Adventurous training activities include:
- Archery
- Canoeing
- Handgliding
- Hill Walking
- Initiative Exercises
- International Four Days Marches Nijmegen
- Military Field Training
- Night exercises
- Parachuting
- Paragliding
- Raft Building
- Regiment Camps
- Rock Climbing
- Skiing
- Squadron Camps
- Ten Tors
- Wing Camps
Some of the activities are run at local squadron level and other can be run at corps level. All activities are run by qualified staff and will be advertised through the squadron.
Some of the activities are age dependent. Speak to a member of staff if you would like to take part in any of the activities.
Ten Tors 2011
Training started on 16 Jan. Flt Lt Barrett has been carrying a GPS tracker with the team that she has been walking with. The tracked route maps can be found at the links below; time, speed and calories burned are all displayed.
Military Field Training
Military Field Training (MFT) develops the cadet’s leadership, teamwork and communication skills. The cadets receive training in the art of camouflage, concealment, movement in the field, hand signals, harbouring, basha building, sentry duties, reconnaissance and patrolling.
After a course of training the cadets get the opportunity to put their skills into practice by completing field training exercises and night exercises such as the annual Chelwood and Winter Grief exercises and the regular night exercises.
The Cadet NCOs lead their sections to complete tasks which involves the use of leadership skills developed through initiative exercises and MFT skills in order to complete a set of predetermined goals over the course of the exercise.
Exercises can range from an evening to a whole weekend where the cadets are supervised by staff but are generally self sufficient in completing the objectives of the exercise.
The exercises tend to take a competitive stance with cadets competing in their flights (see About Us for more information on the flight system). The points awarded from the exercise will go toward the Interflight Competition.
Initiative Exercises
During the Summer months we regularly run initiative exercises which are used to develop the cadets’ leadership, communication, problem solving, team building, organisational and decisiveness skills. The exercises also help the cadets to develop confidence, high standards, self analysis skills, impact in a group and powers of expression.
There will be a cadet leading the exercise and a team of cadets to carry out the exercise. The exercise will normally be timed and will start with a briefing to the team leader.
The team leader will then go on to formulate a plan, brief the other cadets and appoint duties such as time keeper, standards supervisor and a deputy. There is a set format used when the leader briefs the cadet to ensure no information is missed.
- Situation
- Mission
- Execution
- Any Questions
- Check Understanding
The leader would then work the team towards the completion of the task, whilst keeping in mind the needs of the team and the individual team members.
Whilst the exercise is being completed the performance of the group as well as the team leader will be assessed, so that constructive feedback can be provided after the exercise to enhance leadership development.
The exercises are fun, and will use mental, physical and problem-solving skills. The Squadron has a large number of initiative exercises readily available to keep challenging and developing the cadets.
Nijmegen
Whilst still a Cadet Warrant Officer, CI N Wright participated in the Nijmegen March 2010 as a member of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Wing team.
In order to take part in the Nijmegen four day marches you need to be 16 years old, and able to commit to the training sessions. Speak to a member of staff for information about Nijmegen 2012.
CWO Wright wrote an account of the training and the march itself:
I joined the Bristol and Gloucester Nijmegen team because I could not walk 55 mile Ten Tors in 2010. I stayed there for the teamwork and camaraderie. We spent our training walks on the Bristol to Bath cycle track. We became very accustomed to it and the training served us well, as when we got to the qualifying march at RAF Cosford we managed to make great time, getting our entire team around the course, earning all of us a big bronze medal!
Three months later, in the empty gap left in the wake of my A-Levels, we were transported off to Nijmegen with a bag full of sugar and a luxurious coach. We spent the first two days resting after getting to camp Heumensoord, where we inadvertently sparked a European human pyramid contest when we attached a sticker to the front of the beer tent. The Danish won. We also got to experience the music and atmosphere of the Vierdaagsefeesten (Four day festival) in Nijmegen town itself.
We began marching early every morning, taking it in turns with other nations to eat breakfast before indulging in the very British art of queuing for our turn to walk the 25 miles of the day. We would buoy our enthusiasm with marching songs.
By the final day we were all extremely tired and sore despite the best efforts of the camp medics who patched up the feet of those who were unlucky enough to have bad blisters. After starting at 1:00 AM we needed the support of the team, and of all the civilians lining the streets We were able to continue because of the vast number of people lining the streets, giving us flowers, sweets, and hopefully not pickled cucumber.
We were very lucky in the end. Not only did we finish with all of our team members present, we finished just moments before the heavens opened in a spectacularly heavy rainstorm. We managed to stay much drier in the temporary shelters than those who were unfortunate enough to still be walking.
