Anyone know when this syllabus is getting introduced and any further details on the requirements??
I think its great that there is a Pre-D of E as there is currently too big a gap between the new joining age and the Bronze
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I believe it goes live early next year
What is pre DofE??? Whatâs it actually recognising???
As it stands it basic DofE training is covered under 1st class training so are we giving 2 badges for completing 1st class??
We need to get away from the idea of giving rewards for nothing, Bronze DofE starts at 13/14 so what it gives the younger cadets something to look forward too as they get older then more opportunities open to them thatâs life and it also helps in retention of cadets keeps them focussed on what they want to achieve from the corps.
Does any other youth organisation have a preDofE award???
Another issue with the pre DofE I can see is the wing staff hammering OCâs you have X amount of cadets with pre DofE but no bronze awards⊠ânot acceptable!â and the honest answer of yes they did the pre DofE training as part of the first class training which is mandatory but the refuse to do bronze which is optional, will be rubbished.
Iâm not fully convinced, I am very much in favour of rewarding people for hard work but not in favour of rewarding for the sake of rewarding and really donât want to see our uniforms turn into a scout uniform with badges all over
What is Pre DofE? Itâs psychological. It gives relevance to the basic training and shows the cadets that although they arenât enrolled on DofE they are working towards it. That sense of having already worked towards something might create a greater inclination to continue and increase those going on to complete at least bronze.
Is it valid? Yes and no. Itâs a little bit of branding bs coupled with what is actually relevant training.
Does it require its own badge? Not really, but it makes little Johnny and Janet feel good about themselves. We know they havenât achieved anything different, new, or unique, but they consider that theyâve achieved something.
It goes live January 2017.
I can see both sides of the coin. It gives the younger cadets a tangible reward for (what they see) as a lot of âhard boring workâ initially, but too many badges & we will start to look like the Scouts.
I am undecided as to whether this is a step in the right direction or not. I will wait to see.
The whole Blue Badge concept is BS, just because we have 4 badges in the classification and shooting doesnât mean we need to shoe horn them in elsewhere. Every Blue Badge so far is âdo First Class Cadet and a proper assessmentâ.
Donât get me wrong I like the idea of a progressive system and the BSG badges all make sense, but the Blue badges are rewarding nothing.
Can I ask where did you get the information above??
and yes it does seem stupid, to give cadets multiple badges for completing their first class training.
It seems to beâŠyou have a space for a badge there for you need one!
I just noticed the parachuting badge, are we bringing parachuting courses back? or is it you wore a parachute at AEF and done the drill, there for you get a blue badge?
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The info fell off the back of a lorry 
Itâs been on a few Wing Facebook pages this week, I think it was announced at the DofE conference last weekend.
Parachuting is already back, they ran a course last year.
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we havenât seen anything yet, will need to keep an eye out for it
12 months for a cadet that joins on 1 September as they go into year 8. Is that really too big a gap? Are you losing cadets because they have to wait a few months to do DofE? It isnât really working towards the award as it wonât count towards their Bronze.
Well we donât. In that 12 months they are doing their basic training and working towards their 1 star. The Bronze expedition lines up with the 2 star expedition quite nicely so it makes sense to not rush new cadets into DofE.
Are we not setting a dangerous precedent by handing out badges for things that arenât really an achievement?
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Nail, head, hit. Ooh look - Scouts.
Itâs not only a dangerous precedent weâre setting for ourselves but what about future life??
Are cadets expected to wear all the badges theyâve earned?
Ie, if they have a DofE silver, do they still wear bronze?
âBack in my dayâ that was not the case, so even the most keen badge collector didnât wear that many, so even if yes, there are lots of badges available it doesnât mean youâll be wearing all of them.
If you achieve DofE Silver, then you still replace the bronze badge with silver.
No, it will be the highest level award of a particular type, following the situation we already use for DofE, classification, first aid and shooting.
Precisely my point. All the comparisons with Scouts are redundant. The most keen cadet at the average sqn could have, what, 8 or 9 badges top? Most sqns donât have bands.
My time as a scout was brief, and even longer ago than my time as a cadet, but getting 40+ badges was not impossible. So letâs not blow this out of proportion.
Iâll also say that there are a lot of cadets who couldnât give a flying proverbial about badges. I actively avoided them. Just because there are badges available, doesnât mean theyâll for them.
But by giving out numerous badges just for lassoing First Class you are effectively requiring every cadet to have them. With this new system any Cadet who has been in the organisation for 4 months will have 4 badges as a minimum. Itâs too much and unnecessary.
In theory could a cadet have 4 shooting and musician badges and one each for comms category?
How many squadrons do road marching as a run of the mill activity?
This been put together by someone who thinks cadets CARE . Iâve had Yr8 cadets for 2 years and not one in the first few months hasnât got upset about not having a badge.
Someone somewhere needs to get out and inhale some fresh air.
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I think many of our younger cadets would be more worried about getting the last Pokémon etc card and the high score on a game, than an ATC badge.
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I like the idea of progressive road marching, I have been involved with it for years and it has always griped me that there is only recognition of Nijmegen where there are other far better and far more informative walks out there.
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In my previous Wing they run Road Marching at Wing Level and take over a 100 to RAFWARMA I know of several other wings that do that too.