1368 ended year with strong sense of togetherness and pride, an environment with both fun and discipline. Here's some things we did: Sqn won the Wing Swimming championships in Jan 2023. The result of a great team effort across the different categories.  Sqn won the Wing Athletics championships in May 2023 by considerable points margin, despite not being the biggest team. Sqn did blue badge band for the first time in Feb-Apr 2023, investing in drums and pads. Sqn repeated previous success in Blue Radio and Blue Leadership in Feb-Apr 2023, ensuring basic radio operator is done by all cadets in first year.  Sqn ensured a focus presentation skills course. At least 5 cadets went on to attend Wing MOI courses, and at least 5 were assessed to get Instructor cadet lanyards.  Cadets did Essential First Aid (EFA) and Activity First Aid (AFA) quals. First Aid team best in Wing on Wing comp day (by a considerable points margin) We had a massive drop of Swimming Proficiency certificat...

2023 Year ended with "Operation Team Gingerbread", 20 Dec, a lot of chocolate and Sqn end of year clean-down. Winning team got to demolish losing teams creation (the picture here is actually before the demolishing!? but actually some amazing craft work on display and some icing on the cake for an action packed final week of the year. 

Cpl F won cadet of the month for Nov (pastoral care) and Cdt W won Dec (most improved & leadership potential). 11 cadets went to joint Lazerquest with 2286. Started exams to begin harvesting Leading/Master/Senior classification badges. Cdt G & B first to complete 3 exams to achieve Leading. Cadet G got road marching blue badge. FS C did a Mountain Training Lowland Leader Award weekend and got given some disco band reflectors.

We currently have 3 intakes a year aligned to the start of the school terms. This means that our next intake is January 2024 and the likely intake after this would be April 2024. The benefits of the intake system are: You join at the same time as others who are in the same boat. This helps make friends. Avoids repeats of training. Group works progressively through syllabus, building knowledge as they become integrated into the squadron. Easier to deliver training with limited rooms. When we get an expression of interest we will contact parents/guardian(s) to arrange a visit with the potential cadet, so they can see what it is like and have a look around. If there is still interest after this then we would advise when next intake is, and start the forms 2-4 weeks before the date. The best place to submit an expression of interest is via the RAF website form: Go to https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/ and use the Find your local squadron search.  All the squadrons are different, hence...

1368 took advantage of run up to Christmas to lighten the parade nights. The 1368's Got Talent show threw up some surprises. Amazingly enthusiastic and supportive audience. Really close at the top. Top prize to Sgt M on his JL-inspired rendition of egg sausage chips & beans song. The impromptu encore rendition of 'man's not hot' certainty enhanced the experiential learning aspects of the evening.  Alas, the festive gnomes lyrical changes to their rendition of 'Last DofE' kept everybody glued to their seats and was just a hairline crack away from winning, and Fg Off S's magic card trick had a slight hiccup when the cards went on the floor, but their was his hat trick and an obligatory but completely under prepared Christmas song rendition by the whole Sqn. Well done to all who performed. You have to love live entertainment. You can't write this stuff. Thanks also to all the cake bearers.

Well done to our two Cpl R's who achieved their Air Cadet Bronze Radio Badges at a weekend course held at 2286 Sqn, 9-10 Dec 2023. The Bronze 'Radio Operator' course follows on from the Blue, Basic Radio Operator badge and gives a cadet the skills required to be a radio operator for a flight of cadets on an exercise.  A good example of this is a flight radio operator at RIAT.  Completion of this level results in the awarding of a Bronze certificate and badge by the Wing Radio Communications Officer. A cadet must be at least 1st Class Cadet Classification and had their 14th birthday to commence Cadet Radio Operator training. The course was done over a weekend and included as a minimum of 12 hours training with at least 2 hours of operating practice. A cadet or staff member competent to Radio Operator (Bronze badge) or above can supervise the operating of a Basic Radio Operator cadet (Blue badge). Also, any member of RAFAC, Staff or Instructor Cadet, can teach 1st Class Basic...

Sunday 10 Dec saw 15 cadets from 1368 Squadron assisting the Warwick Lion's with their annual food donation event we know of as the Lion's Christmas Food Parcels community duty, showing the positive face of young people engaging with helper's in local community. Great to chat to the Warwick Mayor also who was interested to know what camps and RAF stations they've been on over the last year. Along with Sports, DofE and Drill, Community Duties are one of the pillars of 1368 Squadron, part of our DNA. Cadets really enjoy them and love to volunteer and get out in the community. They are also very good at eating left over sandwiches.