When I say this I don’t mean this in a “goody two shoes” type of way but just little gestures and acts that Staff like and qualities of a good cadet. For example: at our squadron we have a thing called Aircraft of the Month where one cadet come up every month and makes a presentation about an Aircraft. This is purely voluntary but I know it’s something my Sqn Staff like.
Something that makes my life easier:
Turning up in good kit so I don’t have to moan.
Helping newer cadets with their kit so I don’t have to moan at them.
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This…
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Thanks for the advice
Cadets that turn up and get involved even if they think the activities are something they might not like! Parade nights when attendance is low are pretty depressing so having those cadets that turn up are willing to get involved is always great.
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In short, an organised Cadet makes my life so kuch easier.
Uniform sorted.
Remembering usernames and passwords.
Bringing a notebook and pen to classes / briefings.
Use Cadet Portal and MyRAFAC.
Pass information on at home so I don’t have a million questions from Parents that could be answered by looking at the event on Cadet Portal or by taking notes at briefing.
Helpfulness. Help new cadets without been asked to.
Good attendance.
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Looking after each other, whether that’s looking after younger/less experienced cadets or peers. Or even looking after NCOs or officers if you can.
Do that and the rest will follow.
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A good NCO team which is approachable for the Cadets
what has always annoyed me throughout my time is Cadets coming to the office asking a question a Cpl could have answered - sometimes there are the types who just want their time with Staff, but for me the NCOs should be a filter questions reaching the Office - if a Cpls can’t help, speak to the Sgts, if they can’t help ask the FS - if the FS comes to the office then I know its a genuine Staff answer that is required
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i. Cadets answering a question put to them in a formal lesson by an instructor with a statement, rather than another question.
Instructor: “When was the Royal Air Force formed?”
Cadet 1: “It was on the 1st April 1918.”
Cadet 2: “Was it…(a pause of several seconds usually follows) the 1st of April 1918?”
Which Cadet has more self-confidence and subject knowledge?
Which leads me into:-
ii. Cadets who are interested in aviation and the RAF in the first place, enough to find out more about those subjects in their own time. 
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Awful attitude from an instructor.
We want to encourage those cadets who aren’t quite so confident as well as those who already know it all. I understand the latter make you think you’re a good teacher, but if you only want to teach those who know it all then you’re not that good.
(I say this as someone who was the know it all cadet so no sour grapes here)
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Cadets who look for solutions rather than problems.
We all know that there are plenty of problems at various levels within RAFAC, but a cadet that can find solutions to the problems that exist at squadron-level, and have the initiative to implement them, is an absolute god-send.
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This is more demonstrative of a cadets confidence in & their ease with the instructor.
Much prefer a tentative guess than a “I dunno”.
Much prefer cadets to use their initiative on solutions that wait to be spoon fed.
Going to the original topic, a cup of tea, open & honest feedback about the Sqn with a rationale on their thoughts on a matter even if no solution. Keeping people informed, prompt return of forms & appreciation of the staff being volunteers too & needing help like any other human being.
Also in an NCO the ability to appropriately tell a Sqn Cdr that an idea is not a good one is also appreciative.
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Seconded
Or rather having identified the problem comes to me to highlight a solution and a request to help implement it.
Anyone can find a problem- that isn’t nuch help, but identifying a solution to a known problem that is useful
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My mistake, there Chief: questions asked to confirm learning are ideally answered by statements, which is what I should have emphasized. I wouldn’t ask such a question for teaching. I’m drifting into confidence raising/question technique/effective teaching in the first place territory, so to return to our host’s topic:
iii. Cadet instructors who don’t just want to teach their ‘pet subjects,’ but help the staff by moving the Classification programme along by teaching those subjects. Pet subjects are fine for the first couple of lessons on a MOIT course, in order to build confidence, though.
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Very basic - smiles and thank you’s at the end of the evening, event etc - makes all the organisation crap seem worthwhile. As has also been mentioned, cadets helping themselves or others to be the best that thy can!