Connected - Autumn 2015

CONNECTED THE MAGAZINE FOR INSTRUCTORS OF THE COMBINED CADET FORCE

AUTUMN 2015

COMBINEDCADETFORCE.ORG.UK

OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR?

TOP TIPS

ON HOW TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS PAGE 15

COOL CAMP

THE EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES CADETS HAD AT SUMMER CAMP INSIDE: NEWS COMMAND & LEADERSHIP TASKS CASE STUDY: WESTCLIFF HIGH SCHOOL NEW TERM TACTICS AND MORE

CONTENTS

WELCOME

I SSU E # 1 : AU T U M N 201 5 I am pleased to introduce the first issue of Connected, the new magazine for the CCF. Every time I attend a cadet event I am both impressed and humbled by the young men and women in our cadet forces and the commitment of the adult volunteers who support them. They are excellent ambassadors for the UK’s youth organisations and, as a former cadet, I am proud to be a part of it as the new General Officer Commanding.

The CCF offers young people challenges, fun and the chance to test their own abilities while serving the community.

It also offers an excellent illustration of the benefits of partnership, as there are many good examples of schools in the state and independent sectors sharing support or resources to give the best opportunities to cadets. You can read how Brentwood School and Westcliff Academy did this on p12.

I am excited by the challenges and possibilities I see in the CCF’s future, and I want to hear adult volunteers’ views on how we can turn an already good organisation into a truly great one.

MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD STANFORD General Officer Commanding, Support Command

6

12

22

THIS ISSUE 06. ON THE RIGHT FOOT Starting off the new school year, and your new contingent, with a bang

ON THE COVER All the action and adventures from this year’s annual camps.

12. PERFECT PARTNERS How Westcliff High School worked in partnership to establish a new CCF

16. SUMMER CAMP All the highlights from this year’s camp

22. DUKE OF WESTMINSTER

EV ERY ISSUE 04. NEWS Awards, prizes and news about this year’s dinner

20. COMMAND & LEADERSHIP Fantastic practical exercises for you to try with your contingent

24. NOTICEBOARD The latest on annual inspections, a Cadet Bursary Fund update and the latest on Regional Command

Nine cadets experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip to South Africa

Connected is produced by the Marketing and Communications team, based at the Combined Cadet Force Association, Holderness House, 51-61 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4DW. Get in touch: Tel: 02074268377 Fax: 02074268378 Website: www.combinedcadetforce. org.uk Email: ccfmarketing@armycadets.com Twitter: @CCFCadets Connected magazine is designed and edited by James Pembroke Publishing Editor: Carly Chynoweth Art editor: Simon Goddard Project manager: Esther Newman 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 CCFA 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 CCFA or the Army.

COMBINEDCADETFORCE.ORG.UK 3

NEWS

CADET NEWS FROM AROUND THE UK Cadets from Bromsgrove School had the experience of a lifetime in South Africa

Max and his sister Mini after receiving the award at London’s Lancaster Hotel

EXPEDITION

South African adventure

YOUNG HERO

AWARD FOR LIFESAVER CADET’S QUICK THINKING SAVES SISTER AFTER HOLIDAY ACCIDENT LEAVES ARTERY SEVERED

M

ax Willson from Bredon School CCF has been awarded the Guy Evans Young Hero prize for quick thinking that saved his little sister’s life.

The 17-year-old’s sister, Mini, started bleeding heavily when she accidentally put her hand through a pane of glass, severing an artery and three tendons.

The cadet, then only 16, immediately recognised the seriousness of the situation, using kitchen towel to stem

4 CONNECTED AUTUMN 2015

the flow of blood before improvising a dressing then calling for help.

Max, who was at his family’s holiday home in France, couldn’t recall his exact location, so he used Google to find the correct number to call and a bottle of wine from the vineyard opposite his location to work out what address to give the emergency services.

This combination of Max’s first aid skills, ingenuity and ability to keep calm under pressure undoubtedly saved his sister’s life as well as earning him the award, which was presented this summer at the 2015 St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes Awards.

Max’s father, TV presenter Quentin Willson, praised the cadets for giving Max his excellent first aid training, and said that every school and every child should have access to first aid training.

THIS SUMMER 14 cadets and three staff members from Bromsgrove School CCF embarked on a three week expedition of a lifetime to some of the remotest areas of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The goal of the trip was to give cadets the opportunity to develop self-reliance and resilience while learning about the culture and history of South Africa.

It included an environmental phase, in which cadets visited the Ithala game reserve tracking animals, and also a tour of Zulu War battlefields.

Cadets also took responsibility for tasks including preparing and cooking meals over an open fire for 20 people and washing their own clothes – not to mention learning how to socialise without using social media.

The cadets handled these challenges with aplomb, and enjoyed completing an exciting, fulfilling and unforgettable adventure.

GE T I N T OUC H E: CCFMarketing@armycadets.com @CCFcadets

C A D E T N E WS

NEW YEAR, NEW START

Giving cadets responsibility to keep them engaged is all part of the plan.

Off On The Right Foot Page 6

COMPETITION

JOSHUA IS TOP CADET CAMPBELLIAN TAKES SWORD, WHILE KIMBOLTON WINS OVERALL PRIZE

C

adet Warrant Officer Joshua Catherall, from Campbell College in Belfast, has won this year’s Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword in the annual Air Squadron Trophy Competition. Kimbolton School, Cambridgeshire, secured the top position in the overall competition.

