First impressions good. Direction of travel, though, will be the test. Can he reverse the decline in CFAV morale? Can he learn to trust CFAVs to run activities without constantly worrying about his own neck? Is he brave enough to delegate safety for activities to CFAVs or third party providers even where the RAF ‘is safer’ than civilian providers?
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Is this something he can even do, given the opinions of those above him.
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I expect we’ll find that Air Cmdr Keeling was dealt a difficult hand. It might be unrealistic to expect much to change in the short term, even if comms improve (though I’d take that as a win anyway)
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Recording uploaded!
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I agree; but he also knew nothing about the CCF and wanted to know even less. I hope to be convinced that has changed. The current situation with VAT on school fees is making a lot of schools consider costs carefully, and the RAF section is more expensive to run than the Army. (I know someone will try to push back on this but I was a Contingent Commander for 11 years. RN is more expensive still.)
out of interest, and I recognise this is going off topic, what makes the RAF and RN more expensive/Army the cheapest?
That may have something to do with the CCF (RAF) missing off the list of required attendees at the Commandant’s Conference in November; see ‘RAFAC Announcements’ page for more details 
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To start with to do any realistic training with RAF and RN section you end up purchasing additional equipment - boats is the expensive one, with maintenance as well; flight sim, etc.
Then, with VA payable for some but not all CFAVs in joint exercises, you end up subsidising the VA for those unable to claim, or they drift off and won’t come.
Then, almost all schools subsidise transport by using school vehicles but not claiming costs back rather than going through Phoenix/Clarity. The RN and RAF sections travel much more so again, more costs.
By contrast the Army section travels in an MT coach to a training area, eats rations provided free of charge, fires blank rounds through rifles provided and maintained by the Army, or live rounds on Army ranges, wearing webbing and helmets provided by the Army… and in most cases still pays VA.
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also… my forthcoming camp on an RAF station is only going to be viable because the schools who are coming are bringing vehicles. The camp programme simply doesn’t run with the MT provided. Again, this doesn’t happen on Army camps.
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In terms of understanding the CCF I hope you are right. Not only are the state school and independent school CCFs different, but each independent school has a unique history and has ,to date, delivered their offering quite differently. Trying to impose a one size fits all is therefore unlikely to be a success. As an aside, following a Biennial inspectional at my local CCF I emailed the reviewing officer, a Regional Commandant, offering my time if he would like to explore the potential pitfalls of his new CCF command responsibilities. I assume he has all the information he required as I had neither an acknowledgement nor a reply.
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I asked and was told they will be represented … not sure who by?
I got the same with my Wing Commander (for my supernumerary role)
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Of course it’s damage control. But at least he realises the damage and wants to control it from the CFAV and cadet POV. More than can be said from before.
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Watched it back finally was promising, however CAC did keep pointing out external factors that influence thing. So id just temper expectations. But maybe thats just me
The big thing was comms and starting with WHY. Nail that then change is easier to digest and understand, you then get minimal disgruntledness. This is the big win for me out of watching it back.
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Before?
there was no before, there was no Comdt between 2020 and last week
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He definitely seems more active on social media! About 25 Instagram stories a day 
Aunty Dawn was the Twitter Queen, what are we calling him??
Very busy on Facebook, too - Meta Man, perhaps?
Insta CAC…
Or perhaps we give him a chance first… 