Transcript Welcome to the 6F (Romford) Squadron recruitment Pack

Welcome to the 6F (Romford)
Squadron recruitment Pack
Introduction
Thank you for showing interest in joining the Air Training Corps. This welcome pack will give
you all the information you should need on what we do and what you can get out of the
corps.
The Air Training Corps is a national organisation with over 40,000 members. As an
organisation we run numerous activities which you will see in this pack. Many of these
activities are included in the cost of your subs and you will get to experience things that you
would not otherwise get to do. Being a part of the Air Training Corps helps build skills and
knowledge which will benefit you throughout life.
To navigate this pack please use the blue buttons to access information you need. Click the
home button at any time to return to the contents menu or the return button to return to
previous menu.
Contents
Why Join the ATC
Activities within the ATC
Training
Testimonials
Contact us
Links
What to do next?
Exit
Why join the ATC
•
We could fill a whole book with the advantages of joining the ATC, so
we’ll concentrate on the few which will most likely appeal to you.
Activities
What did you do this weekend? Cadets across the country were busy
taking part in numerous fun activities. Rather that playing on the
computer, would you rather be flying for real? Or shooting with a real
weapon, or how about spending the weekend on an Army training area,
avoiding capture from enemy forces? All of these are activities you could
be regularly taking part in, and it doesn’t stop there. Through the cadets
would could find yourself on expeditions abroad, recently London wing
have been to Sri Lanka and South Africa. Rather stay in the UK? No
problem, annual camp sees around 30 cadets from around London spend
a week on an RAF base somewhere in the UK. You will live like the
regulars, eat in the mess and visit the sections of the base to see what
life in the RAF is like. In the evenings you will take part in activities from a
night exercise, to bowling and, of course, the end of camp disco.
You will also spend time learning navigational skills and camp craft as
part of your Duke of Edinburgh award. You will also be taking part in
Parades, in your best uniform impressing the public with your marching
skills. Lets not forget that from the age of 16 you could complete a gliding
scholarship, finish in you flying solo, before you can learn to drive, you
could be flying a glider on your own.
That’s just a few of the main activities we do, you will be able to take part
in many more enjoyable activities not available to many others your age.
Why join the ATC
•
•
Friends
There are over 40,000 members of the Air Training
Corps, through camps and wing activities you will meet
many like minded people, some of which you will build
strong friendships with. Romford is a medium size
squadron of friendly cadets from the local area, but you
will also meet other cadets when you attend annual
camps. Many people who have been in the cadets have
lifelong friends that they met during there time as a
cadet.
Prospects
It might not even be something that you have
considered, but being in the cadets opens up endless
prospects which help you in your later life. When job
hunting, Air Cadets is something employers look for on a
CV, the skills you learn through the cadets, like
Leadership, Discipline and initiative. Not only that, but
activities you complete in the Air Cadets can help to,
such as Duke of Edinburgh Award, Sports Coaching or
Refereeing Courses. The Training programme you
undergo also helps towards completing a BTEC award.
That’s to name just a few of the many reasons you
should and will enjoy joining the Air Training Corps.
Activities
• Within the ATC you can take part in any number of great
activities. Click on any from the list below to find out more.
Shooting
Ceremonial
Annual Camps
Flying
Gliding
Duke of Edinburgh
Basic Military Skills
Sports
Overseas Camps
Shooting
Eligibility: Complete Initial Weapons
Training (IWT) and pass Weapons Handling
Test (WHT)
You will have plenty of opportunities in the
Corps to shoot. The squadron has our own
set of No 8 .22 rifles, which you will learn to
shoot during your basic training course. We
regularly shoot these weapons on squadron
nights so you will be able to hone your skills
and gain the your marksman. At wing shoots,
you will get to fire the L98A2 Cadet GP rifle,
you will also learn how to strip down and
clean the rifle after use. All shooting
activities is run and staffed by Qualified and
competent staff. Each person, Cadet and
staff, who shoot must complete training on
that rifle and have a current WHT passed
within the past 3 months.
