Why doesn't the ATC and the CCF (RAF) work together more?

Rather than go against, why not challenge then problem is avoided as opposed to escalated.

a long long time ago I did a summer camp at R.A.F Kinloss with another sqn from my wing not unusual and C.C.F and G.V.C cadets !!! A fun week.

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i completely disagree on these points.

boundaries between regulations shouldn’t be an issue when combining together for a First Aid Course or a DofE expedition.

inviting a CCF unit to join an ATC Sqn is no more or less likely than a neighbouring ATC Sqn - in my experience it simply doesn’t happen and if it does it is once in a blue moon rather than on any regular basis.

In truth there is a higher chance of contacting another ATC unit for a joint event simply down to the ease of getting in touch and likelihood of knowing the staff.
As a for example a few years back I used a Phoenix Minibus to take our Cadets to the local airshow. Friends at two neighbouring Sqns found out and asked if they can join in next year, so with Sector Officers approval approached the whole Sector and filled a 55 seater.

This occurred as I know the Staff at neighbouring Squadrons having met them at other (Wing) events, we are as such friends on Facebook and so see what I share which includes Cadet events.

I wouldn’t know where to start in terms of contacting our local CCF short of finding the headteacher or reception/generic email address for the school and writing a “FAO CCF Commander”
Any even then it is a “cold call”. I don’t know any of the Staff’s names, ranks or could pick their face out of the line-up of two which will be mutual.
There is an element of irony here as I live closer to my local CCF than I do the ATC Squadron yet know exactly how to contact every and all 900+ OCs/Adjs/Training Officers/Sqn SNCOs in the ATC but don’t have the same transparency for the local CCF.

There may have been in the past a CCF Staff member at a Wing event, but they were simply one of a number of new face in the crowd.
I guess now I think about how I know the various staff in the Wing is because of Wing events, Activity Days, Staff Conferences, or simply attending the Wing Swimming or Athletics and meeting people, seeing Fg Off Neller appointed to the High Jump, or WO Kaye as timekeeper and putting the name and face together.

Those interactions don’t happen for the CCF as the two organisations don’t interact at a Wing level either because Wing events are specifically for our Wing or as part of National sports competitions which are run on a Wing level to find the representatives going forward to Region…the ATC and CCF don’t meet in those competitions if they do at all, until National level.

TL:DR Because CCF isn’t absorbed into the Wing Structure and included in Wing events, structure and planning they are seen as a separate organisation rather than extension to our own

What makes you think that nobody, in the 80-odd years of the organisation’s existence, has tried? You seem to have an awfully naive and simplistic view of things.

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Sorry for the cross topic but Isnt this what everybody has been doing regarding the wind thing? There’s loads of anger, bellyaching & criticism precisely because everyone does have a respect for the change of command & complied with the order rather than just cracking on & ignoring it, which if nothing happened, would probably have resulted in minimal consequences.

I don’t know if it is just me but when I first joined the ATC the CCF were held in a low opinion by the ATC, an attitude that seems to be disappearing either due to more interaction or the envy of the greater freedom they have to get stuff done.

All the cadet organisations work with the same common aim - to use the structure of the military as an allegory & metaphor to develop young people to build their confidence & skills.

The CCF probably have the right idea that they are not there to emulate the military but tailor the experience of a pseudo-school activity to develop young people in the best way.

Considering wings & regions often have very different policies, interpretation & ways of working, it get even more complicated at inter service level. There are also a number of ATC squadrons that refuse point blank to work with each other.

Working together takes time & trust and as some said above knowing who to contact.

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Also GVCAC and air scouts are part of RAFAC!

Nope to the Air Scouts at least. They can apply for RAF Recognition which gets access to some of the same things as RAFAC but they do not fall under the RAFAC umbrella. They fall under the scouting umbrella

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Which is true - however our sector commander has to go visit every now and then to provide the RAF assurance.

Another example of a youth organisation under the influence of RAFAC but not under its command.

Uhh what? That’s absolute madness and I’ve never heard of that before. How can someone not in the RAF provide RAF assurance…

Another thing they forgot when removing the VR?

Yep that was my reaction too - it was something to do with affiliation & RAFAC personnel being the most suitable qualified (& probably the only ones available after 19:30) to judge whether the unit was complying and/or ticked the affiliation boxes.

It was struck me as odd for two reason

  1. That the RAF was doing this direct rather than through the scouting chain of command.

  2. that someone in the RAF actually used their noggin and thought the best people to assess a volunteer youth organisation were people in volunteer youth organisation who they already knew & trusted and not someone from elsewhere.

There are a couple of former CFAVs who have defected to the air scouts & seems to be enjoying it including the flying they do every other month or so.

Well if things were kept simple then we wouldn’t be where we are, in our wing if you ignore a command you get sqn ldrs on your back. If people have better ideas put it to your OC/Headteacher otherwise as of 1 Apr HQAC may have more powers than you want to admit to.

I don’t disagree, the point i think that people are upset about is 1 commandant and HQ appear to be able to and did STOP all activities with the typing of an email/notice.

Yes we all been griping on here, it may help let off steam or not as case may be but does it actually fix anything?

Doubt no longer - many CCF’s have armouries and not just the private schools :slight_smile:

With respect, it is as simple as logging in to Bader, heading to Outlook and then composing an email to OC School Name CCF - we are not hard to find :slight_smile:

And you never know, the CCF might be staffed by volunteers and the section by ex-ATC cadets… we are a mixed bunch!

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I would also suggest emailing the SSI if you can find them as they are more likly to pick up the emails - our local CCF tend to only answer emails to their work address

In theory, though many schools (including SSI) don’t look at theirRAFAC email

It’s a forum, we are not here to “fix things”, but only discuss solutions.

Which in theory HQAC could look at, and steal the ideas presented.

I did say in theory :joy:.

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