So unit commanders didn’t say this is ridiculous and dangerous and just march their cadets to somewhere dry and warm???
Parents should have been 'encouraged to complain.
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Suddenly what was being worn seems a lesser importance to favour of asking “why” the activity was permitted to take places in such conditions.
Somehow a waterproof jacket of any description doesn’t meet the appropriate “control measure” for such conditions imo
If the IC was more bother about what was bring worn than what is being done then there is no hope for the ones who in their mind were “compliant”
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There may have been some grumbling, but I don’t know what others did.
I was IC our Sqn’s contingent - I was a CI, and I drove the minibus - I pulled our lot aside during a break and got them to grab their stuff and we left, probably about 4 hours early…I didn’t ask anyone’s permission as I didn’t feel there was anyone there who’s opinion I was particularly interested in…
I did once watch a CO, and Wing Safeguarding Officer, sit in their car with the engine running and scoffing boil-in-the-bag breakfasts, while 30+ cadets who’d never cooked ration packs in the wild, let alone wind-chill of about -10c, spent 45 minutes trying to make porridge and a cup of tea.
Well done, doing what others didn’t, was there any comeback for doing what you did?
Wrong on so many levels.
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This is all great, but not really relevant to redesigning uniform
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No adverse comeback to me - the CO hadn’t been able to make it due to illness, but his son, the CWO (and actually quite a good CWO, rather than the usual nepotistic dross) had communicated fully and frankly the depth of the unfolding disaster throughout the day. CO backed me to the hilt.
That day one of my cadets taught me one of the funniest things I’ve learned in the ACO - that VR, over T, is the chemical symbol for Chaos…
Sadly, in a way it is - it’s (one of many) indicators that simply having this or that functionality in a uniform is worthless if the moronic elements within the ACO get in the way of it being exploited for the benefit of the cadets.
We have a culture problem, which needs addressing at least at least as seriously as any uniform problem.
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It’s not like uniform is designed with hoods or hand warming pockets or anything like that.
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I’d add a decent coat and a massive dose of common sense.
My own claim to fame many years ago. ATC Sunday parade for a significant anniversary year with the wing. The weather was appalling with wind and snow. As parade commander I made the executive decision that the parade to church could not take place. I sent all the arrivals straight down to the cathedral where it was dry and warm. Some did not agree with me but the welfare of the cadets took priority. We did get the March past in though after the service.
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The more I hear and read and the more I think about it we just need to bin off blues. They are not fit for purpose for most of what we do and the accommodation we have (dusty poorly heated old huts).
We’re probably outdoors a lot more of our time than the regulars too and of course they have PCS available when they need it. With waterproofs and cold weather gear.
I was leaning towards keeping blues for smart but if people can’t make adjustments for welfare on parades etc get rid. It also saves parents buying 2 sets of footwear.
Maybe we could get a full sized blanking plate in RAF Blue with the formation flash on it so it stands out more in public.
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Or we just wear bright, light blue Doc Martin boots. That way the RAF can maintain its “light blue footprint”
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Pocket for ration packs? and In-Built heating and windscreen wipers
The trouble with that is we lose our identity as a separate organisation from the ACF. If that’s the route to take, then maybe it is time for a purple “Military Cadet Corps” with all resources amalgamated. There would be significant administrative savings but I can’t see the hierarchy going down that path.
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No need to reinvent the wheel: there’s already the CCF.
I hear you and that was my view too but I’ve changed my thinking,
Our identity should be through our activities and our people not our uniform. The issue as I see it is we have a uniform that is not fit for purpose and require (for all practical purposes) our cadets and staff to buy one that is.
We are in a position where it is unlikely that the parent service will update their ‘office’ uniform to suit us and they seem to be moving more and more to MTP themselves.
So we neee to adapt to circumstance. The combats with polo combo could be one way.
As for a single cadet force to be fair I’d support that too, but like you say it might.not get supporrt from higher up
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Been saying this for years… we could bin quite a lot of the staff at the higher levels and save a fortune in paying OF4 and above. (Speaking as an OF4…) Particularly all those 1 ** s. (No offence to the current 1 ** who is only doing a job that we currently need!)
make light blues used more and make the jumpers less itchy somehow
Light blues are the standard office / classroom attire and shouldn’t be limited to inspections and parades. It’s why working blues are only issued to certain trade groups.
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as far as the RAF are concerned Cadets are a “trade group” of their very own
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Make it so MTP is practical for the field.
Allow the wearing of a UBAC (the fully mtp ones, not the gash “SF” ones with the tan middle) in the field as it is designed for use with webbing and for the field.
Make it so the dress regs allow mtp gloves (pedantic, I’m aware)
Allow NCOs to wear mtp rank slides, officers can, so why can’t we? (Also extends to cadets)
Allow for the mtp smocks/jackets that have the rank slide on the arm (spearheads etc)
Bracing for incoming fire…
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