A Cranwell education
It's now 30 weeks long, I see. It was 18 weeks long thirty years ago. I understand 6 weeks is additional fitness due to the state of many coming out of school. I can't see what more is needed. Get out on the job I reckon.
Perhaps they now have to have 6 weeks 'diversity' training;maybe some ginger taff lumpyfront or jock tosspot complained
Perhaps they now have to have 6 weeks 'diversity' training;maybe some ginger taff lumpyfront or jock tosspot complained
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Additional fitness...?
Yep I agree with you OJT would be better.
Really don't see the sense in extra fitness if I'm honest. If they can't be fit on their day of entry then they don't deserve to start the course. And in any case, if by that age they haven't cottoned on that they are entering the Armed Forces and that a certain standard of fitness is expected then they are in the wrong profession. In the first week, they should be given a fitness test and told that their first chop point decision depends on them passing the fitness test. Get on with remedial in your own spare time.
More time should be spent in man-management (sorry person management) cos that's what some of them might have the fortune to do, or Appraisal writing or Airpower studies, or how to lead Adv trg or a Staff Ride or studying the characteristics of great leaders....
I wonder if the tempo of deployments have had an impact on our syllabus?
Don't know if the foreign station visits still happen, and whilst something to look forward to, better value could be got from UK visits - Air Comd, JHC, JFC, Waddo, etc Or a multi-trade HQ like the JFAC that would show them how the trades all complement each other. These would at least give them something to aspire to later in their career.
Really don't see the sense in extra fitness if I'm honest. If they can't be fit on their day of entry then they don't deserve to start the course. And in any case, if by that age they haven't cottoned on that they are entering the Armed Forces and that a certain standard of fitness is expected then they are in the wrong profession. In the first week, they should be given a fitness test and told that their first chop point decision depends on them passing the fitness test. Get on with remedial in your own spare time.
More time should be spent in man-management (sorry person management) cos that's what some of them might have the fortune to do, or Appraisal writing or Airpower studies, or how to lead Adv trg or a Staff Ride or studying the characteristics of great leaders....
I wonder if the tempo of deployments have had an impact on our syllabus?
Don't know if the foreign station visits still happen, and whilst something to look forward to, better value could be got from UK visits - Air Comd, JHC, JFC, Waddo, etc Or a multi-trade HQ like the JFAC that would show them how the trades all complement each other. These would at least give them something to aspire to later in their career.
The fitness problem isn't really their fault, and it's nothing new. One of my great-Uncles was a PTI bringing recruits up to scratch during WW1, in a program they had to bring in before basic training started. Besides, it's not just 'pass a test' fitness that's the problem, it's the all-day everyday endurance they lack too.
I'm not up to speed on the content / format of the current course.
More time should be spent in man-management
Has anyone here been near IOT in the last 10 years? Doesn't remotely sound like it from the comments I'm reading. I would know. I have been. I was there between 2009 and 2010. Can't say what's there 'extra' because I don't know what wasn't there beforehand, so unlike all the rest of you keyboard warriors, I'm not going to speak up on crap I don't know about.
If that all sounds too angry or too bitter, then do remember that everyday in virtually every thread all I read is about how this air force - and consequently the people in it (though that no longer includes me, but does include a huge number of very close friends) - is useless, worthless and a waste of space.
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Errr nope ...I never said anything bout it being useless or worthless. In fact I think that the leadership training that I was exposed to was better than what I was exposed to in other parts of the Armed Forces. I just do wish it had continued throughout and not finished as early as it did.
But that doesn't stop me from sayin what I would like to see in it to make it better. Yep I've not seen it in the last 10 years - that's why I asked. And from the answers I think this site's members are a goldmine for anyone who might be interested in learning about stuff that was there in the past and which worked well. Seeing as you were there recently why not add something to balance up the debate - sounds as if you could speak up about crap you do know something about.
What I do see is the comments on here about how it has changed therefore I choose to make a comment.
But that doesn't stop me from sayin what I would like to see in it to make it better. Yep I've not seen it in the last 10 years - that's why I asked. And from the answers I think this site's members are a goldmine for anyone who might be interested in learning about stuff that was there in the past and which worked well. Seeing as you were there recently why not add something to balance up the debate - sounds as if you could speak up about crap you do know something about.
What I do see is the comments on here about how it has changed therefore I choose to make a comment.
+1
Muppet - none of what I've said, on any thread, has in any way criticised the personnel. All the criticisms I've made have been of the political control of the RAF and certain VSOs whom I think have not stood up for the Service for the sake of their own retirement baubles. I think that is the tone of most of the old lags - we do not blame you lot. It cannot be pleasant to have your Service criticised, but that is not Your service criticised. I think your assertion of "and consequently" is incorrect.
