@Cab I know you can’t comment on specifics, but this is becoming a theme. Maybe you can please task the incoming Commandant to look at this. I get it will be difficult as HQ don’t process resignations, but I hear on here and speaking to people in person that the exodus to other cadet forces is growing exponentially
7 Likes
I heard that a recent objection to utilising civilian gliding provision is because they want to lean into the VGS and AEF model…
That would be great if the capacity was there, or due to be there imminently.
I guess thousands of air cadets will just have to be lucky to get airborne a single time in their cadet career because the HQ want to promote the internal model…
By all means, go all in on the internal model once it has capacity, but don’t neuter your USP out of pride…
On camps, here’s an idea: pay for a small team who run a single camp location year around, augmented by volunteers. Focus on volume so cadets feels like there’s something that’ll come up annually if they haven’t secured anything else.
You could even move location every year and loop back around every five.
6 Likes
Things may have changed, but when I was in the ACF the whole county / battalion went on the same camp (and it was for two weeks) rather than just a couple from each detachment.
4 Likes
That’s what they do here. It works really well for them here… as I said though, to the understandable detriment of my unit!
1 Like
agreed, this is what our local ACF do, as a County they all “deploy” together. i don’t believe it is for a full two weeks but they do work together a lot more than the ATC.
Training weekends are completed as a County, getting everyone up to speed and all hearing the same script, rather than 20 different interpretations of the lesson
1 Like
Let’s not forget the importance of the whole unit going away together on a residential. Not just two members of the squadron at most!
6 Likes
When I was a cadet we used to do weekend mini camps as a squadron. Often did it as part of a dining in night too! Worked very well.
2 Likes
Locally here the only time we would get all our cadets together for an overnight, and could regularly have an open invite to our neighbours was for a, you guessed it, car parking event for a local air show!
First they came after us trying to say it was AT as sleeping under canvass so need lowland leaders etc, then they banned the 12x12 for accommodation, now the whole activity is banned.
No fund raising, no squadron camp.
Death by a thousand cuts.
7 Likes
This. Spot on.
2 Likes
This doesn’t bode well for cadet GP shooting.
“The move will force soldiers to pretend they are firing weapons rather than using live ammunition.”
I think it will be less effect on live fire ranges & more on large deployed blank fire exercises.
It’s literally what we use to do as cadets in the late 90s & the TA as well where you had a blank firing exercise but 15 rounds for the entire weekend.
Knackers the fieldcraft a bit though - probably good that JL has phased out as well from that perspective.
3 Likes
I can’t wait to see the SAS soldiers training through the Downs screaming “bang, bang” “bang, bang, bang”
We could even have the Royal Artillery behind them shouting out Baldrick’s poem about the guns; “boom boom boom boom. Boom boom boom.”
I think the aircraft might need some loudspeakers though. No-one on the ground is going to head the pilot chanting “bang”
5 Likes
Thought that particular lot would be going “phft, phft, phft”
Pilot will be going “Dakka, dakka, dakka”
2 Likes
I guess 40 years ago the same could have been said for synthetic trg which is an addition to live training and, in some circumstances, better training than live. The increasing virtual : augmented capabilities available today can allow anyone to use a rifle without live ammunition and have a more immersive trg experience (but VR / AR is not a replacement for live).
I am excited by the possibilities here.
2 Likes
So long as they’re not going “Ahhh durka durka durka” we’ll be okay.
Nothing beats the smell of live firing but definitely to spend hours on a DCCT system is a lot more cost effective (and comfortable) getting people up to scratch and training before handling the real thing. Then it’s a simpler transition and shouldn’t require so much time on a range putting brass down if not 100% needed. Is obviously being used for pilot training, etc and again cheaper than using an aircraft cold or having a second seat just to train!
1 Like
I saw the latest DCTT tech a few emeeeks ago and it is compelling. If we can train F35 pilots to fly the real thing in a sim, we can and should do more trg (across the board) using VR / AR. We are using VR in flying trg and technical trg…complimenting live trg.
For RAFAC, the exploitation of synthetic capabilities is superb. Most cadets I fly have seen the Tutor cockpit synthetically which makes my job a little easier and demystifies the cockpit a little.
5 Likes
I agree that there are significant benefits to enabling cadets to experience synthetic training before flying for real.
But we must put adequate safeguards in place that synthetic training is never seen as a replacement for the real thing. This is, I’m sure you’d agree, the air cadets and not the computer game cadets.
If synthetic training and no flying for the majority of cadets becomes the modus operandi, recruitment of CFAVs may well suffer further and retention of cadets will likely become much harder.
8 Likes
The issue is that we simply won’t get enough access to the high quality synthetic training which is where the problem lies.
The reason sims work well for pilots etc in cockpits is because it allows them to practice over and over and over so they learn muscle memory on where things are and how to follow drills for scenarios.
Will units have access to enough equipment to allow cadets to complete SAAI training on a synthetic weapon? Unlikely. Will the synthetic system show us who is physically capable of cocking an L98 or not? If they can’t pass a WHT then they don’t get on the range so it may end up being more time wasted for them.
I’m all for the future and introducing synthetic training where it will complement our learning in a true blended environment but suggesting we use it as it will be cheaper, easier to access or more effective is fantasy.
We have had our ammo cut as we can’t afford that… where does the money for the Gucci synthetic kit come from?
7 Likes
Call me a cynic if you like, however, I honestly see that the access to synthetic training facilities/equipment will be similar to the access that most of us see to AEF/AEG. Otherwise, Sqns will be told to purchase their own - a bit like the move to Bader and the purchase of IT and broadband, ultimately costing each unit thousands.
4 Likes