ATC

Former Member

Hey.
Anybody here ever been in the ATC? Any funny stories?
I’ve recently joined.
Does it actually help with an application to the RAF?
Anybody got any evidence?

Former Member

http://www.thesite.org/cgi-noperl/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=22&t=002402

this is very recent. I'm only posting the URL cos I can't be bothered to write everything again!

Former Member

Hiya. I've been in the ATC for nearly 6 years now, and yes, it does help tremendously with your application to the RAF, especially if you are an NCO when you leave. Think about it, the qualities the ATC develops, teamwork, leadership, discipline, etc, are exactly what the RAF is looking for in aspiring recruits. Ask at your local squadron for information about joining the RAF, I'm sure they'll be more than helpful. Also, your officers at your squadron are all RAF (VR), so they'll be able to help you out as well. Talk to some of the older cadets as well, they'll probably have friends who were at the sqn, but left to go to the RAF. Keep at the cadets, it'll teach you so much and you'll have some great memories. If you get the chance, put your name down for easter camp (coming up shortly) and summer camp, cause they'll give you the best insight into an RAF base and RAF life. If you want any more info, just post iy here. Cheers <IMG alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">

Former Member

I had an interesting time in the ATC. I ended up as a corporal and got my bronze DofE award. My squadron was 137 (Ayr and Prestwick).

I went on one summer camp, which was for the most part a nightmare. This was in 1998, before I got my promotion. It was at RAF Halton, the recruit training base, which has no planes and nothing to do. We travelled down from Glasgow on a coach, which took all night and I had no sleep. When we arrived the previous week's camp were still packing up. We heard an interesting story from them. England had been beaten in a football match. All the Scottish cadets had been celebrating this, which rather upset all the English RAF staff.
On the camp almost everything was badly organised. I could have qualified for my ATC marksmanship, but the idiot Warrant officer didn't write up our logbooks. Then there was the night exercise. Not only was the scenario badly thought out, but the area we were in was mostly fields, with very little cover. Then there were my roommates. There was a big stupid guy who kept waking me up in the middle of the night and There was the corporal, who spent more time snogging his girlfreind than actually keeping stupid in check. At least I made one freind, a corporal in my squad who took a very relaxed attitude to drill (thats my kind of NCO).

Since I have left the ATC to come to university, I have visited them on occasion. I was invited to a civic reception in Ayr to celebrate the squadron's 50th anniversary. My brother is still a cadet in the ATC.