I’m looking for some help with problems on my sqn regarding our flight system. We have 5 flights, A,B,C,D,E flight. ABC flights are all first class while D is leading and E is senior master. This means that eventually everyone will end up in E flight. However, this system which was made by the CWO was made for efficency, allowing cadets to pass out into a new flight every 4 weeks,. However this means that almost every night all the cadets are doing classifications, and being put through lessons 24/7. This has lead to a major problem at sqn where almost all the new cadets are dropping out leading to only 2 or 3 cadets passing out. However my CWO is dead set on this system and says its for the best. Im just a corporal, is there anything i can do to help change this or does anyone have any better system we could emulate
If what you’re saying is true, I’m surprised your staff haven’t intervened.
Generally speaking (there may be exceptions), cadets should gain a classification per year. First class should be within 6 months of joining, ideally.
To answer your question, I would get some feedback from the cadets (if you haven’t already) and speak to the CWO, or your training officer or OC, if the CWO isn’t receptive.
Passing on feedback from the cadets is an important part of being a JNCO so don’t be afraid to do it!
I hope that helps.
(I should add, for first class training, doing it every night can be the best way to do it, it depends how your training programme/intakes are structured)
This is a common problem with cadet instructors (and even some less experienced staff).
They try to push cadets through the classroom based training as quickly as they can as they measure success by ‘badges’.
It isn’t an effective approach to teaching / learning and it forgets that this is a hobby.
There’s plenty of scope to make the classifications more engaging, breaking them up with practicals and other ‘fun’ activities. Even for first class it doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be) all in the classroom.
Staff should have noticed cadets dropping out, but perhaps talk to your fellow JNCOs. Ask for their observations. Then discuss with your sgt / FS (if you have one). Avoid saying ‘the CWO is wrong’ but say you’ve noticed an increase in jnr cadets leaving?
My first class training programme never had more than half a night in the classroom. Mix in leadership, pre-dofe, drill, weapon training, first aid etc and there is no reason to do more than half a night. It was planned to get them through 1st class in 15/16 weeks (3 intakes a year) and get them all the blue badges as part of the training
I think there’s a misunderstanding of the purposes of flights & that they are not there for classification development.
Exception though - if you are a CCF(RAF) you often have flights according to year groups which kinda works but it depends on the size of the contingent.
For ATC Your OC should be the one to decide on the flight structure so perhaps raise it to them particularly as it makes doing an inter flight night hard.
Just as reference at my Sqn the main to flights are A & B but each flight has a sub-flight of 1 or 2 with eight or so cadets in each plus a Cpl
So I have A1, A2, B1, & B2 (the recruitment training flight is T-Flt)
The senior/leading/older cadets are in the 1s, the 1st & 2nd class in the 2s.
So if I want a night focusing on the senior or so cadets I can split 1s &2s off to separate activities or I can have cadets do activities in their flights of A& B (or an inter flight night of A vs B competing against each other)