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Royal Air Force Reserves
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF), the active reserve for the RAF, by providing an additional non-active reserve. However, during the Second World War, the high demand for aircrew absorbed all available RAuxAF personnel and led the RAFVR to quickly become the main pathway of aircrew entry into the RAF. It was initially composed of civilians recruited from neighbourhood reserve flying schools, run by civilian contractors with largely RAF-trained flying instructors as well as other instructors in related air war functions, such as observers and wireless operators. After the war, and with the end of conscription in the early 1960s, the RAFVR considerably reduced in size and most functions were absorbed into the RAuxAF. The RAFVR now forms the working elements of the U ...
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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and most of List of islands of the United Kingdom, the smaller islands within the British Isles, covering . Northern Ireland shares Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border, a land border with the Republic of Ireland; otherwise, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea. It maintains sovereignty over the British Overseas Territories, which are located across various oceans and seas globally. The UK had an estimated population of over 68.2 million people in 2023. The capital and largest city of both England and the UK is London. The cities o ...
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Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force and civil aviation that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State for Air. Organisations before the Air Ministry The Air Committee On 13 April 1912, less than two weeks after the creation of the Royal Flying Corps (which initially consisted of both a naval and a military wing), an Air Committee was established to act as an intermediary between the Admiralty and the War Office in matters relating to aviation. The new Air Committee was composed of representatives of the two war ministries, and although it could make recommendations, it lacked executive authority. The recommendations of the Air Committee had to be ratified by the Admiralty Board and the Imperial General Staff and, in consequence, the Committee was not particularly effective. The increasing separation of army and n ...
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Military Units And Formations Of The Royal Air Force
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily Weapon, armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a distinct military uniform. They may consist of one or more military branches such as an army, navy, air force, space force, marines, or coast guard. The main task of a military is usually defined as defence of their state and its interests against external armed threats. In broad usage, the terms "armed forces" and "military" are often synonymous, although in technical usage a distinction is sometimes made in which a country's armed forces may include other paramilitary forces such as armed police. Beyond warfare, the military may be employed in additional sanctioned and non-sanctioned functions within the state, including internal security threats, crowd control, promotion of political agendas, emergency services and reconstructi ...
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Volunteer Gliding Squadrons
A Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS) is an List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons, aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) which provides flying training in Glider (sailplane), glider aircraft for Royal Air Force Air Cadets. All current operational Volunteer Gliding Squadrons operate a sole type of aircraft, the Grob G103a Twin II, Grob G103A Twin II Acro, a conventional winch-launched tandem-seat sailplane known by its British military designation, Viking T1. Since 2014, the Squadron (aviation), squadrons operate under No. 2 Flying Training School RAF, No. 2 Flying Training School, which was newly reformed for this purpose at RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire, within No. 22 Group RAF, No. 22 (Training) Group of RAF Air Command, Air Command. The nine currently operational squadrons, along with the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School, are standardised annually by the Central Flying School, Royal Air Force Central Flying School. Under the Air Cadet Organisation prior t ...
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Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College
Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College (stylised as Welbeck – The Defence Sixth Form College), formerly named and often referred to as simply Welbeck College, was an independent, selective sixth form college in Leicestershire, England. While run as a sixth form college, the school was an institution of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. Founded in 1953, the school was originally based at Welbeck Abbey near Worksop, where it provided A-level education for boys planning to join the technical branches of the British Army. By 2004, the school accepted both male and female students for all three branches of the British Armed Forces, and in 2005, the school was re-opened and relocated to a purpose-built site in Leicestershire, where it also began admitting potential civil servants for the Defence Engineering and Science Group within the Ministry of Defence. The school closed on 3 July 2021. History Foundation Recognising a dec ...
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University Air Squadrons
University Air Squadrons (UAS), are Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve units under the command of No. 6 Flying Training School RAF. That offers training and flight training to university students, with the goal of attracting students into a career as an RAF officer after university. Primarily its goal is achieved through delivery of this training as well as force development, adventure training and leadership development to its members. These provide a taste of life in the service and to give experience to their members in preparation for taking up a career as an officer in one of the RAF's many branches. Members are under no obligation to continue service after university and may resign at any time. Members of the UAS are attested personnel of the RAF Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) and are paid for their service. Upon joining students hold the rank of Officer Cadet ( OF-D). Some go on to obtain commissions in the RAF Volunteer Reserve while still studying for their degree, Others ...
