Army Cadet Volunteer - summer 2016

ARMY CADET VOLUNTEER G O I N G

Summer 2016

F U R T H E R

armycadets.com

RIFLE UPDATE

THE LOWDOWN ON THE L144 A1

FIRST AID TRAINING CADETS WITH ESSENTIAL KNOW-HOW

CAMP COMEDY

CFAVs’ funniest camp mistakes Page 26

JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY Teaching valuable life skills to cadets on an overseas exchange

INSIDE: NEWS

BEACONS FOR THE QUEEN MOTIVATING VOLUNTEERS RORKE’S DRIFT

ISSUE #4: SUMMER 2016

W E LC O M E

Consultation and listening are vital. We are revising the terms of reference for the Colonel Cadets Cabal to ensure that the CFAV voice is heard, and Project LIBRA has given us much to consider.

The Regional Command Challenge format needs revision, and we are looking at the nature of volunteering. Later this year we will launch a Cadet Attitude survey. Please contribute!

We’ve seen some terrific activity in the past few months – the Cambrian Patrol, Ten Tors, beacons to support the Queen’s birthday, national rugby 7s, football and cross country, music concentrations and some remarkable first aid achievements

by CFAVs and cadets. We are in lively good health.

Priorities? Financially, it’s radios and the next tranche of rifles; organisationally, it’s recruiting more CFAVs and cadets.

See you at camp!

CONTENTS 22

16

EVERY ISSUE 04. THE BRIEFING Army Cadet news round-up

08. THE DRILL

I had to up my game and be very fit to set a good example Lt Col Richard Ayres, Widening Horizons p16

Ideas, advice and comment

26. NUMBER-OFF! 10 comedy camp blunders

28. STEPPING UP Awards and promotions

30. ACF POLICY Update on ACF issues

32. IN THE FIELD Your photos from ACF events

34. DAY IN THE LIFE Meet training consultant and actor Neil Hobbs

THIS ISSUE 12. COMMAND TASKS Team-building tasks to try with your detachment

14. YOUR NEW RIFLE An in depth look at the new rifle coming your way

16. WIDENING HORIZONS How an overseas exchange can benefit your cadets

20. EXPLAINING AWAY FEARS Dealing with homesickness at annual camp

22. FIRST AID Why basic medical knowledge is a core skill for cadets and CFAVs

ON THE COVER First aid Rifle update Camp comedy Journey of discovery Cover image SI Sally Feary, Lincolnshire ACF Photo Whitefoot Photography

BRIGADIER MATTHEW LOWE MBE Deputy Commander Cadets, Regional Command

12

GO FURTHER Look out on Defence Gateway for your guide to planning a successful Open Day

Army Cadet Volunteer is produced by the ACF Marketing and Communications team, based at the Army Cadet Force Association: Holderness House, 51-61 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4DW Get in touch: Tel: 020 7426 8377 Fax: 020 7426 8378 Website: www.armycadets.com Email: marketing@armycadets.com Facebook: facebook.com/ Armycadetforce Twitter: @ArmyCadetsUK Army Cadet Volunteer magazine is designed and edited by James Pembroke Publishing

Printed by PrecisionColour Printing This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form whole or in part without prior written permission of the publishers. All contents and addresses correct at time of going to press. Every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, but neither James Pembroke Publishing or ACFA can be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequences arising from it. Views expressed by contributors might not reflect the views of the ACF or the Army.

Editor: Carly Chynoweth Art editor: Simon Goddard Project manager: Esther Newman

ARMYCADETS.COM 3

THE BRIEFING ARMY CADET NEWS FROM AROUND THE UK

BELOW: Rorke’s Drift is the largest combined concert in the ACF’s music calendar TOP RIGHT: ACF musicians from 13 counties took part in this year’s concert BOTTOM RIGHT: ACF Pipes and Drums perform at the concert for the first time

MUSIC MAKERS

ROCKING RORKE’S DRIFT

SPECIAL GUEST

Royal approval

YOUR Flash STORIES

Write to us with your news and stories at editor@army cadets.com

Cadets join forces to perform military marches and pop hits at annual concert

M

ore than 150 Army Cadet Force musicians from across the UK participated in this year’s Rorke’s Drift Concert at the Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon, Wales.

The annual event, now in its 19th year, saw cadets perform a varied programme of military marches, classics and pop hits for a crowd of over 500 spectators.

This year’s event saw the very first massed ACF bands concert as cadet pipers and drummers from battalions across Scotland and Northern

4 ACF SUMMER 2016

Ireland took part for the first time.

“It was an honour to have been invited to play at the concert,” said cadet corporal Ryan Green from 1st Battalion The Highlanders ACF. “It is an experience that I have enjoyed and would not have gained without the help of the ACF.” Major Ross Munro, the National Cadet Piping and Drumming Executive Officer, praised the efforts of those involved. “Well done and thank you to members of the ACF Pipes and Drums who

CADETS FROM Norfolk Army Cadet Force spent time with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales when he visited 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards at Robertson Barracks, Swanton Morley in February.

Prince Charles was visiting the barracks as Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment and to receive a guided tour of the new facilities used by the Guards since they relocated from Germany to Norfolk last year.

The Prince also spent time learning about life as an army cadet as he chatted to members of Norfolk ACF at their display stand and presented two senior cadets with the Army Cadet Force Certificate of Good Service.

Cdt Sgt Major Callum Green of Harleston Troop and Cdt Sgt Abigail Butcher of Aylsham Road Troop received the certificate in recognition of continuous exemplary work in the ACF. To find out more about ACF awards see the guidelines in the Resource Centre.

HRH The Prince of Wales awards Cdt Sgt Abigail Butcher the ACF Certificate of Good Service

took part in what can only be described as a stunning performance,” he said.

“The feedback received has been fantastic. I can safely say we have made a lasting impression.”

The concert, organised

by Gwent and Powys ACF, ended with a massed bands performance of Highland Cathedral, which brought a tear to many an eye in the audience and led to a standing ovation. It’s no surprise to hear the Pipes and Drums will be invited back next year.

GET IN TOUCH E: marketing@armycadets.com facebook.com/Armycadetforce @ArmyCadetsUK cadetsarmy

THE BRIEFING

ACF AWARDS

Photo: Peter Russell

The following have been recognised for their commitment and dedication to the ACF

IMPROVING PROCEDURE

Project Libra update CFAVs show their support for project designed to reduce bureaucracy MORE THAN 1,500 CFAVs have contributed to Project Libra, the ACF’s recent review into administration in Counties, via workshops and a survey.

“People made some very positive recommendations, all of which will feed into the final report,” said Colonel Chris Sharwood-Smith, Colonel Cadets for 7 Infantry Brigade and the project leader.

The number of responses is a good sign of just how passionate people are about the project, which is examining what can be done to lighten the burden on CFAVs by removing unnecessary bureaucracy, he said.

“Clearly it is important to have appropriate processes to ensure that safety is always given the utmost consideration,” he

said. “However, there may well be other situations where it is possible that less paperwork is needed.”

The team will publish a report outlining its analysis and offering a series of recommendations. In some cases, this may mean processes being changed, while in others the answer might be clearer guidelines so that people know exactly what is – and is not – expected in any given situation.

“It may also involve providing more training, probably online, so that detachment commanders and others have confidence both in their own judgment and in the fact that we trust their decisionmaking,” he added.

Read more about Project Libra in the next issue of Army Cadet Volunteer

B A C K I N T H E D AY : SOMME 1 July 1916 THIS YEAR MARKS the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. The British Army lost nearly 60,000 men – 20,000 of whom were killed on just this one day. By the time the battle was over more than a million people had been killed or injured. This year’s Thiepval service of remembrance will be attended by senior royals, heads of state and other dignitaries, as well as about 10,000 members of the public.

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BROSTER COLLINGE DONNELL KAVANAGH MILLER MORGAN POLLARD BURNESS WOODRUFF JONES WILSON BUCKLEY CLARKE GIBSON LOVERIDGE BOOTH WAKELIN BEACHER COLLINS RUTHERFORD

2ND CLASP PURVIS ROBINSON MAWE SAYWELL DOAK HAWKINS PORT BILCLIFF DONALDSON GOWING ORFORD MEAD SPEIGHT WATSON WOOLLEY

3RD CLASP PILLING ROBB WILLIAMS AXTEN DONNITHORNE DAVIES WALKER TANNER ROSSINGTON CHOULES

4TH CLASP BURBERRY MACLEOD 5TH CLASP RENDER

FOR A FULL LIST OF AWARD WINNERS VISIT ARMYCADETS.COM/ACFAWARDS

ARMYCADETS.COM 5

THE BRIEFING

SSI John Johnston was recognised for his 22 years of service

Photographer: Peter Russell

IN THE MEDIA

ACF luminaries making headlines siblings – twins James and Tom Boyne and sister Abigale – who are all now giving back to Ivybridge detachment by joining as adult volunteers after recently leaving as cadets.

