Now that we are in the new dawn of the CFC I imagine that it is now easier than ever to move between the CFs.
I am currently an ACF Officer of 10 years service having commissioned almost 6 years ago. Currently ranked as an LT. Progression in my Battalion has stagnated and I am currently posted into a role I no longer want to be in. Having expressed my frustrations my commanders have confirmed that I cannot move into another role until one becomes vacant - entirely understandable . However there is very little prospect interesting roles becoming available for 3 or 4 years.
I am looking at moving to the RAFAC to keep my love for the CFs alive. I hold range management quals, Exercise Conducting Officer Quals and various AT qualifications.
Simply put…
What is the process for moving between the CFs?
Do I need to undertake Officer/Aircrew Selection (I did the ACF equivalent at Westbury)
What roles may suit a reformed ACF Officer with an interest in fieldcraft and training Cadets / management roles?
You will find that transferring in from the ACF to the ATC as a very convoluted experience.
There is no direct transfer process so you will have to begin your life as a CI and go through the whole rigmarole to get back into uniform. This will mean a new DBS BPSS and interviews.
There is now a note saying that things can be taken into account for people with service in other Cadet Forces, but this is on the whim of your Wing Commander and Regional Commander pretty much. AFAIK this will only mean you may skip a rank and miss out Pilot officer. You will probably still have to go to cranwell for the OIC.
All your quals will still be valid provided they are still current.
Our ACP:
There is no formal transfer process to allow a member of any other Cadet Force, Regular or Auxiliary Force to transfer direct to the RAFAC. Anyone wishing to become a CFAV within the RAFAC is to apply in accordance with the instructions contained in PIs 201, 301 or 401. However, such applications may be reviewed to consider previous service, experience, seniority, courses attended etc and any adjustments made will be on a case by case basis.
I do know of someone who transferred and applied directly for officer, having been told that they would not be made to do OASC, but would have to complete OIC to RAFAC-isise themselves.
The boarding process with initial interviews was the same.
Essentially, they didn’t transfer, but resigned and applied anew. I don’t know if this affects long service awards (although it shouldn’t, in theory?).
It’s a discussion to have with your new unit and for they and/or you to have with your new WExO.
Regrettably, you need to prepare to be welcomed, ignored, promised a lot, given little, patient, anything up to two years, offer ATC-HQ something that solves a problem from them.
Then … if that all goes OK, be prepared to accept a rank at least one or two levels below your current achievements and responsibility.
This probably translates into the resign/reapply comments above, but with direct experience of a good CO who was prepared to transfer, you would think the ACO had a surplus of staff!
Thanks everyone for their responses. Have these regulations, namely 2.3.9.1.5, been updated since the Cadet Force Commission was introduced?
Surely as now as CFAV Officers hold the same commission, the process should be easy.
I don’t expect for a second to be an Lt in the morning then pull on a blue jersey and become a Fg Off but after a period of familiarisation the skill set is transferable, and sought after. Or am I being naive?
The transfer aside what roles do you think would suit me? Id clearly be out of my depth as a CO / OiC for a while but is there a training role on establishment I could slip into?
The Regional Commandant who was doing our side of this new commission was asked this, his answer was not at the moment but they are looking into it. You have to resign your commission in the ACF and start afresh in the ACO, whether or not you can apply direct to commission will need to be discussed with your OC/WEXO, but i really wouldn’t be surprised if you had to spend some time as an CI (which is very very different from your CA posts in the ACF).
You should get seniority with you being an Lt in the ACF and in theory should get your flying officer, but you will have to jump through hoops to get there. When i moved i was only allowed to use my quals, my time served (and my rank) meant nothing and had to start at the bottom of the totem pole.
Interestingly when i moved over to the blue side. my CAA said why dont you consider the SCC as there is a direct transfer process and i would have went in at my same level without any hassle.
Bear in mind that the wheels of admin turn very slowly at HQAC so if the cadet forces medal is something you care about be careful about whether you will end up breaking the continuity of service
Every squadron has a dedicated Training Officer. I’d be very surprised if the squadron your transferred to didn’t already have someone in post so it may be a case of shadowing them for a bit and gradually taking on more responsibility, provided they want to give it up!
Each Wing also has a training officer, and usually a deputy, but that would likely be pushing it to far considering your experience of the ATC.
Beyond that, some squadrons have a dedicated fieldcraft officer - though it’s not ‘on establishment’ as it were.
Lots of options open to you but it’s going to depend on the specific context of the squadron and wing you transfer into.
I have no idea whether we actually have the same commission, as I’ve yet to see a scroll or any real formal acknowledgement!
In particular, it’s unclear as to whether we’re commissioned into the RAFAC (on a cadet forces commission) or commissioned into the cadet forces to serve with the RAFAC.
In the absence of any formal appointment to a CFC (scroll or gazette) I still regard myself as RAFVR. All I’ve seen is a badly-worded letter telling me that my VR commission has been removed on the grounds of a new commission being introduced.
But I’ve seen nothing official appointing me to that new commission, so I’m either no longer the holder of any type of commission or I’m still RAFVR.
“We… Appoint you to be an officer in the [insert name of corps or cadet force] from the…”
It seems therefore that the appointment is to to the specific cadet force, although the use of appointment raises some questions over whether the CFC is one thing and the appointment is another (but I don’t read that as the intention here). I’ll be interested to see if we use RAFAC or ATC/CCF(RAF)
