Hi everyone,
Hope you are all well. I was wondering if it is appropriate to ask your CO to put you forward for the Dacre sword, or if this is not appropriate/ there is a better way to go about this. This will be my last year in cadets which is why I am wondering if/ how I go about bringing this up to my squadron commander.
Many thanks.
With honours and awards like this it is rather unseemly to directly ask to be nominated.
It can be unseemly to ask directly to be nominated, but it may be worth asking indirectly your OC what you have to do to be nominated for the dacre sword.
Some CO may never have done the nomination before so it’s worth asking so that they are aware.
It is normally linked to best wing cadets nominations so perhaps even aim lower at this end when approaching.
However minimum would be CWO & at least one gold badge to be worthy of a nomination.
And if your final year is this year (2024/25) then you might have already been missed the boat for the 2025 nomination.
If it’s the 2026 then do have a chat with your CO as your achieve reflects well on the Sqn as well as yourself.
Flt Sgts have won it before
I stand corrected 
I have CWO and multiple gold badges, which is why I am perhaps so keen to be considered. I do understand that it may be unseemly but I am not certain if my OC is aware of the nomination as this is his first year as an OC. Thank you so much for your advice in asking indirectly - I will definitely be using this, and may approach an SNCO on squadron rather than my OC.
I am also unsure if we have a best wing cadet award, this will be very good to find out! I am hoping to stay as a cadet until January 2026 - so hoping the award nomination for 2025 would be okay?
Thank you so much for your help!
The last time I nominated someone, it was for best in wing, winner then became the wing’s nominee for ATC 75 (Dacre brooch/sword) award.
Understood thank you, I will look into whether we have this award in our wing as I have never previously heard of it being given out. Thank you.
Our process is similar - have to nominate your best cadet and wing chooses who goes forward to the next level
Nominations to HQAC by 31 Mar each year, so timescale at Wing level is tight, as there will be a Regional competition as well.
Hi @Phia
You mentioned that your OC is new and may be unaware…,
While agreeing with comments made by the others above - you might like to give a little reflection on the “why” you feel it appropriate to draw their attention to being suitable for considerations…:
What I’m trying to get at; is that your performance and progress should be seen as not only a an excellent reflection of your achievements - but also upon the staff at your unit and your sector that helped you to achieve these accolades and accomplishments.
But in the words of Louis Walsh - “it’s a big well done from me!”
I completely understand that but thank you for highlighting it. I truly am so grateful for my staff team and it is why I still attend the same squadron, even though I have now moved house and there are other closer squadrons around. I want to be able to support the squadron that has enabled me to achieve, and help other cadets there do the same. It is also one of the primary reasons I am moving to CFAV once I age out, to help the staff team and try to give back to the organisation as much as I can.
I think the main reason I am keen to apply is to show cadets within my wing that they can achieve anything in and out of the organisation, if they take as many opportunities as they can and really put their all into it. I was talking to an officer about why I didn’t want to move to CFAV yet and the primary reason is that I think as a cadet I have a greater influence over the cadets as a role model and mentor, and I want to do my best to show them anything is possible and to reach to the stars!
There are a lot of reasons I am so passionate about this, but I know how much I have gained from cadets, in regards to experience but most of all in regards to confidence and believing in myself. I am so lucky to be part of an amazing organisation that really does make a massive difference in people’s lives.