Hello everyone,
A colleague of mine is sitting an officer board and is unsure what subjects/questions to prepare. He’s got sound knowledge in some subjects already as he’s a Sgt. I did say he will no doubt be asked why he wants to commission.
I’m not much help as I sat the old OASC process back in 2018. Any help for him would be appreciated.
Cheers,
Valiant.
That’s fundamental. Everything else, knowledge of RAFAC, RAF, etc etc, it’s all just guff really.
What extra responsibilities do they want? Is it an active play to get a squadron command, wing role etc? Perfectly valid reasons. What isn’t is ‘I want to be an officer because I’ve always wanted a commission blah blah 
‘
If the interviewer gets the impression that commissioning person X will genuinely enhance the cadet experience, then job done.
This will depend very much in which Wing you are in. I’ve seen everything from an informal chat to an absolute grilling on everything from why you want to be an officer to name the Groups of the RAF and who heads up each one.
That was the benefit of OASC - at least some standardisation.
I very recently went through the process from CI to APO.
Sector Sqn Ld gave me a grilling on the what’s what and who’s who in the RAF and RAFAC.
This was RAF aircraft and where they are based. The different groups and their commanders. The HQ leadership of the RAF and where the RAF is operating. The RAFAC was the leadership org from AOC 22 down to region wing sector etc the who’s who in wing staff roles. Also NATO, UN, and current affairs. Plus the what do I bring and my motivation to go into uniform etc.
Wing Co filter board was similar but less in depth on the what’s what who’s who, more about my past and the what do I bring to the party and my ambitions. Also a fair bit on why commission and not SNCO and the difference.
Region board was very much focused on me not my RAF/RAFAC knowledge, but there was still a few questions. Also current affairs was more in-depth conversation but not some kind of test on dates names for chosen topics. Felt like by the time you got to that stage you already fitted what the RAFAC are after and it was more of a ‘will you embarrass us and can you pull off being in an officers uniform and could you hold a military conversation without making a fool of yourself and the organisation’.
(Yes I know there are many out there we shudder at but this is just my thoughts on my journey into uniform).
If your friend is after more info then DM me and am happy to help.
This is very similar to what I faced 20 years ago, although the grilling was at Wing/Region level. My WSO was far more laid back, but then he had been interviewing me for things for 6 years by that point everything from Staff Cadet Part 2 to CWO and Adult Sergeant.
Good grief, did you stop the interview at any point and check you hadn’t walked into the wrong room, pointing out you’re applying to be a leader in a youth group and not an Aerospace Battle Manager? 
This makes even less sense when you consider you’re known to the organisation so they should (I assume) know exactly how suitable you are for a commission.
Is it any more out of step that all these years where we have sent our candidates to Sleaford Tech to be put through Command tasks?
The logic was always about being able to answer Cadet questions and to be able to hold an intelligent conversation in the mess.
Oh that was utterly absurd given the role as well!
I don’t see it as absurd. Each stage of the process deals with a particular aspect.
Filter inter view at Sqn level confirms the volunteer commitment plans & rationale
Wing board confirms how the individual conducts themselves, how they fit & their knowledge of the cadet processes, how it fits in with day job.
Region boards act as a quality check on the wing boards, & confirms that the individual understands the RAF aspects commitment & expectations of the volunteer. It also acts as a counter to those detractors who argue & feel that the air cadets should not wear the uniform of the RAF, or the ranks, or be saluted etc.
And if it was this then excellent.
Going to Cranditz to jump across some pine poles avoiding shark infested custard and then reciting an arbitrary number of topical articles that one has picked from the telegraph that week… is surely a ridiculous way to pick leaders for a kids club.
That’s the sort of thing that risks putting people off, they were doing the same assessment at OASC as you’d do to become a Typhoon pilot. That’s mental.
Not really when you consider the wider scope of what is expected of an officer.
Officers are expected to run units (yes SNCOs can but the expectation is not there)
As such there is a need for an officer to be aware of current events, work & liaise with local communities leaders including councillors & MPs & have a sense of (small ‘p’) political nouse & acumen.
An interest in current affairs is useful to help future planning, adapting to changing socio-economic factors & avoid controversy.
This aspect isn’t assessed at any other part of the recruitment process & most pertinently is the closest part to regular RAF selection that paid staff will be most familiar with.
So yes a good awareness of current affairs is needed by an officer if nothing more than to demonstrate the skill & ability to keep current on the wider situation aspects that needs to be taken into account when running a Sqn.
The biggest issue in selection is that we often copy what the airforce do purely on the grounds of “it’s what the airforce do” & not asking why the Air Force requires this & how it apply to ourselves.
As you now have had some proper answers…
“Do you have a favourite cheese & why?” 
Or the ever popular biological
How do you tell the difference between a stoat & a weasel?
Big one for me was RAFAC project astra as covered in ACP 007 also randomly a curve ball i wasnt expecting at Regional board was the role and responsibilities of the other pillars in particular Padres and the civilian committee. Amongst the usual RAF, NATO etc
Why? surely you’ll need to know this in any role 
Just how it played out with me, on my Wing Board major focus on RAFAC project Astra, RAFAC in general, RAF operations etc. Just needed to name the other pillars.
In my regional board they wanted to know in depth positions of each of the civilian committee member, how they are formed and funded etc. Regarding Padres as well as the role they wanted to know my personal opinion on religion in the corps with padres or should they be known by another title like “Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Officer”. It did bring a different debate to the table.
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