They and other prize winners received their awards at the recent Air Squadron Day, held at The Shuttleworth Collection at the Old Warden Aerodrome in Biggleswade. Joshua’s prize, awarded each year to the cadet

Cadet WO Joshua Catherall with the Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword, presented to him by Lady Thomson

judged the best in the CCF (RAF), was particularly apt as former Air Chief Marshal Sir John also attended Campbell College. Joshua also won a fl ight in a Tiger Moth.

The annual competition, open to all RAF sections across the British Isles, is the RAF CCF’s national ground training contest.

It sees teams of 13, led by a captain of Cadet Corporal rank or above, compete in a variety of disciplines – including fi rst aid, shooting, physical fitness, RAF knowledge, aircraft recognition, drill and command tasks – with the two best teams in each area moving through to the national fi nal.

The top three teams from the fi nal, Kimbolton School (1st) Dulwich College (2nd) King’s School, Worcester (3rd), which this year was held at RAF Halton, are invited to attend the Air Squadron Day.

Three places are available for the Annual Dinner

C E L E B R AT I O N

Nominate a cadet to attend the CCFA Annual Dinner

C

CFA is delighted to be able to offer three cadet places at the 2015 Annual Dinner, which will take place on Monday 14 December at Hotel Russell in London.

Places for cadets will be free of charge, and cadets can be accommodated in London. The cadets, who must be at least 16 years old, will have the opportunity to meet senior military attendees and share their experiences of the CCF. To nominate cadets, please tell us in no more than 200 words the contribution that they have made to your CCF, their achievements and the reason they deserve this opportunity.

Send your nominations to ccfmarketing@armycadets.com on or before 15 October 2015.

COMBINEDCADETFORCE.ORG.UK 5

fe ature

off on the right foot The start of a new school year means a lot of forward planning for CCF contingent commanders in order to produce activities and challenges for cadets 6 CONNECTED Autumn 2015

N E W S CH O O L Y E A R

TOP TIPS Five steps to effective instruction

1

IDENTIFY THE NEED FOR TRAINING

Think about what this particular group of cadets needs to learn, and why.

2

PLAN AND PREPARE THE TRAINING

Audience: What approach will work best for them? Are there particular things you will need to keep in mind?

Resources: Where can you find out more about your subject?

Where can you access lesson plans and other resources? What will you need to provide for trainees?

3

DELIVER THE TRAINING Introduction: 10% of session.

Start by stating a clear, direct aim that states what the cadets will be able to do. For instance, “at the end of this session you will be able to tie and untie a reef knot correctly”.

Involving senior cadets in planning exercises is a great way to keep them engaged

T

he start of a new school year is the perfect time to get off on the right foot whether you’re setting up a new contingent or welcoming pupils to one with a history stretching back to the 19th century.

“Everything across the school kicks off at a great pace when school goes back, so we don’t do any training in that first week,” says Lt Col Anthony Lamb, the CCF Contingent Commander at Eastbourne College, an independent day and boarding school in East Sussex with a CCF history

dating back 119 years. “Instead, I like to hand out a detailed programme to staff so that we can look it over, confirm that it works and correct any issues that might come up.

“I also use that time to get the senior cadets together and show them the plan, too. Eight weeks is a long time for kids to switch off, so it takes a little bit of time to switch them back on and make sure that their minds are back in the game. When we get together I show them the plan, explain their part in it, see if they have any questions and then tell them that they need to get their own planning done.” Giving senior cadets

Main body: 80% of session.

Think of different ways to present the information. This could be a lecture, a game, a worksheet, a practical exercise or a variety of other options – or a combination.

Think about props that can help you engage trainees. Allow time for assessment.

Conclusion: 10% of session.

Wrap it up and reinforce the central idea.

4

ASSESS THE TRAINEES

5

EVALUATE THE TRAINING

Check if trainees have grasped the idea using a quiz, a written test or other appropriate method.

Reflect on how you could improve things the next time you teach this session.

Source: ACF Basic Induction Course PowerPoint slides

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N E W S CH O O L Y E A R

DID YOU KNOW?

CCFs have existed

this sort of responsibility is for over 150 years – an important part of keeping welcome to our them engaged, he adds (see first issue!

‘Make the most of your senior cadets,’ below).

Being able to have these conversations means that much of the planning needs to have been done at the end of the previous academic year. “That’s things like booking training areas and organising resources such as ammunition, rations and any specialist equipment that you might want to borrow from outside,” he says.

PLAN IN ADVANCE “It is also helpful to plan in advance with things like authorisation for training.

That has to go through the cadet training team’s chain of command, so it needs to be in place six weeks in advance.”

Ideally this process will have been started before the summer holidays but, if not, it should receive prompt attention now

Classroom based training can help add value to exciting trips and activities

SENIOR SERVICE

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SENIOR CADETS

Lt Col Anthony Lamb is Contingent Commander of Eastbourne College

SENIOR CADETS need

spoon-fed, so create

A levels, stayed with

have stayed with

more than the promise

conditions where they

the CCF after it was

cadets without those

this problem, how could

of field days to stay

can act independently.

no longer compulsory

opportunities – it was

I sort it out?’ which was

engaged. Give them

Obviously as the

precisely because it

great fun.

really helpful.”

responsibility, challenge

contingent commander

offered opportunities for

“I also had a lot

and the chance to test

you are the one who

independent leadership.

of support. I would

senior cadets first

their boundaries – within

is legally responsible,

“I didn’t just want to

take lessons maybe

preference for extra

appropriate guidelines.

so you have to provide

cruise,” he says.

