What this tells me is that we have a candidate who gets stuck in, has some leadership skills, goes on camps, participates in parades and wants to represent the squadron. With all of this in place we should have a pretty solid all-rounder who has enough experience to help cadets who are more junior than they are. The list is a compass though, not a GPS - so we don’t require every element.
Once they’ve managed to do this, there are 3 steps:
I ask them to write a short write-up about themselves, why they think they should be promoted and what they’re going to do when they are.
I ask them to get a recommendation from an existing SNCO. This helps to make sure I don’t promote people who show off for me, but are a pain in the bum for our NCO team.
We do a short interview (usually 5-10 questions) with me and one of our SNCOs.
Once all of that is done, I’ll review it with the SNCOs and staff. We’ll make sure we’re happy that they have the right knowledge, attitude and behaviour, and then if we’ve got a slot available, we’ll promote them.
It’s worth noting that the most common blocker for promotions on my squadron are people who don’t put themselves out there enough. Those who don’t display the level of confidence you need to lead a group of your peers, or who struggle when given simple leadership opportunities. You want to be seen to be someone who is already a leader, so that the decision to put you into a leadership position is a no-brainer.
Do also remember that being an NCO is not the most important thing in your cadet career. It’s often something that comes naturally to those who get stuck in, engage in and enjoy everything we do. We have some exceptional, bright, talented and amazing cadets on our squadron who haven’t been promoted, but it doesn’t mean they’re not valued - we just can’t promote everyone!
I do something very similar, we have a list of Essential and a list of Desirable Criteria. You need to have all of the essential whereas the desirable is just worth extra points.
Essential
18 Months Service
Leading Cadet
Blue Leadership
Youth First Aid
Wing PNCO Course
Good Attendance (60%-70%)
Desirable
Bronze DofE
Bronze Leadership
IWT
Annual Camp
Excellent Attendance (70% or above)
Squadron Sports Blue
The system allows me to wave 1 of the essential criteria if a candidate doesn’t have it.
For Senior NCO’s it’s essentially the same list but with Bronze Leadership, Wing JNCO Course Senior Classification, 2 years minimum service and Bronze DofE moves to essential.
The paper application asks them to confirm what they have done out of the above and for a personal statement. They then all do a Uniform and Drill Assessment with those who have scored high enough won those 2 stages being invited to a short 10 question interview with the OC and one other (either the Adi or SNCO depending on availability).
It was a live process and we learned each time we ran it and tweaked it each time as we learned.
This was stolen (with permission) from a sadly departed forum member, if I remember correctly. I believe Leeroy gave me this years ago which I adapted for my own Sqn. Or it might have been Peterborough Sqn with another previous forum member. Or it might have been someone else. Point is, I didn’t create it and claim no credit for it.
We use these as guidelines, they aren’t always possible for everyone to achieve all of the time but they help people see the sorts of things we expect.
To echo everyone else, whilst there is a job spec for a cadet NCO - it is never purely based on what you have or haven’t done.
Your squadron OC will undoubtedly have their own criteria based on the needs of the squadron and that is something that differs across the Corps.
To help you understand why you are not at a particular rank, it is worth being patient whilst we are in this restart period, but also taking every opportunity you can get - after all, being promoted is not the only thing you can gain from being in the organisation.
That’s very true, they will also generally have a Squadron Structure that they work to, which will mean that there isn’t always the space to promote everyone they want to.
I agree, I’ve left gaps before rather than promote someone who isn’t good enough and I’ve broken my structure slightly by having too many NCO’s when it was too close to all between deserving candidates.
At the very least I would have to have four LCpls for my four flights, and in general I’d hope for four Cpls, at least for part of the year. That would mean I need a Sgt as NCO i/c (that’s exactly what I do have at the moment).
Do you have a ‘head of corps’ Contingent senior cadet? Is their rank also not at least in part determined by the need to out-rank the heads of the sections? Although if an RAF section cadet was good enough for head of corps, they’d be good enough for at least FS and most would get to CWO before they leave.
