Giving North Canterbury teens a lift
Beneath the flagpole at the Rangiora Aero Club rooms, 32 well-turned-out cadets stand at attention as they are inspected by their Squadron Leader. It’s Parade Night for 88 Squadron Air Training Corps and their brand new uniforms are presented with creases you could cut your finger on.
Carolyn Green speaks in a hushed voice as we stand outside and watch the inspection. Green is a Flight Lieutenant and one of three who started the unit just over a year ago. She and Squadron Leaders Tania Mackinnon and Mark Lamb-Morrow commuted to town for five years before gathering enough interest to start a local squadron.
Within the year, more than 30 young people were gathering every Thursday evening during the term, learning about flying, bushcraft, discipline and general knowledge. The squadron was officially recognised by the NZ Defence Force in May 2016 and a Recognition Parade was held on September 10.
Most of the squadron is aged between 13 and 15, although the joining age is either 13 or the first year of high school, ‘‘so if you’re 12 and in your first year at high school, you’re still welcome’’. The squadron has 5-6 officers who all came through as cadets.
While affiliated with the Defence Force, the Air Training Corps, like the sea and army cadets forces, sits ’outside’ the Air Force, so cadets are not soldiers. The Defence Force provides the uniforms, and there is little to distinguish the ATC blues from that of the RNZAF, and the organisation nationally is partly funded by the NZDF, but there is no obligation on cadets to continue into service - although many choose to do so.
‘‘A high percentage of our cadets go into service of one form or another - military, police, fire service.’’
Green said the organisation is a youth organisation at heart, with four core values.
‘‘Discipline, respect, integrity and loyalty. We teach plenty of other things as well, but those are the big things. They’re what we’re here for.’’
Green was herself a cadet, joining in Whangarei at the tender age of 12. It was through her time at the ATC that she discovered her love of teaching.
‘‘Seeing people do things they didn’t think they could do, and doing things you’d never think you could - that makes you stand up straight. I hate public speaking but through leadership training and delivery classes to groups, I got over my fear. I hate heights, but I abseiled over the Whangarei Falls.
‘‘The training gives you confidence as a leader and I discovered my passion for teaching through teaching cadets.’’
Green taught her first lesson at 15 years old during an NCO course and ‘‘absolutely loved it’’. She said the classes aren’t too much like school but they do have lessons and teach ideas. NCEA credits are available for cadets.
All Officers and instructors are volunteers, and they all have unique and interesting day jobs.
‘‘We’ve got a driving assessor, engineer, teacher, physicist and pilot – all sorts of people are drawn to the Corps,’’ Green said.
‘‘Most of our cadets stop when they leave school, but they can choose to continue if they are a senior Non Comissioned Officer and become an Officer. And we have some people who weren’t in the Corps as teens, and they go on to be commissioned.’’
Cadets can expect to learn about bushcraft, leadership, and of course, flying. Most will fly with the Rangiora Aero Club a few times during the summer, and summer courses in aviation, navigation and gliding are all pathways to spreading their wings.
For $100 a year, and $25 bond to cover uniforms, the ATC provides opportunities that many young people would jump at - jump so high they could literally almost touch the sky.