I’ll sort it at some point.
I don’t IC events, or do any admin that relates to day to day running. So it’s quite low on priority list, as you can imagine.
Only uniformed CFAVs 
Would you believe that ACP 20 is contradictory on this matter?
I’m going to have to stop you right there.
Do you mean to tell me. That a government publication, issued for the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, with many amendement states, and is diligently updated by highly professional civil servants, is poorly written?
No sir, I do not believe it.
Ah yes… My mistake.
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We ran an Aspire night a few months back and instead of the usual circa 35 cadets on parade, we had single figures turn up!
Having spoken to cadets on a few occasions about this theme, the general consensus seems to be that they come to a parade night to do traditional air cadet activities.
The aspire and cyber safety subjects are done to death in schools and the last thing the cadets want to do in the evening is more of it.
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I would also suggest that schools go into to greater detail & are more effective in the delivery due to the whole trained & qualified educator thing.
It also means that the cadets have had greater, more in depth & more effective training & then to have some well meaning amateurs faff around a topic the cadets know more about than the instructors can be a little off putting.
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Well…i guess i would. But like i say im aware of a Sqn Padre who was not of Christian faith and always took it that a Padre is a Padre…not a Vicar, Rev or Father… 
A padre also assumes the rank of whoever they are talking too, from ACM down to a cadet.
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At my first Command Remembrance Parade was all in the local Church as that’s where the Local memorial was Physically inside the church. I’m an atheist as were most of my staff, but those circumstances ducking out is a far larger issue.
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I tend to laugh when I read comments like this, because it makes me wonder what the difference is between a Remembrance service in a church, around a war memorial or drumhead. As in all instances we are remembering those who served and lived through conflicts, any religious elements such as prayers, readings etc are commonplace.
I had a family from which 2 staff came who expressed these views on going into a church and flatly refuse to attend Remembrance services in church, yet when one of our old cadets got married we were invited. I made a point of the fact it was in church and they’d expressly said they didn’t believe and didn’t like ‘church’, yet here they were. Plus they attended funeral services in church.
On Padres: My padre as a cadet was EXCEPTIONAL. He was a huge part of the staff team, wasn’t a bible basher, and very much was there to give the support cadets needed. Top man. Former RAF Wing Commander. As an OC the first Padre we had was excellent, he was a Reservist in the Army, but ended up going in as a Regular, again, provided excellent support to both staff and cadets. After he went in the Regulars we were Padre’less, which was a shame.
On ASPIRE: We’ve utilised the Wing ASPIRE officer to deliver sessions in the past. It certainly won’t be something we deliver on a regular basis, or deliver ourselves since A) We don’t have the subject matter knowledge amongst our staff, and B) I don’t think there is anything to be gained by including it as a monthly training serial. That said, I am supportive of ensuring our cadets have a basic understanding of LGBTQIA+, particularly as we have several gender non-conforming cadets on the unit, and if I felt there was a knowledge gap, or a lack of understanding among the staff and cadets, I would take steps to ensure this was addressed.
Wing ASPIRE reps have the relevant knowledge and tools to deliver the training and support staff, therefore I’d recommend approaching them to get any support you feel you need.
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ASPIRE covers more than just LGBTQIA+, I should mention.
One of my ASPIRE nights was mainly in response to a situation where the squadron showed a lack of understanding about something in particular, so I consulted the staff about it and suggested that I run my own night to subtly address said situation
EDIT: Glad to hear you had a very good Padre
That may well be the aspiration for ASPIRE, but all the delivery we’ve had, and that I’ve seen, has had LGBTQIA+ as the primary / only focus.
The ASPIRE mission statement is:
“To develop a LGBT+ inclusive culture within and promote the RAFAC as a ‘safe place’ through support and education.”
And all available resources have this as the topic, aside from one information packet I saw on Ramadan.
So it may be the intention for ASPIRE to be a wider subject area, but as of yet, that hasn’t been achieved, based on my interaction.
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ASPIRE is meant to have a much wider scope, but for some reason, it’s only now that changes are starting to become noticeable, such as the re-brand from the LGBT+ Working Group to the ASPIRE Network.
My Engagement Group meetings often spoke of looking at a variety of events, but even then, I haven’t seen much done about that
Every special interest group in the cadets has had the exact same experience - a base idea, ambition & talk to deliver the next stage but no follow through. It’s a shame but it’s what happens.
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Glad to hear some have had good experience of Padres!
In my role, I’ve often got my work cut out to fill a vacancy with anyone decent at all, irrespective of flavour - tho I’ll try to match Cadet/staff demographic if I can.
I think humanist chaplains will start during my time in the Corps, but possibly not during the time of my superiors! One of the main queries is round their training and supervision outside the Corps, as humanism isn’t an organised religion 
tho of course organisation is no guarantee of virtue…
I’ve seen some trends of Padres getting asked to do the “PC” stuff that others don’t - and there’s a lot of “awareness” weeks these days: I’ve seen churches have the same calendar problem. I’ve tried to sit light to a lot of it, involve opposition where it’s constructive (think it’s great for Cadets to see “grown ups” debating sensibly), and make sure all staff are invited to the pub afterwards to give everyone a chance to say “Padre, didn’t want to say this in front of Cadets, but that’s all because…”!
Obituary for a Bishop once read “who now will teach the C of E to rejoice, to pray, and to not take itself too seriously?”
Pastorally, I believe the rate of attempted suicide among trans people is up to 50%, which dwarfs any other at-risk group I support…
I would apologise for any offence caused by this reply, but that’s probably another topic
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Personally I’d be lost without a padre.
Our padres come down once a month and the night is theirs’s to do with as they see fit and allows us to chat about things. I’ve never heard a negative from the cadets about the things they do, in fact the opposite.
Padre’s are much better trained and experienced to deal with the pastoral things we (or the vast majority of us) aren’t. Also if required can give additional off sqn time that we can’t and have better links to local advisory groups, if required. I’ve known them suggest local help groups to cadets and staff.
What I find interesting is that cadets don’t get as silly about padre’s it as some staff, who make all sorts of childish and daft comments to try and embarrass the padre. But it’s nothing they’ve not heard before. It is ironic if a cadet made some of these comments the same staff would tell them off.
In well over 40 years I’ve never known a padre ‘bible bash’.
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I have, but it’s absolutely not the normal type of Padre I’ve experienced in the Corps, they’re usually as mad as a box of frogs - in a good way!
That said it wasn’t that long ago up here they still locked the swings up in the park on a Sunday so some of the old school are still about.
Personally, I think a good Padre is worth their weight in gold on a Sqn. When you get a good one you keep hold of them, who else can get away with taking Cdts to the top of the church tower to throw paper aeroplanes 
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So fairly on topic, there’s just been an announcement on SharePoint from the new HQ ASPIRE lead. The guy who’s got the role is awesome and I think will lead to great things!
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Well, I know what I’m doing with my next Padre hour
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I have no idea who this new person is, but imma take your word for it. I’ve got an actual ASPIRE training session this week, so things might well be changing…