Air Cadets anybody?

[Batfink]

Hullo all!

I was intersted to see if we have any Air Training Corps instructors, officers, NCOs lurking around in these parts? And wondering if you have had the opportunity to run a survival/bushcraft project? I'm attempting it at the momment, and its going down really well!

If your interested, check out our squadron website.

Cheers all!

X

 

[Gary]

My son is in 6f Squadron Batfink - have offered my services but as yet havent run anything for them.

Whats your squadron?

 

[Strider]

Cpl with 2473 (southgate) sqn.

Have thought about that sort of thing, but its hard to do with all the stupid red tape flapping about the place. We usually include stuff on our Sqn weekend camps, but its more survival- like skinning rabbits, parachute shelters n the like.

 

[Batfink]

Aye, that red tape is the biggest issue, but once you know the system you can beat it!

Its 211 (Newbury) Squadron by the way!

 

[Strider]

True, but it is increasingly silly. When we run camps, we do navigation exercises, which are basically orienteering. However, orientiering is a recognised sport, so if we declared on the form we would be conducting some orienteering, that would not be allowed unless we had a qualified instructor blah blah.
To think that not so long ago, if you were outta line, you'd probably get a good thump.

 

[Womble]

I know this might jar a bit, but I recall someone I used to work with. He Was a keen Air Cadet when young, and wanted to join the RAF as a pilot. That didn't work out, so he threw himself into becoming an instructor with his old Unit, and was understandably proud of their achievements.

However, one day - about 10 years ago, he was going on about what they had done (in much the same way I go on about my scout troop I suppose...) when one of the staff said something along the lines of:
"oh I wish you'd stop going on about your Venture Brownies." Venture Brownies!!!! We all fell about laughing and my mate went understanably quiet about the subject....

Since then I've never been able to think about the Air Cadets without having the words "Venture Brownies" come into my head!

 

[Batfink]

The other popular one is space cadets - grrrr!!!

 

[Strider]

Yeh the fly boys call us spacies, but thats not so bad. The officers are 'virtual reality' ... which is fair enough i guess.
Sea cadets have it the worst though :roll: I don't think I could take anyone whose uniform incorporates flared trousers seriously.

 

[ditchfield]

I am also a Cpl, with 914 sqn Street and Glastonbury. I did my staff presentation on Basic outdoor survival.

 

[Gary]

What sort of E&E or survival training would best suit cadets? Reason I ask is I have resently been recruited to help train them in these fields and am looking for an experienced mind to offer pointers.

Should I stick to the tried and test military format or add a little of 'the craft' where applicable?

 

[Batfink]

What sort of E&E or survival training would best suit cadets?

The first thing I did was break out the DVD player and made them watch Ray "Is he ginger or not?" Mears doing the military survival skills. Then I made them watch Ray in New Zealand making fire the tradional way. I then simply asked them the difference, trying to determine which way the cadets wanted to take the project.

Although this involves sitting down for 2 hours (over tonights) they all really enjoyed it, and if its followed up with some practical (particularly if its something they saw on the DVDs) it makes it more lively!

We're fortunate enough to be able to take ours out into the wilds quite often to practise, but if you don't have that flexibility/option, then I'm not sure they'd get as much out of it.

 

[PurpleHeath]

hi,
i am a SGT at storrington (2464) sqn we are 5 minute walk away from a little patch of woodland/moorland that the national trust let us use. but we have never done any bushcraft type skills since i have been there, which is frustating! the only problem is i don't think that i know enough to teach some survival skills and not look like i am talking a load of sh*t

Help!!

 

[stevedixon2005]

I used to serve with 2293 marlborough in my younger days under the command of jeff banks and roger mobey.
After my dreams of going into the raf were shattered by my health, I moved here to swindon. been here ever since. Had a go at being an instructor with 2004 sqn, under the command of keith head. word of warning, if anyone ever meets him, he is so up himself. he and his family have that squadron run like a family buisness. no wonder half the cadets are leaving. Last I heard, since I left, most of his staff had left, and he was giving the atc a bad name. shame cos the atc is such a good organisation. great cadets and great staff, shame you have someone like that ruining it for todays youth. I would like to go back to helping the atc at some point, but its a case of finding a squadron nearer to me without bumping into him again!!!!!!!!

