Air Cadet Badges and Ranks

The article below is an extract from the First Class Air Cadet Resource Book.

Please note this information is subject to Copyright 2018 Thomas Grocott. Not for reproduction. Thomas Grocott has asserted his right to be identified as author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved.Some images in this publication are Crown Copyright and contain public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cadet Badges

Cadets complete a ‘progressive training syllabus’ where they can earn air cadet badges for their achievements. These badges are sewn onto the brassard. Flying and gliding awards are sewn onto the jumper. Most activities have four stages of progression; Blue, Bronze, Silver and
then Gold. Cadets must have completed the lower coloured stage before moving on. Badges can be earnt by completing activities or courses. Training becomes more advanced as stages are completed. The badges are progressive, which means that the highest badge achieved is worn.
Ask your squadron staff to find out how to get each badge. Activities where cadets can claim badges are below:

Cadet Ranks

Cadets with good leadership skills can be promoted by the Commanding Officer of their squadron and gain one of the ranks below. To obtain the highest rank of Cadet Warrant Officer, they must be over 18 and be selected by their Wing Commander.

 

 

 

Adult staff in the RAF Air Cadets fall into three groups. Officers and Noncommissioned Officers wear uniform, and Civilian instructors do not.
All uniformed staff in the ATC wear ranks to denote their status at the squadron or in the organisation. These mirror the ranks in the RAF.

Officers
All officers must be saluted and called Sir or Ma’am. The ranks mirror those of the RAF, but Officers who work with cadets have ‘RAF Air Cadets’
written underneath their rank slide.

Non-commissioned Officers

Non-commissioned Officers (NCOs) are not saluted, but are mostly called by their rank. The ranks mirror those of the RAF, but NCOs who work with cadets have ‘RAF Air Cadets’ written underneath their rank slide. Warrant Officers are called Sir or Ma’am. NCOs who are involved with aircraft may wear an eagle on their air cadet rank slides.

 

Summary

Cadet staff wear ‘RAF Air Cadets’ on their rank slides. NCOs are addressed by their rank. Officers and Warrant Officers are
addressed Sir or Ma’am.