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My father in law served in the DLI in Greece and Italy 1944 on, so somewhat more than a CFM.
Itās not a case of joining for medals/awards etc, but during conflicts you would expect those eligible to get the medals due and presented as a matter of course.
But perhaps in your father-in-lawās instance, it was a major conflict and there were quite a lot of people eligible for a number of medals (~8million served throughout WW2), perhaps they were not equipped to readily issue campaign medals etc?
Easiest option would be to ask people to apply for them, to save costs etc as well as to turn them around slightly quicker.
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This is a long standing bone of contention and I personally donāt see why all staff shouldnāt get it, as the wearing of uniform in the Corps is not central to what we are or do, itās a bit of costumery to appease others. if the uniform was central and essential weād never have had CIs.
You could turn up in a onesy and do exactly the same thing.
There will be those who will say are you really in the ATC and jump on the we are in a uniformed cadet organisation ya-di-ya as a but when you do AT especially everyone wears what they want so no uniform dress at all and the job still gets done, sports night no uniform and the task is achieved and similarly if you have a scruff night for cleaning the job still gets done and not a uniform in sight.
Iāve become convinced we only wear uniform so some ex-RAF Officers can still wear a uniform, play do you know who I am and get a salute, rather than turn up and get an āalright mate, what do you wantā.
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I argue it is to achieve one of the aims of the ACO/RAFAC
āto provide training which will be useful in both the services lifeā - having an understanding of the uniform, how it is worn, how it is cared for, who is who (and the associated rank structure), understanding and appreciating the meaning of uniformity, meeting standards and abiding by regulations are all elements which assist recruits in their training and later in life as airmen/Officers"
now that isnāt the only way to achieve that aim i admit but without the uniform we lose that military ethos which helps skills develop which would be useful in the forces.
Granted, but that is fast loosing its relevance though, which is an unfortunate sign of the times and not requiring standing armed forces like we might have once did, just like between 1919 and 1939 and has been the situation we have been in since 1989 and the falling of the Iron Curtain. Even speaking to others cadets joining the forces is worthy of noting in the diary. When I was a cadet weād have at least half a dozen a year joining the forces, Iāve not had one in more than half a dozen years.
Probably in excess of 99% of those who join have no previous experience of looking after a uniform in the cadet forces and the other things as mentioned, that I am sure are picked up relatively easily and have little relevance to what they do as a job, unless itās MP or similar. If they didnāt pick it up easily the forces would have collapsed years ago. Iāve worked with a lot of blokes who did NS and they picked it up and if there is ever one group who didnāt want to be there, they are it.
As for abiding by rules etc, have you seen what schools expect now, I know itās mostly parents who push that, I know we had to, but if the kids donāt itās just a world of nonsense.
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Think you are selling us a bit short their, the ratio of service personnel who are Ex cadets is around the 50% mark in some areas.
Christ knows where they join from, as itās not round our way, even the ACF det up the road said they havenāt had a cadet join in the last 3 years.
Weāve had a few go to find out, but one parent said, the recruiters were extremely vague about what was going on and didnāt inspire confidence and it came across as if they wanted to get their daughter in even though what she wanted to do had no openings and get her to do something afterwards.
Thatās exactly what they would have tried to do, if they get someone through the door they try to keep them in any trade it has always been thus.
Iāve had at least half a dozen go in the last 5 years, my neighbouring ACF has had similar numbers go.
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But it doesnāt really encourage people and they leave.
Iāve remembered we had a cadet nigh on 30 years ago that wanted to be a chef, but they didnāt have any vacancies so he went in as a fireman as they had spaces. He lasted 18 months as they wouldnāt let him change to chef. So hardly a glowing indictment.
I suspect that as a tri-service award it might be rather difficult to get the criteria changed to allow non-uniformed personnel to claim - however thereās no reason why HQAC couldnāt create a semi-official equivalent for CIs.
Thatās taught in week 1, day 1 recruit training for which ever branch of the military.
The Cadet Forces arenāt some pre-training course for the Forces. But yea I recognise your point about being smart and well presented.
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Actually, we kind of are. It isnāt our primary function, but the aims do place us in that position and it benefits us to behave in that way to an extent.
Adoption of AP818 to ease transition to the RAF is an example. We needed a drill manual so we may as well use one that helps our cadets if they wish to join up.
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This infuriates me.
If you want to go in as a chef. Then wait and go in. Donāt give a half bummed effort in a popular trade l, denying someone worthy of a place and then kick off when they wonāt let you transfer after paying to get you trained up.
The forces arenāt there to cater to your needs. YOU cater to the Forces needs.
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Stop it you! I am not going to bite! 
I agree. No need to settle for firefighter as the easy option.
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Is the medal available for service instructors? And does time as a CI count towards a medal?
Loads of civvies get the jubilee medal, those waste of spaces Community Support lot got the jubilee, at the cost of giving it to the much deserved Merchant Navy. So why not just fling a CFM to a CI across a table?
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Chefs course is the hardest course in the military.
Nooneās actually passed it.
It does not.
The oldest joke in the book 
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