Cadets from Cheshire ACF are taking part in a sponsored walk

CHALLENGE

EXERCISE CADET CAMBRIAN PATROL 2016

O

n a cold, wet night in the Brecon Beacons, 27 ACF and CCF patrols from across the UK assembled at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) on Sennybridge training area for Exercise Cadet Cambrian Patrol 2016.

After being issued with rations and maps, the cadets settled down for the night. But at 02.30 they were woken by the sounds of the Royal Marines on exercise nearby signalling the start of the exercise which tests cadets’ endurance as well as their fieldcraft, teamwork and leadership skills.

Exercise Cadet Cambrian Patrol takes place across a 25km course along which cadets are given tasks to complete set within a narrative; this year it included a section attack to clear the

6 ACF SUMMER 2016

enemy, as well as assisting local partisans along the route.

Cadets are scored using the same system as is used in the Regular Army’s international competition.

Team and individual awards are given; this year the Best Senior Patrol Commander award went to Cadet CSM Reavill from Wiltshire ACF. Exercise Cadet Cambrian Patrol is one of the most challenging exercises for cadets. Bids are now being invited for 2017. County HQs should contact the Cadet Training Team Wales to submit bids: 160X-HQOpsTrg-CTT-RSM@mod.uk Successful bidders will be notified in December 2016.

For a full list of awards please visit armycadets. com/cambrianpatrol

1st Northern Ireland Battalion ACF: Larne Detachment Commander SSI John Johnston was featured in the Larne Times after being honoured for 22 years’ service in the ACF. SSI Johnston was presented with the Lord Lieutenant’s Certificate for Outstanding Meritorious Service Above and Beyond the Call of Duty at a ceremony at Hillsborough Castle.

Cheshire ACF: More than 20 cadets from Neston and Parkway detachment will be taking part in a sponsored walk to help raise money for a local cancer charity on 12 June. The Liverpool Echo featured the story of the cadets, who will walk 15 miles to support the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

Cleveland ACF: The Hartlepool Mail covered the story of cadets from High Tunstall detachment who teamed up with the Friends of North Cemetery group in a tree-planting ceremony to pay tribute to 41 local WW1 soldiers buried there.

Devon ACF: Ivybridge and South Brent Gazette reported on three

Twins James and Tom Boyne and their sister Abigale

Kent ACF: Charity Today News featured SMI Paul Wood, who is celebrating his 64th birthday by taking part in a 100-mile charity bike ride. Paul will take on the London-Surrey 100 in July in aid of Blind Veterans UK. Hampshire and IOW ACF: A cadet from Horndean detachment has been picked as one of 12 cadets to go on a six-week trip to Canada this summer. The Petersfield Post reported how 16-year-old student Sophie Mundell was “absolutely amazed” at being picked for the trip.

Sophie Mundell is going to Canada this summer

THE BRIEFING

R IGHT ON TA RGET

Find out about the all-new and improved L144 A1 cadet small bore target rifle.

The New Improved Rifle, page 14

NATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS Results for cross country, boys’ football and rugby

Junior Boys 2nd 3rd

Intermediate Boys 2nd 3rd

Senior Boys

National Boys’ Rugby 7s Championships Nine regions participated in the ACF National Boys’ 7-a-side Rugby Championships held at Christ College, Brecon on 9 April.

2nd 3rd

Eastern West Midlands London

1st 2nd 3rd

Eastern London North West

Senior Girls

Eastern South West North West

3rd

1st

Intermediate Girls

Eastern Scotland West Midlands

1st

2nd

National Boys’ Football Championships Ten regional teams took part in the ACF National Boys’ Football Championships held in Penrith, Cumbria on 9 April.

Junior Girls

Eastern West Midlands Scotland

1st

1st

National Cross Country Championships The ACF Cross Country Championships were held on 12 March. Cadets from the 10 regions raced against each other over the cross country course at Warcop, Cumbria.

The course lengths ranged from 3.5km for intermediate girls to 7.1km for senior boys.

AWARDS

N AT I O N A L C R O S S C O U N T R Y

1st 2nd 3rd

OVERALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

North East North West London Eastern

N AT I O N A L B OY S ’ F O OT B A L L SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Eastern

North East

JUNIORS FINAL Eastern versus North West

SENIORS FINAL 2 0

JUNIORS SEMI-FINALS Eastern 1 versus South East 0 Northern Ireland versus North West

0 1

North East versus London

3 0

SENIORS SEMI-FINALS North East 2 versus Wales 0 North West versus London

0 3

N AT I O N A L B OY S ’ R U G BY INTERMEDIATES NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Eastern

05 12

INTERMEDIATES SEMI-FINALS Northern Ireland 27 versus Wales 05 Eastern versus South East

THE INTRODUCTION of the new navigation syllabus and its integration with the National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) has given cadets the opportunity to earn Bronze and Silver NNAS awards in addition to the APC syllabus.

This year will see many changes to the NNAS, including a new online system that will streamline registration and certification and recognition through the Scottish Qualification Framework.

Certification of courses will be handled directly by the NNAS office; this requires a new quality assurance form available from the scheme’s office or the National Navigation Advisor.

The ACF is in the process of appointing a number of regional navigation officers to help with guidance, course administration and tutor training.

To find out more about the changes please refer to the guidelines in the Resource Centre.

Wales

INTERMEDIATES FINAL Northern Ireland versus Eastern

SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

New navigation syllabus

24 12

SENIORS FINAL Wales versus Eastern

25 15

SENIORS SEMI-FINALS North East 05 versus Eastern 24 Wales versus Scotland

31 05

Cadets will now be able to earn Bronze and Silver NNAS awards

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THE DRILL TIPS, ADVICE AND COMMENT

O N LY I N T H E M O V I E S

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II THE ACTION FILM THAT SCALES NEW HEIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO IMPLAUSIBILITY

5

MINUTE SPRUCE UP

Keep on top of the basics and it will only take five minutes to smarten up your detachment’s facilities before visitors arrive, says SI Thor Elsson of Dorset ACF

B E S M A RT, LO O K S M A RT

E

stablishing a good tidiness baseline means it will only take a few minutes to smarten up for an unexpected visitor. That starts with making sure cadets have pride in their surroundings.

Next, make sure the building is cleaned regularly, things are put away after being used, and bins are emptied. A trick is to keep spare liners in the bottom of the bin, so all you need to do is whip the full bag out and there is a new liner ready to go.

First impressions are important, so keep the outside of the detachment as clear and tidy as possible. Don’t leave rubbish on

8 ACF SUMMER 2016

display and remind cadets that bikes should always be parked properly.

Then think about inside. Keep your noticeboard tidy and up to date and ensure all notices are pinned securely. Keep the NAAFI area neat and ensure there are recycling bins available.

Finally, lead by example. Keep your own office immaculate and you’re sending the right message to the cadets, and to anyone you invite in for meetings.

A HANDFUL of chalk and a determined expression – that’s all it takes to climb sheer overhangs 2,600ft above a river in Utah.

At least, that’s all you need if you’re superspy Ethan Hunt.

No need for a harness, ropes or anchors, let alone a climbing partner; they’d only get in the way when you needed to fling yourself across the gap.

Any CFAV who has planned an adventurous training session or attended a course at the Capel Curig Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training in North Wales knows there is more to climbing a mountain than an energising soundtrack. Even the introductory course is five days long, while advanced qualifications require significant experience even to enrol. That’s because caution and care play a critical role in ensuring climbers enjoy improving their skills in a way that is fun, challenging and safe. Unfortunately, caution looks terrible on film…

THE DRILL

HOME A ND AWAY

Cadets learn an enormous amount of life skills while being abroad Maj Owen Williams page 16

HOW TO : M OT I VATE VO LUNTEERS

T

he ACF depends on the hard work, enthusiasm and commitment of its 9,000-plus volunteers. Keeping them motivated will help them fulfil their roles and encourage them to stay involved. Here Captain Demelza Stevenson, company commander of Lucknow Company, Cornwall ACF, shares her experience: Get to know your team Find out more about their aspirations, interests and the challenges they are facing, both within the ACF and outside it. This will allow you to work with individuals to come up with personal development plans – motivation isn’t about a one-size-fits-all approach.

