Good evening,
I’m currently a Cadet FS, soon to be CI, and I have recently completed my application for a VR(T) commission. I’ve read up on the whole process and the two day assessment and was just looking for some advice. It’s something I really wish to go for and I am very enthusiastic for it, but I know it takes a lot of preparation.
I know it is incredibly early days, but I would like to begin preparing early to give myself the best possible chance. I’m least confident around the planning exercises and the hangar exercises.
Apologies for posting in this mess as I know it is staff only, but I figured this would be the best place to ask.
Thank you.
For the group planex you are given a scenario and map and are given a short period to read and come up with a basic plan. The boarding staff then take all the material away and you have a further short period to silently write down a brief outline of your own plan. This is then taken away. The original material is then redistributed and you work together as a team to come up with a group solution. The boarding staff then question each member of the syndicate about an aspect of the plan. Key things here are active participation, but equally don’t be overbearing. Listen to the others and don’t speak over them, extra brownie points for trying to include the quieter members of the syndicate in the discussion. Being able to do basic DST calculations rapidly will help.
The individual planex is a similar scenario to the group planex but usually less complex. You go in to a room with booths and get a short reading period before you are left to come up with a solution and write it down. Again DST calculations are required but it is basic stuff. Once your syndicate is complete you will line up outside another room and will be called in one at a time. You will find the planex map on a flip chart facing the boarding staff. You then need to present a brief run through of your plan with no notes. You will then be invited to sit facing the board and will be quizzed on the detail of your plan, for this you do have the briefing documents. The board will challenge your solution so be prepared to justify your reasoning. If you have made a mistake don’t bluff it out, admit it and try to come up with an alternative solution or compromise. Likewise they might try to get you change your plan, if you are confident that it will work and it is the best solution firmly but politely stick to your guns.
Hanger exercises just require you to actively participate at all times, you are being assessed as a team member as well as during your own lead. Most of our syndicates failed to fully complete the majority of the hanger exercises, the boarding staff are more interested in how you motivate and manage the team than if you complete the objective. PICSIE/SMEAC principles are helpful.
For the interview just do your research and be yourself. Try to be aware of at least one current affairs story from each continent.
Finally enjoy yourself, get talking to everyone on the first evening in the mess. A few friendly faces in your syndicate will make the tasks a lot easier.
Happy to answer any questions you may have.
MB
Thank you very much. This has been a great help. 
https://sharepoint.bader.mod.uk/QM/Forms/Pers%20Form%202-01C.pdf
I don’t know if you have been given a copy of this - I didn’t but other candidates did. It’s very useful and the second exercise is almost identical to the one I had at OASC. There are also a number of useful documents on bader under controlled documents then forms, you can also search OASC for other local documents. I passed around a year ago, feel free to inbox for any advice or any questions you may have
My advice would be: go away, get as much life experience as you can outside of the ATC, maybe come back as a CI in a couple of years, then get as much experience of the ATC as you can, and then maybe think about OASC.
Otherwise, what those other folk said.