1140 (Steyning) Squadron Air Training Corps

"The Phoenix Squadron"

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Cadet, Adult NCO and Officer Ranks

This page introduces you to the RAF and Cadet ranks within the Air Cadet organisation.  The tables below show pictures of the ranks slides that you will see on the shoulders of Officers, Adult and Cadet Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs).  There is also a brief description of the role that the person would perform.

Cadet NCO Ranks

The Squadron has promotion criteria posted on notice boards within the Squadron headquarters.  Typically these include standards for attendance, dress, participation, leadership and skills.  The criteria are a guide, as every person is different.  Excellent leaders and organisers do not have to be academic or the best turned out - but it helps when setting standards for cadets to follow.  

Cadets are invited to apply for promotion (through the ranks shown below) and will then be interviewed.

Adult NCO Ranks

Adult NCO appointments are recommended by a Squadron Commander.  The candidate completes application and security forms and, providing these are satisfactory, is invited to attend an interview (board) with senior Officers within the Wing.  Promotion through the Adult NCO ranks is gained after certain periods of time at each rank, successful completion of Adult NCO courses and on appointment to specific posts.

	Adult Sergeant (Sgt)
	Adult Flight Sergeant (FS)
	Adult Warrant Officer (AWO)

RAF Officer Ranks

All 'volunteer' Officers are Officers in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) - otherwise known as RAFVR(T).  To distinguish RAFVR(T) officers with their counterparts in the regular RAF, a 'VRT' brass badge is worn in the centre of their rank slide.  'VRT' Officer ranks start at Pilot Officer and the highest rank attainable is Wing Commander.

The table below shows the Officer ranks that most cadets will encounter and will need to know about.  The highest rank shown is that of Air Commodore, however it should be noted that there are a number of ranks above Air Commodore in the RAF.

The rank slides are made up of combinations of thin, medium and thick 'bands'.  The ranks above Air Commodore follow that theme by adding a medium band to the Air Commodore rank at each level until there are 4 medium bands above 1 thick band (Marshall of the Royal Air Force).

	Pilot Officer (Plt Off) Pilot Officer is the 1st rank gained on appointment.  All newly appointed Officers must complete a course at the Air Cadet Training Centre within a year of appointment.
	Flying Officer (Fg Off) Promotion to Flying Officer is usually gained after 2 years service as a Pilot Officer.  Most Squadrons will have other Officers working under the direction of the Commanding Officer and they will be either Flying Officers or Pilot Officers.
	Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Most Squadron Commanders are Flt Lt's.  Each Wing has a number of Wing Staff Officers and most of those appointments are also Flt Lt's.  There are 23 Squadrons in Sussex Wing and approximately 900 Squadrons in the Corps.
	Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) This rank is reserved for senior Wing Staff Officers and Squadron Commanders of the largest Squadrons in the Corps (over 100 cadets).
	Wing Commander (Wg Cdr) In the ATC a  Wing Commander is the Commanding Officer of a Wing (e.g. Sussex Wing).  There are 36 Wings in the Corps and 6 in our Region.
	Group Captain (Grp Cptn) In the Air Cadet Organisation a Group Captain is a Regional Commandant.  Sussex Wing is in London & South East Region whose Headquarters is at RAF Northolt.  There are 6 Regions in the Corps and thus there are 6 Regional Commandants.  There are also Group Captain appointments at Headquarters Air Cadets, RAF Cranwell.
	Air Commodore (Air Cdre) The Commandant Air Cadets holds the rank of Air Commodore.  The Commandant is based at Headquarters Air Cadets and commands both the ATC and CCF(RAF).