To anyone involved with the ATC

[joe2812]

I'm looking to get involved with the local ATC Squadron here at Uni (which I believe is Welwyn GC).

The ATC site seems to be rather uninformative and I was wondering if anyone on here was involved at a cadet level, preferably the Hertfordshire & Buckinghamshire Wing and could answer some of the questions I have about the various roles an adult can take on.

Obviously i'm not an ex-serviceman and don't hold any particular skills which I could teach cadets, all I have is what I can vaguely remember from my own Squadron years back.

Is the ATC still looking for volunteers and if so would I be acceptable despite being an 18/almost 19 year old Uni student?

Any info or gen anyone can give me would be appreciated.

Thanks guys,

[scottyhs]

Hi joe,

Yes the ATC has just launched a brand new adult volunteer campaign to get more adults involved.

Dont know if you know but the staff structure has changed a bit now. If you want to go in as an officer first contact your loacal unit get some time down there as a CI and get the CO to apply for you (same as the old way you go through the officer boards etc..)

However if you dont want to be a Offcier but still in uniform there are now NCO adult ranks starting from Adult Sgt, then to Adult Flt Sgt then to AWO!

http://www.aircadets.org/index1.htm (This link might explain that)

However a piece of advice from seeing alot of staff come and go at my sqn is to get involved as a CI first and learn how that sqn operates as many ATC Sqns differ!

Need anymore help give me a shout!

Good luck!

P.S 19/20 Is now a good age for applying to me a junior officer in the ATC!!

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

You could always go to the Sqn and ask (or phone them). I am sure that they would be more than happy to give you the information that is required.

You could also try here:

http://www.aircadets.org/news_adultrecruitment.html

(I didn't check it out, so have no idea of the content but it should be appropriate)

Good luck.

Duncan

[joe2812]

I wouldn't be looking to go in as an Officer with the ATC as i'd only be involved for a couple of years through Uni until I left to (hopefully) get a big boy's Commission.

Ideally the Adult NCO seems to suit but would I be right in thinking CI's are also uniformed?

The two CI's at my Squadron were (but saying that it was the most God-awful and poorly organised Squadron in the Norfolk & Suffolk Wing..)

I'll crack an e-mail off to the WGC unit and see what they're after.

Thanks for the swift replies, any more info mucho appreciated.

[scottyhs]

Well theoretically, a CI is not uniformed....

However we have a CI ex army who still wears his sometimes, although no one takes him seriously, alot of Sqns are looking for Adult Sgts maybe theres a thought?

[Professor Plum]

Hi,

If you want to join the RAF after uni, have you considered joining ULAS in addition to/instead of ATC?

Obviously, It'd depend on workload whether you could fit it all in.

CI's, being Civilian instructors, arent uniformed, but are a good way of getting involved with a squadron, before deciding whether to take things further.

[Spacer]

Hey Joe: It may not be much use, but my gf is involved with the Air Cadets, and if you have any specific Qs, pm me with them and I can pass them on for you

[Another St Ivian]

If you pop over to Air Cadet Central, have a nose around the forums and maybe post your query in the, "Staff Mess", you'll get lots of good advice. The site has a large base of ATC personnel who usually do themselves quite well with answering queries like yours.

Best of luck!

[Neeps]

Correct me if I am wrong, but do you not have to be 20+ to be a CI given that some cadets can carry on until that age?

I was a CI and am looking into it again. Don't worry if you don't know much about the ATC or the RAF as you will be shown everything.

Best thing to do is to ring your local squadron (You can find the number on the air cadets site) and they can advise you further. They usually invite you for a look around the squadron and a chat.

Just a thought, maybe you shouldn't be posting such comments about your old ATC? A lot of people associated with the RAF and ATC read this, and I'm guessing some may not appreciate the comment.

Anyway, good luck with it.

[joe2812]

Thanks for the replies all,

Neeps - point taken, hopefully no-one will guess. Although I have been told it's much better with the new OC (new as in he wasn't there about 6 years ago!)

I'll drop the nearest Sqn a line and see what they suggest.

