I’ve heard this also, they are waiting to assess day 3 and 4.
No clue, saw it in passing on I think Insta somewhere.
Since the medal awarding criteria is set by the organisers, would the rafac now not be eligible by not completing a day that it is running.
Word form our man in Nijmegen that no cadets will now receive the Vierdaagsekruis, cadets that walk the final 2 days will receive their gold badge.
1 Like
When cadets can’t go solo because of the weather do we still give them their gold wings? 
I know the answer to that but it make bring up some interesing debate! (And I’m not sure which side I sit on, so want to see what people have to say 
)
1 Like
New thread alert
1 Like
In this case Cadets are still there & can complete the min RAFAC criteria for gold badge. They just don’t get the medal.
You only need one 15 minute flight to go solo so that’s more weather resistant.
This is right, I’m in Nijmegen now. No one really knows what’s happening and everyone’s abit confused. All the teams that did the qualifier with my team have gone just as far as day 2 in a hotter temperature, it feels like such a daft time to endex
Do they have heat exhaustion?
6 Likes
Has no one got you together and explained the situation?
I would have expected a senior bod to take a bit of control considering what they are saying the risk is.
1 Like
Looking at twitter, theres a bit of lack of context
1 Like
Seen a couple of tweets with people upset but not much else.
Update from Kamp Heumwnsoord
Commandant RAFAC pulled plug on all RAFAC cadets both military and civilian teams due to heat.
Reasons being heat affects young people more that adults. JSP 375 tables kick in at 27 degrees. Weather forecast is for 29 degrees C temp.
Colonel in charge is happy for military to march with mitigating factors.
The risk appetite has changed since the introduction of JSP375 last year. HQAC has been remiss in not implementing this new policy and staff attending has to complete the training linked to 375 under direction of British Military Comtingent.
There has been no direction from HQAC in RAFAC staff to undertake the training and implementing the use of 375 for the mitigating of heat illness. I believe that this omissions directly lead to the extreme number of heat illness cases at RIAT.
At Heumensoord with temperatures of 39 degrees there have not been a single case of heat stress among the cadets.
I feel that the total failure to manage the heat at RIAT has had a direct effect on the decision making process going forward.
On a more personal note the decision has been taken quite badly with cadets in tears seeing many months of ardous training going up the swaney. Staff have been left to manage the expectations of the cadets and scramble to put together a programme for the next few days. The staff and cadets have been given the unprecedented dispensation of being allowed to march after not completing the previous day. Unfortunately many both staff and cadets do not see the value in marching and not qualifying for the Vierdaagse cross.
What will happen in the next few days is still up in the air.
6 Likes
Pulling the plug on this when RIAT was allowed to go ahead is an utter disgrace.
You’ve got lower expected temperature, with cadets who have been previously well trained, and team leaders with a lot of great skill. Also surrounded by medical teams with great experience!
RIAT had higher temperatures with cadets from all over the place being put out on the pan.
Okay, marching is obviously a lot more strenuous. And had RIAT been canned then they’d be some precedent here. But that isn’t the case.
7 Likes
So basically take a risk adverse commandant (reputation from his previous role) put him in a volunteer organisation that’s a bit creaky, completely unlike any role of the Air Force & involves more letters from MPs than any post in the military and then throw an unprecedented heat wave, Red warning threat to life & then a last minute cock up that should have been actioned but wasn’t & you get the situation above.
3 Likes
At this point you may as well write off most of the next summer then with temperature restrictions like that. Days with 80 degree F are not uncommon. Bright sunny day on an airfield or up in the mountains make 80F quite easily achievable.
Its going to be next to impossible to get cadets to sign up to train and (hopefully) participate in Nijmegen next year if thats the line they’re taking.
1 Like
Well I imagine this will bin many IACE and other foreign trips where temperatures regularly get into the high 20s - low 30s, without the aid as per the UK and much of N europe of the influence of the jet stream.
@Victor_Zulu think the bigger problem will be getting staff to even think about planning and running training.
3 Likes