Recognise success We send out a quarterly newsletter to the whole company and county HQ highlighting the achievements and ideas of each detachment.

Create a friendship culture I want our volunteers to be friends as well as colleagues. Catching up with mates is extra motivation to come along to parade night.

Offer extra challenges This goes back to my first point. Once you know what someone wants to achieve or an area in which they want to progress, give them the chance to do it. You could give them extra responsibilities to help them grow their skills.

A friendship culture is also important for teamwork

DO YOU MEASURE UP?

SEMAPHORE Extra challenges come in all shapes and sizes

Encourage qualifications Suggest that volunteers attend relevant courses or take on qualifications through CVQO. Progression is motivating in its own right, but it can also help people see how being involved in the ACF benefits their day job, too.

Say thank you Gratitude is one of the simplest but most important motivational tools available. So much is expected of volunteers that it can be easy to forget this is a hobby people do alongside everything else in their lives, and it can be challenging. So I try to say thank you as often and as sincerely as I can.

THE CHAPPE brothers developed semaphore as a way to send codes and messages during the French Revolution.

Originally, they used two black-coloured wooden arms operated by levers, with the different positions of the arms being used to signal up to 196 codes.

Thankfully it has now evolved to using two hand-held flags to signal letters of the alphabet and numbers. The flags are red and yellow when used at sea and white and blue when on land.

Semaphore signalling with two flags remains in use today and forms part of ACF signals training.

Can you determine our message from the semaphore below?*

*The message will be revealed on our Facebook page

W H A T T O D O I F. . . …OLDER CADETS LOOK BORED Everything is new and exciting when young people are new to cadets, but as they become older and more senior they can find some lessons less motivating.

Here SSI Julie Jackson

and SSI Peter Jackson, Greater Manchester ACF detachment commanders in Cheadle Hulme and Levenshulme respectively, share some of their tips: ENCOURAGE THEM to go to senior camps. Most one and two star training happens at detachment level but at senior camps there are instructors who will teach them new things.

MAKE THEORY FUN Look for ways to add a practical element to lessons for older cadets.

CHALLENGE THEM Treat senior cadets like the young adults that they are. Ask them to plan a lesson, show what they have come up with and then teach the younger cadets.

They will get a good grasp on their subject – and won’t be bored if they’re in charge!

MAKE A GAME OF IT Suggest that senior cadets develop new teaching tools for younger cadets.

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THE DRILL

THE TA LK ING CUR E

Make sure you're ready to support cadets when exam results come out

2nd Lt Jo Dynan page 20

Members of Clwyd and Gwynedd ACF mark The Queen’s 90th Birthday with the lighting of a beacon at the top of Mount Snowdon

PROFILE

Colonel Chris Young

EVENT

ACF CELEBRATES THE QUEEN’S 90TH BIRTHDAY

D

etachments across the country took part in The Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in April by lighting a series of beacons to mark the special occasion.

The ACF played a unique part in the celebrations by lighting beacons at the top of the highest peaks in the UK as well as in local community events across the country.

Cadets and adult volunteers from Cumbria ACF, 2nd Northern Ireland Battalion ACF, 1st Battalion The Highlanders ACF and Clywd and Gwynedd ACF were given the honour of lighting gas-fuelled beacons on the summits of mountains in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales respectively. The beacons were lit on Scafell Pike, Slieve Donard, the Cairngorms and Snowdon after the Queen began the celebrations by lighting the principal beacon at Windsor Castle.

10 ACF SUMMER 2016

This was then followed by over 1,000 community events across the UK and overseas.

After leading cadets to the top of the highest mountain in Wales, Major Bob Maxwell, Minden Coy commander, Clwyd and Gwynedd ACF, said: “We were very lucky as the weather was excellent and the views on the summit were spectacular. It has been an enormous privilege to be able to organise and take part in this amazing community event to celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen, something the cadets will never forget.”

The team from Cumbria ACF were also lucky with the weather “It was a marvellous evening to make the ascent up Scafell Pike and the views from the top were worth the trip alone” said Lt Col Alaistair Richmond, Deputy Commandant of Cumbria ACF, who led cadets and adult volunteers 907 metres up the mountain in the Lake District.

COLONEL CHRIS YOUNG started his career as an army medic in the 1980s before working as a paramedic in civvy street. The 49-year-old commandant of Derbyshire Army Cadet Force has also been an ACF volunteer since 1991, leading training expeditions as far afield as Gibraltar and the Red Sea. On one expedition he used his first aid skills to help a cadet who had taken ill with breathing problems on the way to Mount Everest basecamp. “There was no ambulance and no accessible hospital so we had to improvise with what was available to make a spacer,” he said. “In the end he made it safely to base camp.”

But it has only been in the past year that his professional training and commitment to cadets have come together with his appointment as the ACF’s new national first aid advisor.

“Working as a paramedic is rewarding,” he said. “You never know what the next job will be, but you know you can make a difference. I have been responsible for saving people’s lives, and you can’t get a better or more privileged job than that.”

He aims to share that passion with cadets and CFAVs by raising the profile of first aid within the ACF even further.

“It is a great life skill, so I want to make sure it is achievable for everyone in the ACF. My aim is to see every adult instructor trained in first aid and confident enough in that training to use it if they need to.”

THE DRILL

GETCONNECTED

Add Army Cadets to your professional profile by following us on LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/company/army-cadets-force

SPEAK OUT YOUR LETTERS, EMAILS, TWEETS & POSTS

SOCIAL ACTION IN THE ARMY CADETS The ACF has recently joined the national #iwill campaign launched by Step Up To Serve to make social action part of life for as many young people as possible by the year 2020.

Our pledge is that we will embed social action as a habit for life in our cadets and volunteers through promoting the ACF value of selfless commitment.

Step Up To Serve defines social action as “practical actions in the service of others”, so joining the campaign is a natural step for the ACF. Selfless commitment is one of the Army’s values, proudly shared by our cadets and adult volunteers, who are already supporting charities, helping out in their local neighbourhoods and performing ceremonial duties to help represent the Armed Forces within their communities.

By joining the #iwill campaign we hope to make our cadets more aware of the opportunities they have to take part in social action through the ACF, and to encourage them to do even more.

Visit armycadets.com/iwill to find out more.

BRIGADIER MATTHEW LOWE Deputy Commander Cadets, Regional Command

ASSISTED FUNDING FOR CFAVS TO STUDY WITH CVQO There are still more than 200 bursaries available for CFAVs who want to earn a recognised qualification through CVQO at little or no cost to themselves.

The bursary scheme, which is run by the ACFA and CVQO and was covered in

QUICK TASK

MAKE A PLEDGE it takes less than an hour to teach cadets about the benefi ts of community service and encourage them to give it a try EQUIPMENT: Camera, #iwill pledge boards (download from armycadets. com/iwill) TIME: 45 minutes WHERE: Drill hall AIM: Familiarise cadets with Army values and the benefi ts of community service INSTRUCTIONS: Test cadets’ understanding of Army values and talk them through. Explain the #iwill campaign. Remind your cadets about upcoming community activities. Encourage cadets to think about making an #iwill pledge linked to the ACF or a personal goal.

Army Cadet Volunteer last autumn, still has funding available for CFAVs who wish to undertake City and Guilds Professional Recognition Awards at Levels 4 and 5.

To find out more and to apply, visit armycadets.com/acfa/bursary SIMON REEVES CVQO corporate communications manager

GET IN TOUCH Send your letters, comments and ideas for future conversation starters to marketing@armycadets.com

FRONTLINE ON FACEBOOK We asked you to celebrate Community Week from 18th – 24th April and share your detachment’s activities using #ACFCommunityWeek 1st Battalion the Highlanders ACF: Congratulations to Forres Detachment which has been selected as the Battalion's Community Champion.

The detachment was chosen by our Commandant for their outstanding work alongside Forres in Bloom and the Scouts in refurbishing the town’s Nimrod Memorial Gardens.

Argyll and Sutherland ACF: A poignant day for B (Falkirk) Company and the community of Camelon, where civic dignitaries, representatives from the Armed Forces, veterans and members of the community came together to hold a dedication service for the opening of the new War Memorial.

Surrey ACF: Today saw Surrey Cadets make their #iwill pledges and raise a huge £634 for the Army Benevolent Fund in Morrisons Woking.

