My name is Kitty and I have been in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) for two years and I can confidently say I won’t be leaving anytime soon. At our last session of 2023, I was awarded ‘The Eagle Award’ for my commitment and progress in the force.
So far, I have made long-lasting friendships with people I would not have had the ability to meet otherwise, had the opportunity to fly a plane over Blackpool, participated in multiple competitions nationwide, had the opportunity to fire a rifle and so much more.
CCF has taught me important skills and qualities that I will use for years to come, such as leadership, the ability to work in a team, the ability to adapt to a situation at hand, and important problem-solving skills. In June, I was promoted to corporal. This means I have been offered more leadership opportunities and the chance to teach the younger years and the future of the cadet force.
I didn’t start out in the RAF section of CCF, I started in the army. I can admit that at that time, I did not work up to my full potential, mainly because the army section was not right for me. In Year 9, I moved to the RAF section as I am really interested in planes and when I am older, I would love to be an aerospace engineer. I thought the switch would help me on this journey due to the many related activities that were open to the RAF section (such as the ability to fly, national air and space camp and much more).
The change did scare me, as there were only two Queen's girls in the entire RAF section, whereas in the army there was a lot more. However, after talking to a few members of the section, I felt more confident about the switch, and I joined the section. I am now completely sure this was the right thing to do, and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to switch and the opportunity to join the cadet force in general.
To anyone reading, who is thinking of joining the cadet force, I can honestly say that it is one of the best experiences I have been provided with at Queen's (which is saying a lot due to the wide range of extra-curricular activities), and I would highly recommend it to absolutely anyone.
Thank you very much for reading.
Kitty - Year 10