That would be only be about 10 mins (if you were lucky) for all assets!
1953 Coronation Review of the RAF - 300 aircraft on the ground, & 600 in the flypast (although some were Commonwealth).
The Coronation Review of the Fleet had 300 or so naval aircraft in the flypast!
That’s 1200 aircraft!!!
Prior to attending an Online RMTL course, I had completed
10 training walks between 10 miles and 25miles including a 2 day event (not Cosford) prior to attending and completing Nijmegen as a chaperone for two cadets at 30k…
A further 10 training walks between 10 and 25 miles, 2x 2 day events including Cosford, prior to completing NM at 40k…
A squadron based, local event in support of the Trenchard Token
Winter Warma twice and began training g for last year’s aborted NM…
All before doing either FTTL or RMTL.
Admittedly, my time has a CFAV has only been a few years and the only other training as such that I’ve received has amounted to first aid, risk assessments AVIP etc… so I can’t comment on how much crossover training there is - but…
What I would say is that even I got something out of the course…
So, a blue badge is meant to be a squadron level activity - but the hope is that it will encourage many of the participants to engage with the group, find enjoyment and aim to achieve Bronze, Silver and potentially Gold / Nijmegen.
To that end, what I took from the course it’s the aim to try and get everyone on the same footing and walking along the same path; singing from the same song sheet (enough jokes? Oh and those too).
We’ve had cadets join us very late in training - or even being parachuted in to our team with little or no previous training or experience.
This created ENORMOUS problems and conflicts both on an individual and team level.
Because they didn’t have the same basic knowledge / level of fitness as the rest of the team, their inexperience was at odd with those cadets that had started at the beginning and picked up all the knowledge along the way - and whose stamina and resilience had grown too.
Failing to correct seemingly minor faults early
In the training can lead to major injuries later on - from simple things as checking the condition of their boots to what they NEED (and DON’T need) to carry in their packs…
Developing team discipline skills so that they look good whilst in public - and moreover so that they remain safe whilst out on public roads during training / UK based events and most importantly of all, learning to act as a team - especially when fatigued.
Road Marching as an activity is being heralded by many probably due to its relative ease of delivery; relative low cost and less reliance on favourable weather (if it’s not raining it’s not training…
Personally, it would be fantastic if there was a UK event of similar atmosphere and level of support as that of the Vierdaagse in Nijmegen… but I can’t begin to imagine the amount of security needed to mount such an event in this country…
What came across most from our RMTL was the sheer volume of staff from not only my own Wing, but neighbouring wings within our region that were attending (if only as something to do during lockdown!) but it made it obvious as to how many willing souls were out there if it came to joining up for training purposes.
Being an outdoor event and one that isn’t weather dependent, Road Marching is likely to be one of the first cadet group activities to restart, subject to tier status etc, as such we’re hoping to have a strong level of interest amongst the cadets.
Delivery of the RMTL I believe is meant to be undertaken by the Regional Road Marching Officer - who also ought to be able to put you in touch with either your own Wing RMO or possibly a neighbouring one to help coordinate training.
In its simplicity, yes it is “just walking”, but it’s more about “walking well” and doing it right.
For those cadets that do aspire to go to either Cosford or Nijmegen, you can expect a deluge of questions about what to expect there - not least because there’s probably anxious parents wanting these answers too…
I must admit to being very fortunate to have a WRMO with whom I get on extremely well with and with whom I can speak very frankly. We share info as quickly as we receive it and we’re proud to be as welcoming as possible to all cadets and CFAVs that show interest.
We also have an energetic and enthusiastic Deputy WRMO as well as 11 (mental head count!) staff from across our Wing - and are spoilt by our proximity to the British Dutch Walking Fellowship and their training routes.
No doubt, as with all activities, as they become adopted and interest is shown by other staff - the dynamic ability to get events off the ground will improve and there will be more qualified / experienced staff out there to support it.
As for other “relative” training - activities such as Lowland Leader deliver other core training such as navigation skills, cooking / sleeping in the outdoors, walking across uneven ground etc - but don’t deal with the more regimented activity of Road Marching or reining your body for marching on hard ground.
As has been mentioned by other people, the last I heard was that there is a hope that RMTL will replace FTTL - provided team leaders can show that THEY have completed the same level of training as their cadets and completed an event such as Cosford, in the same year as they intend to attend Nijmegen - and that they have continued training.
The FTTL will remain the standard for non RAFAC teams attending via BMC.
I think this is very hopeful.
Marching in a squad is very close proximity, and marching as a squad with 3-pace spacing between individuals isn’t very practical.
The nearest you will get is Waendal down in Wellingborough, but that’s only a 2-dayer.
Under the guidelines already set out for participation during Covid, cadets are required to maintain 2m distancing - and where not possible, such as moving in to single file, they’re to immediately don masks or visors.
