Adventure Training 2005
Adventure Training within Herts and Bucks is undergoing
something of a evolution for 2005, with a fresh approach to courses and services
offered to Squadrons and the DF within the Wing. The main changes are laid out
below:
¨
Adventure Training Group.
o The Adventure Training Group will be dissolved. The resources will be centralised and a review of the serviceability and requirements of equipment held at Wing Level will be undertaken to meet the changes to courses and services the Wing operates.
o
The Group Web
Site will be closed down and the links from the Wing and Corps sites removed.
o
Mechanical
Transport:
§
The Wing
Minibus will be returned to RAF Halton where a thorough inspection will take
place into the feasibility of maintaining this resource. It is thought that,
financially, we may be better off selling the minibus. Although this is a very
useful asset to have, the current arrangements with RAF Halton and RAF Henlow
are such that transport for weekend activities is not deemed to be a problem.
§
The Adventure
Training Group currently operates with two trailers. A box trailer for
transporting equipment and also a canoe trailer. These items will be located in
secure storage. Again, as with the minibus, a review of these items will be
undertaken to ensure they are safe and reliable to use on the public highway
will be undertaken
o
Equipment:
§
All equipment
owned and operated by the group will be held at RAF Halton.
§
Equipment
that falls below a standard of serviceability will be disposed off and replaced
in order to meet the needs of the new Adventure Training within the Wing.
¨
Courses offered at Wing Level:
o
The number
and nature of the courses offered at Wing Level will change.
§
The Wing
level courses we aim to offer in 2005 is evolving. It is hoped that some of the
courses offered will lead to recognised qualifications. These courses are
detailed below:
·
Conventional
Adventure Training: Summer Expedition 30
Cdt places Winter Expedition
30 Cdt places Mountain Activity
Course 30 Cdt places (2 Courses)
·
Fieldcraft
and Military Skills Training courses: FaMSTC
(Initial) 72 Cdt places (2 Courses)
FaMSTC (Intermediate) 72 Cdt places (2 Courses) FaMSTC
(Senior) 36 Cdt places
¨
Future new courses:
o
To meet the
changes in activities available the feasibility of running new courses is
currently underway. We are currently looking into running courses in:
§
Mountain
biking
§
Three Peaks
challenge
§
Orienteering
§
Sailing
§
Climbing
o
The Wing
currently runs a very busy calendar. In an attempt to remove the need for cadets
to commit to a complete weekends away, locations within the county boarders are
being sourced to provide the training for these courses.
¨
Basic Expedition Leaders Award. BELA
o
The BELA is a
course the Wing has for some time wanted to be able to offer. It is a low level
award that ideally, each unit should have someone qualified up this point. We
are now close to being able to run this course at Wing Level. Accreditation is
being sought with a view to running the first BELA in 2005.
¨
Wing Technical Panel.
o
Efforts are
currently underway to set up the Wing Adventure Training Technical Panel. The
purpose of this panel will be to establish common working practices amongst the
Wing. Offer support and advice to WSO’s, Sqn’s and personnel. Provide a
central authority on all Adventure Training policies and procedures.
o
Personnel are
being sought to offer a wide range of skill areas and also best cover the
requirements of the Panel and Wing. Skill areas include DEAS, Health and Safety,
Mountain Leader.
¨
Competitions.
o
It is
envisaged that there will be an increase in the number of places offered on Wing
Run Adventure Training type competitions. The Wing Exercise and Wing Overnight
Exercise will still go ahead, but it is hoped that with an increase in the
diversity of courses available to cadets, competitions such as a mountain biking
competition could be run.