Cadet Nerice Blake
Shooting i believe is one of the best activities that you can take part in at cadets. There are many different rifles you
can shoot from your standard no.8 rifle to a semi-automatic L98 A2. You can also achieve awards of marksmanship
and go to various different indoor and outdoor ranges! It's brilliant :D
Air Experience Flight (AEF)
Eligibility: Complete Basic
Training
On a nearby RAF base you will
take part in a 30min flight each
time you attend. During the
time you will get to take the
controls. On your first flight the
pilot will teach you basic turns
and controls of the aircraft.
Each subsequent time you will
be taught a bit more. If you
want, the pilot is also likely to
let you experience the thrill of
aerobatics, completing Loopthe-loop and barrel rolls.
Glider Induction Course (GIC)
Eligibility: Complete Basic Training
When you go gliding, you will spend the day at the aerodrome during which time you will get
around 3 launches and 20min flying time. During the flight you will get to take the controls and
learn turns and basic flying controls. You will experience the thrill of a winch launch feeling
acceleration similar to that of a supercar and climbing to 1,000ft in a matter of seconds. While you
are not flying you will be part of the gliding experience, moving around gliders and connect them to
the cable for launch.
Gliding Scholarship (GS)
Cdt Sam Austin
The Gliding Scholarship is a great way for
cadets to get some hands on experience in
the air as they learn to fly a glider and if
maybe experience solo flight.
The Gliding Scholarship also opens up
many other doors in the ATC towards
higher gliding qualifications and is a real
"leg up" when applying for a Flying
Scheme.
Eligibility: Age 16
During the course you will develop your flying skills and learn the
techniques of the winch launch and landing. After you show you are
competent in this and completing emergency drills you’re pilot will get out
the glider and you will complete a circuit solo, earning you your wings.
Annual Camps
Eligibility: Complete Basic Training
Each summer you will have the chance to
attend an annual camp. About 30 cadets
from around the London Wing will go to an
RAF base in the UK, under the control of a
staff team from squadrons in the Wing. It
will be a different camp each year, and
varies from bases in Cornwall, Scotland, and
even northern Ireland. During the week on
base you will visit different RAF sections,
this is great if you are thinking of joining the
RAF, but even if not it will not fail to interest
you. There is also emphasis on ensuring
each cadet enjoys the week away, with
evenings activities from bowling, quasar
and a disco.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Eligibility:
Bronze - 14 Years of age
Silver – 15 Years of age
Gold – 16 years of age
The squadron is an active member in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. This
is a nationally recognised youth achievement award. During each stage of the
award you will take part in 4 sections, covering volunteering, Skills, usually
shooting and Physical. As well as this you will complete a self-sufficient
expedition. This starts as a 2 day, one night expedition increasing by one night at
each level.
Overseas Camps
From time to time there are Wing and
Corps run camps abroad. Recent camps
attended by members of our squadron
include The Falklands and South Africa.
The wing has also recently been on
expedition to Sri Lanka and there are
plans to run an expedition to Everest
Base camp. Eligibility for these camps
vary depending on the location and
purpose of the camp.
What our cadets Say
Cdt Jennifer Howlett
Going to South Africa with the London Wing Cadets was the best experience of my life
so far
The challenge of the 71 km trek across the Drakensburg mountains, zip lining and
cuddling baby cheetahs all added up to a journey I will never forget.
Ceremonial
Eligibility: Complete Basic Training Course and be competent at drill
If you have seen on TV the Lord Mayors Parade, or the Cenotaph on remembrance
parade, there is a chance you’ll have seen some members of 6F (Romford) each year
we send some lucky cadets to attend these events. We also take part in local
remembrance and Battle of Britain Parades. A chance to show off your skills and care
of uniform to family and friends in the public eye.
Basic Military Skills
Eligibility: Complete Basic Training
During the course of each year the
squadron runs a number of Basic
Military training weekends. During
these you will travel to an Army
training area and be taught, and
have chance to practice military
skills of cam and concealment,
ambush and living in the field.
Nights will be spent either in a troop
shelter, or sleeping under a bivisheet in the open area. Living off
ration packs you will get experience
of what it is like to be in real combat
while in a safe and controlled
environment.
