Our local ACF unit did more gliding than we did in 2019.
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We have some STEM guides but there is no issue of equipment or materials to support. We have the MTA kits at Wing or Region Bit other CFs have those. If we were to run a STEM day for other CFs - I’m sure aviation themed would be of interest - we’d need a bit more than making paper planes.
If we could offer build and fly a drone for example my local ACF would love that.
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For starters, sometimes it is just fun doing a little mixing. You don’t need to think up an immediate exchange of favours.
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I find just being willing to give a hand on the activity where you can is enough to make me want to invite someone back. I’m very rarely asking for anything In return when I run things for other squadrons but a willing staff member can make things 10 times easier on the day.
Bringing me a brew and something to dunk In it also helps.
Bringing Cake elevates you to being my bestest friend ever and you are welcome to any activity I ever do again.
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Put it this way…
I oversaw the merger of 3 squadrons of the same organisation, and that was hard enough, I can’t imagine there’s any possibility of this ever being a thing with 3 large cadet forces.
I don’t see it as a merger, I see it as an ending of the 3 and a beginning of one, a Joint Cadet Corps / Joint Cadet Force.
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@Threaders It won’t happen due to the ‘size’, purpleisation of CF won’t happen without a massive change in the management structures and a mindset and willingness within the senior management at MoD level to work to a position of consensus.
There was mention after DYER of RFCA taking more of a lead, but from the then CACs comments I think this model removed too many of HQAC’s minions from the picture. In all honesty the biggest blocker to change would be HQAC as there is too much for the RAF to lose and over the years the RAF has the least to offer. Another model IIRC had each CF owning activity areas; Army shooting and fieldcraft, SCC water based activities and ATC flying, (although this was when flying was a regular activity), with a combined working on areas like DofE and AT.
We can do things locally, but it needs to be a much more simplified process all using one “form” and system, ie basic admin and accepting independent organisation training and move to a standardised set as and when they need renewing.
If the move to CEP gathers real momentum and moves away from being predominately ACF a joint approach to community CF will be needed or community units will disappear.
Under which services authority, with which set of rules and from whose budget?
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I know someone who jumped to ACF and was back within a year as they have many of the same issues and some different.
Someone else, AT qual’d up to the eyeballs went to SCC and the unit pretty much gave a red carpet treatment to get them in the door. Still there now and loving it.
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To be honest, there are many CFAVs in the other CFs in STEM careers too. However, working in STEM doesn’t make anybody a solid, inspiring or engaging STEM instructor.
STEM also is not a USP for us in isolation. SCC have been delivering a BTEC in Engineering for some years.
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I think this is what’s really triggering the thinking of purpleisation.
We don’t really have anything unique to offer now that flying is so rare.
Everything else is common to at least one of the other cadet forces.
A joint cadet force would allow us to pool our resources, reduce “competition” between units where it currently exists, and save money allowing for more opportunities.
I agree it would have to be an MOD-level decision to implement, but it really does seem like an appealing way forward to me.
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Rarity for us aside, SCC fly with FAA Training Squadrons.
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If the acto for self arranged flying ever makes a show up however… we will have a unique selling point again.
Sqns could at own expense block book gliding days for their cadets etc.
That and if we had a proper simulator syllabus and on Sqn/wing PTT scheme would be a start!
Our area of expertise is aviation (in general).
So we need to get these sorts of things in place so we can offer aviation opportunities which dont rely on AEF or VGS.
Please oh Please
There is zero reason the ground school for Blue wings couldn’t be done at Sqn on some form of sim… I’m confident my CI who’s an ex Ba Capt and CFI with 10k hours would be able to deliver it on our gucci over priced sim where as he currently can’t because he’s not a VGS or AEF bod.
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Going off topic but it is why I’m yet to return to the OC role.
I find it hard to tow the party line and as much as I enjoy the organisation and friends made along the way I don’t feel I can lead a Sqn (both Cadets and Staff) if I don’t believe the message I’m expecting to be preaching
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Not only as a sqn cdr but just a member of staff what have we actually got to sell the Air Cadets? Since flying disappeared and I hold out little hope of a real free run at organising it locally, without loads of caveats designed to make it difficult. I have stood in front of new intakes over the the last 6 years (when it was increasingly clear gliding had gone and for us AEF as well) trying to make joining sound like a good proposition, based on AT, DofE and a dose of it might do you some good. Which can be sourced from our competitors.
If people ask me about their kids joining the Air Cadets I tell them not to bother and look to the Scouts and if the uniform is a thing for them ACF or SCC. Without a real injection of initiative and innovation from the top, have we passed our best before. Do we have the right people at the top of the pile, people who can make things happen nationally, without the need to get permission from someone else? We need people who can go into the linked industries and get the opportunities that would give us something unique and accessible by every single cadet, that we could then stand up and say with confidence this is what you can do if you become an Air Cadet and give us something to differentiate from the other CF.
It’s little use each sqn saying we’ve got so and so who can do this or we do this because we’ve got the kit and people to use it. We need a core that extends beyond foot drill and trying to look pretty for parades. Join the Air Cadets do some drill and learn to look pretty … not an enticing strap line, but it’s about all we have that connects us.
Being ‘purple’ would benefit us more than the other CF as we have sod all to offer that is really attractive that the others don’t do.
How the hell do your staff put up with you? Seriously, if that’s how you feel, why don’t you go and join the Scouts, SCC, or ACF?
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What?
I’m calling bull poo.
I AM a Sqn cdr and even doing EVERYTHING in my power to support and get staff and cadets in, its HARD graft to keep the Sqn going…
You’re telling us you can push people away AND STILL have a viable Sqn.
Balls.
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Why because the Air Cadets doesn’t deliver. People ask about flying which is fairly standard, but with only 1 of our remaining cadets (most of these have been in the Corps for more than 2 years) having been flying as part of the Corps, saying oh yeah join the air cadets and they’ll get to go, is a bare-faced lie and show a complete lack of integrity. As I said I have stood in front of umpteen new intakes since 2015 and had to try and sell a second rate (IMO) product, I have been honest that there is little chance they will get to go flying. They still join and we try and make it as interesting and fulfilling as possible, but there is nothing exciting. With 4 other ex-cadets on the sqn, the common thread we all have is the first time at the AEF and the buzz it created.
When you take this in the context of a purple CF (which is what this thread is about) each one has to bring something the others don’t to the party and as it stands we haven’t got that unique thing. How many hundreds or thousands of Air Cadets have not been flying in recent years, unless they were lucky enough to cadge a flight at a camp? Is it right we continue to sell ourselves on the flying line?
I’ve had youngsters come from Scouts over the years and in recent times several have gone back as what they were doing with us was little different to the Scouts, where they could do it as one said being moaned at because of your uniform.