On Saturday the 18th May, a selection of Year 9 and 10 Cadets came back to school to learn how to use a rifle. Places for this tremendous opportunity were soon filled as people were keen to get stuck into what they would never be able to achieve if it wasn’t for the RAF CCF, or at least not for free.

This started at 9am in the training room where we were briefed on safety, the power of the rifle, when to carry out an NSP (Normal Safety Precaution) and how to operate this weapon by Flight Lieutenant Vahter, a highly qualified instructor for this opportunity. 

After this, groups took it in turns with the weapons, remembering the sequences and parts of the weapon you should operate at certain points of the task. Some found this less easy than others, mainly because some of us were left-handed and we were using right-handed guns, but we all agreed that the challenge made us even more determined to pass the weapons handling test we had to carry out before being able to shoot with a target. Once passed, you have this Cadet qualification for 6 months. 

Those who were struggling came together to help each other which was lovely to see the cadet solidarity and togetherness of the contingent. Many cadets passed the Weapons Handling Test first time, and we helped the few that needed a slight recap before doing it again. Soon enough we were out on the school field putting everything we had learned into practice, only this time using targets. 

This was also another opportunity to see where Cadets’ individual talents lay, as those who struggled with the weapon previously were hitting the targets rather successfully for first time attempts. We all loved this experience and those who were deemed talented enough will be picked for our next Air Squadron Trophy team. We cannot wait until our whole contingent has the opportunity to shoot as this was an extremely rewarding experience!

By Corporal Payne (Year 10)