Back when I was a cadet our CWO was an RCO, so when he went into uniform as a Plt Off I presume he was still qualified.
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How does that sit with needing SC though? I presume this is a bygone era thing, not a present day occurrence. As I understand it staff cadets with clearances (potentially through civilian work etc) can’t use them in/for cadets until they’re 20.
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You can’t do it as a Cadet anymore.
However if you are a shooter no reason you can’t do your RCO as soon as you turn 20.
I remember completing a security questionnaire as a cadet, but can’t recall if I ever held SC (as a cadet) or why I would’ve needed to.
Would it be for CTC ?
No, but thinking about it I stayed on between my 18th birthday and leaving for uni, so it might’ve been for BPSS (or whatever it used to be called: BCVR?)
Do Cadet NCO’s not already give that perspective?
Cadets are a lot more likely to meet a Cdt NCO they don’t know than an unfamiliar CFAV. So they’re already used to looking at shoulders and Chests for Rank slides.
Plus Having an overlap in Ranks between CFAV and Cadet SNCOs is just begging for confusion to ensue
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This. It just feels very messy that you have a duplicate rank system running alongside the cadet one.
Cadet flight sergeant answers to a sergeant.
Why bother with all that nuance?
it gets really messy on my Sqn, 2 most senior cadets are Sergeants, only CFAV NCO? Sgt, SI? Sgt as well
There’s already an overlap from sgt to WO. Not to mention that while we cadets are using RAF ranks then there will be an ‘overlap’ with regular and reserve forces.
the Cadet NCO Structure lets Cadets get a grasp for the Structure of the RAF. In a situation where you’ve got a 15 year old Cadet Sgt and a 20 something corporal, your seniority and structure is pretty clear
However put a 19 year old Warrant Officer and a 20 year old Sgt next to one another and the waters are a bit murky
I really think you’re doing cadets a disservice by suggesting that (as long as they are told) they can’t understand that the cadet ranks sit below the adult ranks…
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Do they? Then why do I keep getting called sir or sergeant?
Did you change your picture just for making that comment? Or did I miss it before?
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Well spotted! Changed for context, so that I didn’t have to answer the inevitable follow-up question.
i’m just pointing out how the overlap can create un necessary confusion rather than a linear structure
maybe the crown on your rank slides are reaaaaally faded 
You know, I was only saying this evening how the crowns on RAF FS rank slides look a bit rubbish compared with the RAFAC ones (our crown is not only lower down but odd looking). I’m hoping they fix this when the Tudor / King’s crown FS slides eventually come out (hopefully in the style of the new WO slides, with gold crowns).
Yes, although I swear mine look even worse.