Surely it’s cheaper to use Unit IDs then to make new wing patches right?
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Sums up my feelings as well.
Considering the state of the organisation this sort of deck chair rearranging is just something I let pass me by.
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I get so tired of volunteers saying they’ll decide what they will and won’t follow and enforce because they don’t have to be here.
You make that decision to volunteer as a leader, you make that decision to uphold the organisation’s values and standards, regardless of whether you agree with everything or not.
If you’re a member of staff and you decide you’re no longer willing to lead by example on the small stuff, frankly this isn’t the place for you anymore.
Edit: You could also volunteer to get involved in this sort of decision making, but you can’t have it both ways. Either you care or you don’t, but the latter isn’t a shield you can hide behind.
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Please just remember that everyone volunteers in their own way & sometimes over attention to detail or over zealousness in enforcement leads to disaffection & people leaving. It just needs to be balanced.
Speaking of which….
If you don’t want to be part of it that’s fine. It’s not a bad idea & it works great but if not let’s just try to get to the fail point & learn the lessons.
What is not right is the toxicity. Everyone volunteers differently some are the empire builders, some fixate on a “single solution” others just keep trying to make things like there were as a cadet.
Being toxic & belittling people’s achievements or plans for moving forward isn’t right - it’s their hobby too so let’s not spoil the game just because you’re not winning. Even the paid staff are generally really motivated to help push the organisation forward & enable the volunteer rather than empire building.
There is no obligation or right to volunteer so if it’s all gone wrong then just walk away - there’s no harm in doing so.
If you are in uniform you have volunteered to take on the extra responsibilities & standards. Your fellow volunteers are volunteers too regardless or rank.
Yes There is a cost implication so committee chairs & OC should have been aware before the announcement to budget for stock & order in place but as MTP isn’t issued uniform there isn’t even an obligation to wear it.
this is a simple suggestion which will either work or not work but if it’s the latter it won’t really matter & something else will come in.
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i understand your point, but i think this organisation does suffer from a lot of issues precisely because there’s a view that lots of things don’t need to be taken seriously and that volunteers can decide when they’re going to follow organisational rules.
Once that spreads, we lose the ability to achieve a lot of things because people are in the habit of justifying actions based on what matters to them. This is bad for any organisation.
There are things I don’t care about (this organisation does so much there’s a lot we won’t necessarily be interested in), but when an SME asks for help or requests that I complete a form so they can do their job, I support them.
I’m not saying that every decision is good, or even popular when it’s right, but any organisation needs alignment or it will fail to function.
Squadron and wing OCs are not masters of their personal fiefdoms. They are there to deliver the cadet experience within the limitations of their delegated responsibilities (and the local circumstances). We have rules to follow and examples to set.
Challenge is healthy and a great thing about Alex’s process is that there is a codified way to make suggestions and have them considered in a transparent manner.
Unfortunately, there are many people who, even when the rationale is clearly communicated and time given to adjust, will still fall back to “make me”. This exposes the real issue.
That has no place in any organisation and I would suggest that those people are suitable neither as youth leaders, nor wearing a uniform.
We’re here to set an example and encourage adult behaviours in the next generation.
If someone isn’t willing to reposition a TRF and put a unit badge on then I’m sorry, but I feel like we’re having the wrong conversation.
If units are struggling with money, then that’s something to flag and request support with. I’m sure wing committees and the higher organisation would be very happy to support.
Until that request is made and a unit is being proactive, it’s just toxicity.
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This is something that hadn’t really registered with me until you pointed it out.
I will have to get this costed and put a proposal to the Committee for the expenditure.
I don’t know if there has been any briefing to CivComs (mine hasn’t mentioned it?) but it is entirely possibly they will say no, as they have not been consulted about this. I’m not sure where that leaves my cadets.
In all seriousness, I think the average unit is looking at £20.
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I knew of one unit in My AOR where cadets themselves could barely afford the subs, and the squadron itself had very little cash.
By joining the squadron it gave those cadets from a very limited background something to achieve. Most left with BTECs, giving them an extra lift in the workplace or potentially further education…setting them apart from others.
So yes, to most… £20 is stuff we find down the back of the sofa for most units, but some struggle.
Especially if they have to fund No3 uniform, training equipment, Internet for Learn, IT Equipment, etc.
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You have a happy civcom - with one of my previous committees this would have been an hour meeting & then three quotes & then another final decision meeting to authorise the £15 taking bout 6-9 months from initial request.
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Does the CWC even need to know why you need more Sqn identification badges? They’re already part of the uniform that (under current arrangements) needs to be restocked using non-public funds from time to time.
Committees should be doing enough fundraising to ensure to cadets from poor families are not missing out on any of the cadet experience due to costs. I.e. they should be funded to pay for annual camps, courses, IACE, etc. Things like this and £650 for an authorised badge shouldn’t touch the sides.
And again, if funding is an issue, that’s something where the ACC, wing civ com etc can be approached.
I agree with the point about green. Because of its utility I’d argue we should supply just those if we had to choose. Again, these are all points that can be raised and support requested.
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That’s a self created problem due to poor decision making, poor communication, micro-management and an obsession with minor details.
All of this leads to a situation where those at the coal face have a general lack of respect for the chain of command, particuarly the paid staff. Once that has taken root you will get what you describe, push back on change and people saying that’s a stupid rule/decision and therefore ignoring it entirely.
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92 posts about moving a badge and adding a badge which arguably should have been on the uniform from the outset…
Don’t miss this!
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Yes if it is a new line of expenses, as others have said we don’t have to wear MTP… I have to be open and honest with them.
If they say no, they say no. And there are a fair few committee members up and down the country who’d say no out of principle.
(I actually think the badges are a good idea fwiw)
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People can get things wrong and some people can simply behave poorly, but I see people using this as an excuse all the time.
They just chuckle and say “we don’t do things that way” or similar, and they look around to see who will challenge that behaviour.
This represents significant change in the way many have screamed for for years, so it’s revealing when it’s still not good enough.
Self respect and taking one’s own responsibilities seriously is also a part of this.
We don’t want or need people who approach every decision with the mindset of “I’m only doing it if I like it”.
If you have grounds, challenge it properly. I do.
If it’s really serious, challenge accordingly.
But we have to have some core principles and not just do what we want, only when we want to. That’s not how this works.
Most people get it.
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These are the riveting conversations that got me on the forum as 16 year old, its like going back to disney world 
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If you put rules in place that seem awkward or pointless then people will tend to ignore them. Like this change, if people don’t see the benefit then it just becomes more work that they shouldn’t need to do.
On the cost, I don’t think it’s so much the amount that is the issue, it’s the principle. This is not a necessary expense, nor does it seem to offer much benefit.
I also don’t think we can say that greens are optional because they’re not issued given the number of activities that “require” them. By that logic, cadets wearing parade shoes is optional.
Side note on CWC funding, I thought OCs could authorise up to £100 themselves?
Yeah, I’ve never liked this logic. “It’s private purchase so I’ll do what I like”. Rubbish. The uniform rules are the rules whether issued or not. It’s club rules.
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Depends on the committee. They have the money they make the rules.
I have no self authorisation. It’s one thing that was actually easier when we all still used cash, as we did have a petty cash float for stuff like washing up liquid and loo rolls!
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It has just occurred to me - we’ve only had the initial badges sent out when it was introduced.
Not seen any more & we would be advised when we could order them as needed. I assume there’s a supply route in place but not heard anything bout it really.
The same thing happened with the old TRF/badges &patches. Loads of people wore them initially, then there was a supply hiccup & along with some of the more militant & seditious NCOs insisting they wouldn’t wear them along it kinda died off.