Station Commander
The station commander is in charge of the RAF station he is working on. He is the liaison between the station and the hierarchy of the Royal Air Force.

Officer Commanding (OC)
This is the term used for the commissioned officer that is in charge of the Station, Squadron or Flight.

DSC - Deputy Squadron Commander
This is the term used for the commissioned officer that is second in command to the Officer Commanding.

SNCO - Senior Non-commissioned Officer
This is the term given to any personnel who have achieved the rank of Sergeant, Flight Sergeant, Chief Technician, Flight Sergeant or Warrant Officer.

JNCO - Junior Non-commissioned Officer
This is the term given to Corporals in the Royal Air Force.
For more information on the ranks and rank structure of the Royal Air Force please click here.

DNCO - Duty Non-commissioned Officer
At Recruit Training School we have a duty of care towards our recruits and we have a DNCO on call 24 hours a day. When they are on duty they sleep in the main RTS building to ensure the recruits have constant access to a member of staff.

MOD - Ministry of Defence
This is the overarching body that is in charge of the UK Armed Forces. The person in charge of this organisation is the Defence Minister. For more information on the MOD, please click here.

RAF - Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force was formed in April 1918 to protect our nation and its dependant territories from security threats. This has developed in recent years as the international situation has changed so much. As well as the above, we now act as a “Force for Good” across the globe, helping with humanitarian issues and taking part in Peace Support Operations. Click here to go to the main RAF website.

IFPT - Initial Force Protection Training
Run by the RAF Regiment, this is the section where recruits learn basic soldiering skills, which will eventually culminate in an exercise away from RAF Halton in week 7 of the course.

CBRN/NBC - Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear
Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear are the four threats that are addressed by RAF training. Procedures on what to do in the event of any of these four situations occurring are taught during the course and are routinely reinforced every year for serving personnel.

The term NBC is also used but is now being phased out. NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological, Chemical.

PEd/PT - Physical Education/Physical Training
There are 4 main types of exercise undertaken at RTS: aerobic running, circuits, the recruits will also use the swimming pool for circuits and swimming to help build their overall fitness and finally battle PT, this is normally undertaken in CS95 uniform and can be anything from a run to stretcher carrying and is always good fun!

GSK - General Service Knowledge
Recruits are taught general service knowledge to enable them to have a working idea of common RAF terms, rank structure, Naval and Army ranks and appropriate greetings. Recruits are given notes and must complete tasks for homework on general service knowledge, before sitting an exam at the end of the course.

HR Admin - Human Resources Admin
Formally known as PSF, these are the team of people responsible for the “behind the scenes” administration of personnel on a station. At RTS we have our own dedicated HR Admin team for the recruits to ensure that all paperwork is up to date and to answer any queries they may have regarding pay, allowances and leave.

PF - Personnel File
Each recruit has a personnel file that contains all the information gathered over the duration of the course. Once the recruits have passed out and they move onto their second phase of training, the file is sent across to their new squadron commander.

Mess
The Mess is where recruits eat. On some bases these are within the same building but for the recruits in their initial training they sleep in barrack blocks and attend the mess building for meals.

NCC - Newcomers club
The Newcomers Club is a bar exclusively for the use of recruits. Here, bar facilities are provided so that recruits can relax after a day’s training. The sale of alcohol is strictly limited and will not be served to recruits under the age of 18.

Drill
Drill is the name given to practicing marching. Drill lessons start early on in the course for new recruits to teach them to march in a smart and uniform manner. This helps to instil a sense of teamwork and pride in their appearance, as well as preparing them for their Graduation Parade.

SATT/Phase 2 – Servicemen Awaiting Trade Training/Trade
After recruits graduate as Aircraftsmen from RTS they may go straight onto the next stage of their training which is specific to the trade they applied for. This is called phase II training and will prepare them fully for their role in the Royal Air Force. However, sometimes there is a gap between graduating from RTS and the start of Phase II training. In this case, the newly graduated airmen and airwomen will go onto ADF where their time is filled with further development. To find out more about the specific trades that are available, please click here.

WaSPs - Welfare and Support Personnel
This is specific to RTS and is a system whereby all recruits, but particularly those under the age of 18, can talk to a member of staff in complete confidence.

Med Centre
This is the station’s version of a GP surgery. The Royal Air Force doctors and nurses can deal with any medical issues that would normally be brought to the attention of your GP at home.

Rehab - Rehabilitation Unit
If recruits are injured, it may be necessary for them to receive some rehabilitation care in order to put them back into mainstream training. This may involve some physiotherapy, intensive medical treatment and some remedial physical training to ensure that the recruit is fully recovered.

MO - Senior Medical Officer
This is the military doctor who is in charge of the Medical Centre.

Padre
There are normally a few Padres on each Royal Air Force Station of various denominations. The Padres are in place to offer spiritual guidance and undertake services at the relevant churches on station. They are also a point of call for all personnel on station if they have welfare issues they would like to discuss are not comfortable bringing it to the attention of their Flight Commanders.

E&D - Equality and Diversity
The MOD fully embraces equal opportunities and diversity policy to create a culture that encourages and enables people to make their distinctive contributions and achieve their full potential, and that does not tolerate any form of intimidation, humiliation, harassment, bullying or abuse and will ensure each individual is treated fairly, with dignity and respect. For more information on the MOD’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, please click here.

Attestation
Attestation takes place on Arrivals day and it is at this point that recruits are sworn into the Royal Air Force.

No 1 Uniform
This is the parade uniform worn by all personnel when taking part or witnessing a parade. Medals may be worn on this uniform and commissioned officers may sometimes wear a sword.

DPMs - Disturbed pattern material
This is the type of material used to make CS95 uniform.

CS95 - Combat Soldier ‘95
This uniform is sometimes also known as “greens” or DPMs and was brought in 1995. This is the uniform that most people associate with the armed forces, as it is the camouflage-patterned material. There are 2 colours of CS95, green and desert. Recruits will be issued with the green set of CS95 at the start of their course. Desert CS95s may be issued before an out of area deployment.

MT - Military Transport
When the recruits travel as a group they are provided with transport and this comes from the Military Transport section at the station. MT can also be obtained for journeys that are undertaken for duty.

AFCO - Armed Forces Careers Office
This is where anyone who is interested in joining one of the three Armed Services will go in the first instance. Here they will receive information on life in the forces, the specific trade/branch they are interested in and have the initial interview. Click here to find out where your local AFCO is.