ARmy Rumour SErvice

**GwaiLo** · 15-06-2007, 13:14

Our nearest affiliated units are the London Companies of 7 Rifles, there are only two of them and there are a lot of Rifles cadets around London. Both companies have cadets co located, whilst my det is a long way from their location. Obviously we are not as easy to support as some.

That said I have found that both 7 Rifles, 4 Rifles (before they headed off to Basra) and the Regimental Recruiting Team have been fantastically helpful and supportive. I don't want to name names, but we owe a big thanks to the Recruiter in Croydon and the RRO. They have never said no to anything we have aked for.

It helps that both I and another SI in our det are Ex Reg RGJ and I'm Ex 4 RGJ too, so we know many of the senior personalities, but to be honest the regiment has a very pro cadet attitude.

I am finding that it is people within our own CoC who put obstacles in the way if anyone does. I have been corresponding with AI's in areas where all/most cadets are Rifles affiliated and it seems to work best for them. Their officers obviously have a bond with the regiment and that helps. Our are is mixed cap badges and are pretty inward looking from what I have seen.

Nonetheless it is early days for me and I'll keep trying to persuade the CoC to take the regimental affiliations more seriously and exploit the help available.

**Freddie_the_Gooner** · 15-06-2007, 14:04

Static, as Walt says get yourself on to armycadetforce.com. The forum is full of cadets and they will tell you everything you want to know. And loads you don't as well.

I always found that low level training with minor platoon tatics was always a winner.

Stick with your current formula, it seems to be working fine. The more exposure you get to the Bn, and the more they get to your guys, the more you'll be invited on.

If other people aren't using their parent units, make a move on them. A red headed mutual friend of ours and me did just that with the commando engineers down the road from you. We got on a couple of cracking fibua exercises. The cadets became an engineer section in a couple of their troops. Great fun.

Plenty of green army fun is what most of them want and shooting of course.

**Praetorian** · 15-06-2007, 14:19

Originally Posted by Cadet_Chandler

some training exercersises with the TA would be awsome as we can reli get to prove our worth and dispell any views that cadets are just wannabe soldiers.

but no doubt the health and safety jerks wont have any of it

With the onset of MTD cutting, TA units have a lot more important things to do than that. I'm being sensible for once, OK?

Now, lets look at a scenario, a TA Soldier comes back from a sandy place, and is then asked to give up his weekend to effectively entertain cadets. It isn't going to happen.

Prae

**Silent_Scope** · 15-06-2007, 15:22

Originally Posted by Praetorian

Originally Posted by Cadet_Chandler

some training exercersises with the TA would be awsome as we can reli get to prove our worth and dispell any views that cadets are just wannabe soldiers.

but no doubt the health and safety jerks wont have any of it

With the onset of MTD cutting, TA units have a lot more important things to do than that. I'm being sensible for once, OK?

Now, lets look at a scenario, a TA Soldier comes back from a sandy place, and is then asked to give up his weekend to effectively entertain cadets. It isn't going to happen.

Prae

Sorry Prae, but our det. are going away with the TA for a weekend exersise...

Variation would be nice, just different scenario's etc.

**ugly** · 15-06-2007, 15:31

When I was in 5 Queens we often took the older local ACF or Marine cadets to Longmoor etc. All of them enjoyed it and we generally put 2 in each section so there would always be 3 alleged adults to look after them. To be honest they were great and often we could forget they were cadets and use them as trained TA soldiers. The real bonus was the Pln could deploy as a pln not 1 & 1/2 sections and the cadets hopefullly took some skills back with them for training their own lads. The rule I think was that they had to be 15 or 16 and have parental permission.

**forniup** · 15-06-2007, 15:53

Originally Posted by Praetorian

With the onset of MTD cutting, TA units have a lot more important things to do than that. I'm being sensible for once, OK?

Now, lets look at a scenario, a TA Soldier comes back from a sandy place, and is then asked to give up his weekend to effectively entertain cadets. It isn't going to happen.

Prae

I know what your saying in regards to the MTD cutting, but I don't see why just cos someone is back from op's they arn't going to help out. There is a guy in my unit who helps out quite a lot. He seems to enjoy it

**Praetorian** · 15-06-2007, 15:56

Originally Posted by forniup

I know what your saying in regards to the MTD cutting, but I don't see why just cos someone is back from op's they arn't going to help out. There is a guy in my unit who helps out quite a lot. He seems to enjoy it

Im not saying that everyone wouldn't do it, its just that in my personal opinion TA personnel would be more likely to turn up for MATT qualification weekends than to a joint exercise with Cadets, which is what Chandler is advocating, in between cutting his arm up.

**ugly** · 15-06-2007, 19:19

It was seen as a good recruiting tool for the TA and I believe it worked well.

**manwitash** · 17-06-2007, 08:47

Funny this should come up now. 4 Yorks have just asked my county to provide a company strength nme force for their next FTX weekend. Prior to that we've gone head to head against the East & West Riding Regiment on several occassions.

For the last couple of years we've also had members of the Queens Own Yeaomanry drag along a Scimiter and Sparten to some of our trg weekends for the sprogs to take a gander at.

**GwaiLo** · 18-06-2007, 16:02

Praetorian,
I can't say whether your opinion reflects the generality of things, but just as manwitwash has been asked by the TA to do something, so I have been asked by the OC of an affiliated TA company. If the TA are doing the asking then it must be because they see some value in it?

I am only guessing, but suppose you are a TA CO or OC and have people deployed etc. In those circumstances a few bodies, I'd suggest we are talking about older more mature cadets here by the way, to provide enemy or to bump up the numbers might be welcome?

Those I speak to don't confine their training time to MATTS.