Sports and Fitness
Eligibility: Complete Basic Training
Sgt Rizwan Ahmed
Football, Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Athletics, these are just some of the sporting activities you
can do in the Air Training Corps, and up to a national level. There are a range of activities with
build team work, competition and long lasting friendship even outside the ATC.
I have been at 6F (Romford) for 3 years and in this time I have represented whole of London
against teams from around the UK at Cross Country. I have also participated an athletics and
5-a-side competition which is run annually across London Wing.
During Squadron nights we run two different types of sport – Fitness training and team
sports. If you like pushing yourself we also run hard battlefield PT which involves log runs,
press ups and leopard crawls. So why not come down and prove yourself, and have fun at the
same time.
Training
During your time in the Air Training Course you will take part in ongoing training. The most important part of
this will be the first 8 weeks. This will form your Basic Training. The purpose of the training course is to allow
you to become a competent and well rounded cadet. This will involve a variety of activities as listed in the
attached training programme. This document is to give you an overview of the activities and a brief description
of what you will be doing.
Physical training
While in the Air Training Corps you will participate in physical training, this will range from the popular ‘bleep
test’ to assault courses at various military establishments around the country. There is no minimum fitness
standard you must achieve although we are looking for motivated determined individuals.
Shooting
You will be introduced to the .22 in No.8 rifle and be taught in the safe usage of this weapon. As part of this
training you will be taught to not only fire the weapon but to strip, clean and handle the weapon in a safe and
confident manor.
Teamwork and leadership
Teamwork and leadership will play an important part in your cadet career, not only will this equip you with
transferable skills that help you in all walks of life but it will increase your chances of getting promoted to an
NCO position. At first this will consist of simple tasks where you will work as a team to complete an objective in
a fictitious scenario. As you progress the tasks will get progressively more complex and you get a chance to take
the role of team leader. The Air Training Corps also offers courses specific to this skill set including NCO courses,
the air cadet leadership course and the junior leader’s course. You will be taught the correct method for
briefing, leading and debriefing a team.
Training
Adventure training
Adventurous Training is an essential part of the Air Cadet's training syllabus and the place where team effort
really matters - you'll build new friendships, and learn to rely on the other people you're with to get the job
done. It also lets you show off your leadership qualities.
As part of your course you will attend a weekend activity where you will learn the fundamental skills for use on
expeditions. The planning and preparation stages for an expedition as well as the practical skills that you will
use during an expedition such as navigation, packing a rucksack, camp craft and the country code
Drill
When a group of twenty cadets walk on to a parade square they are all individuals, but as soon as a session of
drill begins the cadets become a team, following the orders given by one person. Instead of twenty individual
feet hitting the ground, there is only one sound. This is the result of practice and teamwork.
Drill is also used when you are moving around in large groups in a smart, orderly fashion. Whatever the reason
for a drill it's an impressive sight and shows civilians and members of the Forces just how well disciplined you
are.
As a cadet you'll participate in various forms of drill, such as:
–Foot Drill
–Basic Drill (both quick & slow time)
–Banner Drill
–Band Drill
With a few years experience, and if you've attained a Non-Commissioned Officer rank, you could pass on your
knowledge and experience to other cadets, instructing them on how to participate in a drill squad, taking
charge of a drill squad yourself, or even playing a major part in ceremonial drill. Being a Standard Bearer at a
Remembrance Day parade is a real moment of pride and achievement for a cadet.
Training
After completing the Basic Training you will become a First Class Cadet. After this your training
continues as you progress up the classifications. Starting with Leading Class Training, then Senior,
followed by instructor cadet training. These you will find less intense than the basic training
course and are assessed with multiple choice tests. This training will teach you a range of skills
from navigation to propulsion. Each subject is taught by a member of staff who is skilled and
enthusiastic on that subject.
The training programme is structured so that you will also gain extra qualifications which will
assist you outside the cadets in both looking for work or going into further education
Testimonials
Please read below from one of our senior cadets Flight Seargent Gibb about her time at the squadron.
