Reviewed by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton the recruits of Course 494, Campion Intake have become the newest airmen and women of the Royal Air Force.

In the final graduation parade for 2012, thirty-five recruits marched proudly onto the parade square at RAF Halton accompanied by the RAF Regiment Band to graduate in front of friends and family members having completed their Phase One training.

Amongst those graduating from the Recruit Training Squadron was Aircraftsman Elliott Pitz (19) from Scarborough who won the trophy for Best Recruit. He said: “It feels really good to graduate. It’s been hard but with a bit of determination I got through. To have my award presented by Chief of the Air Staff is a great honour in itself and something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’m hopefully going to be an aircraft maintenance mechanic and I’d like to work at RAF Brize Norton on the air transport fleet.”

The training at RAF Halton is designed to take the new recruit and transform them into an airman fit for Operations by laying in place the foundation stones they will build on throughout their career.

Air Chief Marshal Dalton inspected the graduating Intake and said: “It’s an honour to have been the Reviewing Officer at the passing-out parade of these new aircraftsmen and women into the Royal Air Force. Only those who have demonstrated the necessary personal attributes, character and commitment as well as clear teamwork skills and aptitude during the appropriately rigorous and demanding training here at Halton are passed out to begin their specialist skills training. These young aircraftsmen and women are the future of the Royal Air Force and I wish each and every one of them the very best of luck in their next stage of training.”

The Station Commander of RAF Halton, Group Captain Simon Harper said: “I am hugely impressed by the standard and bearing of everyone on parade today. What they have achieved in just nine weeks is a reflection of their determination to succeed and the excellence of training they receive at RAF Halton. Eight hundred and seventy men and women of varying ages and from a diverse range of backgrounds have been trained at RAF Halton this year and we will increase the numbers of recruits next year.”

Officer Commanding Recruit Training Squadron, Squadron Leader Joe Duhan, said: “Today has marked the first of many achievements that these new airmen will attain throughout their future in the Royal Air Force. They have been trained and tested both mentally and physically and are now in a position to embark upon specialist training that will prepare them fully for the Operational demands of today’s Armed Forces.”

RAF Halton, in Buckinghamshire, is where all new airmen recruits with the exception of RAF Regiment trainees undergo the basic recruit training course. Carefully structured, the nine-week course builds robustness, resilience, discipline, respect and integrity amongst a raft of other military skills.

RAF/MOD Crown Copyright 2012