First Joint Graduation at RAFC Cranwell
Oh, and implying that the current fleet of this sorely-depleted RAF of about 3 front-line sqns is busier, more operationally-focused and delivering more kinetic effect than ever is both disingenuous and insulting to the Op BANNER/REFORGER/TELIC/HERRICK generation. Youngsters eh?!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Can I just say that had we had Pprune 50 years ago it would have been no different. The difference though is we would have been far more informed on the historical detail. Then we had to rely on Air Clues.
PN
We had "P/O Prune" years ago in Air Clues as I remember!! Bang up to date with everything (well, almost!). Also around before my time (mid 50's) and keeping everyone in the picture (or so my elder brother told me!).
Maybe I'll just go and have another malt!!!
Still think we have the best Air Force!
Bill
We had "P/O Prune" years ago in Air Clues as I remember!! Bang up to date with everything (well, almost!). Also around before my time (mid 50's) and keeping everyone in the picture (or so my elder brother told me!).
Maybe I'll just go and have another malt!!!
Still think we have the best Air Force!
Bill
I think this may be the end of Trenchard’s establishments for “giving us the technological edge; a cadet college at Cranwell to produce the future leaders; a staff college at Andover to give those leaders the finishing touches and an apprentice scheme to train the mechanics”.
With a 10 week passing out cycle for ORs and a 24 week cycle for officers then very few parades will coincide. Personally, I think the loss of Halton for the ORs that generates Trenchard’s much wanted “Air Force Spirit” in a different way to that at Cranwell for the officers, is a mistake. Keeping the 2 seperate is a good thing for so many reasons for as long as we have a hierarchical rank structure - if we go down the civvy route where everyone is on first name terms where everyone is paid an individually negotiated rate then great; but we are not.
Having watched recruits make mistakes during recruit training amongst their peers at both places, then there should be a distinct air-gap between the two in my humble opinion. Also, the constant drive to put everyone up in a Holiday Inn and feed them in a Happy Eater further erodes the pride - look at Daedalus, roughly a tenth the age of York House and already showing it. You only need to look at what has been done at Bicester, Bentley Priory and Woolwich to see how our old infrastructure can be brought up to date but retain its character The RAF is a unique brand, a brand that people aspire to, and we should protect certain ethos, artefacts and methods as it is what makes us what we are and what others aspire to be.
With a 10 week passing out cycle for ORs and a 24 week cycle for officers then very few parades will coincide. Personally, I think the loss of Halton for the ORs that generates Trenchard’s much wanted “Air Force Spirit” in a different way to that at Cranwell for the officers, is a mistake. Keeping the 2 seperate is a good thing for so many reasons for as long as we have a hierarchical rank structure - if we go down the civvy route where everyone is on first name terms where everyone is paid an individually negotiated rate then great; but we are not.
Having watched recruits make mistakes during recruit training amongst their peers at both places, then there should be a distinct air-gap between the two in my humble opinion. Also, the constant drive to put everyone up in a Holiday Inn and feed them in a Happy Eater further erodes the pride - look at Daedalus, roughly a tenth the age of York House and already showing it. You only need to look at what has been done at Bicester, Bentley Priory and Woolwich to see how our old infrastructure can be brought up to date but retain its character The RAF is a unique brand, a brand that people aspire to, and we should protect certain ethos, artefacts and methods as it is what makes us what we are and what others aspire to be.
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While the length of courses may differ there is actually an IOT Graduation Parade approx every 10 weeks due to the 8 week terms and 2 week gap between. I understand that one of the aspirations under Project Portal is for an element of joint training (e.g. joint militarisation phase) in addition to joint graduations becoming the norm.
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Also, the constant drive to put everyone up in a Holiday Inn and feed them in a Happy Eater further erodes the pride - look at Daedalus, roughly a tenth the age of York House and already showing it. You only need to look at what has been done at Bicester, Bentley Priory and Woolwich to see how our old infrastructure can be brought up to date but retain its character The RAF is a unique brand, a brand that people aspire to, and we should protect certain ethos, artefacts and methods as it is what makes us what we are and what others aspire to be.