a mile up the road from

voluntary field and range

teacher supervision…

exercises above and

“We live in a society

overarching control

where too many people

to ensure that they

spent a year assisting

sometimes the people

beyond the prescribed

think that young people

are working within the

at Ratton School’s CCF

I was instructing would

programme. This is

are lazy, but I find that

rules, but it is entirely

section which trained

misbehave but I knew

beneficial to them as

every time I challenge

possible to find a

with Eastbourne as

the teacher would back

instructors as well as

my cadets they rise to

balance between

part of a partnership

me up and support me.

being an incentive. “It

the challenge and enjoy

appropriate supervision

initiative. He also

it,” says Anthony.

and autonomy.”

participated as an

really easy for me to

stand up and teach they

instructor during his final

contact them by email

can share stories and

year of A levels.

with any questions, so

talk from experience,

I could just say ‘I have

not just a textbook.”

“Senior cadets

Former Eastbourne

thrive on autonomy,

student Finn Virgo, who

they don’t want to be

has just finished his

8 CONNECTED AUTUMN 2015

The Colour Sergeant

Anthony also gives

“I probably wouldn’t

“They also made it

means every time they

N E W S CH O O L Y E A R

Share training programmes early in the year so contingents can de-conflict activities

Westminster can be a useful resource when planning fieldcraft lessons

“EIGHT WEEKS IS A LONG TIME FOR KIDS TO SWITCH OFF, SO IT TAKES TIME TO MAKE SURE THEIR MINDS ARE BACK IN THE GAME” Lt Col Anthony Lamb to minimise delays in the future. “Over the holidays I spent some time planning in detail across our three sections while my section OCs worked in detail on their own programmes,” says Anthony. “All are published centrally on the school web so we can deconfl ict to ensure contested resources such as range time and weapons can be sorted out early on.”

Once the overarching structure is clear Anthony, along with his team and the senior cadets, can start planning individual training sessions (see ‘Five steps to effective instruction,’ p7). “The starting point when planning should be

‘what do I want the cadets to be able to do at the end of this’. Once you know that, you can work backwards.

“The next thing is working out how to make it interesting. These kids already spend a lot of time in the classroom, so look at ways to combine theory and practice.”

A bit of competition can be a good way to enliven dry subjects such as history, he adds. “You could sit there and scroll through a PowerPoint presentation and at the end they will be glazed over.

“Or you could create some cards, hide them around the classroom and then tell them that they have five minutes to fi nd the cards and work

Obstacle course training builds teamwork, but also helps cadets set personal goals

as a team to put them in chronological order. That way they have to interact, they have to be organised and they have to talk to each other. Then you could split them into smaller groups, given them time to get their heads around four or five cards, then tell them to teach the other group. And you could fi nish with a quiz.”

And be prepared to see ideas in unexpected places, adds Anthony, fi nally.

“I looked out of the window just the other day to see the master in charge of rugby with 80 kids playing a game about getting the ball from one end of the field to the other. It looked very like a war game… I realised just how easy it would be to turn that into a lesson on how to prepare and deliver orders.”

FIND OUT MORE Westminster and Bader Sharepoint are a good starting point to find useful session planning resources.

Competitions and quizzes make dry subjects more exciting

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INSIGHTS

The Thomas Deacon Academy CCF has gone from strength to strength since its formation in 2007 as part of the Cadet Expansion Programme

POSITIVE CULTURE

The CCF has been at Thomas Deacon Academy since it opened in 2007. CEO and principal Julie Taylor explains how important it is to the school

T

homas Deacon Academy is a large inner-city comprehensive which opened in Peterborough in 2007. We have 2,250 students in years 7-13, relatively high levels of social disadvantage and a higher than average number of students who speak English as an additional language.

At a previous Ofsted inspection we were rated as ‘requires improvement,’ but at our most recent inspection this was

10 CONNECTED AUTUMN 2015

increased two levels to ‘good’. The CCF – along with the hard work and commitment of our staff and students – played a valuable part in this, as it has in so many aspects of our school right from the outset.

The Thomas Deacon CCF, which has RAF and Army sections, was established at the same time as the Academy itself.

The board at the time had looked at what worked well in the independent sector, and recognised that having a CCF could have a positive influence on

the Academy’s ethos, and decided to build it into its culture from the start.

It’s an approach that has been very successful. Thomas Deacon is now well known and respected in the local community for its CCF, and this has in turn helped to attract both potential students and their parents – so many that the school is now oversubscribed. Parents tell me that the CCF is synonymous with good standards of behaviour and discipline, which they find particularly appealing.

SCHOOL COHESION The CCF has also helped create a feeling of cohesion across the school as a whole – something that was particularly important at the outset, as the Academy was formed by bringing three very different schools together. Today, the 150 boys and girls in the cadet force still come from a diverse range of faiths and cultural backgrounds, but they are united through cadets.

As principal, one thing that I find enormously valuable is the unique and rich package of activities that CCF offers to our young people – activities and opportunities to which many would not otherwise have

S CH O O L S

DID YOU KNOW?

More adults than ever before are joining the CCF as instructors

INSPECTION FORCE

CCF help for Ofsted OFSTED’S LAST visit to Thomas Deacon, just before the summer holidays, happened to be on a day when our cadets and adult volunteers were in uniform. The inspectors thought the uniform was a good example of modelling high standards of behaviour – but this wasn’t the only thing about the CCF that impressed them.

