Off for a cold shower now
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Have you seen what she looked like when first on TV?
I’m afraid so.
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Carol ticks alot of boxes for an Ambassador
in no particular order
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She is a Celeb - brings in attention with might otherwise be overlooked (while not being so A-list) she is too busy doing her day job to be available
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She is an engineer - can and does speak on STEM topics with authority and knowledge rather than a fed a script
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(linked to her Engineering background) has contacts and made contacts in STEM industry to expand the Cadet experience
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She is a pilot, understands the joy of flying, the thrill of that first flight, appreciates the desire of Cadets to not only fly but to get a Pilot’s licence
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not only a pilot but a female pilot, pushes that angle really well in an industry lagging behind on an equal gender spread.
do the Cadets know who she is?
probably not as well or for the same reasons as the CFAVs do, but they know her and swarm to see her. She’s visited RIAT each year and every year the Cadets want to meet her, there is interest in meeting Carol.
could we have someone higher profile?
yes - but would we see them more? would they have the time to commit?
could we have someone more “youth” relevant?
arguably yes, but how long will they stay “current” as a celebrity to bring in that interest?
if for instance Dick and Dom were ambassadors - ok so they are probably a name 10 years to late to be current today, but what are they doing now?
which is my point. unless you’re talking about Ant&Dec or Devina McCall kids presenters fade away from “celebrity” any other relevant Celeb to our youth would be in music or acting industries, two industries where spare time on the weekends i doubt are frequently available.
google defines Ambassador as “a representative or promoter of a specified activity.”
i think she does that well and why former Top Gear presenters are NOT shortlisted - as a representative they are exactly that - we want someone who can wear RAF No1s be mistaken as a RAF Regular and represent the RAF and the RAFAC both when the uniform is worn and not.
the question posed “who is the Ambassador for” is a good one - considering the definition above i think it has to be everyone.
someone the Cadets can be engaged by and aspire to follow either as an engineer (STEM), a pilot and/or successful female in those industries.
someone the RAF Senior bods can “trust” to tow the line and not say anything controversial.
Carol does more than we realise behind the scenes.
4 Cadets are due to visit (or already have done) Lockhead Martin HQ in the USA to have a VIP tour of the F35 facility, this was set up thanks to Carol’s connections and influence.
Ok I admit benefitting 4 Cadets is a tiny proportion versus the full 30k+ population of Cadets, but there are other avenues she is following. Speaking to CAC it would seem Carol keeps her busy with various ideas, plans, suggestions because of who Carol meets and who wants to work with her.
I am speaking in defence of Carol, do I think she is perfect? No, but I am very impressed with what she does and achieves and question who else could bring the same rounded approach to the honourary role
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4 cadets is 4 more than zero.It might be a small number but all power to her for getting that set up.
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The question is why oh why are we relying on someone else to do something that our supposed well connected and experienced senior officers should be able to do?
I bet the suggestions etc that apparently CV is making to CAC are put straight into the “I hope this gets forgotten pile”.
Because CAC isn’t a celebrity?
Why should that make any difference? The collective in HQAC should be able to use their networks to achieve things like this. I really does beggar the question what do they actually bring to the ATC?
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we all know that HQAC is pretty ropey and thats been discussed on many threads over the years.But surely if Vordermann has used her influence as it is to get these kids on a visit like that who cares who does it as long as it happens.Id bet the four cadets who go or have gone wont care who sorted it out.All they know is theyre going.
Who cares if it should? It does.
the way CAC told me about it, it was Carol’s decision to set it up, not a request “oh Caz, would you might fluttering your eye lashes at those big wigs for us…”
we (RAFAC) are not relying on anyone or thing, it shows that CV is the right person as an ambassador utitlising her connections to best effect
are they well connected? or are they just senior RAF personnel who are connected to the senior RAF and wider MOD?
CAC indicated to me that she gets text message out of the blue and often can’t keep up with CV’s passion and has to try reign her in with some ideas
sounds like your bitter about this topic @Teflon and i cant work out why.
Cadets are getting opportunities - who cares how or who set it up…
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Bitter about this topic?
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Has anybody told dawn that???
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Carol does a good job and sets a good standard for people.
It would be good to get a couple more people involved and have them get about more not just the high profile corps events but some of the smaller wing and regional events…
Someone mentioned Jessica Ennis-Hill someone like that turning up at not corps sports but maybe wing or regional sports and going in the local press could be a great interest for local level of and in courage more involvement at a local level.
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I had a really busy day today at work and got thinking…
Someone said who is the ambassador meant to be for… as most cadet age kids wouldn’t know who Carol is.
If you think about it, how many kids actively watch the news or read news papers?
The athletes we spoke of are remembered for how long after they win a medal? So unless it is some mindless moronic muppets (step forward the kadarshions or what ever) that’s on tv, faceache or Twitter then most cadet aged kids may never of heard of them…
In reality we are looking for an ambassador who can make adults look up and say to their kids “look at this” or I want to get involved in that.
If they can say to their contacts I’m doing this you should really see what they do and get involved then that’s and extra bonus…
I feel that people are employed and do nothing except bathe in the reflected glory of something like this should be doing more.
I would argue that that they have little or no any influence etc in the wider RAF/MOD to make a better experience for cadets. The last 4 years or more have shown that.
Like that gets a good response from kids.
I still think that we need people the youngsters know or will have heard about and we should be looking at sportsmen, sportswomen, actors, actresses and then music, to give them some ownership. What we don’t want are people that parents go I know who they are and the kids look at you blank faced. We still get this from the kids when me and the Mrs talk about things. If someone is a success does it really matter in which field they are successful or as someone commented look good in or out of an RAF uniform, remember this organisation is primarily for 13-20 year olds, not those 20+.
it will never happen.
these are the people who have the busiest “celebrity” lifestyle moving around the globe with for work or to promote it.
that doesn’t give much chance to drop by A&B Wing to visit their XYZ weekend.
the closest option to that list would be a former example, but we have seen with CF how former sportsmen turn out…Chris who?
actors and actresses don’t “retire” and if they do its because they aren’t popular anymore.
which leaves music - Tom Fletcher of McFly fame and former Air Cadet himself might be a good choice if we were to choose someone from one of those industries.
He has already offered time to the Air Cadets, visiting RIAT one year he was interviewed by a Cadet
Swindon news article
Facebook link to the interview
but to consider someone you’ll see in Heat or OK Magazine as a “current” name on the kids lips, you might as well choose President Trump for all the time they’ll be able to give to the organisation
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CV seems to go off the radar for quite long spells, so no different to any other celebs in reality.
A lot of successful sportsmen and sportswomen etc are largely UK based as are many other celebs from “genres”. But if you have several you have more options. It would be interesting to see what the reaction would be if someone more well known to the cadets was one and they got ‘mobbed’, while the HQAC hanger ons were ignored.
Off the radar.Shes everywhere I even caught her doing an ad for equity release the other day.Shes never out of the papers and pops up on TV on a regular basis.
But ah’o paying for the trip? Individuals, sponsorship or HQRAFAC??