On this thread's topic, I was asked to attend the CCF Officers course at Cranwell about 10 years ago, along with another ex-FJ pilot-turned-teacher, to help the newbies through the course. I had no complaints about the trainers or training. The course did a bit of the Selection Centre testing. The WIWOL guy and myself still passed easily, everyone else failed miserably, so I have no complaints with the entry standards
If you have some data on what's in the current course, and why it's 67% longer, I'd like to know also. I understand and agree with the requirement for further fitness training. I've always taught in sporty public schools, so the guys and girls I've seen go on to Officer Training have been fine, but they've all said what a bunch of "wheezers" the other kids were.
..and if the exercises are a bit more safety-conscious now so that one isn't going to get run over by 100 tanks on a freezing foggy night, that gets my vote. I'll laugh about it now, but it was deeply troubling at the time.
Muppet - none of what I've said, on any thread, has in any way criticised the personnel. All the criticisms I've made have been of the political control of the RAF and certain VSOs whom I think have not stood up for the Service for the sake of their own retirement baubles. I think that is the tone of most of the old lags - we do not blame you lot. It cannot be pleasant to have your Service criticised, but that is not Your service criticised. I think your assertion of "and consequently" is incorrect.
On this thread's topic, I was asked to attend the CCF Officers course at Cranwell about 10 years ago, along with another ex-FJ pilot-turned-teacher, to help the newbies through the course. I had no complaints about the trainers or training. The course did a bit of the Selection Centre testing. The WIWOL guy and myself still passed easily, everyone else failed miserably, so I have no complaints with the entry standards
If you have some data on what's in the current course, and why it's 67% longer, I'd like to know also. I understand and agree with the requirement for further fitness training. I've always taught in sporty public schools, so the guys and girls I've seen go on to Officer Training have been fine, but they've all said what a bunch of "wheezers" the other kids were.
..and if the exercises are a bit more safety-conscious now so that one isn't going to get run over by 100 tanks on a freezing foggy night, that gets my vote. I'll laugh about it now, but it was deeply troubling at the time.
Whatever the length of the officer training course is now, it must be a better scheme than the time in the 90s (?) when the course at Cranwell was short and dominated by fitness training, leaving the general service training - and officer training generally - to be done on the stations. Remember the Filofax that junior officers had to carry around to learn and get signed off on things they should have been taught before being commissioned? I don't remember how long it lasted, but it was a complete pain for management. ISTR the Cranwell course length was extended eventually to take back the training responsibilities into the training machine.
Fox 3 - we got something right then. Mind you it always reminded me of an incident in my early weeks as OC Money on a fighter station in the Lincs Wolds. My boss, OC PMS, and I had arrived at about the same time, he on promotion and me, a re-entrant, from the last Admin Sec course at the Towers, where the new boss had been the lead instructor for our course. Friday afternoon about 1500 a woman with crying toddler in arms is ushered into my office by my corporal who is trying to keep a straight face. Visitor busts into tears and tells me husband posted in from Germany, but straight to fitters course, she in MQ, no money and electricity about to be disconnected. She tells me she feels suicidal.
I am convinced the whole thing is Friday afternoon wind-up by former instructor, now boss. Then I begin to realise this one is no wind up. However like the office trainer it might be, this is real. Finally resolved by call to Halton which reveals that husband has just been paid in cash his entire disturbance allowance for move from Germany and it is currently stashed in the barrack block! Finally arrange for him to pay money into their cashier and I give same sum to wife. She stops crying, baby stops crying and I go for well-earned beer. I believe the incident was written up as new scenario for the office envex phase.
I am convinced the whole thing is Friday afternoon wind-up by former instructor, now boss. Then I begin to realise this one is no wind up. However like the office trainer it might be, this is real. Finally resolved by call to Halton which reveals that husband has just been paid in cash his entire disturbance allowance for move from Germany and it is currently stashed in the barrack block! Finally arrange for him to pay money into their cashier and I give same sum to wife. She stops crying, baby stops crying and I go for well-earned beer. I believe the incident was written up as new scenario for the office envex phase.
Yup, everything about that phase of the course was fantastic. My first job out of IOT (holding before BFTS) was as ADC to a 2 Star (AO Maint), who let me see everything (and I do mean everything) in his In tray for 4 months - with these two experiences I learned a heck of a lot. I have had friends who were everything from plant managers and CEOs to Headmistresses and Government come to me with admin problems. I apply what I learned, advise them, and it has worked every time.
The example you describe was typical - find a way to provide people a service and apply the rules.
