Thanks. What does it mean “specific commission within the RAFAC” though? We only have 1 commission don’t we? And we don’t have OASC any longer do we? Or has that restarted?
Would they still need to pass OASC if they have been through it and commissioned in the RAFVR(UAS) as acting pilot officer?
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All good questions and unfortunately I don’t know the answers, I’ve just quoted the wording in ACP020. I’d argue against sending someone who has been to OASC already back there just to Rick a box but who knows what WHQ and RHQs are up to these days. I would say that if they’re already Acting Pilot Officers, then they should be easy to move across and all they should do it attend OIC to learn how the cadet world functions, but like I say, HQs may have a different opinion.
Assumption 1 - Former UAS having now graduated Uni.
Assumption 2 - UAS Officer Cadet
Output - Treat as an a complete outsider to the RAFAC and register them as a CI (via Join) or Direct Entry SNCO (via Pers 1-10)
Assumption 1 - Former UAS having now graduated Uni.
Assumption 2 - UAS Acting Pilot Officer
Output - Either via WHQ or Direct confirm with HQ Pers on if they can transfer their VR Commission across to a CFC one. May be easier to approach as an outsider and in as a CI via Join though.
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That sounds sensible. Thanks for the advice!
I recall somewhere (can’t check source right now) that you can only do OASC once, so a UAS APO should only need to do OIC. But now we don’t have OASC as such it might have changed.
The bit about a UAS (or OTC) student not being allowed to be an SI is a bit odd, as that is exactly how the ACF use them.
If they’ve graduated they no longer have anything to do with the UAS. Even if they were an APO, that ceased the moment they graduated.
They should be treated as every other direct entry volunteer.
I don’t think this is true. Maybe they can only do aptitude once? Scores are valid for longer now, so they try to streamline the process, especially in light of other cuts and constraints.
So someone who had previously commissioned doesn’t do OASC ( or AOSB) again to gain a CFC, but not sure what applies to university OCdts?
If you’ve commissioned in the UAS it doesn’t necessarily mean, iirc, that you’ve done OASC.
If you’re an Officer Cadet, all it means is you’ve passed a filter test of an equivalent standard to a careers office.
I’m ex-UAS, for the record.
UAS officer cadets aren’t commissioned
All their APOs have done OASC
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That a new thing? In my day (within the last 10 years), an APO’s selection process was the boss going ‘I think they should be an APO’
That was it, no OASC. However… With the move to bring in term 1 of MIOT within the UAS syllabus more akin to the OTC, that may well have changed, I’d be very interested to know that.
Aptitude test wise. Once every two years now I’m told, used to be every year you could do them.
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Worked with a chap who was a UAS APO, he certainly did OASC, was about 4 years ago
Incorrect. APOs on UAS are selected by their staff and put forward for their VR commission on completion of their version of OIC. Most units will pick their Bursars - who will have completed OASC as they will be joining MIOT upon graduating as a regular.
To summarise:
All APOs are commissioned into the VR (UAS)
All Bursars will have attended OASC
APOs are not always Bursars
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Is that 100% I knew a Service helper a few years ago who had passed out of Cranwell, left and applied to come back, he had been made to redo OASC in total.
Seems odd to me, we’ve ex regulars who haven’t had to re do it.
Ah yes, this is where I’m getting confused 
Did OASC, or did OASC to become an APO? Pretty different.
Plenty of APOs would have tried to get into the RAF in their final year, and in doing so would have had the pleasure of OASC.
I can see it being a thing in the future, UAS is becoming a way to knock off the first term of IOT (rightly or wrongly) so it’ll need formalising more. But as it stands it’s just a pick from the boss.
I know 1 chap who did OASC and became an
APO (not involved with the ATC at all)
Know a couple of others who are ex regs and weren’t required to do OASC again just straight to OIC at ATF as it was then.
Like all these things it seems to vary from region to region
They already are - UAS have a pre-MIOT course (came across them at Cranwell this week) that will let them skip term 1
Term 1 now being 6 weeks and solely about the core military skills - wearing greens, weapon handling, drill, etc - all of which is now covered in more detail on the UAS than it ever used to be.
Ex-Rankers also skip term 1. Some will also skip term 2, it depends on their rank at time of commissioning iirc.
MIOT is now 4 terms of 6 weeks.