Page 34 - Cadet Review Autumn 2024

CEY Wing ATC
WINGRAF VALLEY ANNUAL CAMP
By Flight Sergeant Harrison Buckley
From the 17th to 24th August 2024 the Wing held their Annual Camp at RAF Valley with a total number of 40 cadets. The cadets took part in many activities during the week including high ropes, orienteering and drill. One of the most memorable station visits was to the Fire Section where the cadets were given a tour around the fire-trucks, ending with a game of tug-of-war whilst being sprayed by the fire hose.
Many team building exercises were held throughout the week, most notably at the Snowdonia Ropeworks Centre; here cadets completed many different adventure training activities, such as the high ropes course, giant swing and climbing wall. As this was early in the week the crate stack challenge was used as an icebreaker task, introducing new skills and forming new friendships.
The week was full of aircraft visits including the Hawk T1 & T2, Texan T1 and the Jupiter HT1 where cadets were given the opportunity to meet the pilots and experience what it’s like to fly the aircraft themselves using high-tech simulators. Flight Sergeant Jamie Orr of 110 (City of York) Squadron said that: “It was super insightful to see how the next generation of fighter pilots are trained.” They were also invited to the repair hangars where the cadets met the engineers who worked on the RAF Red-Arrows Hawk T1 Aircraft prior to them being used at airshows.
Towards the end of the week was the Mountain Rescue Service visit, which is one of three stationed
It was super insightful
to see how the next generation of fighter pilots are trained.
around the UK at RAF Valley, RAF Leeming and RAF Lossiemouth. Here cadets were taught valuable lifesaving First Aid skills in addition to being able
to lift the Camp Staff on stretchers. On being given
a tour of the MRS vehicles a competition was held
to see which team could pull a vehicle the fastest across the hanger. After long days of station visits including the Air Traffic Control Tower, the final activity was held, a drill competition in front of the Station Warrant Officer. However, the fun never stopped with evening activities such as sports competitions, karaoke and even a cinema trip; cadets were even treated to a takeaway pizza at the bowling alley.
Thanks must go to all the staff who gave up their week to help with such a successful camp, without whom it would not have been possible.
34 CADET REVIEW AUTUMN 2024