I bet there are many Sqn Cdrs out there who experience similar issues and I am looking for some support from people who’ve been there and got the tshirt.
As a Sqn Cdr I consider my priority is to Sqn and local matters before Wing matters. It is my role to make sure that we as a unit maintain great links with the local RBL, RAFA, council etc. by supporting their events, and in return we often receive support through grants, donations, invitations etc. and the knock on effects of being seen to be helping e.g. recruitment & citizenship training. If we do not have the support of the local community then there is no Sqn!
Lately I seem to be constantly battling with Wing who believe ALL of their events take higher precedence over Sqn events. Sure, there are some events which do warrant it e.g. Wing Activities Day, Wing Parades but not every event surely? I don’t get to decide when Wing events occur nor the events organised by local bodies, we just do our best to attend what we can. Before I book any Sqn events in the diary I always check Wing’s diary first to ensure there isn’t a clash first off.
Cadets are being pulled left, right and centre, often sometimes wanting to do the Sqn activities rather than doing what the Wing staff want them to do. I’ve been made to look like the bad guy when in fact all I’m doing is sticking up for my guys.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation and able to offer advice on how to cope with/combat it?
I have been in this situation many times over the years; getting grief from wing for lack of attendance or what they consider to be an inadequate level of attendance based on sqn size at wing events.
My response has always been that it is cadet choice. This is a voluntary youth organisation, the cadets join to enjoy themselves and to try to force them to attend events they do not want will make them either leave or not turn up.
I always try to ensure we have a good showing at wing events but at times you do have to prioritise.
My response when taken to task has always been:
Are my cadets safe!
Are they enjoying themselves!
Are they achieving!
If I can answer yes to all three then there should be nothing wrong.
You are completely correct about the local community, without it you will fail.
I sometimes wonder that certain “Powers that be” forget actually why we are here and what we are here for.
Hope this helps!
I had a lengthy discussion about this with a WSO. My line was I am charged with managing the squadron and while I will seek to support Wing events, if they clash with community events, which the majority of us have fixed in our annual calendars, then as far as I’m concerned the local event takes priority. Doesn’t sit pretty so they can sack me if they don’t like it.
Ironically one time we were forming part of guard of honour for the LL at a local event, which clashed with a Wing event, that found out later the LL had declined an invite to, as he was doing this one. So my cadets were photo’d with the LL and he spent quite a bit of time chatting to them. Better IMO than being just another face in the crowd at a Wing event.
I absolutely agree: many squadrons will have annual local events to which they hold a level of commitment - we have 3 or 4 of these. We’ve been an essential part of the running of those for many years and to drop out may drastically harm our reputation, lose us money and possibly lose us the “gig”.
In the event of a conflicting activity we’d endeavour to support both but that is not always possible and the priority has to be to our local commitment.
I totally agree. To me local events should take priority over Wing events whether others are in agreement or not. I know that any local event we take part in is very much appreciated by those involved (both locals and cadets) and we benefit very very well by attending.
However, having said that, I do try to ensure that if there is a Wing training event (Radio, for example) that my interested cadets attend. This is based on the fact that it’s important for their development as a cadet. Wing organised events where I need to show my face, make up numbers or where I have been told that I will attend - no thanks! At the end of the day I am the Sqn Cdr and my cadets safety, development and enjoyment are the priority.
I would hope that wings would use a SharePoint calendar and try to de-conflict with as much as possible, but with the number of units and only so many weekends at some point units have make a choice. For large event such as field days, Athletics, swimming and Cross country I would hope the units would see the goal to get cadets at corps comps as a preference over a local community event, but as said sometimes not.
Sometimes if WHQ don’t know an event is planned then they work in isolation plan a wing event and then wonder why no one is taking part. We try to de-conflict with unit events by putting events into the calender at least 3-6 months in advance.
Some event dates cant be any other date due to circumstances, if this clashes, then it should be what is best for the cadet. Sometimes this will be different to what is best for the unit.
For me it’s what’s best for the squadron. I tend to find events like Wing Parades, competition/field days involve a lot of standing around waiting for something to happen. If you have been told you must do this over and above everything else, then as mentioned some squadrons run the very great risk of damaging their (often financially lucrative) relationship with the organisers. A couple of years ago one of my mates was declined attending an event they had done for the previous 10 years (that realised them a donation of £750 pa) to attend a Wing Parade. They have now lost this as the organisers use The Scouts.
Local events with cadets generally assisting and maybe doing a display of some kind are a real boon to recruitment and generating interest, more so than some Wing actvity.
While I don’t deny that having cadets attend large events allows them to see the Corps in its wider context but sqn cdrs have to be given free rein to decide what sqns do or don’t do and not just when it suits, to appease Wing. We are told to push “light blue footprint” and when we do, we get re-buffed if it clashes with Wing events.
I generally agree, though it can also go the other way. I’ve experienced local community councils, RBL and other organisations who automatically assume that we will support their event, regardless of how late they tell us about it.
There is also a certain type of person found in virtually all communities who loves to be on every single committee (including civcoms on occasion) and who loves to politick and hold a grudge if you ever fail to support their latest pet project. They can be an absolute nightmare if you offend them even once.