brand new 21 year old Adult Warrant Officers waltzing about the Sgts Mess.
I thought the different rank slides would have left no-one in any doubt that these were ATC WOs rather than regulars? Certainly when I was in, ATC WOs were allowed to wear the same as the regulars eventually, but only after a significant time in uniform or if previous regular service entitled? Before that they wore something that looked like a large Queen's Crown if memory serves. Has that changed?
Anyway, back to the thread.
Did lots of years as a cadet and CI Gliding Instructor and have a great deal of respect for anyone who is prepared to give the amount of time and effort these people do; I am not just talking about the evenings and weekends, but also the summer and easter camps and I know that there was rarely a weekend went by when we weren't out hill walking in Wales or the Lakes - not bad when you are based in Manchester.
Of course you get the occasional odd ball - but don't we have that in the Service? I believe that when it is done right, the discipline provided by the ATC (and I dare say Army Cadets and Sea Cadets) fills a much needed gap in the life experience of these kids. The return for their effort is the number of things they get to do in response. It concerns me that there are elements of the VR(T) who seem to be against the Service ethos, as ProcATCO suggests. In his shoes, I think I would have gone further than wing level before resigning.
I know that when I was a cadet, we considered the CCF(RAF) far more relaxed than the ATC - I get the impression from visitors to my unit that this may now be changing to the other way round?
STH