TOP TWEETS ACF in the Twittersphere @Westiepod Happy Hexham litter pickers! #ACFCommunity Week @OCYCOMPANY @5thfusiliers @ ArmyCadetsUK @DebraJerdan Berwick detachment begin their activities #ACFCommunity Week #goingfurther @nacfpro @DorsetACF Christchurch Cadets at the end of a busy but productive weekend to finish #ACFCommunity Week #GoingFurther

ARMYCADETS.COM 11

TEAM BUILDING

1

Team Ski

2

Water Drop

COMMAND TASKS

CADETS FROM 233 CAMDEN DETACHMENT, MIDDLESEX AND NORTH WEST LONDON ACF WERE TASKED WITH TEAM SKI, WHILE INVERNESS COMPANY, 1ST BN THE HIGHLANDERS ACF, TOOK ON THE WATER DROP CHALLENGE SET BY SMI MARGARET STANDEN

1

TEAM SKI Equipment: Planks of wood and rope to secure the cadets’ feet or a length of rope or tape to tie the cadets’ legs together at short intervals Time: 20 minutes Where: Indoors or outdoors Aim: To complete a task or race while tied together Benefits: Promotes teamwork, communication and coordination skills Instructions and result: Cadets should be split into groups of three to six. Ask them to create “team skis” with the planks of wood and rope, or use a length of rope to tie all right legs together at short intervals and then all left legs together. The teams should have restricted movement so that they will have to communicate and work together to coordinate their movements. You can set a simple, timed task or challenge them to race each other without falling over or breaking the bonds that keep them together.

This task encourages cadets to work together as a team; if one member of the group is out of sync with the rest they will not be able to move to complete the task and could fall over.

Make it harder: Include an obstacle course so that cadets have to complete a task or race against each other while navigating around obstacles.

12 ACF SUMMER 2016

2

WATER DROP Equipment: 2x 500ml juice bottles filled with water 2x black water bottles or cups Mine tape 4x tent pegs to hold down mine tape; use stones if the ground is hard 4x 4m lengths of string Time: Two minutes’ discussion time and five minutes to fill the water bottles.

Where: Indoors or outdoors.

Aim: Encourage teamwork and test problem-solving and leadership skills.

Benefits: Promotes communication and teamworking Instructions: Measure out a 2.5mx2.5m square using the mine tape and pegs. Set up the juice bottles and water bottles in the middle of the square and lay the lengths of string outside it.

Cadets need to transfer the water from the juice bottles

into the black water bottles without stepping or leaning into the no-go area inside the square. No equipment can be removed from within the square to complete the challenge. If you have multiple groups taking part you can create a challenge to see which group can fill the water bottles without spilling any water.

Results: The task requires lots of communication and precision movements between the cadets to guide the juice bottles to fill up the water bottles without spilling.

A natural leader usually emerges to take control over the task by guiding the cadets in raising the base/lowering the neck of the juice bottles to pour the water into the water bottles.

Make it harder: Increase the size of the juice bottles or widen the area; you may need to use rope instead of string if the area is very large.

DID YOU KNOW? 2

More than 300 cadet Piping and Drumming qualifications were achieved in 2015-16

Cadets from Inverness Company assess how to solve the water drop task The cadets work together to find a solution

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The Team Ski task is challenging yet fun

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And successfully complete the task

ARMYCADETS.COM 13

EQUIPMENT UPDATE

IN DETAIL

THE NEW IMPROVED RIFLE YOUR NEW RIFLE IS COMING: DISCOVER ALL ITS IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONS

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14 ACF SUMMER 2016

Rear sight with iris sight aperture

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Photos: Peter Russell

t’s time to start saying goodbye. After 65 years of sterling service, the Number 8 rifle is being replaced by the L144 A1 cadet small bore target rifle – a modified version of the Savage Arms FVT. “The Number 8, which was developed from the Enfield Number 4, incorporated features which were state-of-the-art for their day, including a heavy barrel with rifling that tapered to almost smooth bore at the muzzle to polish out the rifling marks from the bullet,” says Col Neville Stebbings, National Shooting Adviser.

“However, the new rifle incorporates a number of welcome improvements, including a lengthadjustable stock to accommodate different sizes of cadet, and rear sights that are now click-adjustable for both elevation and windage.” It is also slightly lighter, making it easier for junior cadets progressing from the air rifle to .22 shooting.

The new rifle, which will start arriving in counties this year, was selected following extensive environmental and resilience tests conducted by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, says Jason Kitching, SO1 Delivery (Training and Support) at Regional Command.

“Train the trainer courses, run by the Small Arms School Corps, for all cadet training teams will start in June,” he says. “The first batch of 751 rifles will equip cadet formations in 160 Inf Bde, 38 Irish Bde and also 4 Inf Bde and HQ North East. The balance of 4,750 rifles for the ACF and CCF will be procured in separate phases over the next three years, when funding becomes available.”

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FEATURES OF THE NEW RIFLE:

Basic sight aperture

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The system has basic and advanced sight apertures. The basic system, shown here, has a rear sight that includes numbered graticules and three positions for eye relief adjustments.

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The rifle has a very large forehand stop rail with graticule scales and a quick-release sling attachment.

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The feed tray is coloured red to help in identifying the status of the rifle, while the bolt’s two main components can swivel at the centre. If they are not correctly aligned the bolt will not fit back in the body.

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The advanced sight system includes foresight apertures and iris sight rear sight aperture.

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An easy to use butt extension.

Twist the butt 90 degrees and you can set it to one of eight positions in less than five seconds.

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The included rifle stand’s three parts need to be held together with a metal pin to ensure that no part of the bolt or the rear sights touches the ground, even when knocked. An alternative stand will be provided.

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Forehand stop fi tted on the graticule marked adjustment rail

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4 Foresight aperture

THE NEW RIFLE INCORPORATES A NUMBER OF WELCOME IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A LENGTH-ADJUSTABLE STOCK Col Neville Stebbings, Chairman of the Shooting Committee

ARMYCADETS.COM 15

OVERSEAS EXCHANGE

IMMERSING THEM IN ANOTHER CULTURE, ANOTHER COUNTRY, MEANS THEY LEARN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF LIFE SKILLS Maj Owen Williams

16 ACF SUMMER 2016

OVERSEAS EXCHANGE

DID YOU KNOW? 1,083 students (adults and cadets) attended adventurous training courses at CCAT in 2015-16

OVERSEAS EXCHANGE

WIDENING HORIZONS IMMERSING YOUR CADETS IN ANOTHER CULTURE IS A GREAT WAY TO TEACH VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS

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ccording to Major Owen Williams, County Second in Command, the Royal County of Berkshire ACF, the trickiest part of overseas expeditions is getting a group of 45 people through airport security and to the gate on time.

Not cross-country skiing in Norwegian woods, building snow holes or towing cadets at 20kph behind an all-terrain vehicle; these things can all be taught.

“It is the management of the group to and from the campsite that is difficult,” says Owen, who has led overseas expeditions for more than 10 years. “Once we’re there it’s like any other camp – there are enough adults to make sure all the cadets are okay.”

Only it’s not quite like any other camp.

For a start, the cadets and CFAVs share accommodation with their peers from the Norwegian home guard youth and spend

their time learning everything from crosscountry skiing and winter survival skills to cold-weather kit care and how to treat cold-related injuries. And, of course, they are doing it in the Norwegian winter.

“Immersing them in another culture, another country, means they learn an enormous amount of life skills, from dealing with international travel and mixing with people from another country through to managing different weather conditions,” says Owen.

Cold weather was not a concern for cadets and CFAVs from Greater London South West Sector when they visited Hong Kong in March but they found the experience just as immersive. The trip, led

by Captain Emma Snead and hosted by the Hong Kong Adventure Corps, included weapons training, lion dancing, drumming and kung fu lessons, as well as the chance to try local cuisine.

ARMYCADETS.COM 17

OVERSEAS EXCHANGE

QUICK TASK

LIGHT A FIRE Knowing how to light a fire without matches or accelerants is always a useful skill.

EQUIPMENT: Flint and steel firelighting kit TIME: 10-15 minutes WHERE: Outdoors with access to woods or similar AIM: Light a fire INSTRUCTIONS: Identify a safe area to light a fire; clear away debris or other flammable items as necessary. Use things found in nature, such as moss, small sticks and pieces of wood, to build the base, then use flint and steel to get the fire going.

DID YOU KNOW? 2,196 DofE Awards were completed in 2015-16 Sgt Rich Bradbury said the trip was amazing. “I was most fascinated to learn all about the military history from the time of the Opium War right through to the disbandment of the Hong Kong regiment in 1997,” he said. “And it was great to find out that the Adventure Corps isn’t all that different from the Army Cadet Force, albeit the training is different.

