Co-location of Squadrons

Civ Com chair at my old squadron. Wing are co-locating us with another squadron. anybody any experience?

Another point a CCF unit has been formed at a school less than three quarters of a mile away and another one the same distance away next door. Is the ATC through the ACO trying to offlaod ATC units and encourage the CCF as a very low cost option as they don’t have to spend the money using cadet numbers as a very poor excuse. Neither school has advertised this on their websites.

Other squadrons look around you and be aware of what is happening as you maybe next on the hit list.

Not so. The CCF have separate funding and the co-locating is getting the best value for money with a reduce ACO budget, so look on it as an opportunity for the Cadets.

How much cost saving can be regarded as “an opportunity for cadets”? It sounds like management spin.

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The cadet expansion program was supposed to be targeting areas without community units, but I know that isn’t the case everywhere.

This sounds like it could be the result of the direction of CAC in relation to the RAFAC Footprint at a Squadron Level, which has been discussed - Strategic Footprint

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What is meant by “colocation” in this scenario?
Are the squadrons sharing a building but on different nights, or will they be parading together?

Parading together, if neccesary using one CO.

And which squadron do you recruit into A or B, eventually both squadrons will be absorbed into each other under one numberplate. This just cuts down on work for the ACO and saves a lot of money.

CCF are supported by the schools in terms of facilities and staffing so far less for wing HQs to do therefore saving money for HQAC to fritter away.

They have to be close enough to make this viable though.
Too far ie more than 5 miles by road and it starts to become less attractive.
Could you recruit as effectively into the one that’s moved?
You need excellent (by British standards) public transport and ample parking as well.

Things like this while appealing to the number watchers, have no sight on the effect in the community.

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Got it one.

If you have RAFCA establishing CCF units nearby that removes recruitment from the area for the ATC.

This is a generalisation of CCFs and not true to all.

My school has a shared Contingent Commander and SSI office, another office and 1 classroom plus stores.

Staffing is a real problem for us too!

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I would never expect any joined up thinking …
Secondary School - "we want to form a cadet unit"
RFCA - “not viable as there are already x ACF, y ATC and z SCC units within 3 miles”, speak to them to get you pupils involved.

I doubt that conversation never happens.

Conversation happening, no it doesn’t. I know a squadron who went into a school that was plannig a CCF unit, the school kept very quiet about it. Does not even appear on their website. Remember CCF money comes from a different pot and central government also supports this system with money as well.

I say to all squadrons keep an eye on your local schools as this may come to your squadron, and you may never realise it’s happening until it’s too late and your squadron is affected.

It does sometimes!

There is no/little consultation.

In my locality, within a 10 mile radius of home, there are 2 ATC, 1 SCC, 6 ACF, 1 Private School CCF, 4 CEP CCF and 2 proposed CEP CCF units. The pool of recruits come from 16 secondary schools, of which 6 contain (or proposed) CCF units.

Both ATC units are starting to struggle as schools don’t want to lose their pool of recruits!!

You can discount the Private School CCF as they are a closed shop.
But the other CEP units is a nonsense with so many community options.
it would interesting to know if cadets from an open squadron would move into a school unit if the open one was shut?

They can’t as it’s only for the pupils of the school.

They could if they go to that school…

I was suggesting it from the perspective that they went to the school.

I thought CEP was meant to be funded from the money for kids from struggling families and or kids with problems and not ‘normal’ kids. Whatever normal is.