Commandant's Christmas Message

I would like to thank all the adults in Kent Army Cadet Force for their unstinting loyalty, support and determination throughout this year and to wish you all a thoroughly enjoyable Christmas and New Year. I look forward to continuing the challenge of cadet training and to work with you throughout 2013. I would like to pass on my special thanks to our Civilian Assistants whose work very often goes unseen, but without whom the adminstration of detachments would be an additional burden on the uniformed staff.

2012 proved to be very busy and very different for us in many ways. An annual camp at Easter was probably the hint that the year would be like no other. Despite the cold nights and the slightly shorter hours of daylight than we would normally be used to we achieved what we set out to achieve. We now have annual camp to Okehampton (10-23 Aug)  2013 firmly in our sights. The first recce has been and gone and the County recce is scheduled for March. Annual camp will feature all the normal activities you would expect at camp, including the opportunities for AT and at Coy level a day out. Costs are provisionally set at £80. We embarked on the delivery of Level 1 qualifications to our cadets, something that I would like to see continue in the new year. We also achieved 7 gold awards at D of E and had an enjoyable Officers' Study Period to Ypres in Belgium.

The County celebrated HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee with medals, a spectacular dinner at Priestfield and the lighting of a beacon at Dibgate.

I am very pleased that 2Lt Ian Packer has started what I am confident will be a steady and successful programme of commissioning for our Potential Officers. With 17 Adult Under Officers currently undergoing training I am looking at asteady outflow from Westbury of young (and not so young!) officers who have the ability to lead from the front at detachment level. If anyone else is considering the challenge of commissioning I would urge them to make contact with Maj Nisbet who is running the PO Cadre.

We have said goodbye to a number of long serving members of Kent ACF this year; RSM McGowan, who led the Sgts' Mess for the last three years, Capt Morris form our AT team and Lt Col John Pankhurst, one of the longest serving members of the county and one of our deputy Commandants. All will be sorely missed, but the new year will usher in a new team, with two new Deputy Commandants and a recently appointed RSM and SO2. We were also able to say farewell to the outgoing Honorary Colonel, The Viscount de L'Isle MBE, on his retirement, with a celebratory a dinner at Dibgate in November.

Looking back to the start of the year I set out the key aims and objectives for this year and 2013. These were to:

"Increase the uptake of older cadets on CVQO awards. It goes without saying that all cadets who fulfil the qualifying criteria should be registered and should complete the assessment package. BTEC awards add real value to the life chances of our cadets and engage directly with parents, schools and other stakeholders.

2. Improve the uptake for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, at all levels. As with CVQO awards the County is currently behind the curve with the uptake and completion of awards well below the levels we should be achieving, despite the considerable personal efforts of Capt Woods and his team.

3. Further develop shooting as a core activity available to all cadets. The introduction of the new air rifle should be used as a stimulus to putting shooting back on the map. It goes without saying that shooting is one of the key incentives to joining the ACF, forms part of the overall "Cadet Experience" and is an excellent tool for so many disciplines. The County has had some notable achievements of late and I commend the Shooting Officer for his efforts.

Looking at these three areas, they should become our ME for development.

For adults, I wish to see major development in the sphere of potential officer training and development and with encouraging CFAV to develop AT skills and qualifications.

Across the County there is considerable talent, enthusiasm and expertise amongst the CFAV community and I am indebted to the staff who make things happen. There is however still room for improvement and development, particularly with uptake of activities by cadets and it is here that we all share a corporate responsibility."

I would encourage you all to look and review not just how successful (or otherwise) we have been at these, but how YOU have contributed, or could contribute towards them in 2013.

The Honorary Colonel, Colonel James Partridge TD DL passes on his warm regards at this festive time of year and hopes to get the opportunity to meet as many adults and cadets as possible early on in 2013.

I have been prompted by the SO2 that I need to produce the Directive for 2013/2014, which I shall aim to do over the Christmas/New Year period and put out via the CoC in the January/February.

Again, well done for making 2012 a success and for continued success in 2013.

Have a very Happy Christmas with your families and friends.

Jeremy Wilson

PS: In 2013 I will be looking for a new County Training Officer (to take post after Camp) and a County Sports Officer.