Even then, just because you need one is not always the best thing to do.
I’ve seen many a cadet promoted because they were needed to fill a gap and then not perform at that rank because they either weren’t supported or weren’t ready.
Also, @tmmorris example is very CCF based, ATC units tend to be a bit more fluid and less based around the school terms wrt promotions.
I’ve said earlier that I’d never automatically appoint my senior cadet (we’re single section CCF so don’t necessarily have a Head of Corps) to FS/CWO if I didn’t think they deserved it, this year we have three Sgts and haven’t even appointed a senior one though that’s largely because we list all the U6 and most of the L6 during covid and other problems. I don’t understand CCFs that do auto promotion to the top rank. Nor those that say all U6 are SNCO, all L6 are JNCO and everyone else is Cdt
One-up fills the gap and mentors potential candidates until ready.
Without getting into the CCF vs ATC flag waving - I don’t really know enough about CCF operations, but…
I imagine (and hear about) a lot more intra-contingent/inter-section activity - with each facing similar development challenges and holding similar approaches - as opposed to the intra/inter-wing frequency of ATC “off unit” activities. For me to send someone away with a rank they aren’t ready for, with staff that don’t know them who will hold certain expectations I don’t think is fair. And (selfishly) could end up reflecting poorly on my unit more generally.
Even if I’m wrong on that, there’s still deviating approaches between units on both sides.
From an on-unit, leadership perspective, there is the risk of a cadet losing respect and followership before they’ve had a chance to really begin which can then be then hard to regain once the necessary lessons and skills are learned.
Swinging more back towards the topic, it really (exceptions exist) takes the 18 months - 2 years as a minimum average that others have mentioned to gain the knowledge, maturity, and experience for their first promotion. I do have cadets with about 4 years who haven’t made it to Cpl yet. I have some who walk through the door almost ready day 1 who just need to tick a few boxes and get out there to some activities.
A cadet still in after 2 years should be considering if they want to be a Cpl and (if they do) finding ways to gain the skills or experience they might still be missing. That desire and curiosity gets noted above someone who skates along merrily before slapping an application on the desk.
If I don’t have anyone suitable to promote than a flight commander who is looking for the next step up will end up double hatting.
My flight structure tended to be 12-15 Cadets, 2-3 Corporals, 1-2 Sergeants and 0-1 Flight Sergeants. (If you only have 12 Cadets you go with the lower NCO numbers, if you have 15 Cadets you can up the NCO numbers).
So, essentially you’re jealous. I’m afraid coming on an anonymous Internet forum to complain about it is not going to win you any favours. You can’t change the past, so why not work on having fun and enjoying yourself, making the most of any opportunities you get and if that leads to promotion then great. If it doesn’t, you won’t have wasted time being bitter about something you can’t control.
How would you know? Just because they haven’t been on VPN’s doesn’t mean they haven’t been busy. I know staff who haven’t done many VPN’s doesn’t mean they aren’t doing things for the good of the unit.
Just a little bit of very general life advice. Worry less about what others are doing, worry more about what you’re doing.
If you are being the best you can be, putting in 100% effort and attention, and doing your all then you’ll get the best result you can.
Occasionally It’ll feel like someone not worthy has got a head start, or a promotion ahead of you. It sucks, but it’s an important part of life - lots of people you don’t think are worthy will always be ahead of you.
The only thing you can influence, or have any control over, is your own performance. Turn up, have fun, put in the work. At worst you’ll end up disciplined, attentive and hard working with no reward other than your own satisfaction… at best you’ll get the stripes you’re after…
In time you’ll learn that your own satisfaction is worth more than anything else anyway. And the discipline, work ethic and self motivation will serve you well through your future career and life.
Everything you feel, achieve or fail at within cadets is a lesson for later life. Stick with it, you’ll do fine.
