Comdt RAFAC leaving & replacement

ZD 576 and safety comes to mind.

I can think of a current station commander who is both an ex-cadet and ex-CFAV, employed in this branch.

Ticking both boxes should put him in good stead, if itā€™s something he wants. Heā€™s also been very engaged with cadet events at his station.

3 Likes

Well, weā€™ve had ā€˜officialā€™ comms now saying heā€™s leaving in Sep, ā€œhaving achieved most of what he set out to doā€.

I would be intrigued to see what those goals were, and how they have been met?

3 Likes

Give him a tap up.

I think the intelligence branch is the area of the RAF that the air cadets most ignore so an a commandant from that area would be good to have.

Intel types also tend to be out the box thinkers so someone who can manage people with that mindset would be very useful for stabilising the ship.

7 Likes

Would that box be their office? Is it also the box they keep their opinions? And perhaps the one where their understanding of the front line might as well be The Beano?

1 Like

Well if they think the Air Cadets are akin to the Bash Street Kids they wouldnā€™t be far off :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like

Given:

how do you then suggest?

on this basis what should the RAFAC be teaching the Cadets that they wonā€™t be taught when joining up exactly?

so a drift away from Tony leaving and general complaint about the org

sounds a lot closer to the ACF model than the RAFAC one

2 Likes

Whatā€¦ be the last Comdt?

1 Like

No, move to NRA / NSRA safety rules for a start. Full-bore shooting should remain an essential part of shooting.

6 Likes

Is there any doubt as to the authenticity of the LinkedIn post?

I donā€™t think there is any doubt so in theory you could copy & paste & share it on your Sqn Facebook groups & bader SMS announcements if you wanted to.

Surprise HQAC just havenā€™t done that as a quick tick box

1 Like

No, all tanks and trades are taught fieldcraft, but not flying and other aeronautical subjects unless they have a related trades.

But then they are all taught the L85 rifle as well, I suppose. However we in the RAFAC generally also do competitive shooting, so thereā€™s more advantages for service life starting shooting young. Thereā€™s less value in fieldcraft, so Iā€™d dump it in favour of flying or marksmanship training. :thinking:

Flying and Shooting are significantly more expensive than tactical camping.

3 Likes

And thatā€™s what Iā€™m going back on thread here for: our Commandants should be there to prioritise what activities we can deliver and achieve within our budget and capabilities, rather than promise too much, otherwise weā€™ll fail to do so in some areas.

He/She/Non-binary gender needs the insight and moral courage to annoy people by cutting back in certain areas. Civvy firms do it all the time, apparently. In fact even the RAF has reduced its personnel and activities to fit its budget and capabilities. :roll_eyes:

1 Like

Instead some of them try and shape the organisation to their particular vision. The ones that spring to mind are Jin Chitty who pushed the engineering agenda as he came from an engineering background and TK who has really pushed the diversity and equality line, perhaps in part due to his personal experiences. Nothing particularly wrong with either of those things and maybe the new CAC will have his/her/their own ideas. Iā€™d like to see the organisation more focussed on ā€œAirā€ activities, personal development and leadership but I donā€™t have to wrestle with budgets and other constraints. We will have to wait and see.

I do think announcing his departure on Linkdin was a bit disappointing though.

1 Like

He did; Air Space and Cyber. As per the 2040 vision in ACP 7.

RAF Air Cadets Purpose
ā€˜We are an Air, Space and Cyber focused uniformed youth organisation whose purpose is to grow young peopleā€™s potential while fostering an interest in the Royal Air Forceā€™

RAF Air Cadets Astra Ambition
ā€˜A leading, progressive and inclusive organisation delivering life-enhancing Air Cadet
experiences that will equip our people to contribute to every aspect of the national Air, Space and Cyber enterprise.ā€™

RAF Air Cadets Astra Vision
ā€˜To achieve this ambition, the Air Cadets will modernise and transform as an Air, Space and Cyber focussed uniformed youth organisation, providing innovative and inclusive life-enhancing experiences for young people, reflecting the needs of the Royal Air Force, education, industry and wider society.

2 Likes

Which begs the question: what stopped him from staying on to implement these policies? :thinking:

PANDAā€¦ā€¦ā€¦. Eats shoots and leaves

If the topic didnā€™t drift, we could have closed it within four lines:

  1. ā€œI heard the Comdt RAFAC is leaving after four years this September. Is it true?ā€
  2. ā€œYes; his leaving statement is on Linkedin.ā€
  3. ā€œWhoā€™s likely to replace him?ā€
  4. ā€œHe/She/Non-binary gender hasnā€™t come forward yet.ā€

So weā€™re broadening the thread to examine the Comdtā€™s achievements whilst in post, and the legacy of his tenure that we shall carry onwards and upwards, slipping the surly bonds of Earth, to dance the skies on laughter silvered wings etc etc. :grin:

2 Likes

Or not?

3 Likes