RAFAC App - What do you do

Adult Staff
1

Hi everyone

What is everyone doing about cadets who either don’t have a phone or their phone is not up to spec needed to install the RAFAC App?

We are a large Squadron who has cadets from all walks of life, those that can spend £1100 on a new phone to cadets that the Squadron fully funds as they have nothing. For those cadets that have say, an iPhone that won’t support IOS 13, what do you do for ID now that 3822’s are not available?

For an all inclusive organisation we are really making some odd decisions regarding the use of technology and I have cadets who are genuinely feeling quite left out because they cannot afford to have a new phone. They can access via a browser but when they go flying, RAF Benson, insists on the RAFAC App or a passport/photo ID. Some of my cadets have neither and its embarrassing for that cadet who should not be placed in that situation.

What are your Squadrons doing?

2

The flippant remark would be that our illustrious leader has pointed out that this is just not an issue. Sqn can buy tech and lend it to the cadets of a parade night.

Realistically, this is a huge issue regarding inclusion. The senior mgt of this organisation is far removed from the deprivation that some of our units experience. This will be a barrier for some of our cohort, the cadets who need us most are the ones that will miss out.

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3

What about this?
Apply for a UK ID card Online - CitizenCard
I’m sure a unit could fund fifteen quid to get them some photo ID? No idea if the base will accept them of course.

4

I’m kinda of this oppinion as well. Ask WSO to escalate as high as necessary until there is a reasonable suggestion?

6

We were told by our CivCom that they had been informed that the app had been withdrawn as not fit for purpose but haven’t seen that anywhere else.

7

It’s still available on Google Play

8

My cadets are using it although they only use it for the ID as required which isnt very often

9

I have two cadets whose parents wont allow them to have a mobile phone so I have no idea how we go about getting them onto a base if the only option is the ‘myrafac’ app unless they can use my phone??

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10

Just log into Cadet Portal anywhere . . . or buy a sqn tablet/smartphone that cadets can login to MyRAFAC then log out again when done.

11

Thats nonsense.

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12

No comms of the sort here and nothing on Bader Hub, but why would they have been the ones to find out first anyway?

I’d initially been upbeat as we had been assured of an available alternative during planning, and even since had been trying to remain level headed about it, but with further reflection it’s harder to support the path taken. Upon release the only statements have been:

As an organisation we already have considerable charitable funds that are available to support cadets and this should include, where necessary, access to technology…

Which, considering the removal of financial support to committees (albeit minor in this context) by stopping the admin grant, the required upgrades elsewhere with tech to keep pace with the digitisation of training and admin, and looking further back examples such as the direct purchasing of squadron identifiers is merely another financial burden that HQAC expect squadrons bear alone… while ensuring that subs are kept reasonable and sufficient fundraising occurs - there’s only so much that can be done and the list of required funding keeps growing.

In light of the recent IBN about fundraising and subs as well, this attitude appears to be anti the ethos that committees are expected to follow.

HQAC have “framed it” to use the wording of the IBN as

…in support of our Air, Space and Cyber skills development priorities with digital literacy playing a key role.

Which is a really lacklustre justification and call to action. Committees exist to support the training, development, and opportunities for cadets and must balance expenditure against benefit - the benefit to purchasing phones is actually minimal and certainly difficult to justify as “in support of our Air, Space and Cyber skills development priorities with digital literacy” considering the lack of any role that phones actually play in these areas.

Should a cadet not have the app and therefore not have a digital ID, they will be able to access MOD establishments using their pre-existing processes for escorted young persons.

Which isn’t really a solution and taking cadets to the guardroom will increase the attention and embarrassment.

Data surfaced through the app is also available via Cadet Portal and other Bader applications.

I guess this bit is referencing proof of qual more than ID, but why not have “printable temporary ID”? If there are concerns about reuse, date range it like station passes are which could even be populated from the event, including event name/type so it can only be used at that time.

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13

Any news on when the digital ID replacing the MOD90 is coming?

Haven’t done a canvas on our cadets with the app recently, will ask again this week, but given how infrequently we visit places where one is needed, it’s largely moot.

14

It’s not cadet portal that is the isue for those cadets as they use their parents laptop. It’s the app and the ID piece although not a major problem as we dont get much flying or gliding and it is very rare that we are on a station or base where the cadets need to show ID.

15

It’s just very rare that a cadet would need to show ID to get on base anyway. Every time I’ve taken cadets my id is checked and then just nominal roll of cadets.

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16

That was the same on Camp, the driver was checked and they were not bothered about the rest of the staff on the bus

17

Unless your Squadron is on a Station it’s so rare that Cadets get ID checked.

18

There is no way on this earth that my Sqn wil be buying phones or tech to lend out. For the sole purposes of this id app.

We were catsgorrically told, when this was coming that an alternative such as pribted id card would be made available.

WHERE IS IT.

Special K, needs firing. Simple.

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19

Good Afternoon,

We have a good handful of cadets who live in some of the poorest parts of the country, so we have come across it.

However, our cadets have taken it very well and all are really positive about MyRAFAC despite no currently having access.

As a temporary solution whilst we explore grants for IT (we are looking at getting mini tablets for the whole Sqn that get loaned as part of induction and then used throughout the cadet career - there are a lot more self study courses such as cyber or drill that need access, and project work etc) when they go on an event they use the Sqn printer and print off their RAfAC ID from MyRAFAC.

We know it’s not official but they feel like they are then part of it and not “‘missing out” and I inform the staff on the event that they don’t have access but have it.

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20

Uuummmmm where?
All I recall seeing was “Nope, this in’t really a problem, 99.14% (or whatever percent it was) of young people have access to a smartphone”

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21

I wonder when did Benson start checking cadet ID?
I haven’t been there for a couple of years, but for the longest time I was the one staff member who would take them flying, and in all my time nobody ever asked to see Cadet ID.

Park in the carpark, get vehicle and driver pass;
Drive up to the gate, show vehicle pass, driver pass, and one CFAV MOD90;
Gain entry.

I will certainly say that the alternative ID really should have been available alongside the App rollout and before the stopping of 3822s. It’s disappointing and frustrating that it’s not.
But I refuse to believe that this is the massive issue that some people are claiming it will be.

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