Essential reading and knowledge

Good evening everyone,

This may seem like an odd question, but here it goes. Shy bairns get nowt.

Can anyone list me or something similar the essential reading and knowlege I should be aware of as a new junior officer?

I feel like I have hardly learnt anything since I commissioned a few months ago and I’m soon to attend OIC. Obviously I do have a knowledge of ACP 4 Child Protection, but as a training officer, I must admit that I am struggling. I’ve done the role for a long time, even as a CI prior to OASC, but I was never shown what to do so I just wing it. I feel like this is unfair on the cadets and I know I could be doing much better.

Also, some of you guys on here are quoting knowledge left right and centre and I sit here thinking ‘should I know that?’ :joy:

Comes from years of experience and trawling through Sharepoint. A lot of people here will have specialised for years, generalised for years more. The OCs among us will have seen and overseen a large variety of activities, too.

The point of OIC is to give you the minimum knowledge required to operate as an officer. The rest after that is up to you (and those around you acting as mentors. Knowledge of the corps and the RAF has been covered at interview, ability at interview (plus knowing you) and at oasc.

OASC will likely cover some things you know, some you don’t, and it that mix probably stuff you won’t come up against at least for a few years.

Don’t sweat what you don’t know, they’ll give you what you need to know, and you’ll learn the rest when you need it.

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Cheers @Giminion,

Hate the thought of not quite doing what I could be, especially for the cadets.

Which is a good attitude.

As for TO, there are some here and dozens in your Wing to choose from and find a couple that are friendly. Plus your Sqn staff are presumably useful and friendly - some must be or you’d have left by now!

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Is that an ATC thing? No mentoring here. I tend to pick up most stuff by reading this forum and from Twitter. This forum is great though

Some do act as mentors and my pal commissioned about 2 months before me so we work together. It’s just sometimes I feel like I’m lagging behind haha. Cheers @Giminion, makes me feel better.

Oic is not about how well you know the ACPs.
Except 1-4. Maybe 20 and 300 also.

OIC is to teach you the absolute base minimum so you can conduct yourself as an Officer.

If you want to learn more I would suggest the following.

Over time read every ACP, ACTO, ACFTI, ACPETI, etc etc. OVER TIME.

Visit other Sqns. Maybe try and do 1 per month. See how they do things, take good ideas, share knowledge.

Speak with other Officers and NCOs.

Visit as many wing events as you can.

Ger your OC to support you and guide you. If they dont, politely ask the Wing Training Officer for guidance and training.

You cant learn everything in a day.

My rule of thumb is as follows. This is just the reality of only meeting twice a week and so contact time is low to impart all the skills and knowledge to a newbie.

A new staff member joins on day 1.
By day 120 they have a DBS and have maybe completed AVIP.
By day 180 (6 months) they understand the absolute bare minimum of how the Sqn operates
By 12 months they maybe can operate SMS and bader.
By 18 months they are planning activities and taking cadets out.
By 2 years they are thinking of uniform.
By 3 they have minimum knowledge to go.into uniform.
By 5 years they are a fully functioning uniformed staff member with good knowledge levels and understanding.

Unless someone is part time at work, has no kids or life and spends 20 hours per week on cadets, this is how long it takes.

Just the facts of a volunteering role!

Dont lose faith, keep it up!:+1:

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It shouldn’t be, but I can understand how it might lack in the CCF.

Not sure if it’s official or traditional (perhaps merely adopted from the regulars), but SNCOs, especially WOs are responsible for the development of Junior Officers. By extension the OC is ultimately responsible.

However I think it’s more because we actually care about each other round here. That and having someone trained to be competent in at least one thing makes everyone’s life a little easier.

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You’re right there.

@Paracetamol’s timeline is reasonable for someone coming off the street (Unless they show specific desire and determination to get on with it). Depends heavily on what role you play - someone who just instructs on a parade night and maybe helps out at a few weekends is going to learn a lot less organically than someone who picks up a Sqn role, leads a team or some outside activities, or picks up a specialism such as shooting or FT.

I will add at this point that my learning accelerated massively when I stepped into the Adj role and HAD to look this stuff up. A few years ago I’d hardly glanced at ACP20, or ACTO 31, or a lot of stuff. But I read the ACFTIs when they were first released as that was relevant to me.

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Thanks guys! Will have a look at some of the stuff posted @Paracetamol

You have both been a great help!

Best advice for junior officers

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“Serving a glass of Port before or after dinner is a surefire way to impress a date or guest…”

Read with that classic “British Pathé” accent.

Frankly, around here she’d be impressed by a cheap bottle of Lidl cider… Hence why I don’t date much.

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