Talk: Royal Air Force Air Cadet Organisation

So regions yes as the CCF Test areas have been merged with regions so regions and now RAFAC formations rather than ATC formations.

Wings I would say are ATC as CCFs were only being administered by the WExO are were not part of the Wing ATC volunteer command structure.

Central & East are now pillars so there are no longer WExOs & CCF administration is purely at region level. This is a recent change so I think CE are not wrong just new.

1 Like

I agree that the regions are now managing CCF so it is not a ATC formation.
But;
Should it not be “ROYAL AIR AORCE AIR CADETS” and not “RAF AIR CADETS”?

I’ve naturally been looking at this while compiling the official register. It would be nice to standardise it, even though both are probably fine.

I think it likely comes down to space.

Music Services also has “RAFAC” written in full, but something like Scotland & Northern Ireland Region may struggle to get the whole thing on.

It’s one of the things I want to establish so my OCD can let me sleep.

If that ever moved to wings too, something like Central & East Yorkshire Wing would likely struggle to write “RAFAC” in full too.

1 Like

To add to what @OC.1324 has already said, there is precedent for initialisms on official badges. RAFVR units (including UASs) have R.A.F.V.R. on their badges, because the full title is too long.

This seems like a massive ‘constitutional’ change that has had no real thought or announcement. The CCFs coming under regions is one thing. But actually redesignated regions from ATC formations to RAFAC formations feels like a big deal.

@OC.1324 does this mean all the regions are looking to get new badges?

image

image

Where was the announcement that regions are no longer in the ATC?

No so much regions no longer in the ATC just that regions are no longer solely ATC

The announcement was part of keeling changes to the CCF Test areas

If they havent formally registered their region badges with college of arms it should be a simple tweak…

Sqns would still need to keep the “Air Training Corps” bit (before some people get ideas)

1 Like

I don’t recall this being the case. The change was to make Regional Commandants be responsible for CCFs in their borders. At no point have I seen something to suggest regions are no longer ATC formations. I would argue (albeit not for very long!) that ‘North Region Air Training Corps’ exists as a formation, but ‘North Region Royal Air Force Air Cadets’ does not. It may be descriptive, but it’s not the formation. And if it’s not the formation, it shouldn’t be on the badge?

Firstly, I’d argue that it doesn’t matter what it says on these badges, because they clearly aren’t authorised (and never would be in their current state).

Second, if a formation contains both ATC and CCF units, then surely by definition it is a RAFAC formation.

When Comdt ATC became Comdt Air Cadets, was there a corresponding announcement about HQAC?

Well apparently HQAC is no more anyway. Not sure if it’s been formally promulgated but hearing rumours that supposedly it’s now RAFAC HQ, which rolls of the tongue so much better…

It’ll always be ‘H-Quack’!

1 Like

Despite “AC” is literally the term that encompasses the Air Training Corps and CCF(RAF)? love it

Let us not forget, Aerospace became Air and Space…

It’s a marketing tie in for the RAF as a way to cosy up to the holders of the purse strings and provider of activities and accommodation.

Making the distinction between Air Cadets and RAF Air Cadets is nothing more than a chin scratch rebrand.

How much of an actual difference it made, I don’t know, but it does follow some logic to guess that it’s easier to negotiate for support when you are named after your parent organisation.

in that case lets go for FAAAC HQ, or AACAC HQ. probably get more AEF that way