Page 35 - Cadet Review Spring 2021

ONGOING VIRTUAL
ACTIVITIES FOR
MIRFIELD AIR CADETS
While the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 continue to restrict activities to the virtual world, cadets at 868 (Mirfield) Squadron have continued with a weekly programme that includes a wide variety of guest presentations. Each Tuesday evening cadets have continued to join in sessions using Microsoft Teams and among the interesting subjects covered in the latter part of 2020 have been the following:
ROYAL AIR FORCE REGIMENT
Flying Officer Emma Graves, the first female
officer in the Regiment, joined the cadets to give a stimulating and informative evening. She reflected on her time and experiences as an Air Cadet herself, and she still takes an active part in staffing the
Air Cadets’ Junior Leaders Course each year, and talked about her career path in the armed services, which went via the Royal Marines to joining the RAF Regiment.
VIRTUAL VISIT TO THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
The Squadron was privileged to have a virtual visit to the Houses of Parliament hosted by their local MP Mark Eastwood. Cadets learned about the history
of the building and the process of government in the UK. A fascinating and engaging evening giving everyone an education about how the country is run.
The Squadron was privileged to have a virtual visit to the Houses of Parliament hosted by their local
MP Mark Eastwood
QUICK REACTION ALERT FORCE
At short notice RAF Corporal Richard Conley, a past Cadet Warrant Officer from the squadron, arranged a special and quite privileged addition to the regular Tuesday evening virtual meeting for the Squadron. He arranged for colleagues from RAF Coningsby to join him in the Squadron’s meeting to explain about the RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert force based at the station.
A short video introduced the topic and then each of the participants from the RAF talked about their roles in maintaining the QRA Typhoon aircraft armed and in a state of readiness to be airborne in just 4 minutes, to intercept and deal with incursions into UK airspace.
Cadets learned about the QRA set up in the UK and how potential threats are detected and responded
to from bases in both Lincolnshire covering the southern half of the UK and Scotland, based at
RAF Lossiemouth covering the northern half. RAF Voyager aircraft can also be deployed from RAF Brize Norton for air-to-air refuelling extend the range and endurance of the Typhoons.
They also learned about the training specific to roles on the QRA force to help enable the rapid deployment of the Typhoons. All-in-all this was a very informative and educational evening for cadets.
LIFE WITH THE RED ARROWS
An ex-cadet of the Squadron, Jamie Stringer who is now a corporal in the Royal Air Force and recently completed a tour of duty with the Red Arrows, joined the Squadron’s regular Tuesday evening session to
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