is not a good idea if you want a Commandant with Long term perspective.
Opening FTRS application up to Junior/Senior RAF officers for Rgn SME, OCWg etc might give us officers just on a posting, AND would ensure that by the time they are up for a Gp Capt/Air Cdre post they would be familiar with us
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Interest piqued…
Are they moving towards a more incisive stance?
Yeh, but it was also a bit lame
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Regulars for region SMEs is an interesting idea. But how many regular roles especially at OF 2/3 level map to what we actually do?
As for a full time OC Wing, I’d rather see someone based on the ACF CAA model who can run a range, sort DofE kit or drive a van than a full time snr officer in a nice blue suit.
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Given they want to literally double our numbers, we’re going to need both!
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