I liked the way some stude in the office sim would occasionally have naff all to do, sometimes for hours. Very realistic.
p.s. Also learned that OC Money, OC Catering, and OC Regiment are the first people you invite to be honorary squadron members of your fighter squadron - remarkably useful people to know.
The example you describe was typical - find a way to provide people a service and apply the rules.
I liked the way some stude in the office sim would occasionally have naff all to do, sometimes for hours. Very realistic.
p.s. Also learned that OC Money, OC Catering, and OC Regiment are the first people you invite to be honorary squadron members of your fighter squadron - remarkably useful people to know.
Fox3 - first part of planning a Command Accounts Inspection (HQRAFSC) was to ring OC Money and tell him that when I flew I was happy, and when happy I wrote kinder reports - so how many hours was he going to get me. Idea was (because I had it booked already) was to see how good (or not) the relationship was between OC Accts and the customers. Most years ZA at Valley held the record, getting me both Hawk and rotary time. best was with Max C when he was Staish, and we repeated the Ex 1 he and I had flown together in 1966 when I was on the Gnat course.
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Yep have to agree about Office Sim - great and really hit the mark. Also really liked the Adv trg up in Scotland - one week and one particular rock face taught me a lot about myself.
I really appreciated a sesh about discipline and charges altho' that might have been delivered post IOT. Would have liked a lot more about SJAR writing and the pitfalls of bad report writing. I can't recommend enough to JOs to take the opportunity to attend a promo board. It will show you the huge numbers of fine calibre people there are as well as the fairness of the system, and the small differences between a very good individual and an excellent one.
A really good idea I experienced in another part of my life, was a session with those that will be/should be a JO's right and left shoulder upon first posting - your SNCO and WO. No harm in bringing these guys early and letting them have their say on what they want from an ociffer, and what they can do to help him/her. I'm seen too many think a 6mth course at the College of Knowledge and a university degree gives them a Master's in life.
But again I have to come back to the selection and quality of those entrusted with taking the cadets thru' the IOT at such a formative part of their career. If it's just a question of there being a flt cdr gap needing filling, and the selection process simply consists of a preference to be in the Lincolnshire area.. then I'm not sure we're doing right by our peeps or the standards of the Service.
I really appreciated a sesh about discipline and charges altho' that might have been delivered post IOT. Would have liked a lot more about SJAR writing and the pitfalls of bad report writing. I can't recommend enough to JOs to take the opportunity to attend a promo board. It will show you the huge numbers of fine calibre people there are as well as the fairness of the system, and the small differences between a very good individual and an excellent one.
A really good idea I experienced in another part of my life, was a session with those that will be/should be a JO's right and left shoulder upon first posting - your SNCO and WO. No harm in bringing these guys early and letting them have their say on what they want from an ociffer, and what they can do to help him/her. I'm seen too many think a 6mth course at the College of Knowledge and a university degree gives them a Master's in life.
But again I have to come back to the selection and quality of those entrusted with taking the cadets thru' the IOT at such a formative part of their career. If it's just a question of there being a flt cdr gap needing filling, and the selection process simply consists of a preference to be in the Lincolnshire area.. then I'm not sure we're doing right by our peeps or the standards of the Service.
The office sim - probably the high point of my time at Cranwell!
I found it pretty easy, and raced through all the stuff I had been set to complete. Having nothing else to do, I did a spoof series of memos etc highlighting the low birthrate on the fictional RAF station, and requesting sperm donors. I then submitted it all to the two directing staff in the next room.
About 10 minutes later, there were bursts of laughter, and the two of them came hobbling out with walking sticks, volunteering for the donation programme. I seem to remember that I got pretty high marks for the office sim phase, and the spoof was referred to in my final report.
I found it pretty easy, and raced through all the stuff I had been set to complete. Having nothing else to do, I did a spoof series of memos etc highlighting the low birthrate on the fictional RAF station, and requesting sperm donors. I then submitted it all to the two directing staff in the next room.
About 10 minutes later, there were bursts of laughter, and the two of them came hobbling out with walking sticks, volunteering for the donation programme. I seem to remember that I got pretty high marks for the office sim phase, and the spoof was referred to in my final report.
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Certainly when I was an IOT flt cdr early 80s we got graduates that were un-commissionable at the end of the course but in some cases we were told to "graduate" them, especially any engineers who stood any chance of making it in service, as they were in short supply
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One thing for sure is that the officers leaving Cranwell now are (in the main) far more astute, military-minded and far more capable (because of the trg) than the officers leaving Cranwell in the 80s and 90s. AND they now how to put together a bloody good 'operational estimate'.
