1368 ended year with strong sense of togetherness and pride, an environment with both fun and discipline. Here's some things we did: Sqn won the Wing Swimming championships in Jan 2023. The result of a great team effort across the different categories.  Sqn won the Wing Athletics championships in May 2023 by considerable points margin, despite not being the biggest team. Sqn did blue badge band for the first time in Feb-Apr 2023, investing in drums and pads. Sqn repeated previous success in Blue Radio and Blue Leadership in Feb-Apr 2023, ensuring basic radio operator is done by all cadets in first year.  Sqn ensured a focus presentation skills course. At least 5 cadets went on to attend Wing MOI courses, and at least 5 were assessed to get Instructor cadet lanyards.  Cadets did Essential First Aid (EFA) and Activity First Aid (AFA) quals. First Aid team best in Wing on Wing comp day (by a considerable points margin) We had a massive drop of Swimming Proficiency certificat...

2023 Year ended with "Operation Team Gingerbread", 20 Dec, a lot of chocolate and Sqn end of year clean-down. Winning team got to demolish losing teams creation (the picture here is actually before the demolishing!? but actually some amazing craft work on display and some icing on the cake for an action packed final week of the year. 

Cpl F won cadet of the month for Nov (pastoral care) and Cdt W won Dec (most improved & leadership potential). 11 cadets went to joint Lazerquest with 2286. Started exams to begin harvesting Leading/Master/Senior classification badges. Cdt G & B first to complete 3 exams to achieve Leading. Cadet G got road marching blue badge. FS C did a Mountain Training Lowland Leader Award weekend and got given some disco band reflectors.

We currently have 3 intakes a year aligned to the start of the school terms. This means that our next intake is January 2024 and the likely intake after this would be April 2024. The benefits of the intake system are: You join at the same time as others who are in the same boat. This helps make friends. Avoids repeats of training. Group works progressively through syllabus, building knowledge as they become integrated into the squadron. Easier to deliver training with limited rooms. When we get an expression of interest we will contact parents/guardian(s) to arrange a visit with the potential cadet, so they can see what it is like and have a look around. If there is still interest after this then we would advise when next intake is, and start the forms 2-4 weeks before the date. The best place to submit an expression of interest is via the RAF website form: Go to https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/ and use the Find your local squadron search.  All the squadrons are different, hence...

1368 took advantage of run up to Christmas to lighten the parade nights. The 1368's Got Talent show threw up some surprises. Amazingly enthusiastic and supportive audience. Really close at the top. Top prize to Sgt M on his JL-inspired rendition of egg sausage chips & beans song. The impromptu encore rendition of 'man's not hot' certainty enhanced the experiential learning aspects of the evening.  Alas, the festive gnomes lyrical changes to their rendition of 'Last DofE' kept everybody glued to their seats and was just a hairline crack away from winning, and Fg Off S's magic card trick had a slight hiccup when the cards went on the floor, but their was his hat trick and an obligatory but completely under prepared Christmas song rendition by the whole Sqn. Well done to all who performed. You have to love live entertainment. You can't write this stuff. Thanks also to all the cake bearers.

Well done to our two Cpl R's who achieved their Air Cadet Bronze Radio Badges at a weekend course held at 2286 Sqn, 9-10 Dec 2023. The Bronze 'Radio Operator' course follows on from the Blue, Basic Radio Operator badge and gives a cadet the skills required to be a radio operator for a flight of cadets on an exercise.  A good example of this is a flight radio operator at RIAT.  Completion of this level results in the awarding of a Bronze certificate and badge by the Wing Radio Communications Officer. A cadet must be at least 1st Class Cadet Classification and had their 14th birthday to commence Cadet Radio Operator training. The course was done over a weekend and included as a minimum of 12 hours training with at least 2 hours of operating practice. A cadet or staff member competent to Radio Operator (Bronze badge) or above can supervise the operating of a Basic Radio Operator cadet (Blue badge). Also, any member of RAFAC, Staff or Instructor Cadet, can teach 1st Class Basic...

Sunday 10 Dec saw 15 cadets from 1368 Squadron assisting the Warwick Lion's with their annual food donation event we know of as the Lion's Christmas Food Parcels community duty, showing the positive face of young people engaging with helper's in local community. Great to chat to the Warwick Mayor also who was interested to know what camps and RAF stations they've been on over the last year. Along with Sports, DofE and Drill, Community Duties are one of the pillars of 1368 Squadron, part of our DNA. Cadets really enjoy them and love to volunteer and get out in the community. They are also very good at eating left over sandwiches.

Well done to the 5 of 9 members of 1368's 0923 intake who successfully attended the St John's Essential First Aid (EFA) course on 9 Dec 2023 at 1368 Squadron (4 pictured) to gain a first blue badge to sew on to their 1368 Sqn Lanyards. This was sector run course at the 1368 Sqn. Many thanks to staff from 1289 Squadron, Kenilworth, who delivered the material. Got great feedback. Cadets were all engaged, answered questions, put forward their thoughts and took part in all practical elements of the course.  Blue badge First Aid training is part of the Air Cadet Progressive Training Syllabus (PTS). In accordance with ACTO 008, First Aid is one of the core activities essential for the Cadet Experience. Within the first six months of joining the Sqn, Cadets and CFAV must complete the EFA programme. Next stop will hopefully be some YFA training for all our cadets to get their Bronze badges. According to ACTO 008, Cadets should complete the YFA programme within an eighteen-months of joi...

Cadets from 1368 Squadron had a social evening parade at Coventry's Planet Ice instead of its normal parade. A great opportunity to socialize and have fun across the age range, introducing the newbies to the phenomena known as the crazy conga.

Well done to all the cadets that won awards at 1368's prize giving and enrolment evening on 4 Dec 2023. This annual event is where we recognize cadet and NCO's achievements during the year. We invite parents and guardian's and the cadet themselves present on some of the achievements. In 2023, 1368 Squadron cadet's retained their Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing Championship trophy in May in addition to taking the Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing Swimming trophy in January. Having also won the last Wing Cross Country championships in Nov 2022, this means that we're unbeaten in the last 4 Wing Sports Competitions, leading to a great team spirit. We also had some great achievements, for example, coming top 4 in the Wing Competition/Training Day, entering First Aid, Radio and ensemble competitions, as well as Drill and Banner competitions. 1368's First Aid team won best in the Wing, with a significant score difference with the nearest rivals. Also some great achieve...

Well done to "I love mountains" Cpl B, the 4th of our 2022 Wild Country Gold DofE expeditioners to complete the remaining sections and have their Gold DofE awarded with the 1368 Sqn. Loved the Volunteering which included classroom assistance / mentoring a younger student. Well done.  Next stop, Gold Award Presentation at B'ham Palace, or perhaps a trip for a Big Dobbies b'fast (to really live the dream)?