OK … so last thread got swamped in criticism. But the actual content is worth consideration.
To be a Chairman, you have to be part of something. The Corps?
But there is no civilian authority over the uniform cadre (unless that is a new development and there is!). Civilian Committees and Wing charities are supposed to be independent and have their own chairmen … so it can’t be that.
There is no line of command in the ‘civilian pillar’ (in fact the quoted flow chart from ACPs distinctly shows - and historically has - upward arrows indicating feedback, as distinct from downward arrows of command in the uniform pillar).
Some squadrons are registered charities so they are not party.
The chairperson of the ATC General Purposes Fund is - and has always been - Commandant Air Cadets.
While details of the relatively new Air Cadet Management Board are at best sketchy, the Chairperson is once again Commandant Air Cadets.
So again who or what is the Corps Chairman chairman actually of? Who meets under his chairmanship? What is decided and what is minuted? There is no authority over local charitable funds and the Charity Commission have placed no conditions upon RAFAC for there to be one.
Jobs for the boys? Why do we need one?
I know he exists through correspondence, but at a time when squadrons need all the help they can get, volunteer and cadet numbers are falling, what is the purpose of a Corps Chairman who appears nothing beyond another bureaucratic layer?
I also, frankly, dont care as much as I probably should. I have enough grief and aggro going on locally with child protection issues, building issues with RFCA, cadets who don’t show up to things, parents giving me grief about cadet portal not working, only have 3 members of our civcom and nobody on the horizon, our Shooting logs needing to be forwarded to Wg shooting officer pdq, explaining to my 5 cadets why none of them are going to RIAT, whether my new CI is going to make it to his induction, organising a sector AT event and exactly when we will bid for our AFI this year.
So, I’m going to park the whole “Corps Chairman” thing and focus on some immediate and pressing needs rather than a conspiracy theory relating to a position of responsibility from which I am so detached it is of little consequence to either me or my cadets.
That’s all very well … but this is proposes to be a section for of the forum for Civilian Committee subjects and discussion.
All I am seeing is grumpy uniforms making cutting comments that are certainly no informed and … in the same way as you can advise me to ask someone, I can respond that I am asking this forum a valid question in the correct section, but others who are not Civilian Committee members are intent on shutting it down.
I think it is one thing for you to be disinterested in subjects that are not in your remit, but if that extends to edgy comments intended to (ultimately) prevent people posting, then that sadly reflects on the validity and usefulness of the forum as a whole.
Seems too may have their head in the sand - but by the very word Corps, we are all in it together.
And surely as this Chairman seems to exist, and is aligned to the civilian support, surely it provides scope for the Civcoms to get together - support the uniform side, and try to get some focus on the many issues which seem to bug members of the forum. One post referred to parents complaining - excuse me but aren’t these parents members of the Squadron Association, who have a voice through the Civcom and Squadron Chair.
Unless this Chairman is an HQAC tactical manourve with him being a Regional Commandant, it could just create an opportunity for us to explore.
It is. You or someone very similar to you asked a question, got an answer you didn’t like and are now complaining.
You’re assuming that the people responding to you are uninformed. I know for a fact that some aren’t. If you propose to support the organisation using phrases like “grumpy uniforms” will hardly endear you to anyone and goes a long way to show something I’ve always suspected - that you have a chip on your shoulder about something someone has done or said to you, probably an OC who told you like it was and you’re trying to cause trouble as revenge.
We’re shutting it down because you have an answer. Whether you like that answer or not is irrelevant. You seem adamant there is a conspiracy here and can’t provide any evidence to corroborate it. The onus is not on us to do anything, it is on you to prove something dodgy is happening which so far you and Aries have failed to do.
We aren’t preventing anyone from posting anything. We are simply stopping trolls asking the same questions phrased slightly differently over and over, ignoring the sound and sensible advice they have been given.
I think you’ll find it has been constructive. We gave you a solution. As for impartial where does it say anyone has to be impartial? We can’t be by the nature of the fact we’re members of the organisation (mostly) and aren’t independent of it.
Uhh, what now? Could you maybe focus on one of your complaints rather than rambling off about many? It will help us to reply more a accurately.
You can’t have it both ways. You can’t be “all in this together” and “independent of the uniformed side of things” at the same time you know. That’s hypocrisy. Please choose which you want to be.
I don’t understand why you be suddenly brought up parents complaining. What has that got to do with anything we’ve been discussing. You’re not telling me that the role of corps chairperson would be getting involved in sqn level complaints from parents surely? And anyway I can’t think of a single complaint that should be going to the civilian committee from a parent. They should go to the staff side as we can actually deal with it.
And I’m not going to dignify your last sentence with a retort. As I’ve posted above if you really feel this is a conspiracy, please provide some evidence.
Civcom are not members of the organisation! Members of an
Association yes, which has higher legal status than being a member of the organisation, or actually being within the uniform chain.
The two elements, whilst being independent of each other, are supposed to work together for the benefit of the Cadets, but clearly on this forum there is a clear demarkation with the one side having very little time for the other.
And when you think about it, any job in the ACO hangs on their being funding, such that if parents vote with their feet because the powers cannot get a grasp on things, then it all falls apart.
The Corps Chair has already shown a lack of understanding.
Actually no. Most of us have time for our committees. What we don’t have time for is random conspiracy theorists who have nothing better to do than pose rhetorical questions they know the answers to with the purpose of trying to cause trouble where none exists. Sound familiar?
Hold on, how can “the powers” get a grip on things if you’re independent of them? That doesn’t make sense. Again, please choose which you mean. A civilian committee funds around 15% of the cadet experience. Without them we would not fail, but the experience would definitely be diminished (see: The Army Cadets as they run OK). What exactly are you expecting someone to grasp, and who exactly are you expecting to do it?
What has the chair person lacked understanding in? Or is this another throwaway comment supposed to sound profound but with no substance behind it?
And you want people to name names? That is not what this forum is about. Ask a simple question and get a whole load of verbal - very constructive I am sure. But then people controlled by orders or directions are not allowed to think for themselves.
Aren’t you the one spouting on about breaking charity law all the time? So is that not an order or direction you comply with? Again, please go and carefully think about what drivel you’re posting next. You can’t complain about people following orders and rules and on the other hand complain that we’re not. You are a classic disgruntled either former civcom, former staff or parent of an ex cadet who didn’t get their own way and is now trying (and failing) to bring the organisation down. If you’d had any substance at all to any of your claims you wouldn’t be on here complaining you’d be doing something proactive and positive.