What's it like being OC?

[Paracetamol]

@Mr.Cxlong

So noone is going to step in and say, your sqn is too lax, or you’re taking it too serious?

In my experience nope. No one steps in

If a sqn is safe, providing acrivities within the bounds of the framework then no one will say boo to a goose.

[daws1159]

@Paracetamol

It is also (probably) the role with the greatest amount of flexability. In that as OC you and you alone can decide the true future for your Sqn.

Great flexibility about how the Squadron is run, least flexibility over when and where you choose to volunteer.

It can often fall to the OC to sacrifice their own time off if someone else drops out or can’t be found. (Or the Cadets get disappointed).

[Paracetamol]

Yes.
Good points.

Definitly agreed.

Running a Sqn, certainty takes personal sacrifice.

[Ex-Everything]

@Mr.Cxlong

If you had a big enough staff team which were capable, couldn’t you delegate 99% of your tasks to them and you just supervise and make sure everything runs smooth? In which case I as OC could get involved and do stuff other than stressful stuff.

This is sort of a dream world. Being the OC is not like running a company or a department at work as we are all volunteers. Ultimately it is down to you on how you would run the Squadron and the staff will be a mixed bag of abilities and enthusiasm.

Even if you did manage to delegate there will still be things that only you can do and this will take you away from the cadets.

Personally I enjoy being OC but it is hard work and I do find it rewarding.

[tmmorris]

So true. One of the difficulties of the cadet forces is while they look like a military unit, they aren’t. You may have legal powers of command* but ultimately they can walk if they don’t like what you are telling them to do. In CCF it’s worse because outside CCF, they are also your teaching colleagues (and may even be senior to you!)
*Who knows, I can’t work out if there’s any legal basis to the CFC anyway.