1 As well as regular parades at the school, cadets have proudly represented the CCF at a number of high profile events, including at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and 10 Downing Street

“EVERY PUPIL IN EVERY CLASS STANDS A BIT TALLER AND DRESSES A BIT SMARTER BECAUSE OF THE CADETS’ INFLUENCE” CEO and principal Julie Taylor access. I can also see how much involvement in cadets does to help young people develop self esteem, respect for others and a variety of practical and personal skills that will be useful to them in the future whether they are filling in their UCAS form or applying for a job.

Cadets and adult volunteers show real leadership in a way that has a knock-on effect throughout the rest of the school. This is perhaps most obvious on Wednesdays when they all come to school in their cadet uniforms looking very smart, calling me Ma’am rather than Mrs Taylor. Every pupil in every class stands a bit taller and dresses a bit smarter because of the cadets’ influence; I don’t have to go around saying “tuck in your shirt” or “why are you wearing trainers?” because other young people are modelling good behaviour for them.

It is also important to note that the teachers who volunteer with cadets are

also very positive role models for both their colleagues and their students. CCF gives them a chance to pursue all sorts of adventurous activities alongside the cadets, but it also means they demonstrate that they are prepared to invest their weekends and evenings in this activity.

In other words, they are showing students that there is more to school and learning than simply passing exams. Obviously qualifications are important, and we take formal learning very seriously, but they are not everything. The CCF is helping to equip students with the skills they need to lead full lives for the benefit of their whole community.

Case studies. These let us demonstrate how previously troublesome students who joined the CCF showed improved attendance and a reduction in exclusions.

2

Reduction in social disadvantage. We receive the pupil premium for around 35% of our students but this ratio is higher among cadets, which helps us show that it is helping to reduce social disadvantage.

3

Opportunities for student leadership.

This was something the inspectors discussed when talking to students.

4

Teaching British values.

One of the nicest things that happened was a casual conversation between one of the inspectors and a young Asian student wearing his RAF CCF uniform. They got chatting and he told her “I’m proud to wear the Queen’s uniform”. It was a lovely thing – it gave me goosebumps.

FIND OUT MORE The CCF Annual General Meeting (14 December 2015) is a great place to find out more about the impact CCFs can have, and build new relationships between schools.

Thomas Deacon Academy established its CCF when the school was founded in 2007

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insight

“Don’t follow the crowd! step out of your comfort zone and learn skills that you don’t get anywhere else” Colour Sergeant Harry Miloszewski

S CH O O L S

PERFECT PARTNERS When Westcliff High School wanted to start its own CCF, it looked to the long-established Brentwood School group for support

W

estcliff High School for Boys was one of the first schools to sign up to the Cadet Expansion Programme. The state grammar school’s headmaster, Michael Skelly (then deputy) had been impressed by the CCF at his previous school and was quick to grasp the opportunity to establish one at his new school in Essex.

“We were invited to a meeting in London with the Minister at the time when they announced the CEP,” says Captain Jonathan Bleakley, Westcliff’s Contingent Commander. “In the Q&A session afterwards I said I was a trained CCF officer and that we had an incoming head with CCF experience – so when could we start?”

Less than six months later, at the start of the 2012-13 school year, Westcliff became the first CEP school. It did not, however, do it on its own. Instead, it started life as a detachment of Brentwood School’s CCF – one of the oldest in the country.

“A partnership was the only option,” says Jonathan, who was a cadet at Campbell College and started volunteering while he was at university. “It was that or become an ACF, but the approach worked well.” He had his commission transferred from his old

Westcliff High School’s CCF passing out parade 2015

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S CH O O L S

DID YOU KNOW?

You can find us on Twitter @ccfcadets – and share your news with us

school to Brentwood, which has a notional cadet strength of 412 and took on the day-today administration. “Adding our 25 to their hundreds did not make a very big difference to the amount of administration they had to do, but it allowed us to set up,” says Jonathan.

CADET CHEMISTRY The distance between the two schools meant that Westcliff’s cadets spent relatively little time with their Brentwood counterparts. “We are about 45 minutes away in traffic so we did not parade with them. We functioned as our own satellite unit, but they sorted out things like stores, booking things and organising field days – which we joined them on.”

This meant that Jonathan, who is also a chemistry teacher and Westcliff’s middle school progress leader, was able to focus on recruiting staff and building momentum at his school rather than getting bogged

Forming a new CCF was a challenge, but hugely rewarding

CASE STUDY

COLOUR SERGEANT HARRY MILOSZEWSKI HARRY MILOSZEWSKI,

It took a few weeks for

them to talk to us. Since

17, joined Westcliff CCF

the uniforms to arrive and

we became independent

in October 2012 after a

we hadn’t done any of the

it has helped us to move

presentation that Captain

adventure activities that

forward. We have been

Bleakley gave at a whole-

he had talked about, but

able to organise activities

school assembly caught

as the weeks went on it

by ourselves and adapt

his attention. He is starting

became clearer, got more

activities to suit us and

year 13 in September.

organised and I really

our CCF. For example,

started to enjoy it.

we do more practical

“I wasn’t too sure what I had signed up for at first.

“My favourite part is summer camp. It gives us

exercises on camp.

“CCF will completely

the chance to put all the

change you as a person,

skills we’ve learnt over the

and definitely for the

year into practice. It also

better. My message to

gives us senior cadets a

other students is don’t

chance to get to know

follow the crowd! Step out

the newer recruits, which

of your comfort zone and

makes it easier for us to

learn skills that you don’t

help them and easier for

get anywhere else.”

down in paperwork. This was helpful for him personally, as his previous experience was in running the training side of things rather than administration, it was absolutely critical for the successful establishment of the contingent as a whole, he says.

