A JNCO Course (Junior Non-Commissioned Officers course) is designed to prepare cadets ready for promotion to take on the responsibility of being a figure of authority. Or to give newly appointed JNCO's all the information that they need to be a successful NCO. The first rank of NCO is Corporal, this is the rank that the cadets on the course are being prepared for. Some of the cadets on the course were corporals, two of the representatives from our squadron were newly promoted, and this course gave them the confidence they needed to be even more successful at their position. The third representative from 121 was a newly qualified senior cadet and he found this course very useful and has provided him with everything that he will need in the future when he receives his promotion.

The course entailed of lessons on leadership style, drill and dress regulations (something that all NCO's must have a sound knowledge of), the role of a JNCO, leadership, and then we had time in the evening to prepare for a presentation (this again is something that all NCO's must be confident and competent at doing). Some examples of the topics that the presentations were focused on were:-

• Should the air training corps reduce the entrance age to the corps to 11 years and 3 months discuss points for and against and come up with an overall verdict.
• Cadets are leaving the squadron at a great rate find ways to get these cadets back and find ways to recruit new cadets.

We arrived at RAF Cosford in Shropshire on Friday 22nd February at 2030hrs, as soon as we arrived we were introduced to the members of staff on the course and split down into our various syndicates (groups) these were distinguished by a coloured label worn on the uniform of each cadet. Once this had been completed we were allocated accommodation. This enabled us to get a feel to what the RAF is truly like as all cadets from 121 will be enlisting in the RAF in the near future. On the Saturday morning we got up at 0615hrs and prepared our uniform so that it was immaculate for the day ahead, this again was very useful because a JNCO is expected to set an example to other cadets. Unfortunately the day was very long and tiring but we learnt a lot from the lessons. We ate in the airman's mess, where we were initiated to some of the 'rules' of the mess halls, i.e. no hats in the mess and no shorts!!!

The Sunday entailed of leadership exercises, where each cadet in each syndicate got an opportunity to lead the group. This is where we put all the skills we had learned on the previous day into practise. One of the exercises involved getting 5 litres of 'heavy water' across a 10 metre gap, with only 3 chairs and 2 wooden palettes which separated us from the 'electrical charged floor' where we couldn't touch the water and had small polystyrene cups to fill the bucket.

Cadet Barber, a senior cadet that went on this course said "This course was 100% useful, I will remember the skills that it taught me for a long time!"

Corporal Griffiths said: "This course was extremely useful and thoroughly enjoyable"

Corporal Richardson said: "This course gave me the opportunity to socialise with cadets that I have met on previous camps and to enhance my leadership skills!"

RAF Cosford

Cosford has been involved with the training of RAF ground tradesmen since it opened in 1938. Units currently based at Cosford are No 1 School of Technical Training, the Birmingham University Air Squadron operating Tutor T1s, and No 633 Volunteer Gliding School with Vigilant T1s.