Thankfully where the majority of our training takes place, the roads we use provide plenty of space.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s obviously not as straightforward as it was pre Covid - but it is still very manageable.
Beyond the compulsory requirement for face coverings, all cadets and staff are briefed that they will be responsible for self treatment - under the supervision of the staff for all minor injuries such as blisters etc.
As well as each cadet being mandated to have mask / visor (and a spare), they must bring their own personal first aid kit with appropriate supplies to treat blisters…
Further, we can no longer provide transport for cadets to and from events, or in the event of a cadet withdrawal from the event - therefore parents are warned that they must remain within a 30 minute response of the event - so they can be called upon quickly if needed.
Naturally this creates a big problem for longer walks - especially when geographically, we are one of the larger Wings. To this end, we are very fortunate that we have a number of staff within each Sector to help deliver the Blue Badge syllabus within smaller, more local groups - this may not be the case for all Wings.
Youth Sporting / Organised Youth Exercise activity already has green light for Tier 3 and below.
Being an outdoor activity, that is no contact, with great plans and procedures in place, with plenty of willing staff… I very much look forward to being out and about again!
Visors aren’t a substitute for a face covering
Personally I’d agree - but we still have to adhere to national guidance. If a cadet finds a
3 ply mask over their nose and mouth uncomfortable, then they’re permitted to wear a face mask instead.
As it is, amongst the regs include no singing (I know - half the fun is the songs!), cadets must attest to the fact that neither they nor anyone else on their family have or have been in contact with anyone with symptoms within the past two weeks.
Ultimately we’re keen to get back out there and will adhere to whatever instructions come down from HQAC.
But national guidance is…
Face visors or shields
A face visor or shield may be worn in addition to a face covering but not instead of one. This is because face visors or shields do not adequately cover the nose and mouth.
Discomfort isn’t the same as a medical exemption.
Do it!
For what it’s worth, I only became a CFAV as a result of my son…
My first attendance at Nijmegen was as chaperone for my son and another cadet that were under 14 and to young for either the military or our civvy team.
Our son had only joined cadets 3 months earlier… one evening he came home after hearing about the upcoming training walks due to begin the following month and declared “I want to do Nijmegen…”
With longs walks not being usually something that our son would be accustomed to, I explained what he should expect…
Still undeterred, I offered to tag along for the first few walks - in case he wanted to bail out.
After the 3rd or 4th walk, I was approached by the CO and WO who explained that given his age, he would need a chaperone…
I felt awful, and asked who had volunteered… it was at that point they smiled and pointed at me…
The other cadet was the son of friends, but they were unable to commit to either the training or the March itself - so I was hastily put through AVIP, First Aid etc and became a Reg Civ Com…
I thoroughly enjoyed the training, we had 5 cadets from our squadron go that year and they all got round.
We then went back the following year with the civvy team and aced it again, with what looked like the most unlikely looking team you could imagine - including two cadets that never mind a good gust of wind, someone mere breaking wind could have blown over…
But they all made it round, they all received their medals there were only a couple of minor blisters amongst the entire team - and they all planned to attend last year… and then this year…
It’s not all rainbows and unicorns, but we do have a great time, we all have a laugh but what’s most rewarding are the comments from parents afterwards that can see a difference in them.
this and the comments from Cadets themselves keeps me motivated to keep doing what i do as a CFAV
I’ll resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one… did anyone see the “Alternative 4 Day Marches”
I can see what that may be attractive to civilian walkers who do this sort of thing anyway, but for me, the idea of walking that far without the atmosphere or the team spirit is pretty uninteresting. I’m happy to wait for the real thing, accepting no imitations.
Although there is no “Nijmegen Medal” and it doesn’t count towards the frequency award - there are still upsides to be had.
Participating in the Alternative Vierdaagse can mean walking as little as 5k each day for 4 days.
Doing this would earn you the same silver “souvenir medal” as you would earn for walking 10k or 20k per day.
The gold “souvenir medal” is available for those that walk 30k, 40k or 50k.
So, as a bit of “fun” you could suggest that either individually or in an appropriate group size etc, you could organise 4x 5k local walks, with parents waiting on standby to collect little Johnny if he struggles even with this.
It could be used as “hymn practice” to teach songs.
Similarly, if you’ve already started a RM training package, you could whip through Blue, then that week, get the cadets to walk 5k without group involvement then meet up on say Thursday and Friday Evenjng and knock out 2x 20k.
They’d then get their silver “souvenir medal” AND their Bronze RM badges.
A 5k should realistically take around 1 hour
A 20k should take around 4 hours, plus a BRIEF rest stop
Already put to the back burner - something to do with HQAC not approving due to cost etc
How the hell did this get released then before approval was in place?
I say, that’s rather embarrassing isn’t it…
Because RAFAC is such a finely tuned organisation… where mistakes hardly ever happen…?