“The headmaster and I did not want the CCF to be a special interest group… we wanted to grow it as quickly as tenable and to embed it in the culture of the school. The only way to do that was to have it become a real presence very quickly.”

INDEPENDENCE DAY The original plan was for a three-year partnership starting with 25 cadets in the first year, rising to 50 then 75 as Westcliff was able to find the right number of trained staff. As it turned out, however, Westcliff struck out on its own in January 2015, with a formal inauguration event at which Colonel Gary Wilkinson, the Commander of Colchester Garrison,

S CH O O L S

TOP TIPS

for established CCFs supporting newcomers Cadet Anuj Patel with year eight pupils on an inauguration day taster session

1 Cadets at 2014’s Field Day at the Colchester Garrison

Keep it close. Schools should partner with other schools nearby whenever possible.

This makes it easier to offer practical support and minimises the amount of time that cadets and/or volunteers need to travel.

2

Know what it costs. This doesn’t only mean money; it’s also important to understand the extra workload that a partnership can put on volunteers and to ensure that they have the support they need.

3

Know your partner. Ensure you understand the type and amount of support the new CCF’s leadership team will need. Westcliff managed its own training and became independent relatively quickly because of Jonathan’s experience, but others might need longer.

Cadets all smiles on annual inspection

“WE WANTED TO GROW THE CCF QUICKLY AND TO EMBED IT IN THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL. THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT WAS TO HAVE IT BECOME A REAL PRESENCE VERY QUICKLY” Captain Jonathan Bleakley inspected the contingent and presented it with its CCF colours.

The turning point was the school appointing its own SSI, who has an hour a day and a day per week assigned to CCF work.

SHARED RESOURCES While the formal partnership may be over, the relationship with Brentwood continues.

“At the moment most of the help is coming from them, as they have the resources,” says Jonathan. “Brentwood’s two SSIs came and helped us on a range day as safety staff, and we have to borrow their

weapons for the next field day, as we have none of our own.

“But we are always willing to help them, too. For instance, I have helped them on weapons training.” Westcliff is also looking at what it can do to help the next generation of new CCFs. “I think we could take on a partner school ourselves, relatively soon,” he says, eagerly.

FIND OUT MORE

4

Communicate. Stay in regular contact with your counterpart by phone and email so that everyone’s position is clear; this should make it easier to manage problems before they get too big.

5

Make the most of opportunities for your cadets. Brentwood’s cadets did not have a formal training role with Westcliff’s newcomers but provided a lot of unofficial guidance and enjoyed the interaction and the chance to be ‘big brothers’ at summer camp.

Source: Lt Colonel John Seaman, Brentwood School CCF. The independent day and boarding school has had a CCF for more than 150 years.

It has the largest Royal Navy section in the country as well as RAF and Army sections

Get in touch with your regional brigade SO2 Cadets.

COMBINEDCADETFORCE.ORG.UK 15

SU M M E R C A M P

Cadets on camp in Portsmouth enjoy the water after a busy morning of kayaking lessons with instructors at HMS Bristol

ATOZ

OF SUMMER CAMP

A

IS FOR: AIRBORNE CCF cadets at RAF Odiham experienced the excitement of an evening Chinook flight over Hampshire.

B

IS FOR: BREAKFAST Cadets and CFAVs ate over 12,000 breakfasts on camp; that’s a lot of eggs!

C

IS FOR: CAMO Over 400 sticks of the essential Camo Cream were used in fieldcraft exercises.

D

IS FOR: DRAGON BOATING Just one of the experiences on offer for cadets at camp – and this one has proved very popular.

E

IS FOR: EXCITEMENT From raft building to advanced military tactics, cadets were able to try their hand at a whole host of activities on camp.

SU M M E R C A M P

FE ATURE

ONE GIANT LEAP Annual camp has been as successful as ever this year, with enthusiastic cadets increasing their confidence and proving their mettle in every discipline

A

nnual camp is one of the major highlights of the year for every CCF. This year CCF cadets travelled to camps around the UK and to sites further afield, with some attending training and expeditions in places such as Borneo, the United States and France.

For some cadets, this summer was their first camp. The contingent at Castle View Enterprise Academy in Sunderland was only established in May 2015, so its members were excited to meet other cadets at Wathgill in Yorkshire. The camp

F

IS FOR: FAM EX Around a third of camps ran familiarisation exercises to help cadets get to know the base they were on.

G

IS FOR: GREAT OUTDOORS Some cadets spent time on camp on expeditions, exploring the wilderness.

H

IS FOR: HIGH ROPES Don’t look down!

I

hosted 79 cadets, giving them the chance to experience a multitude of activities, from kayaking and raft building to obstacle courses.

“It was extremely gratifying to see the new school hit the ground running,” says Maj David Crawford OC 4 Inf Bde CTT. “The cadets and staff all put in a huge amount of effort. They left tired but happy, at the end of a very rewarding week.”

Even for the most experienced cadets annual camp could offer new experiences; cadets from around the country visited Cyprus and Gibraltar, where monkeys, caves and the World War II tunnels were just a few of the sights.

IS FOR: INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLIMBING Cadets loved getting to grips with vertical challenges.

J

IS FOR: JOKES Sharing accommodation and working together for a week always requires plenty of funny banter.

K

IS FOR: KAYAKING Many lucky cadets were able to try out their oar skills.

L

IS FOR: LUNCHES: More than 10,000 brown paper bags were packed with nutritious lunches across all the UK camps.

