The Air Cadet Organisation Web Site

Headquarters Air Cadets

HQAC is the National Headquarters and administrative centre for the Air Cadet Organization in the UK.

Based at Royal Air Force College Cranwell, (RAFC Cranwell) in Lincolnshire it is home to both the Air Training Corps and the Combined Cadet Forces' RAF Sections as well as the Volunteer Gliding Squadrons.

Postal Address:

Headquarters Air Cadets
RAF Cranwell
Sleaford
Lincs NG34 8HB.
United Kingdom

Telephone number for relevant departments:
Registry: 01400 267628
Accounts: 01400 267634
Personnel: 01400 267639
Training Ground: 01400 267621

Departments at Headquarters Air Cadets:

Administration

Led by an RAF Wing Commander, the Administration staff cover the roles of personnel, accounts/finance and works services for the Air Cadet Organization.

The Personnel staffs are responsible for providing all personnel services for some 10,000 adult volunteers within the ACO, including maintaining a full records database of personal information.

The Accounts staff are responsible for providing a full pay and allowances service to all the adult volunteers, as well as dealing with the payment of all bills liable on the ACO public account.

The Accounts staff are also responsible for supervision of the Finance and General Purpose Fund, which is registered as a Charity.

The Organization staff provide works services support for the Corps. Working with Station PROMs, or the 13 RFCAs (Reserve Forces and Cadet Associations) (formerly TAVRAs) works staffs, they provide maintenance and new works services for the Corps 1000 units. They also arrange parenting support with HQ PTC and oversee the payments for sqn utilities bills.

The Personnel and Accounts Staffs work in unison with HQ PTC and the MOD Bath and Liverpool.

Corporate Business

Corporate Business comprises a Squadron Leader RAFR and a Flight Lieutenant RAF whose major responsibilities amongst many others are to develop the Air Cadet Organization (ACO) Management Plan.

People requiring information to be released under the Freedom of Information Act should contact the Flight Lieutenant in this branch by clicking here.

This includes the coordination and drafting of performance reports, preparing briefs, studies and staffing papers on corporate matters.

Developing and carrying forward initiatives concerning planning and future strategies for the ACO, "Corporate Business" is the point of contact for Investors in People(IIP) and Business Excellence. The department also coordinates the production of the ACO Annual Activities Report, organizes the biannual meetings of Regional Commandants and the Annual ATC Convention. The Flt Lt also acts as ADC to Commandant Air Cadets, is the HQ Security Officer, the HQ Training Liaison Officer and custodian of the Corps Trophies and Corps Banner.

Logistics Branch

The Logistics Branch, commanded by a Wg Cdr RAFR assisted by six staff, is responsible for many of the support functions required to maintain the activities undertaken by the Air Cadet Organization.

Responsibilities include the Glider Maintenance Policy, Information Technology Support, Equipment Supply and Small Arms Range Inspections.

With 2 different glider types, the self launching Vigilant and conventional Viking, there is much work needed to make sure that all gliders are maintained to a high level of air worthiness. For the primary types, the Vigilant and the Viking, the Logistics Branch works very closely with the Training Aircraft Integrated Project Team to generate any modifications that may become necessary as well as overseeing the overall maintenance programme. Embedded within the aircraft maintenance area is a Quality Assurance Auditor whose remit is to ensure that the maintenance practices and procedures comply with the latest RAF standards in this vital area.

In the Support Equipment area, there is a significant vehicle fleet, which is in place primarily to support the gliding function. The most complex vehicle is the Munster Van Gelder Winch, which offers a 6-drum capacity thereby permitting high launch rates for our conventional gliders. Support Equipment also deals with fire fighting trailers, aircraft refuellers, cable retrieve trailers and a mixture of goods and passenger carrying vehicles. In addition, advice is offered to ATC Squadrons on the acquisition and licensing of their own vehicles.

The Supply role is probably the one where the branch face the most interesting task. With very tight budgetary limits and increasingly stringent health and safety criteria, it is a constant challenge to ensure that the cadets are properly clothed and equipped to meet a demanding and stimulating training programme. Recent successes have included the release of Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) uniform clothing and a quantity of tents, all of which will go some way towards facilitating a more comprehensive programme of adventurous training.

Shooting remains a very popular element of the Cadet training programme and the Logistics Branch plays its part by ensuring that the miniature rifle and air rifle ranges are constructed and maintained to the highest possible standard so that Cadet safety is not jeopardised. For our air rifle ranges, there is currently a move towards a 3-position facility (prone, kneeling and standing) which will allow the Cadets to participate in a wider range of competitive shooting events.

Within the Air Cadet management structure, the use of Information Technology plays an increasing role in day to day activities. Since 1997, a local area network has connected the Headquarters to its subsidiary formations as well as the Adventurous Training Centres, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons and the CCF(RAF) Training, Evaluation and Supervisory Teams. The use of E-mail wherever possible is encouraged and we continue to develop best practice in the compilation and movement of data between the various management levels. The IT Section is also responsible for a standalone 'state of the art' Pay and Personnel system which provides a facility for all the volunteer staff's pay and travel transactions within the Organization. The Wg Cdr I/C Logistics played a large part in the setting up of this web site.

