When cadets leave they either.
What do other Sqns do in case of option 3 and getting uniform back.
Assume i have already phoned and sent a letter.
Are any CFAVs liable for the loss of uniform if not returned. Or effectively stolen on end of cadets service.
Thanks
I ignore it, remove them from SMS and get on with my life.
You’re never going to get 100% of everyone’s uniform back. It just isn’t possible.
^ admin burden reduction in action!
I’ve known some people go to the extent of showing up on doorsteps, although, that is not worth the potential hassle and/or conflict IMHO.
Ok so there is nothing written down anywhere or any instructions which place any obligation on an OC to do so.
If so then That’s more than fine by me!
I know of someone who threatened with RAF Police involvement on a number of occasions, all yielded a good result. Though this was back in the 80’s and 90’s…
When i first joined as a cadet this was threatened to me
16 years later i now dont bother chasing as its not worth the hassle
There was a document which stated the oc were to
Recover the uniform if not pass the details to
WXo to resolve and if needed they were to pass it to the RAF police.
Obviously this was very old and I don’t know
If it’s still in the ACPs
Also our stores no longer take back old uniforms and your not to reissue according to them so… why recover??
I tell mine not to return berets due to hygiene as they cant be washed or brassards as we do not reissue any of them (besides its a personal record of achievement to said cadet). If they don’t return it I’m not going to lose any sleep over it as it’s not on my Squadrons inventory (yet) and it’s RAF property. So we have a standard template letter that is sent out if its not returned within 28 days of leaving and that is the extent of what we do. It is all accounted for though so if inquiries were to be made we can prove we have made “reasonable” efforts to gain it’s return.
If they do return the rest we put old stuff (scuffed, damaged, stained, unreadable labels, faded etc etc) in the gash bags and return or dispose otherwise, if its in very good condition we keep it as spares - additional shirts for camps etc and for instruction in how to look after uniforms (no point in using new stuff!).
I always insist new cadets are issued new uniform. If we don’t have it in stock when they join they get issued grow-bags temporarily. Its all well and good the regs insisting we issue PWS stock but then they get criticism for it during inspections. If we are meant to be the public face of the RAF then they should all be issued with the appropriate uniform - you cant be proud looking like you’ve dragged yourself through a hedge backwards.
We ask for it back but if it doesn’t get returned, it’s not worth the aggro. My record for having uniform returned is 6 years, when the family was moving house and bought it back, which was when we’d had a couple of iterations of jumper, so that wasn’t usable.
I recall being told that about the RAF Police many, many years ago, even then I thought they must have better things to do.
As for not reissuing, this is all well and good if when you demand clothing they actually give you all the bloody stuff you’ve ordered and not bits and pieces. I recall one indent not being fulfilled for 18 months, in which time 3 of the cadets had left, which some spare new stuff.
We actually request on night 1. If they leave so be it. And we keep requesting the missing bits until it all arrives
Life is too short. If it comes back fine, if not, it’s clogging up someone else’s cupboards.
We do much the same - that way we may even get them in uniform by the time they are enrolled.
Ok thanks all.
Question answered mods
@AlexCorbin @incubus If you live close enough or have staff able to go regularly that’s fine, but when you don’t have one of either of those, it’s more problematic.
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We can order it immediately. Getting it from the RAF is another problem entirely.