That is Sqn Ldr Barker and as the title suggests OC Engineering for the RIAT camp.
A HQAC CFAV assigned to that role.
He basically lives at Little Riss on the weekends sortting the tents for RIAT
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Just seen that my Wing - a large one somewhere within North region - has announced that we’ll not be putting in bids for either cadets or staff. We normally take 70+, so that’s a pretty big dent… Have many others completely backed out?
Was that an active decision not to put in bids, or someone forgetting to actually bid?
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Presented as an active decision, certainly. And I know the guy who’d normally run it and he’s sound, so I’m more than inclined to believe it.
We’ve got almost 50 16+ bidding it have an allocation of 15.
Unfortunately that allocation needs 3 staff as a 1:5 ratio is required and we currently have 1 bidding member of staff.
The 2 in Camp Roles don’t count as will not travel with the wing contingent so we are looking at having to return 10 places.
Surely the travel element would be 1:10 even if the camp itself is 1:5?
The wings allocation is 15 cadets / 3 staff, these 2 don’t count in that at all as already have allocated roles in the camp team.
That’s what I’ve been told by my wings wing commander, were pretty sizable in north region as well, same wing?
Quite possibly, though I can neither confirm nor deny.
I have heard it from a credible source (HQ RIAT team) who indicated a Wing has backed out completely by choice rather than failure of admin to bid for places
This is an extreme ratio for a camp.
Wonder how this alone will impact the camp?
I was told that our wing just couldn’t deal with the CFAV to cadet ratio, which was the main reason that our wing pulled out I believe. I was really gutted about all of it, one of the things I really wanted to do since joining cadets.
So once one wing has formally backed out, will this allow other wings to also back out with out loosing face?
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This sort of thing tends to only happen because a Wing has staff who are passionate about doing it. If those staff don’t make it happen that Wing doesn’t go.
So I wouldn’t expect to suddenly see a row of dominos fall just because one wing isn’t going.
Unfortunately this is the way more things are going.
Plenty of enthusiastic Cadets that want to do these things - insufficient staff willing/able to support as required.
I am afraid it is probably the pure weight of the workload that puts CFAVs off
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I believe they have taken it from ACP 237 as a high risk camp.
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could be quite the opposite - as it means that wing’s allocation is shared out others get more places!
(I have also hear that some wings who are in excess of Staff interest are offering Staff to neighbouring wings who can’t fill the Staff places)
Which is just sensible.
In fact, it would make sense to allow staff to bid as reserves and collate a central list to facilitate this - no point in having disappointed staff in one wing and disappointed cadets in another.
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I should add… PoCs can add staff as reserves. Not sure if there is an intent to pool though.
I’m still trying to get my POC to confirm if I have a place, but he’s uninterested and can’t be bothered to check so totally in the dark about all things RIAT at the moment.