“I would recommend to anyone, cadet or instructor, that when an opportunity for any exchange comes along to get on it.”

TOP TIPS

Inspirational

FOR BOOKING AIR TRAVEL

Lt Col Richard Ayres, Commandant of Cheshire ACF and the ACE South Africa Leader, agrees.

“They are inspiring,” he says. “The kids have to be independent. They have to work with cadets from other countries, so there is a huge social development side to it.”

And it is not just the cadets who benefit from trips abroad. “I did a cadet exchange to Whitehorse [in Canada] in 1990 where I looked after the discipline of cadets and delivered a programme training Canadian cadets,” he says. “So I had to up my game as an instructor and be very fit to set a good example. That trip set me up for other things; for instance, I went on to become an international mountain leader.”

“Airlines release fl ights 351 days in advance,” says Owen Williams.

“Get in as fast as you can to secure all the seats you need on one fl ight, at the best possible price. Don’t try booking online if you need more than nine tickets, as that’s the most you can get at once – which can mean you get in a bit of a panic about whether you will get all 45 seats that you need. The other advantage of making a group booking directly with the airline is that, with BA at least, you don’t have to give them all the names until two weeks before you fl y, so you have much more fl exibility if someone drops out.”

For more advice on planning an overseas trip visit the Resource Centre on Defence Gateway

18 ACF SUMMER 2016

Responsibility It is not always easy to find adults who can take the time off work for a long overseas expedition; Richard has already

moved to his reserve list for two threeweek trips to South Africa this year. “It is a very real responsibility,” he says.

“Two years ago we were on Mount Kenya camping in the bush doing acclimatisation training. You’re part of the food chain, so there are rules to follow. And kids being kids they do the unexpected, so you have to be prepared.

“Leaders have to adopt a variety of styles. Sometimes you have to be autocratic in potentially dangerous situations, while in others you have to let cadets make their own choices.”

This, combined with the fact younger CFAVs will be mentored by more experienced leaders, makes it an effective leadership development tool. “CFAVs will be able to take that higher level of skill back to their units,” says Richard.

Experience Owen takes a similar approach when selecting adults for the Norwegian trip, generally taking five adults who have been before and three or four who are new to the experience. “That way they become eligible for the next time around,” he says.

Cadets need to be at least 15 and two-star qualified to come, although they do not need to be able to ski. “Basically it is firstcome, first-served, unless I know that there are kids with specific difficulties.”

The Norway expedition is self-funded, although Owen’s CEO has some money available for hardship cases, and a grant

from the RFCA helped reduce this year’s costs to £215 a head.

Other potential sources of grants and bursaries include local organisations, as well as charities and trusts. Richard recommends talking to a local solicitor or council officer to find out what is available.

The Ulysses Trust Every year The Ulysses Trust hands out about £200,000 to reservists, university officer training corps and cadet forces to help fund overseas expeditions.

Securing a share of the money starts with putting in an application – something that Jeremy Hurst, the Trust’s development director, would like to see more of.

“If we get the right sort of application for the right thing we consider it,” he says.

“It has to be something robust, such as

mountain climbing, rock climbing, trekking or offshore sailing.”

And the expedition does not need to include cadets. “We fund adults to improve their adventurous training qualifications.

We did a survey last year that found that access to qualified instructors was one of the biggest barriers between cadet units and adventurous training.”

Adults will be expected to report on their experience, including how the qualification will help them change young people’s lives.

The Trust does not cover the entire cost of the expeditions it supports; instead, it “primes the pump” with a sum that it hopes will then encourage other donors to get involved, says Jeremy.

FIND OUT MORE

PREVIOUS PAGE: Cadets have a go at the traditional Lion Dance TOP LEFT: Cadets try downhill skiing on their trip to Norway TOP: After a quick briefing at the Hong Kong Sea School, cadets and CFAVs are ready to take a Dragon Boat on the water ABOVE LEFT: Cadets test their firelighting skills in Norway ABOVE: Cadets learn basic martial arts skills

I HAD TO UP MY GAME AND BE VERY FIT TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE Lt Col Richard Ayres

Go to www.ulyssestrust.co.uk

ARMYCADETS.COM 19

PASTORAL CARE

EXPLAINING AWAY FEARS 2ND LT JO DYNAN EXPLAINS WHY TELLING CADETS WHAT TO EXPECT AND LETTING THEM KNOW HOW TO ACCESS SUPPORT CAN MAKE ANNUAL CAMP A LESS DAUNTING PROSPECT AND EASE HOMESICKNESS

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he first time at camp can be an overwhelming experience for cadets. This is not just because it may be the first time they have been away from home for an extended period – although that can definitely be a factor – but because being on a military base and experiencing the full routine of drill, exercises and looking after their kit in the company

THEY CAN POP IN AND SEE ME ANY TIME THEY LIKE 2nd Lt Jo Dynan

20 ACF SUMMER 2016

of scores of their peers is a lot to take in, says 2nd Lt Jo Dynan, a county first aid training officer with Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force.

It’s hardly surprising, then, that plenty of young cadets experience the occasional bout of homesickness. “Sometimes cadets will tell you they feel homesick but it’s also important to watch out for other signs, too,” explains Jo. “Typically that could be things like not eating well, sitting alone at meals and not engaging with other cadets during down time. Homesickness is usually more obvious in the evenings, when cadets are not as busy with activities,” she adds.

“It’s mainly the younger cadets on their first camp who experience it. Occasionally

older cadets talk about it too, but when you start to discuss it with them you will find there are underlying issues – something going on at home, personal relationships and so on.

“Worries about exam results often affect older cadets as well, so make sure you’re ready to support them when A-level and GCSE results come out.”

The first step for CFAVs who suspect a cadet is homesick but aren’t sure what to do about it is to talk to a member of the pastoral team.

“One of us can pop over, have a chat and get to know them,” Jo says. “I tell them they can come in to see me any time they like. If they say they want to go home I will have a chat with them, offer support and praise them for all the good things they have

PASTORAL CARE

FAR LEFT: Camp can be an overwhelming experience for cadets LEFT: Jo is available to talk to cadets if they need help and advice BELOW: Get to know cadets while on annual camp

DID YOU KNOW? 4,265 cadets completed their Youth First Aid course in 2015-16

done. Then I call one of their parents and ask them to talk to the cadet to encourage them to stay. This nearly always works.”

QUICK TASK

Pre-camp briefing A lot of cases of homesickness can be reduced or avoided by preparing cadets and their parents for what to expect. A pre-camp briefing can help everyone understand what will happen and reassure them that they know who to talk to if needed.

Giving out an equipment checklist – and keeping a few spares on hand at camp for emergencies – is useful, too.

“For a young cadet, something as simple as forgetting their towel or toothbrush can affect their whole camp because they will spend all their time worrying about it,” she says.

Another effective option for new cadets is a pre-camp camp. “In Oxfordshire, we run a week-long camp for recruits on a military base in April,” she says. “We teach them things such as bed-making and uniform care, and give them a chance to make friends with other new cadets from all over the county. That way they know what to expect on annual camp and what is expected of them, plus they will know other people there already. It makes the whole experience less intimidating.”

It is also a chance for them to meet her, the padre and some of the other adults who will be caring for them at camp, so they know

FACT-FINDING MISSION

who to turn to if they need support.

Jo and her colleagues on the pastoral care team also make sure they know as much as possible about the cadets in advance, particularly if they have special needs. “We have more cadets coming in with learning difficulties, such as Asperger’s, and although this can be challenging, they can learn a great deal from the Army Cadets.

“With a bit of preparation we can work out the best way to support them. It can be something as simple as giving them a card to explain what happens when.”

Jo Dynan uses this simple task to help homesick cadets make friends EQUIPMENT: None TIME: 5-10 minutes WHERE: Mess hall AIMS: Get to know another cadet; feel more involved in the group INSTRUCTIONS: Ask the cadet to go up to another cadet they don’t know at lunchtime and find out his or her name, their detachment, their pet’s name and their favourite food, then report back to you.

FIND OUT MORE Share your top tips for annual camp on our Facebook and Twitter pages: facebook.com/Armycadetforce and twitter.com/ArmyCadetsUK

ARMYCADETS.COM 21

First aid training helps develop cadets’ ability to work as a team

22 ACF SUMMER 2016

FIRST AID

DID YOU KNOW? 48 adult volunteers qualified as Company First Aid Training Advisers in 2015-16

FIRST AID

FIRST AID MEDICAL KNOW-HOW IS AN IMPORTANT SKILL FOR ALL CADETS

C

olonel Chris Young is the ACF’s new national first aid advisor. “I want to make first aid achievable for everybody in the ACF – cadets and adult volunteers,” he says. “I want to make sure that the training we offer will meet the needs of the modern ACF. We need to make sure that adult instructors are trained to support the commandant in his or her role as the duty holder and to ensure that, if there is an incident while we are looking after cadets, we can treat the cadets appropriately.