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SU M M E R C A M P

IN THE PHOTOS: 01: Cadets at Nesscliffe undertaking challenging field exercises, including blank firing and camouflage 02: Cadets return to harbour after a hard days sailing at HMS Bristol Central Camp 03: Cadets and staff from St Mary’s School, Crosby, on CCF Central camp 04: Cadets enjoy cooking in the field at annual camp in the West Midlands 05: CCF cadets from Gordon’s School (Surrey), take on the challenge of outdoor climbing at their summer camp at Longmoor 06: Cadets at Nesscliffe learn about tactical movements in the field while at their annual camp 07: CCF cadets at HMS Bristol Central camp taking part a game of kayak polo

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08: CCF cadets posing in a break from paintballing exercises on camp 09: Cadets at Nesscliffe get a lesson in care of their weapon in between exercises in the field 10: Cadets from the CCF Contingent at Castle View Enterprise Academy at their first Central Camp, in Wathgill, Yorkshire 11: Cadets at HMS Bristol Central Camp enjoy a sailing lesson

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IS FOR: MARKSMANSHIP Always a popular activity, cadets in camps had the opportunity to try out their shooting skills.

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IS FOR: NAVIGATING Orienteering exercises, compasses at the ready.

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IS FOR: OVERSEAS CCF cadets attended camps in far-flung places as exotic as Gibraltar, Cyprus and Borneo.

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IS FOR: PAINTBALLING Shooting targets is a great team building exercise.

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IS FOR: QUICK MARCH Cadets spent more than 5,000 hours on drill at camp as they moved between exercises.

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IS FOR: RATION PACKS Thousands of 24 hour ration packs were put to good use in field exercises on camps .

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IS FOR: SAILING Many cadets set sail for the first time this summer.

SU M M E R C A M P

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“IT WAS EXTREMELY GRATIFYING TO SEE THE NEW SCHOOL HIT THE GROUND RUNNING” Maj David Crawford OC 4 Inf Bde CTT

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IS FOR: TEAMWORK From command tasks to keeping the accommodation clean, teamwork was vital during the whole camp.

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IS FOR: UNDER CANVAS Lots of cadets experienced life under canvas, be it a basha or in a large military tent.

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IS FOR: VISITS TO SHIPS Some CCF cadets spent the week on HMS Bristol.

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IS FOR: WOOF CCF cadets visited military dog sections to learn how military police dogs are trained and used.

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IS FOR: X-TREME SPORTS Mountain biking, rock climbing… there were lots of adrenalineboosting activities on offer.

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IS FOR: YACHTING Equally there were a lot of skills for cadets to acquire, including sailing, navigating and those allimportant knots.

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IS FOR: ZZZZZ With a typical reveille time of 06.00 on camps, cadets and staff caught up on sleep once they returned home.

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T E A M B UIL D IN G

COMMAND AND LEADERSHIP THREE DIVERTING TASKS GUARANTEED TO BUILD INTEREST, ENTHUSIASM AND CONFIDENCE IN YOUR CADETS TASK 1

TASK 2

TASK 3

CROSSING THE VOID

LEGO MODEL

BLINDFOLD HEIGHT

Equipment: Rope or string, hessian sack and carabiner Time: 15 minutes Where: Indoors or outdoors – anywhere you can create a gap Aim: To get the sack across the gap Benefits: Promotes teamwork, logic and planning Instructions and result: The group was split in half to stand on either side of the gap. Two trees either side of the gap were used as a starting point for the exercise. The group worked through various rope/pulley systems to move the sack across the gap. The exercise provided a good opportunity for the group to work together to come up with a logical plan, then put it into practice.

Equipment: Two identical sets of Lego or a similar construction toy Time: Depends on complexity Where: Indoors, ideally three clearlydefined areas or rooms Aim: To recreate a model Benefits: Promotes communication and leadership Instructions and result: A small model was made from Lego. Only two cadets were allowed to look at the model; they could not draw anything or write notes. After three minutes they briefed two more cadets in another room on what they had seen. These cadets then briefed a final group, which had an identical set of Lego pieces and was told to recreate what had been described.

Equipment: Blindfolds and whistle Time: 10 minutes Where: Large indoor space or sports field Aim: Cadets must arrange themselves into a straight line in height order, while blindfolded Benefits: Promotes communication and leadership Instructions and results: Cadets were spread out around the room and blindfolded. After being briefed to listen for safety signals (whistle), they attempted to get into a line.

Most cadets quickly gathered together, but sorting into height order was a slower process. Things sped up when two cadets took control and moved all the others into position.

MAKE IT EASIER: Shorten the gap (if you are indoors!); provide more/ longer rope; pre-place some rope.

MAKE IT EASIER: Allow multiple visits between rooms; cut down the number of links in the chain.

MAKE IT EASIER: Start the cadets in a straight line, but in random height order.

MAKE IT HARDER: Do not pre-place any ropes; fill the sack with small objects to weigh it down.

MAKE IT HARDER: Make a complex model; increase the number of cadets in the communication chain.

MAKE IT HARDER: No talking.

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DID YOU KNOW?

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Corporate away day websites can be a source of ideas for activities

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PR O FIL E

DUKE OF WESTMINSTER AWARD EXCITEMENT WAS HIGH AS NINE NOMINATED CADETS WERE TAKEN ON AN EXPEDITION TO SOUTH AFRICA

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ine outstanding cadets returned from the trip of a lifetime to South Africa recently after making it to the final stage of the 2015 Duke of Westminster Award.