Cheers again,

[scottyhs]

No Neeps you can be a CI from the age of 18, which is the kicking out age for cadets if they havent reached the dizzy heights of Sgt... Of course i wouldnt know im past that....mwahahahahaha lol

Yeh ACC is good but theres too many people who have one view and one view only on things your best bet is to approach either your sqn or wing directly, wing and region always want more staff applicants to post to local sqns!

[Tiger_mate]

To be a CI you have to be over 18 years,and to work with cadets unsupervised, you have to be CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) cleared. ie Proven not to be a kiddy fiddler. which takes several months to come through.

The ratio of CI to uniformed staff is generally unbalanced and after a period of probation, you will probably be "encouraged" to wear a uniform either as VR(T) [officer] or adult Sgt which is not VR(T).

Attitudes and performance by various Sqns can be VERY differant. So if your first Sqn is a poor one, please do not tar the organisation as a whole with the same brush.
Although politics across the Corps is generally pathetic, and "Share rescources" with other ATC - Army and Sea Cadets appears to be a rude word.

[ibbi]

Just to confirm you do have to be 20 to apply to be a CI, unless you are a serving cadet.

Best bet however is to contact either the Wing or a Unit in the area, or indeed just tip up for a look.

[mgdaviso]

Just to dispel any rumours, you MUST be over 20 to be an adult instructor with the Air Cadet Organisation.

Also, for any uniformed role (adult NCO or officer) you have to commit to four years service, so please don't take the commitment level lightly.

In any case air cadet central is probably a better place to ask these questions.

HTH

[scottyhs]

You have to be 20 unless you have had any previous cadet service therefore you may join when you are 18 upon leaving the organisation as a cadet - LASER Review 2005

[Professor Plum]

You have to be 20 unless you have had any previous cadet service therefore you may join when you are 18 upon leaving the organisation as a cadet - LASER Review 2005

Do you have a weblink for that at all?

Just that when I was a CI (not very long ago), you had to be 20 regardless.

I'm curious because a friend of mine (ex ATC), whos 18 wants to be a CI, and has been told to come back when she's 20.

Our old CO is not being very helpful.

Cheers.

[ibbi]

Not wanting to polute Prunne with too much discussion about Spacies, however:

You have to be 20 unless you have had any previous cadet service therefore you may join when you are 18 upon leaving the organisation as a cadet - LASER Review 2005

Is incorrect. The LASER Review did not change the terms of service of Civilian Instructors, only over 18 Cadets and Adult SNCO's. The only change to civlians was the ability for ex cadets to join Volunteer Gliding Squadrons at 18 as CGI's if they were unable to serve any longer as a cadet (i.e. were 18, but not a Cadet SNCO).

Those of you who are in the ACO, check ACP20B for the criteria for Civilian Instructors - you will find that it does state that they need to be 20yrs old. If you wish to go into uniform, you will also have to spend a minimum of 6 months as a CI before being able to apply as either a Adult SNCO in the ATC, or for a commission in the RAFVR(T).

Feel free to PM me if you have any further questions on this.

[Cat5 in the Hat]

Is incorrect. The LASER Review did not change the terms of service of Civilian Instructors, only over 18 Cadets and Adult SNCO's. The only change to civlians was the ability for ex cadets to join Volunteer Gliding Squadrons at 18 as CGI's if they were unable to serve any longer as a cadet (i.e. were 18, but not a Cadet SNCO).

Is almost correct.

The minimum age for CGI has always been 18.
The change under LASER for VGS' was that if the cadet was a VGS Flight Staff Cadet (and had not made Sgt), then they could remain in the corps past 18.

[Postman Plod]

I would also recommend Air Cadet Central :

http://www.aircadetcentral.net/forums/index.php

You may indeed get people with only one view on something (isn't that normal?), but as there are a large number of members, you tend to get a large number of views, healthy discussion, and advice!

As for adult instructors, the minimum age limit is 20 as previously mentioned (except gliding schools). You will most likely join as a CI until you find your feet and gain some experience, and then the decision would be yours whether to go down the SNCO route, or the commission route (or indeed stay as a CI!). As has been mentioned though, you need to get in quickly to allow clearances to come through - now might actually be a good time to enquire even if you are under-age!

[scottyhs]

What i said is correct if you have been a cadet and left age 18 before reaching the rank of SGT you can become a CI at 18, i know because we have just had a cadet do it and it be approved by cranwell!