“Equally, I want all cadets to have the confidence to apply their first aid skills outside the ACF, as so many already do. And I want to make sure that cadet first aid competitions are taken as seriously as those for shooting, sport and other activities.”

I WANT TO MAKE FIRST AID ACHIEVABLE FOR EVERYBODY Colonel Chris Young

Success in sight Chris, a qualified paramedic whose own first aid skills helped him treat a cadet who was taken ill while on Mount Everest (see page 10), acknowledges that he has set himself a big task but

ARMYCADETS.COM 23

FIRST AID

Enthuse cadets with first aid challenges in the field

TABITHA COOK, FIRST AID WINNER ACFA RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE AWARDS Tabitha Cook had just got home from a first aid competition last year when she decided to pop her head in and check on an elderly neighbour. The cadet RSM – now an 18-year-old PI with Deeside platoon, Clywd and Gwynedd ACF – had expected him to come and give her a lift home from the event, and was a bit worried when he hadn’t.

“The front door was locked but his car was there so I looked in his front window and saw him lying on the floor,” the university student says. “I booted the door open, literally kicked it in, and went to help him.” A bad case of flu combined with the man’s Parkinson’s disease had made him very ill and caused him to fall and hit his head on a table. When Tabitha arrived he was breathing but unable to speak, and was at risk of choking on his vomit.

“I got him in the recovery position, covered him with a blanket and called the ambulance. I explained his history and the medication he was taking… when they got there they asked if I was in the army and I explained I was a cadet. But after I finish university, where I am part of the UOTC, I hope to join the army and train as a medic, or go into politics.”

Tabitha, whose twin sister Chloe has used her own ACF first aid skills to save a woman who was run over – encourages everyone she meets to learn first aid. “It changes people and gives them confidence, and it means you can save someone’s life.”

Tabitha Cook receiving her Recognising Excellence Award from the President of the ACFA, Lt Gen Andrew Graham CB CBE

THE KIDS LOVE THE SKILL OF FIRST AID AND THE CHANCE TO PUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE INTO PRACTICE Captain Katie Adcock

is confident of success. “We have just employed a new development manager and we’re putting a plan together. We are also looking to appoint a national first aid competition coordinator; it is such an important role that we want it to be a job, not just a bolt-on to something else.”

Other possible developments include simplifying some of the processes involved in running first aid training, perhaps by decentralising things and giving more responsibility to counties and brigades to meet demands within their own areas.

“Regionalising some of the senior training courses could also make them more widely accessible,” he says.

Stepping stone It was access to first aid training through the ACF that put Captain Katie Adcock on the path to training as a mental health nurse when she was a teenager.

“When I joined cadets I knew nothing about first aid but as soon as the ACF introduced me to it, it became my passion,” she says. “I loved first aid competitions and, as a senior cadet, I had the opportunity to

24 ACF SUMMER 2016

teach first aid skills to the junior kids. It is what inspired me to go into nursing.”

She now has 15 years as an adult volunteer under her belt on top of six as a cadet but she has lost none of that passion for her subject.

“The kids love the skill of first aid and the chance to put their knowledge into practice in competitions,” says Katie, who is the first aid advisor for 4 Infantry Brigade and county first aid training officer at Durham ACF. “It is magical to watch these kids train together and work as a team. You as the adult are not in charge; it is a case of watching the natural leader come out of the group. And it is not always the obvious cadet. It might be someone who did not join the ACF to shoot guns or get muddy but who is an excellent leader who can put it all together.”

Career advancement And a number of cadets find that, like Katie, their first aid experience shapes their future career choices. “Over the last three or four years the national first aid competition has become much more realistic, with a real paramedic first responder there to ask questions, just like in the real world. Quite

FIRST AID

QUICK TASK

INTRODUCE CADETS TO CPR BY GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO GET HANDS ON WITH ANNIE, SUGGESTS CAPTAIN KATIE ADCOCK CPR techniques are a fundamental part of first aid training

a few cadets look at that and think ‘wow, I could be a paramedic or a nurse’,” she says.

“And recently one very clever young man left the cadets to study medicine and wrote back to us to say that the experience and confidence he’d gained through ACF first aid training and competitions helped him to get his place at university.”

But the skills are valuable to all, regardless of their career path, emphasises Chris.

“Teaching first aid skills to our cadets and adult volunteers gives them the courage to

help other people,” he says. “You read every week of the acts of selflessness and bravery undertaken by our young people and adult instructors who have been able to make a difference to someone else’s life because of their first aid training. That is a privilege and an extremely rewarding thing.”

FIND OUT MORE Speak to your CFATO for more information on first aid courses within the ACF.

DANIEL MEASOM, HIGHLY COMMENDED ST JOHN’S AMBULANCE EVERYDAY HEROES AWARD Cadets can get a bit giggly when they’re first introduced to CPR. “They find it hilarious when you get them to practise on Resusci Annie,” says Daniel Measom, detachment commander at North Shields Gardens, Durham ACF. “But then I tell them my story and they immediately get why it’s so important.”

His story began when he

joined the ACF at 12 and learnt first aid. Then, when he was 23, he put that knowledge to use outside the confines of a national competition. “I was washing the dishes when I heard a blood-curdling scream,” he says. “I went out and there was a man with a baby in his arms banging on doors looking for help. She was wet and

EQUIPMENT: Resusci Annie; optionally, A4 paper, sellotape and a marker TIME: 10 minutes WHERE: Indoors AIM: Familiarise cadets with Resusci Annie; demonstrate the correct hand placement for chest compressions INSTRUCTIONS: Let cadets look at Annie and experiment with what she feels like, then ask them to take turns placing their hands on her chest in the right position for chest compressions. You can make a little competition of it by taping paper to her chest and marking cadets’ guesses to see who is closest before demonstrating the correct placement. Most people instinctively choose the right position, which can give cadets confidence when starting first aid training.

had no signs of life.”

Daniel gave the 11-month-old girl, who had drowned in the bath, CPR until an ambulance arrived and paramedics took over.

“It was only then that reality set in and I went pale. But as the paramedics were leaving one of them said to me ‘well done, she’s alive’. And she’s alive today.”

ARMYCADETS.COM 25

C O M E DY CAMP

NUMBER-OFF! CAMPS ARE WELL-ORGANISED EVENTS RUN BY COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS. THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT CFAVS GET EVERYTHING RIGHT, MIND YOU…

10 THINGS…

CFAVS’ FUNNIEST CAMP MISTAKES

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t’s easy to assume that most camp mishaps come about because cadets forget their kit, misunderstand instructions or simply forget to pay attention at a crucial moment. Our Facebook study, however, suggests otherwise – as these CFAVs admit under cover of anonymity.

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ONCE BITTEN

“A major told us all to bring a silly hat. Being new, I went and bought one. Officials turned up to see me sitting on the checkpoint in a green crocodile cap. The major meant bush hats.”

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WAYS TO SUPPORT NEW PIS 26 ACF SUMMER 2016

BECOMING AN ADULT INSTRUCTOR IS REWARDING BUT THERE IS A STEEP LEARNING CURVE, SAYS MELANIE PRANGNELL, A 15-YEAR ACF VETERAN AND COUNTY TRAINING OFFICER

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MEMORY ISSUES

“DID ALL THE PAPERWORK AND LOGISTICAL PREPARATION FOR A DAY AT THE RANGE. FORGOT TO BRING AMMO.”

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OUCH!

“I was getting motorbikes off a truck using a scaffold plank when I fell off, landed with a bike on my head and was applauded by three quarters of the county’s cadets and adults.”

GIVE THEM TIME TO PREPARE Even if it seems like an easy topic, learning to teach is stressful, especially when PIs know their cadets might know more about the topic than they do.

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INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR TRAINING PLANS Giving PIs a role as a helper or an observer will help them build confi dence and feel involved.

S U RVE Y RE S U LT S

GET IN TOUCH

4

HELLO, LEFTY

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LONG WAY

“ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS MIXED UP HIS KIT AND TOOK TWO LEFT BOOTS. WE SAT THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR BULLING OUR BOOTS AND HE DIDN’T REALISE.”