Under Officer Archie Edmunds, from the Duke of York’s Royal Military School, was one of two CCF finalists in this year’s awards, alongside Staff Sergeant Amy Broomhead of Read School CCF. The overall winner, Joanna Baker of 2nd Northern Ireland Bn ACF, was named at a ceremony in the House of Lords in June.

Simply making the nine-strong list of finalists was an incredible achievement – and

Archie Edmunds was one of two CCF finalists this year

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an amazing experience, according to Archie.

“I was in a study session at school when the list was announced and my internet kept crashing,” he says. “Eventually I got it – and then I was sent out of the classroom because I was too excited. I went to find Lt Anne Ryder, who submitted my nomination, and she was over the moon, as were my mum and dad. It took a while to settle in.”

AFRICAN EXPEDITION All this excitement was nothing next to the cultural insight and experience of the finalists’ trip to South Africa, however. “It was the best two weeks of my life,” says Archie. “The battlefield tours were something I had wanted to do since I was eight and saw Zulu… the safari meant I saw giraffes, zebras and lions in the wild, which was hugely exciting.

“Going to Kosi Bay and building tables and chairs for a school as part of the community project was incredible, seeing how happy the children were without the luxuries we take for granted. It was humbling.”

Archie, who plans to study forensic computing at the University of Portsmouth before applying to join the Royal Marines, encouraged other cadets to get involved.

“You will never know what you’re capable of until you push yourself,” he said. “By doing this you gain a better understanding of your leadership skills and how to develop them, plus a sense of what life has to offer and a real determination to grab it with both hands. Even if I hadn’t made it through to the final stage I would still recommend it, because it’s such a valuable leadership learning experience.”

The awards, organised by CVQO (formerly the Cadet Vocational Qualification Organisation), recognise cadets who have used their cadet experience to contribute to the wider community. “We accept as a given that the cadets who are nominated are achieving highly as cadets,” says the education charity’s Steve Taylor. “What we look for are young people who have taken that experience and used it outside cadets. For instance, they might be doing extra volunteering, or they might be using it to overcome personal challenges.” Previous winners have included at least two young people who overcame difficult upbringings.

“It is fundamentally a way of validating the cadet experience and showing that it has realworld relevance,” says Steve.

PR O FIL E

Finalists and this year’s Regional Ambassador attend the prestigious Duke of Westminster Awards lunch

DID YOU KNOW?

CVQO also selects a regional ambassador to help spread the word

Cadets take part in one of the challenging selection exercises, designed to test teamwork and communications skills

FIND OUT MORE Nominate your cadets next year

NOMINATIONS FOR next year’s Duke of Westminster award will open in October.

CVQO’s Steve Taylor encourages all contingent commanders to keep an eye on www.cvqo. org/duke-of-westminster for the latest announcements and nomination forms.

“We have always had a very good standard of nominations from CCF contingents and we look forward to that continuing,” he said.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the nine finalists, so we would like more people to think about who they could nominate. It is not just about the well-deserved recognition that these cadets earn but about the chance it gives them to discover a new side of themselves.”

Only one nomination, which must be endorsed by the commanding officer, can be made by each CCF contingent.

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NOTICEBOARD UPDATES FROM HQ REGIONAL COMMAND

SUPPORT

ASSURANCE REGIME WELL RECEIVED CONSULTATION UK TOUR SEES SUPPORT FOR ALL PROPOSALS ON MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, ASSURANCE, COMMISSIONING AND NON-COMMISSIONED RANKS

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uring May and June the HQ Regional Command CCF Team, SO1 CCF Transformation Maj (Retd) Mike Dicker, SO2 CCF Transformation Maj (Retd) John Cracknell and SO2 CCF Ruth Boomer embarked on a UK tour to visit as many CCF stakeholders as possible for a consultation on three proposals: A memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be signed between the MOD and schools with CCF contingents Replacement of the biennial inspection regime with an annual assurance regime Changes to the commissioning process for Army CCF volunteers and the introduction of noncommissioned ranks into the CCF

CADETS BRANCH IS PROPOSING TO REFORM BIENNIAL INSPECTIONS According to the consultation

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The biennial inspection regime may need to be updated

The purpose of the MOU was to strengthen and define the relationship between the MOD and schools with a CCF contingent. The MoD feels that this is particularly important since welcoming in a number of new CCF contingents as part of the Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP). The proposal was positively received by the majority of stakeholders with just a few minor adjustments required.

Cadets Branch is proposing to replace the biennial inspection regime, which is out of date and has fallen out of use with the other services. The new annual assurance regime will be embedded into the Cadet Management Information System (CMIS), drawing information already available through that system to support the revised annual inspection regime.

It is hoped that this change will make the process less time consuming and make for more accurate reporting.

The proposal was well received, although an overwhelming majority requested the retention of the senior

officer visit. Regional Command is now looking to incorporate this visit, but it will not be part of the annual assurance regime.

The third proposal, for changes to the commissioning process and the introduction of NCO ranks, received the most mixed feedback of all of the proposals. The majority of stakeholders were in support of the introduction of NCO Army ranks, as it will allow engagement of a wider range of adult volunteers within CCF contingents.

Although the changes to the commissioning process received positive feedback, there were a number of important issues identified, primarily the number of additional training days required to become a commissioned officer in the CCF. Due to the complex nature of the third proposal, it will be split into two separate work strands: one on the introduction of NCO ranks and the other on the changes to the commissioning process.

