“Build on Success” says Commandant - Friday 11 May 2007

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The Air Cadets is a fine blue chip youth organisation that must build on its success to expand its strength to 42,000.

That is the belief of Commandant Air Cadets, Air Commodore Gordon Moulds who spoke of his vision for the national organization for young people aged 13-20 today.

His comments came at the 48^th Annual Convention of the Air Training Corps held at RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

Air Commodore Moulds said: “Whenever we talk of improvement, or developing the organisation or even of making change we must keep in mind that picture of existing success and build on that. We want to increase the ACO’s cadet numbers by 10 per cent by 2013 so we must be smart.

“While our values and principles remain constant, our strategy and tactics must continually evolve with an ever changing world.”

Air Commodore Moulds acknowledged that there was great external pressure on the Air Training Corps and its 1,000 squadrons, detached flights, volunteer gliding squadrons, wings and regions from legislation, the Defence Budget and from the high expectations of young people today.

He said: “The ACO has had a history of adapting to change with the LASER Review Team, marketing campaigns to improve adult recruitment numbers, the advent of the Project Bader information highway and regional activity centres everyone must be open to challenge.

“The challenge is to give cadets a standardised and valuable experience in the Air Cadets through the new Cadet CV – increasing flying opportunities, ‘fun’ activities; take up of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Awards, of BTEC Aviation Studies, standardizing training packages and retaining cadets to age 20.”

Included in the Commandant’s vision is the establishment of 12 regional activity centres across the UK, already being trailed at RAF Linton-on-Ouse with others planned for rollout at RAF Leuchars, RAF Cranwell, Aldergrove and RAF Halton by April next year.

The centres will enable cadets to participate in a wide range of activities from flying and shooting to fieldcraft and adventure training all co-located to maximise efficiency.

Traditionally, cadets have to wait several hours between sorties but with other facilities on the same site they will have the opportunity to experience a range of activities.

“There must be innovation and responsiveness, the challenge is to find new ways of doing things and reduce nugatory work,” said Air Commodore Moulds.

The annual convention was attended by senior members of the ATC, including Regional Commandants, Heads of Branch from HQ Air Cadets and Wing Commanders from all 36 Wings.

In addition, delegates heard from the Director of Air Staff, Air Commodore Sharp, from Group Captain Reynolds on the RAF’s current operational commitments and from Wing Commanders Guest and Jacobs from the RAF’s Inspectorate of Recruitment and Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre, respectively.

The Annual Convention dinner was held at College Hall Officers’ Mess with music provided by cadets from 5F (Northampton) Squadron.

Photographer: RAF Cranwell

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