We were discussing this evening how to record last minute dropouts and no shows. It would certainly be good to have something built into SMS/VP.
Weirdly, a couple of months ago I seemed to be able to mark cadets as “no show” on SMS, but now I can’t figure out how to do it. Maybe I dreamt it…
It’s marginally better, and yes of course there are accidents, but this isn’t that. This is people not checking they can go, signing up then being told by a parent they can’t. Or signing up then getting a better offer and withdrawing.
To be clear, I’ve not said it’s a blanket ban for this - the bit that really grips me is the no shows on the day, or withdrawing after the deadline without having the common courtesy to tell us. Life happens and things will always come up, and legitimate excuses won’t get black listed. But last week alone I had cadets withdraw from something because they’re going on holiday in 2 weeks, and you can’t tell me that was a surprise.
I did this a few times as a cadet (Wing ran Multi Activity weekends) and I’d put my name down for a few things
Always with an attached Note though, and most of the time it was when I was forced to put my name down for something (apparently not having any Radio or cyber as a Sgt is atrocious 
) and something else running on the weekend that I could help with
ei:
Bronze Cyber : Only if not needed to help
YFA : AFA+MOI able to help for the weekend
JNCO : Sgt with MOI able to help for the weekend
Seemed to work for the training team, invariably they’d rush me through my training and get me tested before sending me away to help/assess other courses
I’ve had some very quick responses, overall not terrible excuses/reasons just not communicated
1 x Travel
1 x Family Event
1 x Gliding Scholarship
1 x Employment
I think the issue we have is young people being less able to take responsibility for their own lives, and needing more spoon feeding than I remember.
The one with a GS - how did they not know they were doing that when signing up for things? And the one with a job? It’s just crazy.
I’ve had one I’m chasing to do their over 18 paperwork for months now, and they will be suspended because they just haven’t done it. I’ve made it very clear that I will support them and help them, but I expect them to be responsible enough to take ownership for it and for pushing it along and if they do get suspended it’s likely to be their fault. If they know that and still don’t work proactively, I’m lost for what else to do.
Its not just cadets, staff are as bad…
absolutely! With no cadets and no staff, my life would be a lot easier and I’d be able to get all the things done I want to 
By the sounds of it they have delayed part of the GS for previous activity and I think the GS are now putting there foot down. I’m 100% of the opinion that if you have a GS you don’t do any other activity, but this isn’t something that has only occurred this week, it just took them that long to withdraw.
This is the problem with zero hour contracts, it’s often hospitality and the management have poor admin and don’t put rota’s up with sufficient notice, but equally if you get offered a shift you take it because it means money, and if you say no you might not be the first person asked next time.
I couldn’t work out how to word, “what would you do if you planned to go to Alton Towers with your friends and work called” but I wonder if they would tell work no or cancel their plans.
With such an attitude, can you trust them in the future, can you rely on them and the important point are they or will they be more trouble than they are worth being on staff?
i was wondering the same…
Region Activity.
29-31 Jul.
Draft admin order says no accommodation provided.
Cost TBA.
But it’s definitely happening. Apparently. There’s a coach booked and everything.
If you’re talking about the muster. There is accomodation booked for certain cadets/staff who are travelling a few hundred miles long distance but it’s outwith the main admin order due to them being a minuscule percentage of attendance. Covered in seperate sms event/AO
Is it?
I see one event, and the (DRAFT!!! [sic]) admin order attached says no accommodation.
That’s what a friend of mine north of the border says their is 2 sms events only SNI units with people going have been added to the second one. She might be lying to me but I trust her so doubt it
The car wont start 
Coffee shops: when you order a single shot they use a double measure and just let half the coffee go down the drain! Presumably because finding the single shot dispenser is too much bother.
GMG:
The price of travelling to the netherlands
I’m only going for a few days so I thought I’d get the train over, Nope! Not only is it ridiculously expensive to get the Eurostar (£150 to get from London to Rotterdam, no return) but its also prohibitavely expensive to get to London from up North, and NS have made it impossible to integrate booking tickets into any boking site (Prices are ace though).
Then I thought about flying, Flying from near me is ridiculously expensive + Baggage, Flying from stanstead is cheaper but again getting to London! On top of that I’d need to get Accom at stanstead for both legs of the journey bringing us up above that £300 threshold again.
So I’ve resigned myself to return to coaches, cant wait to feel like a cadet on Annual again, but only an £80 return to Arnhem…
I live in Hull.
We’ve enjoyed a couple of family holidays where we board the ferry after work, sleep the journey, and then crack on fresh the next morning.
It’s a little expensive though, so if that’s your main consideration, it might not be suitable (I hear you on that — it really sucks being on an island sometimes!)
Could be worse (more expensive) you could live on the Isle of Wight. Most expensive vehicle ferry per mile in the world.
Correct. The Monopolies Commission looked at them (WightLink & Red Funnel) some yrs ago but no case was found.
When I was at Lyneham & making regular visits across, I paid initially for a one way ticket, then using my ma’s address, got the significant discount as an IoW resident.
Since then, we try to use our Tesco vouchers!! Round trip price (WightLink) for this weekend, Portsmouth - Fishbourne = £240!!! 
Red Funnel = £253 for similar timings / ticket constraints.