Also, the constant drive to put everyone up in a Holiday Inn and feed them in a Happy Eater further erodes the pride - look at Daedalus, roughly a tenth the age of York House and already showing it. You only need to look at what has been done at Bicester, Bentley Priory and Woolwich to see how our old infrastructure can be brought up to date but retain its character The RAF is a unique brand, a brand that people aspire to, and we should protect certain ethos, artefacts and methods as it is what makes us what we are and what others aspire to be.
@tedderboy
So with my maths head on that is 8wks (Term 1) 2 wks off, 8wks (Term 2) 2 wks off and then 8 wks (Term3) - total 28 weeks. 10s into 28 don’t go???
As for everyone into Daedalus:
1. Putting Recruits and Officer Cadets in the same building is a very bad idea.
2. Daedauls is nasty - no soul and it is already falling to bits with mouldy ceilings and bathrooms.
3. Where will everyone else stay? YHOM is normally full?
8 week terms and 2 week gap between
As for everyone into Daedalus:
1. Putting Recruits and Officer Cadets in the same building is a very bad idea.
2. Daedauls is nasty - no soul and it is already falling to bits with mouldy ceilings and bathrooms.
3. Where will everyone else stay? YHOM is normally full?
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While the length of courses may differ there is actually an IOT Graduation Parade approx every 10 weeks due to the 8 week terms and 2 week gap between. I understand that one of the aspirations under Project Portal is for an element of joint training (e.g. joint militarisation phase) in addition to joint graduations becoming the norm.
I also understand that one of the options being looked at when RTS does eventually come to Cranwell is for Daedalus to be a Joint Phase 1 Training Mess.
I also understand that one of the options being looked at when RTS does eventually come to Cranwell is for Daedalus to be a Joint Phase 1 Training Mess.
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You forgot the 2 weeks gap between Term 3 ending and Term 1 starting!! The Grad itself is at the end of week 8, then 2 weeks until the new IOT starts and the cycle starts again.
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As an aside following the original review of IOT that did resulted in the 30 week course way back in the mid noughties a suggestion was raised about the possibility of combining NCA and IOT so that rather than do Halton and a separate course at Cranwell the NCA cadre would do the first 20 weeks of IOT before graduating and the IOT cadre would do the final 10 week 'commissioning' term. This didn't survive first contact with the seniors with a major concern being 'what if the NCOs perform better than the Officers'.
There are a number of options for the new IOT/RTS that have been floated around the bazaars - mostly to do with modularising the course in order to streamline training. One of the driving forces behind the modularisation being the 'efficiency' of airmen who go for a commission having to undergo the militarisation phase or should they join later in the course? There is currently a trial of former Flt Sgts joining straight into Term 2 and of course former WOs only do 2 weeks at the end of Term 3 albeit on their own bespoke course.
With regards to new entrant airmen and officers being combined I suppose they could do the same militarisation syllabus on the same real estate but as separate flights. Furthermore, I believe the Daedalus Mess proposal to be one of many covering left and right of arc as it sits on the North side of Cranwell and the intention, ever since the idea was muted in the early noughties, is for the North Airfield site to developed and cost will undoubtedly be a factor to make best use of what is already there.
There are a number of options for the new IOT/RTS that have been floated around the bazaars - mostly to do with modularising the course in order to streamline training. One of the driving forces behind the modularisation being the 'efficiency' of airmen who go for a commission having to undergo the militarisation phase or should they join later in the course? There is currently a trial of former Flt Sgts joining straight into Term 2 and of course former WOs only do 2 weeks at the end of Term 3 albeit on their own bespoke course.
With regards to new entrant airmen and officers being combined I suppose they could do the same militarisation syllabus on the same real estate but as separate flights. Furthermore, I believe the Daedalus Mess proposal to be one of many covering left and right of arc as it sits on the North side of Cranwell and the intention, ever since the idea was muted in the early noughties, is for the North Airfield site to developed and cost will undoubtedly be a factor to make best use of what is already there.
