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The ACF is sponsored by the Regular and Territorial Army but is not a part of either. That said, both organisations also provide a huge amount of support to the ACF when it comes to access to Army equipment, facilities and training areas.
It is also important to recognise that the ACF has a position in the wider community as a local youth organisation and as works to cultivate sound links with local educational establishments and associations.
Each adult rank in the ACF has specific duties and responsibilities. Adult Instructors fall into two categories: Officers - who hold a special class of Territorial Army commission only for ACF duty, and Adult Instructors - who retain civilian status but who do wear an army uniform when on ACF duty. Whatever your rank or role, your remit remains the same: to help the cadets develop mentally and physically and support them as they try to achieve their goals.
Progress through the ranks will depend on how much time you can devote to the ACF and whether you are qualified to hold the next rank. However, it’s important to remember that there’s no compulsion to seek promotion. Being a volunteer Adult Instructor has to fit in with your professional and personal life and beyond the minimum time commitment there is no obligation. Adult Instructors of any rank can also be considered for commission as an officer once they have demonstrated the necessary abilities.
Whatever rank you hold and whatever level of
commitment you can offer, there will be opportunities to undertake
courses and gain new qualifications. In short, being an Adult Instructor
should prove a rewarding experience for everyone who wants to be part of
one of the
Civilian Instructor
For those who cannot or do not wish to commit to becoming a ‘fully fledged’ ACF instructor positions of Civilian Instructor can be available. CI’s normally bring a specialist skill to the ACF and focus their contribution in one area of activity. That said, positions can sometimes also exist in more general capacities.
Potential
Instructor
Usually you will be placed as a Potential Instructor with an experienced Adult Instructor in a detachment comprising approximately 30 Cadets in your home area.
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Sergeant
Instructor At this stage you will have a fair understanding of the ACF and will have completed your initial training course – a nine-day residential course held in your home area run by a regular army cadet training Team. You will now start to be given responsibilities while still being supervised working with and instructing the cadets within the detachment. |
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Staff
Sergeant Instructor After acquiring considerable experience of working
with cadets in a detachment, you will attend the one week residential
Adult Instructor’s course held at the Cadet Training Centre, |
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Sergeant
Major Instructor Further service and training is required to reach this rank and a typical appointment will be as a Company sergeant Major. This would carry responsibilities for a number of detachments across a wider area. |
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Regimental Sergeant Major Instructor This is the highest non-commissioned rank available to adult instructors and can be reached after you have demonstrated leadership and management qualities over a sustained period of service. There is usually only one person holding this rank in a County. The RSM has considerable experience of all aspects of ACF activities and knows the organisation and how it works inside out. They hold direct responsibility for the management and discipline of all adult instructors. |
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Second
Lieutenant As the junior officer rank a typical fist position for a Second Lieutenant is Detachment Commander managing a unit of perhaps three adult instructors and around 30 cadets. This is a probationary rank, usually lasting one year. |
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Lieutenant Once the probationary period as a Second Lieutenant
has ended satisfactorily, promotion to Lieutenant can take place. You
will have passed the Adult Instructor’s course at Frimley Park Training
Centre in |
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Captain Having successfully attended the King George Vl
Leadership Course at Frimley Park Training Centre, Surrey, you can now
fulfil the role of a more senior commander and take up positions such as
Company Training Officer, County Sports Officer or |
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Major Such a position would see you commanding a company, which would typically comprise responsibility for a number of detachments in a given area of the county. Majors report to the ACF County Commandant or his Deputy Commandant. |
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Lieutenant
Colonel/Colonel As the Commandant or Deputy Commandant of an ACF
county you would hold responsibility for the management of the County as
a whole. In addition to the daily management of discipline, welfare and
operational issues affecting the |
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