 

[Les Marshall]

I used to be an instructor with my local sqn not too long ago and I tried to set some weekends up. I managed to do 2 of them, then the red tape kicked in when they found out what we were doing, then they insisted that I have a recognised certificate in outdoor pursuits (which I could not afford and they would not pay for) and they wanted the cadets to wear all sorts of safety kit which did not go down too well with the cadets. The weekends we did do, were very popular and enjoyed by the cadets.

 

[PurpleHeath]

yeah, we have just been hit by that. we did a weekend at crowbrough in Octorber (which was great!) and i tried to organise one for feburary, by then they had intodruced this stupid rule. one of our officers has this certificate for the army cadets and CCF but he hasn't got it for air cadets so we now have to wait till sepemter for the weekend course. aaarrrrhhhhh!!!

 

[shinobi]

yeah, we have just been hit by that. we did a weekend at crowbrough in Octorber (which was great!)

AAARRRGH Crowborough training camp !!! I remember it well.
I also remember what one shining wit wrote on the back of the enterance sign;

"In space no-one can hear you scream. In Crowborough, no-one cares."

that's got a few memories going. I need a drink.

Martin

 

[Goose]

"In space no-one can hear you scream. In Crowborough, no-one cares."
Martin

I went to Crowborough too, many years ago, was doing a roving picket and I thought I was getting jumped by some locals we had some trouble with. Done the halt whos there? bit and the noise in the bushes stopped, told them to come forward and there was a sudden racket and a badger came crashing past me from the bushes!
It took me about half an hour to recover from that one, but if the badger had have a local scally I am sure the pick helve would have took its knees!

 

[wingstoo]

Hi folks,
Ex-CO of 333(LUDLOW) SQN.

Red tape, the thing that is worse than the snare to catch you out.
As someone said, "you need a qualification" it's there to stop you doing things, it doesn't matter that you have 30 years of experience, you need that piece of paper before you can do it "OFFICIALLY", but if you do it "UN-OFFICIALLY" it counts for nothing.

Wales & West Regional Commandant wouldn't let us use Camo Cream, why, cos no one was "qualified" in field craft, and there wasn't an Air Cadet Publication to cover it, what a twonk!!

Been out for a year now and have started to build up a web-site about survival, with a patch of ground on loan from a farmer, a base camp for training is being developed.

My better half is still the AWO, and it is my intention to take a group of "like minded" people on a weekend of learnning later this year.

Basically, a lot of the staff are there cos theycouldn't find anywhere else that would have them, some of them love their uniform, some of them are so far up somewhere they have a permenant brown ring around their necks, in my wing I was known as the laid back one, not breaking the rules to often, just bending them a long way.


Anyway, enough waffle, just bend the rules, don't do the things you want under the umberella of the corps, if you have good staff they will give up their weekends to take you away to learn the skills "FOR NOTHING" forgoing pay and conditions for the benefit of the youngsters on the unit.

Ludlowsurvivors

 

[Batfink]

I've successfully managed to run 2 survival exercises, a survival project & an escape and evasion exercise in the last 12 months - all under within the current restrictions. It's all good round my way! lol

Feel sorry for anybody under their Groupies "green's abstenance" - although there might be light at the end of the tunnel - their are rumours abound of ACP16 being close to release! Hoo-yah!!! (Not that this affects Bushcraft - well, it shouldn't, but for some reason it does!!!)

 

[Pappa]

I was never an instructor, but as a teenager I was in the Army Cadets. We regularly did basic survival courses and 'escape and evasions'. We were lucky enough to have an instructor who's served 14 years in the SAS, a similar ammount of time in the Paras, and a couple of years in the RAF regiment. I was never particularly military minded, but the survival weekends were by far the most fun things we did. I remember once doing a 'sponsored survival' which entailed sleeping out in -7 deg C with only a sheet of cardboard, an old tin, a few vegetables and an OXO cube for moral support.

I'd imagine most cadets would enjoy just about any type of Bushcraft which involved staying out.

Pappa