Welcome to this edition of SUFFOLK CADET.

The dark winter nights are now behind us and the summer sunshine beckons – well, we can live in hope – This presents us with the opportunity to take advantage of the great outdoors for training, including detachment parade nights, DOE award expeditions, and sport. A full programme for these activities is now in place. I recommend them to you all.

The key element of the ACF is the Detachment, and the training, progress of each cadet and the team spirit to be found at this level, is the ‘bedrock’ which underpins our entire operation. At another level are the Headquarters, both County and Company, who have multi-responsibilities including continuation training for both Officers and Adult Instructors. A study day for Company Sergeant Majors was held in April – a first for the County – and designed to increase awareness of what the role entails and to enable those SMIs currently in post, and SSIs with and eye to the future, to be employed more effectively in role. The day was judged a great success and further study days for specialists will take place in the future.

Key events recently were the presentation to SSAFA of a cheque in the sum of £1500.00, the total of your sponsored fundraising activities on their behalf, not forgetting the benefits accruing to your detachment funds as a result. My thanks to you all for participating in this worthy cause, and to Beccles in particular for raising in excess of £1300, they retain the trophy for the second year in succession.

The County Athletic Championships took place at Colchester Stadium on 8th May. A good time was had by all those participating and much, hitherto, unknown sporting talent was unearthed – we shall nurture this and look ahead to greater laurels at regional and national levels for those concerned. On behalf of all of those involved I took the opportunity to thank SMI. Bianco and his team for ensuring success on the day.

You will be pleased to learn that Major Bob West has agreed to take on the BTEC programme for the county. The ACF is currently the only National Youth Organisation offering young people the chance to learn valuable skills together with the opportunity to receive a nationally recognised diploma that is respected by both employers and Institutes of Higher Education. All cadets over 16 will have the opportunity to earn, at no cost, a BTEC First Diploma in Public Services – the equivalent of 4 GCSEs at A to C level. The programme will begin in the Autumn.

Events to Commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II will be held on 10th July across the nation, and we here in Suffolk will be involved. The main county event will be a Service and Parade in Bury St Edmunds and others more local to your area. I know that you will all be well turned out and keen to participate on this historic occasion, and I ask you all to give some thought for those veterans when they march past on the day, and for their comrades who did not return.

I bring the following cadets to your notice for their achievements :
Staff Sergeant Sarah Revell (Felixstowe) appointed Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet and for passing the Master Cadet Course.
Corporal Jessica Holland (Wattisham) appointed High Sheriff’s Cadet.
Sergeant’s Hare and Hudson-Hill for gaining Very Good (highest possible grade) reports on the National Cadet Leadership Course, well done all of you.

Finally, the time for Summer Camp is drawing near and I hope to see as many of you on Salisbury Plain as possible – fingers crossed for good parachuting weather!

Colonel Paul Denny

The SACF Website
The Suffolk ACF website is growing week by week thanks to the hard work of the Webmaster Maj John Raybould TD. He will gratefully receive articles, images, reports of what your Detachment is doing, bits of nonsense and your comments and wishes at any time. He has editorial rights to construct the web within the bounds of sensibility and good order. We hope that you visit the site regularly to keep up to date on what is happening in Suffolk. It is your site and should reflect the things you want to see. Let us know if it does!
Lt Barry Forster, County Public Relations Officer

Training Safety Advisor
The Training Safety Advisor is a Warrant Officer appointed by Brigade to ensure that all training carried out by the ACF is conducted in accordance with the Army Safe System of Training and in accordance with the relevant policy guidelines.
My aim, as TSA for Norfolk and Suffolk, is to ensure the above is carried out with the minimum of change to the current county administration systems.
Wherever possible I will be finding ways of reducing the administration whilst maximising training value.
This post is all about helping you, the adult volunteer, be able to conduct the best training you can knowing that you are safe and correct in the procedures by which you are governed. In order to achieve this, I need you to tell me what your needs are and what would help you.
Please take every opportunity to ask questions and challenge me, on my visits, at my office (HQ Ipswich), by email, tsa_norfolk_suffolk@fsmail.net or tel 07768 597114
You are already doing great things - lets make it better and hopefully easier.
WO2 'Gus' Kaye

Suffolk Cadet Magazine Dec 04

Suffolk Cadet Magazine Index