I am attending my first blues camp in a few weeks. Does anyone have any tips for me. Like drill or uniform.
Primary takeaway from it is to have fun and make new friends - all camps are fun, so relax and enjoy the experience!
Best people to ask for this are your NCOs, as they know you and your areas for development best.
For uniform - ask your NCOs ( or YouTube ) tips for shoe polish and how to mould a good beret - in my opinion, those are the most difficult to fix, and what I pay most attention to when I’m doing uniform inspections.
For drill, as long as you’re comfortable doing pre-uniform basics, you should be fine. Have a look at ACTO 27 on cadet portal, if you can find it - it’s under the “Drill and Uniform” section. Ask your NCOs for clarification / practice on any of it if you feel you’d benefit from it.
Primary thing is, don’t forget your rights and lefts. From thereon in you’re sound - relax and enjoy the experience, anything you don’t know they’ll likely cover on the camp.
2 biggest bits of advice…
- make sure youu have the kit list covered
- know how to prep your unifom properly before you go.
Get that sorted, the rest is a breeze and super enjoyable… God i wish i was 13 again and on my way to my first camp at RAF Uxbridge
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Thank you. 
I’d say talk to people, make friends and have fun
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Lots of great advice above and I’ll give my one main bit:
Don’t be nervous!
Everyone went on their first camp once and it’s a daunting experience, but the staff and cadet NCOs will be there to guide and support you if you get stuck. Have fun and enjoy it
Ooo have fun. Don’t forget to pick the brains of your senior cadets and nco team. Especially if it’s somewhere they’ve been before.
Pack your bag with a couple of parade nights to spare so if you find you’re missing some bits then you’ve got time to ask around. Take more socks than you need too.
Don’t forget to ask for help and no question is stupid.
Uniform wise as long as you know how to keep your uniform to good standard you’ll be fine and you might even pick up different/better tips from others.
Enjoy yourself. That’s the biggest thing. Take pictures when/if you can and start making some good Cadet memories.
Be on time :
- for the coach taking you!!
- for activities at camp which means looking at the programme and listening at briefings to make sure you know what time you need to be somewhere and what you need to take. Ask questions at the briefings. Timings for activities is always tight and anyone who is late, just sods things up as it all snowballs. We can’t mitigate for traffic, but we can for people, being in the right place at the right place at the right time with the right kit.
ALWAYS eat a good breakfast and tea, lunches, especially packed lunches can be hit and miss. Camps are busy and you use energy like no one’s business, so making sure you are properly fuelled is an essential. Camps are not the places to be on a diet or get fussy. My favourite at camp was spam fritters, chips and beans, probably not allowed now in our prissy food world. I was told on my first camp … you never know when you might eat next, as you could be held up for whatever reason. We had a minibus get held up coming back from flying, which meant a run to the local chippy.
Sleep whenever you get the opportunity.
Watch how things come together and watch the NCOs. Camps offer the sort of organic learning experience you don’t get at the sqn or on courses.
As said have fun, take lots of photos.
If it hasn’t already been said, live by the 5/10 minute rule. Aim to be at least 5 minutes (or 10 minutes if you feel like it) early whenever you’ve been told to be somewhere by some time. Life is a lot easier when you aren’t late.
Make sure you are organised too, make sure you have everything on the kitlist. Again, life is a lot easier when you’re prepared.
If you’re going to be on a base, you shouldn’t have to worry about saluting officers as an NCO around you should do that. But if for some reason you aren’t with an NCO, make sure to pay compliments (even if you can’t tell what their rank is, it’s better to be safe than sorry)
As for uniform, just make sure it’s to a good standard and you have polish and whatever polishing thing you use (ie cotton wool buds). Irons and ironing board are usually provided.
And as far as drill is concerned, unless it’s a drill camp, you shouldn’t have too much to worry about. Most of the drill you’ll be doing is just standing on parade and marching around the base, nothing not on the first class drill test.
Other than that, talk to people, make friends, have fun (the most important part)!
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I’m going to go a different direction so I’m adding to and not repeating advice.
- Prep your kit at the start of your down time.
- Ask for tips - if you see someone with great shoes ask them to show you how they prep them
- Tidy as you go. You’re less likely to be rushed or lose something if every time you’re finished using something it goes back in its “home”. Also a benefit if your camp runs room inspections.
- You should have somewhere to lock stuff away, so take a padlock(s) with keys. Give the spare key to staff in an envelope with your name on. Or be prepared to become the proud owner of a broken padlock.
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I kept putting off my first camp because I was so nervous about it. Didn’t end up going on one until I was 15 and a Cpl, and instantly regretted not going sooner. Ended up loving every camp I went on - just be prepared to come back and crash in your bed for a day or so!
Not much to add to what’s already been said, but as someone who has often been let loose on camps with a camera (both as a cadet and staff), I would just caveat:
… with permission!
As part of your briefing you’ll likely be told if there’s anywhere in particular you are not allowed to take photos, but in any event it’s always best (and courteous) to ask before you start snapping away. But, where you can, do take lots of photos!
Or a combination padlock! No lost keys with those
Nope, just forgetful and tired cadets 
In my experience the kind of cadet to lock a key away is the kind to forget a code and lock away the phone they stored it in!
You can do a code in an envelope and give to staff, but at that point it’s moot which type of lock you have I suppose.
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Yep lock(s) and keys(we need keys lots of keys) or snco’s/staff with screwdrivers, lost count of the number of backs Iv’e taken off wardrobes/lockers at camps when i was a cadet snco a long time ago .
Thank you.
If I see an officer and I am the only NCO there should I pay compliments?
Always.
If you’re not in a formation (squad) it’s correct for everyone to salute.
Yep, usually the highest ranking NCO salutes, if you’re for some reason alone or walking in a group of 2, you still have to salute as you pass an officer.
Complete opposite of what was said at ATF…
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^ I should expand - that quote is for non commissioned personnel.
Ociffers are different.
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