Leadership

Leadership is a vital skill for life and you will get the chance to learn and put into practice the theory of leadership, throughout your cadet career. If you show an apititude for leadership, you may find yourself stepping up on the promotion ladder of the Cadet NCO ranks, where you will lead and guide cadets younger than yourself.

In the Air Cadets, you will develop your own leadership style, as you participate in camps and courses each year. Alongside the syllabus and theory training, you can be expected lead cadets and find a confidence in yourself, you might not have realised you had.

As you progress, you could take the opportunity to go on a number of dedicated leadership courses, including the Air Cadet Leadership Course held at RAF Cranwell, where you will join cadets from all over the country.

Can you be a leader? Come and find out.

Cadet Foundation Leadership

This training is an introduction to the principles of leadership and covers how to use the SMEAC (Situation, Mission, Execution, Any Questions, Check Understanding) to brief a group of cadets and then put this into practice. You will learn these basics as a Junior cadet.

Cadet Basic Leadership

This training aims to provide leadership activities to be undertaken with cadets from other Squadrons, putting into practice the basic theory taught. It allows you to lead a small group of cadets to complete a given task.

Advanced Leadership Specialist

This training aims to deliver a challenging leadership programme that produces a higher level of competency and develops the potential for leadership instructors. The training is provided through the Air Cadet Leadership Course (ACLC), the Junior Leaders Course (JL) or an Advanced Leadership Course run by the Corps.

Junior Leaders Course

The Air Cadet Junior Leaders (JL) Course is a training course for 17-20 year old, Master Cadets. The course aims to develop leadership and other important skills within the cadets, both for use in military and civilian life. The Junior Leaders is a national organisation supported by the RAF, the RAF Regiment and carries the Institute of Leadership Management (ILM) and Heart Start First Aid qualifications for its graduates.The course takes place over nine training weekends between September and the following Easter during which time the cadets will complete a programme of formal training covering subjects as diverse as weapon handling, leadership theory, Mess etiquette, practical leadership skills along with physical fitness training and assessment. Cadets are expected to attend every weekend as well as working in between training periods by preparing lectures, doing research on Airpower and other subjects and improving their fitness. As well as continual assessment during the training weekends cadets will need to pass exams at the end of each Phase and will be “relentlessly tested” during the week-long third phase, most of which is spent in the field.On completion of the course, graduates are awarded the JL Lanyard to wear on their uniform and the prestigious JL DZ flash to be worn on the Soldier 95 uniform.