CCF Commissioning Process for non school staff

Hi all.
Former CWO and CI. I want to be involved again but due to family commitments cannot make the local ATC parade nights.

I’ve found a CCF unit nearby and have a chat arranged for the new term. Just wondered what the current commissioning process is as things have changed since I last was involved (Officer Cadets for one).

I’ve seen the proposed changes to VRT but as that keeps being put back I wondered about the current process

Can you actually become a Direct Entrant member of a CCF unit without having a pre-existing personal link with the school itself?

I mean as in being academic or existing school support staff, or at least being a parent or FP?

The one (and only) specific example that doesn’t fit that understanding would be SSIs: but that’s an entirely-different category (ie dedicated staff, hired by the school, on a paid contractual basis to support the CCF, almost the military equivalent of a sports coach)

They are happy for me to come and have an informal interview about joining. The Flt Lt I’m liaising with said he had no connection to the school himself.

If you are not school staff, you have to spend some time (6 months IIRC) as a CI before you can be put forward for a commission. Best thing is to chat to the area TEST officer - PM me and I can put you in touch.

The process is pretty simple:

[spend time as CI if not school staff]
Head’s recommendation
Interview with OC TEST (used to be Wg Cdr CCF, no time these days!)
Commission, as Plt Off VR(T)* badged as OCdt, nasty fudge, backdated to interview date
Pre-Cranwell training by TEST Sgt as/if required depending on previous experience
Cranwell
2 years from commission promoted to substantive Fg Off

*may go straight to Fg Off depending on previous service

wilf_san my last 3 RAF section officers have all been non-teachers at the school, and 2 of them had no other connection with the school before or since (one was a security guard at the school rather than a teacher, but was ex-RAF OR)

So why do CCF officers not have to go through OASC? The skill set are the same, the issues they face broadly similar, so why are there two standards?

Thanks for that. May take you up on the offer after my chat next month. Would my previous CI experience with the ATC count towards the 6 month requirement? (obviously not existing a definitive answer, just wondered if you had come across it before)

Not sure, TBH, I’m not certain if the requirement is to indoctrinate you into the ways of cadet forces or of the school!

POP - don’t ask me, ask the chain of command. Though there are lots of reasons for the status quo, most of which have been rehearsed time and time again.

I’m afraid that my view is that there should be a single process for a single class of commission, not the current one set goes through a testing couple of days and the other set is signed off by Headmaster (or whoever does it). I don’t believe a commission application should be signed off under the ‘old school tie’ way of doing things.

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I agree with you. But CCF would be my only option at the moment and I doubt they’d send me on the full selection process if I asked. (cost?)

If you are not working at the school, then currently there is not a defined process. It becomes a “special case” and relies on previous ATC service as an adult and is very complicated and long winded. I am certain that there will not be a formal process this side of Christmas…

Thanks. I know it will take some time. Would be worried if I could rock up and be in uniform by Christmas

No, there is no requirement for previous ATC service as an adult. I’ve put a candidate forward recently. I agree with long-winded…

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an exception rather than a rule… its a lot easier if previous ATC service is there

Oh, yes, it ought to speed things up as well

:wink:

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Why does that winky face concern me?
Are the delays due to the school or TEST?

the delays are there is no defined process and previous ATC experience “should” make it faster, but it can take months and months… a review of non school staff and to put a formal process in place will be happening, but in the meantime be mindful it will take sometime

OK. That’s fine then. Was getting worried there was something more nefarious there.
Thanks .

Also depending on your area - TEST officer posts are grossly undermanned at the moment (running at about 50% of what they should be) so there may be delays at this point through no fault of theirs.

It raises the point why OASC is needed for a civilian commission

I thought about this then realised that it’s still going to be a Queen’s commission with the associated respect (in theory at least) from both military and civilians alike so some form of selection is needed to ensure a degree of quality control but not sure that a full OASC should be done. There should really be a more unified process across all three cadet forces.

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