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“I did an extra five-hour round trip when I was CQMS – it was only when we were unpacking that I realised I’d left the compasses in stores.”

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COMMITTED

“I IMPRESSED A GROUP OF ONE STARS BY HOW DRAMATICALLY I DIVED FOR COVER DURING A TRAINING EXERCISE. I DIDN’T ADMIT I’D TRIPPED AND GONE FLYING INTO A HEDGE.”

NOT OURS, GUV

“We were at a theme park when we had to give one kid a telling-off for being a yob. Turned out he wasn’t a cadet. We got colour-coded t-shirts the year after.”

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NAKED LAUNCH

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EXPLAIN THE ETIQUETTE Formal functions and mess dinners can be particularly intimidating until you know what to wear and what is expected of attendees.

THIS LOT LOOK BIG

“I was a first-time platoon commander watching my last section come in. They were bigger than I expected so I was frantically rethinking my camp plan. When they got close I realised they were Royal Marines.”

“I was CMS so I arrived early, unloaded the stores and decided to shower and change into my uniform before everyone else arrived… only to realise that all I had with me was my beret, belt and boots.”

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KEYED UP

“I got locked in the training wing when I was checking we hadn’t forgotten anyone. The person with keys had already left.”

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WARN THEM THAT CAMP IS EXHAUSTING Prepare them for early mornings and long days by suggesting they make the most of their kip time.

@ArmyCadetsUK facebook.com/ Armycadetforce E: marketing@ armycadets.com

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DON’T ASSUME. MILITARY JARGON MIGHT NEED EXPLAINING I remember being utterly baffl ed when someone told me they were going for a dobie, Navy slang for a wash.

ARMYCADETS.COM 27

ETIQUETTE

STEPPING UP RECENT PROMOTIONS AND AWARDS FOR OFFICERS, TRANSFERABLE SKILLS, AND GOING THE EXTRA MILE

DID YOU KNOW?

2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the DofE Award

FORMAL TRAINING

STANDING ORDERS When to stand, who to toast, what to wear… Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Jones, the commandant at Frimley, explains the ins and outs of etiquette at the centre

E

ven passing drinks can tie people up in knots at Frimley.

“I’ve been to a few ACF dinners and found that the organisation is so diverse that everyone develops their own traditions,” says Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Jones, the commandant at Frimley. “I’ve seen all sorts of weird and wonderful ways to pass the port. Some people have been told that the decanter isn’t allowed to touch the table, so the last person to hold it is left hovering not knowing what to do with it. Other people have heard that it can’t leave the table, so

Attending the Frimley dinner night is a calendar highlight

they end up holding their glass below table level and trying to tip their port into it that way.”

Fortunately, however, the rules governing dinner night – and every other aspect of behaviour at Frimley Park – are clear and straightforward.

(They are also available online in the ACF Resource Centre on Defence Gateway and explained to all course

Should I salute: “We expect people to adhere to standard military protocol,” says Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Jones. “Salute any officer who is more senior, whether they are regular army, reserves or ACF.” What to wear: Jacket and tie for men, and the equivalent for ladies; skirts/dresses should be below the knee and shoulders should be covered. Jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops, shorts and trainers may not be worn in the public rooms unless specifically allowed. Dress of the day (MTP) may be worn in the public rooms and dining room until 19.00; staff and students who are still training may wear dress of the day in the CTC mess after then. Combat smocks are not to be worn except when people are moving in or out of the building.

Source: Standing Orders for the CTC Mess

28 ACF SUMMER 2016

attendees by RSM WO1 Jason Thomas). “Dinner night conforms with British Army tradition,” says Gavin. “It starts with pre-dinner drinks, then we move to the table, which is set with silver, crystal glasses and candles. Basic courtesy means no phones are allowed and that people should wait for the senior person present, usually me, to start eating before tucking in. And we stand up to toast the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh with port.”

The whole experience is designed to be a fun way to learn about formal dining, not something that is intimidating or uncomfortable, he says. “It’s not long and drawn out over five hours with everyone at the table desperate for a wee. We sit down at 7.30 and we’re up at 9pm and into the bar for drinks.”

Not too many drinks, mind you.

It was lack of common sense and

STEPPING UP

DINNER NIGHT CONFORMS WITH BRITISH ARMY TRADITION... IT IS NOT LONG AND DRAWN OUT Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Jones

courtesy, not a breach of protocol, that caused one of the very few problems Gavin can recall in his 18 months at Frimley.

“An adult volunteer got himself so drunk that he could not get out of the chair in the anteroom,” he says. “He was found there in the morning by the RSM. He had been considerably ill around himself in the chair… Needless to say, he did not pass the course.”

Another adult volunteer was asked to leave for refusing to share a room, while a third left after smoking inside and setting off fire alarms.

This sort of thing is poor behaviour anywhere – it’s not anything to do with complicated rules.

“We find that the biggest stumbling block is not etiquette or dinner nights but the false horror stories that people have heard about what Frimley involves,” he says. “I think people who have been go back to their detachment and say ‘it was really hard but I still passed’ because it makes them sound tougher, but it’s not hell, it’s fun.” Only a tiny proportion of people on leadership courses leave without passing – and if they do it’s usually a welfare or medical issue that means they had to go before they could complete all the assessment criteria – while the pass rate for people who attend skills courses is also high, providing they have done the preparation outlined in the Resource Centre, he says.

FIND OUT MORE

The Standing Orders for the CTC Mess are available in the Resource Centre on Defence Gateway.

ACF OFFICERS

The following have been selected for a commission by CFCB PRV RNK SI SMI AUO AUO AUO AUO SMI RSMI SMI SSI AUO AUO AUO AUO AUO SSI SSI AUO AUO AUO AUO AUO SI RSMI AUO SI AUO AUO AUO AUO RSMI WSSI AUO AUO AUO AUO SMI AUO AUO AUO AUO SI AUO AUO SI AUO SSI AUO SI SSI AUO

SURNAME

INITIAL

COUNTY/BATTALION/SECTOR

FITZGERALD MACIVER DHILLON CASEY CALLENDER SMITH PARRY BOULTON LUND STREETS MULVEY DODS SMITH BLACKETT MEASOM JACK GREEN BLAMIRE BECKHAM BAMBURY-SUITOR DREYFUS LINGARD WILLIAMS RIDING HUCK LISTER BLAIR ROBINSON TWYMAN GREEN TYRER SLATER ALLEN WOOD NELSON PROTANO CRUIKSHANK DAVISON CUMMINGS LEHMANN FEARN CANNON MCLENNAN SMITH PREECE GIFFORD JACKSON-LYALL SMALLEY SHAW CAMERON GRISDALE

C AJ J D CES M ND SRW AJ JS BG K D A D MC C GC ML KA C AJ WSJ S JP SM DJ BC SJ AC WJ HL GN J JT SP SJ P DJC KL T W A BA RJ JP SE GR S JHR B

1ST NORTHERN IRELAND BN ACF 1ST BN THE HIGHLANDERS ACF BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE ACF BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE ACF BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE ACF BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE ACF CAMBRIDGESHIRE ACF CHESHIRE ACF CHESHIRE ACF CORNWALL ACF DURHAM ACF DURHAM ACF DURHAM ACF DURHAM ACF DURHAM ACF GLASGOW AND LANARKSHIRE BN ACF GLASGOW AND LANARKSHIRE BN ACF GREATER LONDON SE SECTOR ACF GREATER LONDON SE SECTOR ACF GREATER LONDON SE SECTOR ACF GREATER LONDON SE SECTOR ACF GREATER MANCHESTER ACF GREATER MANCHESTER ACF GREATER MANCHESTER ACF HEREFORD AND WORCESTER ACF HUMBERSIDE AND SOUTH YORKSHIRE ACF KENT ACF KENT ACF KENT ACF KENT ACF LANCASHIRE ACF LANCASHIRE ACF LEICESTER, NORTHANTS AND RUTLAND ACF LINCOLNSHIRE ACF LINCOLNSHIRE ACF LOTHIAN AND BORDERS BN ACF LOTHIAN AND BORDERS BN ACF MERSEYSIDE ACF NORFOLK ACF NORTHUMBRIA ACF OXFORDSHIRE ACF OXFORDSHIRE ACF OXFORDSHIRE ACF STAFFORDSHIRE AND WEST MIDLAND ACF STAFFORDSHIRE AND WEST MIDLAND ACF SUFFOLK ACF SURREY ACF SUSSEX ACF SUSSEX ACF WEST LOWLAND BN ACF YORKSHIRE (NORTH AND WEST) ACF

ARMYCADETS.COM 29

POLICY The survey gives the opportunity to find out what cadets think

ACF UPDATE

DR RICHARD CRAWFORD, SO1 CADETS POLICY AND PLANS AT REGIONAL COMMAND, GIVES AN UPDATE ON ISSUES AFFECTING YOU AND YOUR DETACHMENT

H AVE YOUR SAY

Cadet Attitude Survey 2016 NEWS

To subscribe to our e-newsletter go to armycadets.com/ about-us/keep-intouch

I

t has been nearly seven years since the last Cadet Attitude Survey was carried out across the Army Cadet Force, in the summer of 2009. That survey gave us a good understanding of why cadets joined the ACF, including more than 90 per cent of cadets saying that being part of the ACF had been important in giving them leadership and team-working experience – two great skills to take into the modern workplace. It also told us that the main reasons cadets joined the ACF (rather than other youth organisations) was to take part in shooting, fieldcraft and adventurous training; subjects that are at the core of what it means to be an Army Cadet.

