News
Pentathlon
Friday 17th October 2008
Eight Cadets spent the weekend taking part in the Kent Wing Pentahlon.The events were:
First Aid
Initiative Exercise
Shooting
Obstacle Course
Navigation
A good weekend was had by all who went.
Maggie's London Night Hike
Friday 19th September 2008
On the 19th of September Flying Officer Lee, and Civilian Instructor Mussard will be taking part in the Maggie's London Night Hike to raise money for Maggie's Cancer centres.This involves walking 20 miles around London on the Friday Night and Saturday morning.
Should you wish to sponsor them in this ventre please see:
Sponsor Flying Officer Lee
Sponsor Civilian Instructor Mussard
Summer Camp
Saturday 12th July 2008
Cadets enjoy week at RAF Leuchars!
Bleary-eyed mornings wasn’t exactly what 6 cadets had in mind when they were told of the opportunity to go on annual camp but that’s how it was right from the initial journey to RAF Leuchars in Scotland.
Having endured their first taste of camp food and the settling in period, the cadets started a week full of activities with a Fam-Ex and initiative exercises followed up by sports on the first day. This gave them an insight into how busy they would be...
The rest of the week was just as jam packed with the activities consisting of Gazelle flights, tutor flight and section visits to the RAF police any many more.
From all these opportunities the cadet’s highlight of the week was the Night-Ex; where they got ‘geared up’ in camo paint. The forfeits of being caught on the night-ex were as amusing to watch as participating. Public humiliation was inevitable.
Throughout the week, fun was thoroughly had by all and the cadets would like to thank all the staff, particularly Flying Officer Lee and ACLO team for making this entire experience possible
Squadron Drill Test
Sunday 29th June 2008
Cadets Pass Drill Test in Blistering SunThe Annual Drill test came round for another year, and after weeks of preparation on parade evenings and a last minute hour of practice at Sqn HQ, we made our way to Erith Squadron where we conducted our drill test sequence and inspection.
The inspection went well with cadets achieving all round high scores, despite one cadet having a bit of an incident in the heat. The drill sequence went very well with no obvious mistakes being made and the atmosphere remaining positive.
However, our hard work paid off as we passed and came a respectable position within the area; a great improvement upon last year.
Nijmegen training complete
Sunday 22nd June 2008
The Nijmegen march is a 100 mile march in four days and two cadets, Cadet Chris Scott and Instructor Cadet Flight Sergeant Paul Howes are off to Nijmegen in Holland after successfully completing six months of gruelling training. The training took up one weekend a month and required both of them to travel to St Martins Plain in Folkestone for the training with cadets from all over Kent Wing. Here the cadets marched locally on the marshes, the hills and through many towns including Hythe. In a typical weekend of training the cadets averaged 50 miles of marching, and for their efforts received blisters, hotspots, sweat rash and in some cases chafing.
As if this wasn’t enough Instructor Cadet Flight Sergeant Paul Howes who is going through all this for a second time is required to carry 10kg in dead weight in his back pack. This is because his team are going out officially as part of the BMC (British Military Contingent) and according to the rules of the BMC males who are 19 on the year of the march must carry weight. The weight he’ll be carrying is equivalent to ten bags of sugar.
Cadet Chris Scott is attempting this march for the first time, and is walking with other Kent Wing cadets under the civilian umbrella of ‘Mid-Kent young walkers.’
Their training officially came to an end on Sunday 22nd June when the cadets organised a pass out parade for their parent’s to attend and watch them formally pass out of training. The parade was taken by Instructor CWO Barnes from Edenbridge Squadron, with Instructor Flight Sergeant Howes being NCO IC of the senior team. The parade was a success with the Birch Trophy awarded to Cadet Corporal Jelly from 99 (Folkestone) Squadron. This trophy is awarded as a result of a vote by all cadets to the person who they feel has been the most helpful and supportive to others during training.
The Nijmegen March is an experience that these cadets won’t forget quickly, everyone on the squadron wishes you the best of luck with the march.
Biggin Hill 2008
Saturday 7th June 2008
Staff and Cadets Enjoy Hot Weekend at Air Fair
The weekend of the 7th and 8th of June brought the air fair back to Biggin Hill for another year. As always our squadron was there in force to fundraise. In between all the hard work, the cadets were given a tour of a Hawk T1 basic fast jet trainer which had flown down to the air show from 19 Squadron, which is stationed at RAF Valley, by Flt Lt Matt Barker who in his youth was a cadet of 578. Flt Lt Barker has flown Tornados in Iraq and has now returned to RAF Valley as an instructor on the Hawk. He gave the cadets an insight into the equipment used on the Hawk and its capabilities. The cadets were allowed to sit in the cockpit, after a quick walk/talk around of the outside.
The media also realised our hard work and the cadets were photographed by the NewsShopper and placed on their website (www.newsshopper.co.uk) as well as being mentioned on LBC radio.
The cadets are eager for next year to arrive so it can all start again....