722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
ACP 42: Staff Cadet Interview
Lesson 1
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Chapter 1
Corps Structure – Higher Organization
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationAims
By the end of this chapter, the student should be able to:
• State the various levels within the Corps organization, including the number at each level
• Recall the ranks at the various levels, and where their establishments are listed
• Know the names of key ATC personnel, including the Wing Commander, Wing Staff Officers, Regional Commandant and Commandant Air Cadets
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationSquadrons
• Base foundation of the Corps– 922 Squadrons (Feb 99)
– 79 Detached Flights (Feb 99)
• Each Squadron is self-controlled– Controlled by Sqn Staff, helped by committee
and local citizens
– Ordered within framework of the Corps
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationSquadron Types
• ‘Open Squadron’– Open to any eligible young person selected by
Squadron Commander
• ‘School Squadron’– Only open to pupils and former pupils
Many more ‘Open’ than ‘School’ Squadrons
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationSquadron Name
• Each squadron has a number and the name of the town/community it belongs to– 722 (Chivenor) Squadron
• Founder squadrons also display ‘F’ after the number– First 50 squadrons formed in the ADCC
– 41F (Taunton) Squadron
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationSquadron Staff Establishment
• ‘Establishment’ is the number of Staff that may be appointed to run a Squadron/DF
• ACP 20B – ACAI 101– ACAI = Air Cadet Administrative Instruction
• May not normally be exceeded• Establishment may be adjusted after 3
reporting periods at new squadron strength– 1 period = 3 months
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationCadet NCO Establishment
• AP 1919 – Para 408• Also related to squadron strength• ACP 20B – ACAI 224
– Wing Establishment of CWOs over the amount in AP 1919 Para 408
– Currently set at 2/3rds of the squadrons in the Wing
– E.g. Devon & Somerset Wing = 30 Squadrons = 20 Extra CWOs = 50 CWOs in Wing
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationClassification Establishment
• Not restricted by establishment• Numbers based purely on the amount of
cadets who have passed the exam at a particular level
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationCivilian Committee
• Responsible for welfare and recreational activities
• Administer Squadron funds• Raise money for the ‘Non-public’ fund
– Money not provided by the government– Use to fund activities outside the training
programme
• Usually made up of people with business sense or people of local eminence
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationSquadron Chaplain
• Appointed by Squadron Commander, in consultation with Civilian Committee
• Chaplains are encouraged to meet the cadets and take part within the training programme
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationWings
• Groups of Squadrons are arranged into Wings
• 36 Wings in the Corps• Commanded by Wing Commander
– Wing Commander RAFVR(T)
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationWing Professional Staff
• Responsible for Administrative Duties• Headed by Wing Administration Officer
– Squadron Leader RAFR
• Establishment– Detailed on ‘Local Unit Establishment’ form
(LUE), held at HQ Air Cadets
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationWing Staff
• Responsible for general standards in Wing• RAFVR(T) Officers
– Flight Lieutenant or Squadron Leader
• Establishment– AP 1919, Chapter 2
• Wing Committee• Wing Chaplain
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationRegions
• Groups of Wings are arranged into Regions
• 6 Regions in the Corps• Commanded by Regional Commandant
– Retired RAF Officer
– Group Captain RAFR
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationRegional Staff
• Small professional staff– Establishment on the HQ Air Cadets LUE
• Regional Staff– RAFVR(T) Officers, responsible for various
regional responsibilities (e.g. PRO)
• Regional Council– Headed by Regional Chairman
• Regional Chaplain
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationHeadquarters Air Cadets (HQAC)
• Headed by Commandant Air Cadets– Serving Air Commodore RAF
• Chief of Staff– Retired RAF Officer
– Group Captain RAFR
• Staff of Professionals
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationAbove HQAC
• RAFC Cranwell– Commanded by Air Officer Commanding and
Commandant
• Serving Air Vice-Marshal RAF
• HQ RAF Personnel & Training Command (HQ PTC)
• Air Force Board of the Defence Council• MOD
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps- Higher OrganizationAir Commodore-In-Chief
• Air Training Corps Established by Royal Warrant on 5th February 1941
• King George VI was the first AC-I-C• Royal Warrant last amended in 1967
– Current wording in ACP 20A – ACTI 1
• ACTI = Air Cadet Training Instruction
• Marshal of the RAF, HRH Duke of Edinburgh is the current AC-I-C
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationConclusion
• Structure– Top level – integrated into RAF
– Bottom level – run by volunteers
• Establishment– Needs to be set out in a structure where there
is a permanent job to be done
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationReview of Aims
By the end of this chapter, the student should be able to:
• State the various levels within the Corps organization, including the number at each level
• Recall the ranks at the various levels, and where their establishments are listed
• Know the names of key ATC personnel, including the Wing Commander, Wing Staff Officers, Regional Commandant and Commandant Air Cadets
722 (Chivenor) Squadron ATCACP 42 Staff Cadet Interview
Corps – Higher OrganizationQuestions
• Name the main four levels of the Corps, and the numbers at each level:
• What is the rank of the Commandant Air Cadets?
• What rank is the Regional Commandant?
• Squadrons (922)
Wings (36)
Regions (6)
HQAC (1)
• Air Commodore RAF
• Group Captain RAFR