Thought RAF PCS was dropped after the trials (at Marham?) in favour of no2 dress and no3?
I wonder how much PCS (MTP) could be bought in cadet specific sizes if we did away with the whole blue uniform supply chain?
It’s an idle thought, and one that ignores lots of other realities like blue footprint, but if you (as Sqn Cdr’s) could give a cadet whose parents don’t have much disposable income a windproof smock, two barrack shirts, two pairs of trousers, and two blue ‘Air Cadets’ T-shirts, instead of the blue uniform and a shopping list of MTP, boots, daysack - would you?
(Personally I think the blue footprint thing is a stupid idea, based mainly on the number of times I’ve seen cadets dressed head-to-toe in blue described as Army cadets, and the number of times of I’ve seen C-17’s, C-130’s and Chinooks described as Army… despite having ‘Royal Air Force’ written in letters several feet high all over them…)
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Yeah you have a point…Anything to help parents.
I will say though I have seen kids wearing their uniform (minus beret and brassard) to school as school uniform, best clothes for an award.
Even a parent wearing a JFW as it was all they had.
If I’m brutally honest I got 1 cadet a few extra pairs of trousers through stores as I knew they didn’t have much and when I offered Assistance it was rejected so easier to say it was a reason for a camp he was on.
If we went to MTP then those families would find it harder. I know it shouldn’t be done and their should be assistance from out with the corps but sometimes… we need to help by turning a blind eye
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Those items come out of the Corps budget (£40,000 on Badges alone if I recall) whereas blue uniform is provided direct from the RAF.
Not 100% sure to be honest, wouldn’t be surprised as do the RAF really need it? Blues for blues, green for green & overalls for grease monkeying.
Be careful what you wish for. We will either be sowing them directly onto jumpers/shirts next like the scouts…or we will look like these guys across the pond.
Although, actually wouldn’t look too bad on a Wedgwood shirt, as long as the the awards that can be worn as ribbons is scaled down, otherwise you’ll have a shirt full of ribbons for blue shoe tying proficiency.
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That seems a logical way to divide it up.
It would of course cost more to provide a whole MTP rig than a dark blue shirt, much as I’d like to see MTP issued. The feeling I get from Cadets not to mention staff is MTP only would be a step too far.
I’m unconvinced that it would cost less to provide a full MTP set from a contract for X00,000 sets per year than a full set of blues from a contract of X0,000 sets per year - and if the ACO/RAF is only buying a couple of thousand dark blue shirts per year, it’s probably paying a fortune for them compared to lobbing the same number of MTP shirts on the PCS contract…
Please no. We are a blue organisation.
How about we put in a damn sight more flying and gliding, and have enough excitement in the air that we don’t need to entice cadets with a green uniform at all as we’re all too busy being airborne!
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Much as I publicly lament the loss of the flying and gliding I did as a cadet, you’re talking about something that a) would cost a staggering amount of cash, and b) relies, at least partly, on things well outside CAC’s control or influence.
Anyone thinking we could get back to the level of cadet flying seen in the 80’s and 90’s is howling at the moon - we simply aren’t going to get that, so we need to do other things in its place.
We need to look at getting more flying and/or gliding opportunities from other places, especially in areas where AEFs’ and VGSs’ are not up to the demand.
Civvy gliding clubs for example.
I’d be interested to see how the civil air patrol and other international RAFAC like organisations are able to provide their flying experiences.
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Powered flying is expensive - gliding less so. It is only made prohibitive by the organisation itself. There are lots of options for getting cadets airborne, and often. But, as much good as the air cadets is, it is sometimes it’s own worst enemy.
Regardless, given how things are I know I am howling at the moon, and howl I shall… I will howl even louder if they force me into mtp for more than 1 minute than is totally necessary!
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We’ve heard rumblings via our WingCo that talks about linking in with civvie gliding clubs are getting more advanced.
When the Viking reaches it’s out of service date in the next couple of years I will put good money down that it won’t be replaced.
The Tutors aren’t far off either and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the RAF doesn’t replace them either. Yes, the UAS’ would be going without too, but they don’t really need them. They don’t do EFT anymore.
AEF / VGS as we know it will be gone by 2025.
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Not sure if this will be of any help.
https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/activities/cadet-flying#Memberships
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@angus I can’t see the RAF relinquishing the Air Cadets’ “light blue footprint” anytime soon. How would they get an “RAF” presence at events for so little? Take RAF100 as I recall cadets were used to gap fill for the ‘route lining’ as they didn’t have enough RAF personnel to do the job fully.
I feel from my cadet days we now have too many ‘uniforms’ and variations within each, so if anything we should go back to light blue only and coveralls like we had and have a more practical approach to it, ie tie on for formal parades only and apply the same to staff. Just from the perspective of growing teenagers it would be much easier to manage. Just having jumper, trousers and one shirt and a set of coveralls, as opposed to two shirts then bring in the question of ‘DPM’ with all the different components, that we aren’t scaled for and is either scrounged or private purchases. I wouldn’t like to see us go to ‘DPM’ only as it never looks smart. Our ACF det cdrs are quite envious when we are on parades together as we just look smarter and similar comments from Joe Public.
Also just think about it, every time the “DPM” uniform gets changed or altered it just creates a complete nonsense in the Air Cadets with all sorts of people with nothing better to do than get too excited about it, getting too excited about it, requiring meetings about changes to dress regs, which then happen months if not years later. Just in time for the next change. I remember when we were first “allowed” to wear ‘green’, given like now ‘we’ are not scaled. It was the complete cluster FUBAR for ages that we have come to recognise ever since, although unlike then we now have people for whom it becomes their entire Air Cadet raison d’etre.
I’m a 68 year old CI. I’ve no problem with uniform. It’s ATC that adhere to the age cut off. I think it’s a stupid rule.
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The problem is ATC IS ageist. The age cut off is their rule. Not every older CI would go into uniform, but I would.
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I’m a CI from “across the pond”. To look like this, your cadet would have to be a SEAL with combat experience, and decorated twice for valour. CofD aside, most cadets ain’t.
I think actually that the concern was on relation to the removal of a brassard… The implication being that ribbons being awarded instead of brassard badges would end up looking a bit gaudy…
It absolutely would if a ribbon were ‘awarded’ for everything which a badge currently is.
I never suggested anything to replace the brassard.
Merely get rid of it and all the badges.
Instant cost and admin saving.
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How about we abolish all badges and just have 4 modules with different coloured lanyards for each level.No need for loads of badges or a brassard.Cost savings would be immense(which will probably appeal to the tower dwellers).