I have been a part of the Air Training Corps for 5 years now and have reached the rank of Cadet Flight Sergeant. After joining just
after my 15th Birthday and doing my first weekend camp after only a few short weeks of being a cadet, I was hooked. I have got so
much out of cadets and it has been beneficial to me for so many reasons. It has helped me with my outside career as well as
giving me many different experiences that I would never have had the chance to do unless I was a cadet. I have gained various
different qualifications such as first aid and have been trained with weapons and how to fire them safely. I have also been flying
and gliding, taking control of the aircraft whilst in flight. Achieving my Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award even after being
injured, it was my team who helped me finish the task. I have been wall climbing, artificial ice climbing, camping, biviing (sleeping
under a bivi sheet in the open air), 36, 24 and 8 hr exercises on different military establishments. Various different squadron event
such as the squadron BBQ, Presentation evenings, Squadron Quiz nights, Fund raising functions, and my favourite bit the annual
Dining in night, where all the girlies put on pretty dresses and the boys put on a tux, we sit and have a meal together cooked by
Miss White, then there are various speeches that are read out by the Officer Commanding, Senior NCO etc. Then we retreat and
have mess games and a disco and time to relax in each others company before we break up for Christmas Taking part in all
activities are a huge privilege and I am honoured to take part in the Ceremonial Duties that we do, ranging from Remembrance
Sunday Parade and Battle of Britain Parade and many more. We also teach and learn different drill on the squadron. By drill I
mean marching, the cadets are taught how to march and as they improve they are given harder challenges and more complex
manoeuvres to remember and learn.
During my 5 years with the Air Training Corps I have many memories that will stay with me forever but my biggest achievement
within the corps and my most treasured memories are those from the Falkland Island where 9 very lucky cadets where taken
8000 miles south of Britain. We arrived at Ascension Island for our linking flight only to find ourselves with a 13 hour delay into
the Falklands because of bad weather. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we had those 13 hours to explore the
Ascensions, it was absolutely fantastic, the heat, as we were on the equator was amazing and the island itself was magical. We
went down to the beech and over looked the bluest sea I have ever seen with the softest sand I have ever felt. Our time was up
all too quickly and we were boarding the next flight to the Falklands.
We arrived at RAF Mount Pleasant and were taken to our rooms and settled in, we arrived in the middle of the morning, after a
few hours sleep, we went to the Typhoon hanger and learnt how they worked, watched them take of and land. In the evening we
all dresses smartly and went for dinner with Air Commodore Gordon Moulds CBE. Over the next nine days we packed as much in
as we possibly could. We climbed Mount Harriet, visited the Rapier Battery and played football with Air Commodore Moulds. I
have also flown a Hercules along side a pilot from the RAF driven large plant machinery, dumping and loading bulk building
materials. We went to Darwin and Goose Green and visited the memorial grounds which whilst we were there made the hairs on
the back of our necks stand up. We went to the Bomb Disposal pad and all had a ride in the tanks. We were lucky enough to
watch an airfield attack with the Hercules, Typhoons and the tanks. After a busy 10 days in the Falklands we left to go home.
Contact us
• Address
6f(Romford) Squadron ATC
TA Centre
312 London Road
Romford
Essex
RM7 9NH
• TEL: 01708 749141
• Email: [email protected] – Please use subject ‘New Recruit
information’
• Parade times: Mondays and Thursdays 1900 - 2130
Links
• www.6fsquadron.co.uk
• www.aircadets.org
• www.theaward.org
What to do next?
• Hopefully by now you are interested in joining the Squadron. In order to
register your interest in attending the next recruit flight please click here
to email your contact details. Alternatively you can call the squadron
during parade times, please see the contacts page for details.
• After you have done this, please access the files saved in the ‘Forms’
folder. File Named ‘Joining Forms’ should be printed, completed and
signed to be returned to the squadron by post 2 weeks prior to your
course start date. Please note this is a admin requirement and failure to
submit may result in postponement of your training course.
– If it is already less than 2 weeks to go till the next training weekend, don’t worry, it might
not be too late. Please call the squadron during parade time and we will do our best to
get you on the course.