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Army Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force (ACF), generally shortened to Army Cadets, is a national Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, youth organisation sponsored by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence and the British Army. Along with the Sea Cadet Corps (United Kingdom), Sea Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps, the ACF make up the Community Cadet Forces. It is a separate organisation from the Combined Cadet Force which provides similar training within principally Private schools in the United Kingdom, private schools. Although sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, the ACF is not part of the British Army, and as such cadets are not subject to military law or military 'call up' but is funded by the MOD. Some cadets do, however, go on to enlist in the armed forces later in life. The Army Cadet Charitable Trust UK (ACCT UK) is a registered charity that acts in an advisory role to the Ministry of Defence and other Government bodies on matters conn ...
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Air Force Board
The Air Force Board of the Defence Council is responsible for the management of the Royal Air Force. Prior to the creation of the current UK Ministry of Defence in 1964, the administration of the RAF and its personnel was undertaken by the Air Force Council, part of the Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force and civil aviation that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the .... In 1964, the Defence Council took over this role, but the day-to-day management of the three services was delegated to the three single service boards, of which the Air Force Board is one. Membership of the Board The composition is as follows: *Civilian ** Secretary of State for Defence ** Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces ** Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry ** Parliamentary Under-Secretary of ...
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Air Experience Flight
An Air Experience Flight (AEF) is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to cadets from the Air Training Corps and the Combined Cadet Force. As of 2019, thirteen AEFs are active. History The AEFs, numbered from 1 to 13, were formed across the United Kingdom in 1958, all but two forming on the same day, 8 September. All were equipped with the de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 trainer. An exception was No. 5 AEF, which also operated a single Beagle Husky (''XW635'') from 1969 to 1989. In the mid-1990s they were merged with co-located University Air Squadrons (UASs), the Chipmunks being replaced by the existing UAS Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1s. No. 13 AEF at RAF Aldergrove was disbanded in 1996. In 1999, the Grob Tutor T.1 began to replace the Bulldog. On 10 March 2016, Julian Brazier, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence), announced the return of 13 AEF ...
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Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a British Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, volunteer youth organisation; aligned to, and fostering the knowledge and learning of military values, primarily focusing on military aviation. Part of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC), the ATC is sponsored by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the wider Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence (MoD). The majority of Air Training Corps staff are volunteers, though some staff are paid for full-time work; including Commandant Air Cadets, who is a RAF officer ranks, Royal Air Force officer as part of a Reservist, Full Term Reserve Service commitment. Members of the Air Training Corps are known as Air Cadets, which is often interchanged with the term 'ATC cadets'. Although many ATC cadets subsequently go on to join the Royal Air Force, or the other branches of the British Armed Forces (or have the desire to do so), the ATC is not a recruiting organisation for its parent service ...
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Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which operates in schools, sub divided into Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force sections. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance". One of its objectives is "to encourage those who have an interest in the services to become Officers of the Regular or Reserve Forces", and a significant number of British military officers have had experience in the CCF. Before 1948, cadet forces in schools existed as the junior division of the Officers' Training Corps framework, but in 1948 Combined Cadet Force was formed covering cadets affiliated to all three services. As of 2019, there were 42,720 cadets and 3,370 Adult Volunteers. The MOD provides approximately £ ...
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Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch), often abbreviated to RAFVR(T), is a Volunteer Reserve element of the Royal Air Force specifically appointed in a cadet training role within the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Members of the RAFVR(T) have no call-up liability and is now significantly smaller due to the introduction of the Cadet Forces Commission (see below). The commission is now exclusively used for members of the Air Experience Flights, which provide flight experience for the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, as their role requires them to fall under the Armed Forces Act 2011, Armed Forces Act. In December 2017, the Air Force Board determined that RAFVR(T) ranks as part of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets would be removed, with the exception of the Officers of the Air Experience Flight, Air Experience Flights. This was to make way for the introduction within all MOD-sponsored cadet forces of the Cadet Forces Commission (CFC), which was introduced in 2017 and r ...
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