Media & Communications

Media & Communications is led by an MOD Information Officer with an Assistant IO and an Administrative Officer. These are augmented by an RAFVR(T) photographer and a magazine editor. The team are kept very busy producing publicity materials concerning the ACO, responding to media and other requests for information, providing internal communications and training courses as well as producing the bi-monthly Air Cadet Magazine and maintaining this official web site.

Physical Education (ATC)

This department is currently managed by a Squadron Leader RAFR with an assistant and a Clerical Officer. There are further staff based at the two Adventure Training Centres in Llanbedr and Windemere.

The Corps Physical Education Officer (Phys Ed O) is responsible for the implementation of the physical education policy in respect of physical fitness training, recreational sports and adventure training in the Air Training Corps. He organizes the major Corps sports events, schemes and competitions and advises 6 Regional Physical Education Officers (RAFVR(T)). Additionally, he attends meetings and conferences, makes staff visits and acts as Secretary to the Air Training Corps Sports Council. He is responsible for authorising all expenditure on sport from the ATC General Purposes Fund and monitoring the allocation of public funds for adventurous training.

The department is also responsible for the Corps National Adventure Training Centres at Llanbedr and Windermere, their training programmes, equipment and allocation of courses. They arrange courses in outdoor activities to qualify adult staff and SNCO cadets to national governing body standards. The Physical Education department also arranges special cadet courses for parachuting, hang gliding, off-shore sailing, outward bound, nordic skiing, basic winter training and community sports leaders.

Training Ground (ATC)

A Wing Commander (Wg Cdr) RAFR leads Training Ground with four Squadron Leaders (Sqn Ldr) RAFR, a Grade C2 Civil Servant, one Flt Lt RAFVR (T), a RAF Regt Flight Sergeant (FS) Drill Instructor and three Administrative staff. Additional RAFVR (T) officers and ATC Warrant Officers (WO) are co-opted to assist full-time staff.

The Training Ground (TG) Branch is responsible for all ground activities except Sport and Adventure Training. To help meet that need the Branch has several departments to cover all aspects. These departments are TG1 through to TG5.

Wg Cdr TG has responsibility for all aspects of TG Branch plans, policy and activities. His specific responsibilities include:

Air Cadet Junior Leaders Course (OC Junior Leaders Course is Sqn Ldr RAFVR (T))
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE)
Chairman of the ATC Shooting Committee
Competition Shooting including the Inter-Service Cadet Rifle Meeting at Bisley
Millennium Volunteers

TG1 is responsible for:

Air Cadet Exams
Air Cadet Publications
Cadet Training Policy
Cadet Training Syllabus
First Aid Training Policy (First Aid Training Advisor Sqn Ldr RAFVR (T))
TG Liaison for Air Cadet Organisation (ACO) Website

TG2 is responsible for:

Aircraft Recognition
Bands
Best Practice
Camps (UK and Overseas)
Fundraising
Special Projects

TG3 is responsible for:

ACP 20A, Air Cadet Training Instructions (ACTIs)
Authorisation of ATC Visits overseas (ACTI 51)
IACE in cooperation with Wg Cdr TG
ATC Merit & Efficiency Awards:
o Dacre Sword & Brooch (ACTI 110)
o Lees & Morris Trophies (ACTI 101)
o Kriegie Trophy (ACTI 111)
Cadet Courses
o Personal Awareness Course (Amport House)(ACTI 81)
o Leadership Courses
o CTC Frimley Park (ACTI 83) & RAF Stafford (ACTI 84)
Air Cadet Radio Communications (ACTI 73)
Model Aircraft Flying (ACTI 75)
BTEC awards

TG4 is responsible for:

Adult Training Policy
Air Cadet Training Centre
NVQs

TG5 is responsible for:

Air Cadet Shooting Policy
Weapon Training
Range Practice standards
Small Arms Training Teams (SATTs) training standards
Security of Arms & Ammunition
Deployment of Arms & Ammunition (in cooperation with Logistics)
Cadet Inter Services Skill at Arms Meeting
OC Central Small Arms Training Team
Coordinating work of shooting project officers
o Flt Lt RAFVR (T) - course design (2 i/c Central SATT)
o Flt Lt RAFVR (T) Health & Safety (Adj Central SATT)
o Warrant Officer ATC Air Rifle development (WO Central SATT)
Shooting Training Publications

TG Admin

TG Admin provides administrative support to all elements of the TG Branch excluding ACTC. An Admin Officer and an Admin Assistant perform a diversity of tasks from booking world-wide airline reservations for up to 400 people per year (IACE and Overseas Camps) to producing academic subject examination papers on demand for 4000 separate examination sittings and from administering all aspects of setting up 10 cadet leadership courses to ordering calendars and diaries for branch staff officers. Of course, there is much more in between.

Combined Cadet Force (RAF)

Led by a Wg Cdr RAFR with the assistance of an RAFR Sqn Ldr and an Admin Officer they support a team of six regional staff and a further 19 RAF F/Sgts. Between them they provide support to the CCF(RAF) Units throughout the Country.

Gliding

The Chief of Staff (COS) is also Cdr Gliding. There is a Wg Cdr RAFR and a Squadron Leader RAFR providing Operational and Support functions assisted by 3 Admin Staff.

Health & Safety

This department is operated by an SPTO and his assistant.

Date Last Updated : Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:29 AM

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