Our son is thinking of joining the Air Cadets. Do any members out there have first hand experience of the cadets. I have looked on the website for info of things they do and where he can join etc but I would love to hear first hand experince before he joins.Thanks in advance.
I was a cadet when I was 12-14. It was great, used to regularly go to a local RAF base where we shot rifles and got to fly in a few different light aircraft. Best flight was in a Hawk trainer jet (2 seat version of the red arrows) nd got to hold the stick and do some manoeuvres and loops etc. lots of weekends away too. It was great, but I have heard of some cadets doing very little.
I was in a long time ago. We did boys own type stuff. Learned about & fired guns, learned about radar and stuff, had weekends on raf bases, got to fly, rode in the fire tenders etc etc.
Taught a cadet to drive more recently (I was an instructor - he just happened to be a cadet) Chatting to him he was very committed and was working towards his pilot licence with the cadets. Already had his glider licence.
I am sure it will depend on the quality of your local training corps how good it is. Nothing to lose!
My son was in the ATC until he was 18 (he's now 29)
It did him a power of good and gave him good grounding for adult life. He made some really good friends through it whom he still keeps in contact with!
He was lucky as his Corps was actually on an RAF base which gave him extra opportunities etc.
Get you son to give it a go to see if he likes it!!
Friend's daughter joined this year and loves it. Anything like that gives young people wonderful opportunities to do stuff they couldn't do otherwise and teaches them to get on with other people as well as self discipline. I wasn't in army cadets or anything like that, didn't do D of E, and regret it now
Not air cadets but my son is a sea scout. He has done his bronze and silver d of e, (his school didn't run them)
I would say that any of the uniformed organisations are good for teenagers. Discipline, respect for elders and peers, and all of the out door activities. If cadets are like scouts then it isn't expensive either.
Our scouts are quite reasonable. They only insist you wear the correct sweater/ shirt not the full kit. However if you want to do d of e then you need funding for proper backpacking kit. Some tent/stove kit is for loan and being a scouting/guiding organisation no-one would ever be excluded on cost.
As said above D of e is looked for on uni/employer apps
My daughter is a Sea cadet. She loves it, and it will give her the edge (I hope) later on with uni/work etc. She is able to do her btec in public services through cadets, leaving her able to take an extra gcse at school. The last 2 weekends she has been kyaking, canoeing, sailing and rowing. She takes great pride in her uniform and takes being a cadet very seriously. She hopes to join the navy, although sadly due to her SEN's this is very unlikely, it gives her something to aspire to.
------------- "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." In memory of Bear. 06/03/06 - 25/01/12 Izzie 23/09/07 - 25/03/13
my two lads are in the atc now they love it , eldest lad just completed his D of E gold and younger starting his bronze , eldest has been to gibralta this year and completed a p.a.d.i diving course .so yes get them there theye love it
My hubby was an air cadet 50+ years ago and still talks about it today. He went on to become an engineering officer in the merchant navy. My nephew spent 9 years as an air cadet, he is now 31 and is still involved as a civilian instructor. My great nephew joined the atc on the advice of his cousin and has just joined the RAF & signed on for 9 years. They have discipline instilled into them without the need of bullying but I think the most important aspect is they are taught respect both of themselves and others.
A wonderful organisation, but there again, any of the cadet services are wonderful.
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Topic: Air Cadets