A lot has changed since 2009; our APC syllabus has developed, our rifles have changed, and we have even been issued with new uniforms. So this year it is more important than ever that we look again at what motivates our cadets to want to join and stay with the ACF. In order to do this we will be running the Cadet Attitude Survey 2016 (CAS16) to get a snapshot of what drives our cadets. However, unlike the previous paper-based survey in 2009, CAS16 will be online, meaning we can reach even more cadets across the whole of the ACF. CAS16 will not be a one-off event. Those of you who have previously served in the Armed Forces will be aware of the

30 ACF SUMMER 2016

Continuous Attitude Survey.

This is run annually for regular and reserve personnel to get a year-on-year feel for what the key issues are, with the information then used to improve training, equipment and other aspects of service life. While we are not part of the Armed Forces, we can use the same tools and techniques to help us get a better understanding of what the key issues are and to plan changes into the future.

PROJECT LIBRA We are not only interested in what our cadets have to say. With the fi rst phase of Project Libra drawing to a close (see news, page 5), CFAVs from all sections of the organisation have had the

UP DAT E Adult volunteers will also get a chance to share what they think later in the year

IN NUMBERS Here’s what our cadets said in 2009:

61%

of cadets joined because they were attracted by the activities available

46%

joined because they wanted to make new friends

68%

think that being a cadet has helped/will help them get a job

97.9%

of cadets said being a cadet had been important in giving them experience of team working

96.7%

said it had been important in giving them experience of leadership

91%

chance to voice their opinions on what works – or doesn’t work – in the ACF. However, Project Libra focuses on only one aspect of ACF life, so a little later this year we will be launching the Adult Volunteer Attitude Survey. This will be a chance for our CFAVs to tell us more about what they think about the ACF and what drives them to be volunteers in our organisation.

Why are we running the two surveys separately this year?

As surveys of both cadets and adult volunteers haven’t been run since 2009, we wanted to make sure we focus on each group properly, giving us a baseline against which we can compare future survey results.

Also, in the run-up to summer, we realise that many of you will be busy preparing for annual camp and all the other activities that go on in July and August, so by concentrating on the CAS16 earlier in the year we won’t distract you from your planning and preparation. In future, the two surveys will be run together.

GET INVOLVED We will shortly be publishing more information on the CAS16 and the link to the online survey, so keep an eye on your email, the CAS16 page on the Defence Gateway or the announcement on Westminster and get clicking – this is your chance to tell us what you think.

WE CAN USE THE SAME TECHNIQUES AS THE ARMED FORCES TO HELP US GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE KEY ISSUES ARE AND TO PLAN CHANGES

said being a cadet had been important in providing direction and guidance

88.8%

said it had been important in giving them experience in confronting risk

91%

agreed that being in cadets makes them want to do well in life

90.8%

agreed that cadets has taught them to respect others

89.5%

said cadets had given them a sense of community

78.5%

agreed that cadets had helped them stay out of trouble

71.1%

agreed that being in cadets helped them get on better with their family

93.1%

felt confident and said the future looks promising

ARMYCADETS.COM 31

IN THE FIELD

KEEP IN TOUCH BY SENDING US YOUR PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD. WHETHER SELFIES OR ACTION SHOTS, DRILL OR FUNDRAISING, SEND THEM TO EDITOR@ARMYCADETS.COM

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2

THE GALLERY

We want to see your pictures of ACF life.

Send pictures of your detachment’s activities to us by the end of June 2016

IN THE PHOTOS: 1: Cadets from Greater Manchester ACF compete in the ACF’s National Cross Country Championships held in Warcop, Cumbria 2: A cadet from Hampshire and IOW ACF enjoys mountain biking at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park in the Meon Valley as part of an AT Continuous Training weekend 3: Cadets are put through their paces at a special Duke of Edinburgh’s Award residential training event in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Award 4: A team of CFAVs from 1st Bn The Highlanders ACF and Orkney ACF light the Queen’s 90th birthday beacon in the Cairngorms 5: The Earl of Wessex visits cadets at Downton detachment, Wiltshire ACF 6: Cadets parade together at the week-long Cadet Force Music Camp in Altcar, Merseyside 7: A cadet from Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) is ready for the long journey home after the county’s Easter Camp on Salisbury Plain 8: Lancashire ACF cadets and CFAVs take a break from their sea kayaking training in Cornwall to pose for a group shot 3

32 ACF SUMMER 2016

Photo: Peter Hilton, GMACF PRO

G A L L E RY

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SHARE YOUR PHOTOS 7

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Whether you’re at camp, doing command tasks, or any other fun or adventurous activity, send your images to editor@armycadet.com

ARMYCADETS.COM 33

D AY I N T H E L I F E

Neil Hobbs takes to the stage for the day job

We practise escape and evasion Self-employed training consultant and actor Neil Hobbs on camouflage exercises, set catering and finding a body in the garage 06.00 Wake up. I’m usually out running by

13.00 Lunch. Set catering

6.15am, depending on my filming schedule.

Then I’m back home for a stretch and a cuppa, while my wife tries to get our daughters out of bed and I sort out breakfast.

is usually pretty good – things like vegetable stir-fry, ratatouille and bread. They feed us well.

08.30 I pack the girls out the door and follow

14.00 Filming restarts. In this scene we

them out moments later. Some days I don’t start filming until mid-afternoon, but today I need to be in north London to shoot scenes for a Discovery film called American Monster.

are searching the house and making sure the murderer isn’t still there.

09.30 Arrive on set, where I am met by a production assistant who takes me to wardrobe and makes sure I am wearing the same clothes as in the previous scene we shot so that we get the continuity right. Next would be make-up, which isn’t usually much for men, but this time the make-up lady says I don’t even need powder.

10.30 I meet the first assistant director and we run through the scene we’re about to film.

In it, I’m one of two detectives arriving at a house where, unbeknownst to us at this point, a murder has been committed. We go around the house with our guns out doing all the stuff you see on TV, which is really fun. Then our back-up arrives, we find a body in the garage, and that’s the end of the scene.

11.30 We’re only half an hour behind schedule when we start shooting – that’s pretty good. The scene doesn’t sound complicated but we have to shoot it from many different angles, from inside and outside, so it takes about 90 minutes.

34 ACF SUMMER 2016

15.30 That’s a wrap. It’s my last day of shooting so I return my costume, say goodbye and head back to Surrey.

17.30 Dinner with the family – usually something like lasagne or a baked potato.

I eat pretty fast, get changed and then I am out the door.

18.45 Arrive at the detachment, talk to the two SIs and prepare for the evening.

19.30 Fieldcraft exercise. We’re lucky because Priory Park is only 10 minutes away, so we have a great venue to practise escape and evasion and to do camouflage exercises.

The kids love it!

21.30 We send the cadets packing and have a bit of a debrief about the night.

MEET NEIL Neil Hobbs, 48 Rank: Lieutenant Joined: 2009 Detachment: Reigate, Surrey ACF Day job: Actor and co-founder of Myosotis Health & Safety Training Ltd Why I became a volunteer: I served with 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (1983-1988) so I mark Armed Forces Day. About seven years ago my daughters went up to a cadets stand. The instructor said they were too young, but he said to me “you’re not” and gave me a brochure.

Share your story

Write and tell us how you manage a day job and volunteering for the cadets. Email editor@ armycadets.com

Neil’s Reigate detachment

ARMY CADET VOLUNTEER

NEXT ISSUE COMING UP IN THE AUTUMN ISSUE

The ACF and employers Advice on building relationships between the ACF and your employer PRO conference An update from this year’s conference in June ACF video competition The launch of an exciting new competition for detachments