I n t h e W o r k p l a c e
On Tour B
ritain’s most senior serving female officer has scooped her dream job to become Commandant Air Cadets. Air
Commodore Barbara Cooper took up her appointment this Summer and says she hasn’t stopped smiling since.
“It is the most amazing youth organisation which develops young men and women to become responsible citizens and to give them first hand experience of aviation and the Royal Air Force. I am enormously proud to be its Commandant.
“The Air Cadet Organisation (ACO) comprises 44,000 cadets aged 13-19, 11,000 adult volunteers and about 5,000 fund raisers, including civilian committee members.
“I have done a lot of travelling over the past weeks and have met some truly remarkable and inspirational people; some are cadets, who have achieved more in their short lives than many of us will achieve in our lifetime. Some are volunteers, who give so much time and effort to benefit the cadets. Mums and dads are often persuaded to help out and many of the nearly 1,000 squadrons are real family affairs. It is wonderful to see.
“Cadets enjoy an array of activities from gliding and flying to drill, fieldcraft and target shooting. They have the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and to achieve a BTEC in Aviation Studies.
“When I was a teenager, only boys could join the Air Cadets. Of course, we have long since become fully integrated, although I have been quite humbled by the number of young women who view me as a role model!
40 Autumn 2010
with The Air Cadets
“The ACO is without doubt one of the best uniformed organisations in the country and despite increasing financial challenges, it continues to grow from strength to strength. It is my job to make sure we stay on that track.”
Whilst the Air Cadets will be celebrating its 70th Anniversary in 2011, the Cadet Movement marks 150 years this year, with many events planned throughout the country. Cadet150 is a great opportunity for young people across the UK to find out more about the groups making up the Cadet Forces; the Combined Cadet Force which is run through schools, the Sea Cadet Corps, the Army Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps.
Interested in joining the Air Cadet Organisation? Take a look
atwww.aircadets.org
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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