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NEW NAME

Cadets move into the new Regional Command structure, see page 26

MORE UPDATES

Splitting things Visit combined in this way will cadetforce.org.uk enable HQ Regional for the latest Command to news move forward with the NCO proposal while conducting a review of the commissioning proposal.

CCF contingents and stakeholders have now received the consolidated minutes of the consultation. In the coming months there will be a paper consultation on the proposals with head teachers at CCF schools.

These proposals will incorporate what HQ Regional Command has learnt through the consultation before any changes are made.

There was an excellent turnout for the summer consultation, and HQ Regional Command would like to thank you for your valuable feedback. We look forward to your continued engagement during the next stage of the consultation.

GE T I N T OUC H You can contact us via email and follow us on Twitter: E: ccfmarketing@armycadets.com @ccfcadets

TRAINING

DUTY HOLDING TRAINING FOR CONTINGENT COMMANDERS

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UTY HOLDING (DH) is the process by which the Army manages Risk to Life activities. The Duty Holding process arose from the Haddon-Cave Review into a Nimrod crash in 2006; because some of the activities undertaken by the CCF are deemed to have a Risk to Life, the process must also be applied in the CCF. DH ensures a commander maintains the risk to life inherent within military activity to a level that is As Low As is Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) and therefore tolerable.

There are three levels of Duty Holder, with responsibilities discharged through the chain of command. The GOC Regional Command is the Operational Duty Holder (ODH) for the CCF and responsible for the management of Risk to Life activities except for service-specific activity such as flying, which is retained by the RAF. The GOC discharges this responsibility through the Regional Brigade Commanders.

Reporting to them will be Delivery Duty Holders (DDH), the lowest level of Duty Holding, who will be the CCF contingent commanders.

It is important to recognise the significance of having a proper process for the management of Risk to Life and ensuring the CCF is

compliant with Service procedures in this area for the protection of yourselves and volunteers and cadets in your charge.

The MOD has developed an online training package to explain in more detail the Duty Holding Construct and the role of the DDH. Contingent Commanders as the DDH are to complete the training, which will make them aware of their roles and responsibilities.

Those completing the training will be awarded a Certificate, a copy of which is to be sent to the SO2 Cadets of the Brigade in which the Contingent sits.

Your Single Service training teams can help you and advise on the process if you are in doubt but please complete your training to give you an understanding of what being a DDH means.

ACCESSING THE COURSE The link below will take you to the CCF Duty Holding moodle training course and online registration: moodle. combinedcadetforce.org.uk A user account will need to be created in order to complete the course; the notes below will hopefully help with the different stages involved during the creation of your account.

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N O TI CE B OA RD

MORE UPDATES APPOINTMENTS

CADETS MOVE INTO THE NEW REGIONAL COMMAND STRUCTURE ON 7TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Headquarters Regional Command based at Montgomery House in Aldershot was renamed UK Regional Command Headquarters (UK RC HQ). The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of this new formation is Major General

Follow us on Twitter @ccfcadets

Richard Stanford.

Cadets Branch also welcomed Deputy Commander Cadets (Dep Comd Cdts), Brigadier Matt Lowe who moved to become the 1-Star head of the branch.

Headteachers will get a chance to meet the new GOC UK RC HQ and Dep Comd Cdts at the next Headteachers’ Conference due to be held in the third week of March 2016.

HQ RC now comes under the 3* Headquarters Personnel and Regional Command (HQ PSC), commanded by Lieutenant General James Bashall.

The cadets branch itself remains largely unchanged and is operating as usual.

FUNDING

The Cadet Expansion Programme THE CADET EXPANSION PROGRAMME (CEP) is a joint MOD/DfE programme, announced by the Prime Minister in 2012, and is part of a wider Department for Education initiative on military ethos in schools, aiming to help raise standards in schools. The initial target of establishing 100 new cadet units in state secondary schools in England by September

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2015 was met early (in March).

In the 2015 Summer Budget, the Chancellor allocated £50m of LIBOR money to provide funding for further expansion, bringing the total number of cadet units in schools to 500 by 2020 (i.e. doubling the number since CEP began). The next phase of cadet expansion will prioritise schools in lessaffluent areas.

FUNDING

Cadet bursary fund update

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HE CADET Bursary Fund (CBF) is a charitable mechanism that supports cadet expansion in state schools. It is governed by the trustees of the Combined Cadet Force Association (CCFA), and has been supported in its early stages by a number of public bodies and some private funders.

To date, BF has disbursed some £2.5 million to 80 schools in order to offset the additional costs incurred during the early years of operating cadet units. It is a key actor in the Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP), which has seen 100 new cadet units established in state schools.

Following the success of phase one of the CEP, the Government has announced plans to widen the initiative to establish another 150 cadet units in schools across the UK. Given the Government’s ambition, it is imperative the CBF steps up to the challenge and continues to provide funding to support and enable the delivery of this highly-valued cadet programme.

Government, schools and parents all back the cadet service because they know that it can improve young people’s lives greatly. It is a great privilege for CCFA to be so closely linked to this developmental programme.

BRIGADIER DAVID SHORT General Secretary of the ACFA and CCFA

THE MAGAZINE FOR INSTRUCTORS OF THE COMBINED CADET FORCE

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NEXT ISSUE NEXT ISSUE: HOW TO TAKE A GREAT PHOTO: ADVICE FROM SQN LDR PHILIP JONES, PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE AIR CADET ORGANISATION IN THE SOUTH TV STAR QUENTIN WILLSON ON WHAT THE CCF MEANT TO HIM GREAT NEW LEADERSHIP TASKS