THE JOURNAL of the ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE the Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUME LXXXII
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THE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE THE ROYAL OF THE JOURNAL The Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUME LXXXII Designed and Printed by Media Services, Serco Defence, Science & Nuclear, Royal Air Force Cranwell March 2011 Volume LXXXII Foreword By Air Commodore Paul Oborn, Commandant Welcome to the RAF College Journal for 2011. This enthralling Distinguished Flying Crosses and other operational awards coming edition is packed full of noteworthy, fascinating and stimulating back from Afghanistan, we are not doing too bad – but we will keep articles focused on the theme of ‘Leadership’ in the broadest sense trying to do even better. but also with plenty of articles outlining the wide range of activities Finally, and while many of the articles in this Journal are about looking conducted by students and staff within the Recruiting and Initial back over the year that was, I am aware that it will be published at a Training Directorate. We also have two outstanding academic time that looks and feels quite different than the one just described. ‘think pieces’ presented by our Senior Leadership; one written Weapon System Operator and Pilot reduction measures will have by our Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, occurred along with the personal trauma and turmoil that these on “Creating and Exploiting Decision Advantage” and one by our measures will introduce. Whilst this is one of the unfortunate fallouts previous Commander-in-Chief, Sir Christopher Moran, on “Progress, from the Strategic Defence and Security Review, the blow to both Vision and Co-operation: AF Building in the 21st Century-The RAF students and the staff who have trained them will be a very bitter one. Perspective” written 6 months before his untimely death. Moreover, Recruit and Initial Officer Training Course sizes overall I hope that the reader will gain a most favourable impression of will be much reduced for a short period whilst the RAF adjusts to the quality of individual selected to join the Royal Air Force of the a new and reduced ‘manning balance’. These challenges will need 21st Century and also of the robust and appropriate training that to be met and overcome; fortunately, is delivered by my Directorate. When I say ‘appropriate training’, I and thanks to the outstanding quality am referring to our need to have highly motivated, highly capable of the staff and the students within people with cultural understanding, agility, and with the ability to this Directorate, I am confident that influence and persuade. Our people need to be robust and intelligent we will find a path through these very so that we can operate successfully in the complex environments challenging times. of current and future conflicts. Here at RAF Cranwell, and at RAF Halton, we are working hard to deliver the right sort of training to ensure that we meet this challenge to produce an individual with ‘the right stuff’. Looking at the number of junior RAF personnel awarded Air Commodore P N Oborn Commandant Royal Air Force College and Director of Recruitment and Initial Training (Royal Air Force) Editorial By Flight Lieutenant Neil Towers, Editor ike the rest of Britain, the Royal Air Force College began and at the College to an account of physical and mental courage in the Lended 2010 under a blanket of snow. Indeed, the College also face of personal tragedy, the articles should engage the readership shared with the rest of the country, the impact of economic fragility, and illustrate the quality of our current and future leaders. a new Government and the prospect of a challenging future. The The article from our exchange officer in Ecole de l’Air is timely in constant has been the requirement to train Officers and Non- light of our recent Defence Co-operation Treaty and growing relations Commissioned Aircrew to meet the demands faced by the Royal with France and the College’s visit to the United States Air Force Air Force at home and on Operations abroad; whilst the numbers Academy in Colorado Springs highlights the importance of our may fluctuate, that requirement continues to be met with the highest longest relationships. calibre of graduates from the College. Finally, we recount the past with articles from the Old Cranwellians As the Journal goes to press, the Royal Air Force College is feeling Association, reflect on the present with some personal accounts of the effect of the Strategic Defence and Security Review and must training at the College and look to future relations with a speech look now to the training and support staff to provide strong leadership presented to the Chinese Air Force by the late Air Chief Marshal in the challenging times ahead. Reflecting on the articles within the Sir Christopher Moran who died this year during his tenure as Journal, the common theme is of the high expectations placed on the Commander-in-Chief Air Command. leaders within the Royal Air Force; those that train the future leaders have a huge responsibility to ensure that expectations are met. Our people remain our strongest asset. The Journal highlights the strength of character and tenacity with which we meet our obligations. Be it a Tornado pilot examining the effectiveness of what is taught Flight Lieutenant Neil Towers Contents In Memoriam..................................................................................1 IOT 23: Reflections of Term One .................................................37 Creating and Exploiting Decision Advantage.................................2 Royal Air Force Through-Service Professional Military Education and Training ...................................................39 Initial Officer Training: Do the Lessons Learnt Apply to the Wider Air Force? ......................................................................................6 Ecole de l’Air................................................................................42 Leadership: this time it’s personal .................................................8 50 Years On: 83 Entry Reunion ...................................................44 Remedial Leadership Training for 4TURN4.................................15 D Squadron Charities Committee Report ....................................45 Five minds of a Manager – Using the ‘Five Minds’ as Lenses to International Week:The United States Air Force Academy, Provoke Leadership Development ..............................................17 Colorado Springs .........................................................................46 AVM Gray Winning Essay ...........................................................21 Vulcan Display Flight ...................................................................49 Coast to Coast .............................................................................23 Reserve Officer Initial Training Overview ....................................55 RAF College Cranwell Life Sixty Years Ago ................................25 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons – The Kernels of Military Aviation ...................................................56 Mental Fortitude – The Twelfth Leadership Quality ....................32 So you want to be an Instructor at OACTU .................................58 The Jack Holt Memorial Pace Stick for 2010...............................34 A New World of Opportunity: Air Cadets Engineer From Training to Survival and an Uncertain Future: A Personal Bright Future in the 70th Year… ..................................................61 Journey with a Difference ............................................................35 Contents The Circle is Complete; Now I am The Master (From Student to Marksmanship Principles.............................................................91 Instructor via the OSIC) ...............................................................67 IOT 21: Reflections of Term Three.............................................. 94 RAF College Cranwell Cricket Season: 2010 ..............................72 Progress, Vision and Co-operation: AF Building in the 21st IOT 22: Reflections of Term Two .................................................73 Century – The Royal Air Force Perspective ................................96 The Royal Air Force Club – Our Club in the Centre of London ...76 Visits to the College 2009 ..........................................................101 Remembrance Day 2010 ............................................................78 Royal Air Force Cranwell - Prizewinners 2009 ..........................102 Attestation to Graduation: an Introspective Journey....................79 Senior Appointments .................................................................108 Royal Air Force Halton: MTa Facilitator Training .........................81 Recruiting - A Year of Ups and Downs.........................................83 Charity Rugby Match: RAF College Cranwell vs Newark RUFC ...85 Non-Commissioned Aircrew Initial Training Course: Recent Charity and Community Work ......................................................86 Old Cranwellian Association Annual Reunion Weekend – 11-12 June 2010 ..........................................................................88 In Memoriam We record with regret the passing of the following Cranwell Graduates or Old Cranwellians whose deaths were notified to us during the last year. Wing Commander T R COHU Air Chief Marshal C H MORAN Graduated 64 Entry Died 10 January 2010 Graduated 30GE B Entry Died 26 May 2010 Flight Lieutenant D ROSTRON Squadron Leader G LEE Graduated 82 B Entry Died 18 February