Seeing that it’s CISSAM on social media, no one in my Wing has gone for over 10 years, something I’m hoping to change next year.
What I’m interested in knowing is how much Training time is needed for a team, and do you and they end up just doing shooting all year?
the short answer is yes
the longer answer
you’ll want competent and consistent shooters - in the old days this was MM Cadets only, if you can’t consistently hit the target at 25m don’t bother trying at 300 or 600m!
Once you have a team of interested Cadets you’ll need to get the same consistency with the L81. For some Cadets that will be two afternoons of range work transitioning from the 0.22 to the 7.62/L81A2 rifle - others might take longer.
And of course you want to maintain those skills - shooting is a skill best done often - so throughout the year is best - helps them determine what works for them, what sling setting, what clothing they wear which helps them feel comfortable, what sight settings, and butt spacers
of course to get two range days or 10, you need a team of Staff to make it happen and a range available.
2x vehicles (with MT Driver and ARD training) per car (4x people)
2x RCOs - one at the firing point, one at the butts (unless console range or the “Butts only” qualification is held)
with all that you need to have a suitable range available when you (and the team) are.
its a lot of effort and no surprise few Wings can manage it
In our wing the MT Team were double hatting, so there would be a FMT600 driver, ARD Trained and RCO or coach.
reduces the number of CFAVs required, but does mean if that person isn’t available that day you’re looking for two people (qualifications) to fill the slot.
of course once you have all of that you need enough Cadets to make it worth it.
back in the day we’d split the LR day between L98 and L81 - some of the Cadets did both of course but for those L98 shooters who wanted to fire more than 25m they did, when it was the L81 turn they were then butt marking.
combining the day increased the Cadet numbers but when access to the No8 got harder, making eligibility for L98 training more of a challenge we found we had more staff turning up than Cadets - and a CFAV day on MT could easily be a 12 hour day for me with the hour either side of the day getting to my local station, picking up the MT, then the sticks and pops, and then the return at the end of the day, with of course the need to clean MT vehicles - not a 10 minute job having been on a range!
doesn’t give a CFAV that warm fuzzy feeling after a day like that of a “job worthwhile” when 5-6 Cadets got something from the day for 12 long hours of time away from home
I know a Wg who used to do ISCRM from Jan-Jul building up TR capacity and capability, skills and principles over that time. Initially shooting once a month until Apr. Then a 3 day “camp” at Bisley over Easter - or doing the Corps sponsored shooting camp (depending on availability). Then once or twice a month through to Bisley in July.
They normally focused on the L81 during this period, but often had access to L98s to support staff training/WHY currency. Sometimes they’d do a half day shoot whilst the L81 folk got trained, faffed or did a theory lesson.
From Jul to Oct they switched to L98 in prep for CISSAM. These started off at a local station range, Training, WHTs and various practices - often done over 3 or 4 days during the summer holidays. Because everything was done “on station” lots of the movements issues disappeared, the staff team was smaller, and the cadets got very familiar very quickly with everything. DURING Sept they’d have 2 range days and Oct at least one full weekend with just the team running through all the CISSAM stuff.
It normally took a few of the ISCRM team who wanted a different challenge, plus others who preferred the L98. Often all the candidates came from the same 1 or 2 squadrons - often those who provided the majority of the staff complement too.
They also drew in quite a lot of SATT support and a few times buddies up with neighbouring Wgs to share range time- especially on the longer distance ranges/ones which are heavily booked up.
So yes. It can be quite staff and cadet intensive and you can quickly get drawn into being consumed by it - but probably no more so than the cumulative hours somebody might put into their Gold DofE (which could, of course be double counted - the Corps shooting camp acting as a residential, skill being target shooting and volunteering being coaching younger shooters!!!).
Sounds like a lot of range time, which is no problem for me.
Hopefully I can get Sqn’s to build a team of 4 so we can start working towards attendance.
Does anyone know the rules/view on mixed teams from different Sqn’s but 1 wing?
There is a proposed rule change for next year allowing for RAFAC teams at ISCRM and CISSAM to be per sector, instead of per Squadron.
It’s being finalised, but look out for an announcement from MCT/CCRS
That would be good news and means I’ll push on to have some sort of team hopefully 