Royal Air Force Air Cadets
Royal Air Force Air Cadets | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Active | Since 1 February 1941[1] |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Volunteer Military Youth Organisation |
Headquarters | RAF Cranwell |
Patron | Duchess of Cambridge |
Website | www![]() |
Commanders | |
Commandant Air Cadets | Air Cdre Tony Keeling[2] |
Commandant Air Cadets’ Warrant Officer | WO Clinton Marsh RAFAC |
Honorary Ambassador | Gp Capt Carol Vorderman RAFAC |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/%22Lord_Mayor%27s_Show%22_London_2006_%28295241544%29.jpg/220px-%22Lord_Mayor%27s_Show%22_London_2006_%28295241544%29.jpg)
RAF Air Cadets marching in a parade
The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) is a volunteer-military youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Air Force that manages both the Air Training Corps and RAF Sections of the Combined Cadet Force.[3] The organisation is headed by a former serving RAF officer, Commandant Air Cadets. The current commandant is Air Commodore Tony Keeling.[4]
Prior to 1 October 2017, the RAFAC was called the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO).[5] As of 1 April 2014, the ACO had a strength of 53,360 cadets and cadet force adult volunteers.[6] Cadets are aged between 12 and 17 on entry to the organisation, and can remain until they are 18, or with special permission, until they are 20.[7]
The RAFAC is made up of:
- Headquarters Air Cadets at RAF Cranwell
- Two National Air Cadet Adventure Training Centres
- Over 900 Air Training Corps Squadrons in the UK and overseas[8]
- Around 200 RAF contingents of the Combined Cadet Force[8]
See also[]
- Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)
- Air Experience Flight
- Volunteer Gliding Squadrons
- Air Defence Cadet Corps (1938–41)
- Royal Air Force boy entrants
References[]
- ^ "RAF timeline: 1941". RAF.
- ^ Myers, K. "New Commandant for Royal Air Force Air Cadets is announced". RAF Air Cadets.
- ^ "Who we are". RAF Air Cadets. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Myers, K. (5 June 2020). "NEW COMMANDANT FOR RAF AIR CADETS IS ANNOUNCED". RAF Air Cadets. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "HM The Queen Approves New Commission For Cadet Force Volunteers". Air Cadet. Bourne: Warners Midlands plc. Winter 2017. p. 4. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ gov.uk MoD - reserves and cadet strengths, table 8a and 8b, page 17-18. April 2014.
- ^ "Join as a cadet". RAF Air Cadets. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ a b "ATC & CCF (RAF)". RAF Air Cadets. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
External links[]
Categories:
- Royal Air Force
- Royal Air Force Air Cadets
- Air Cadet organisations
- Air Training Corps
- British Cadet organisations
- Youth organisations based in the United Kingdom
- Organisations based in Lincolnshire
- Youth organizations established in 1941