Army cadets get a taste of the high life
Date published: 06 October 2008
PLANE talking . . . Sgt Steve Alexander with some of the cadets at RAF Lyneham
NINETEEN lucky youngsters from Oldham were flying high after learning the ropes with the RAF.
The members of the Chadderton Detachment of the Manchester Army Cadets travelled to Lyneham, in Wiltshire, to see how the Territorial Army Air Despatch Unit supports the RAF.
Members of the despatch unit traditionally load the RAF’s supply planes, with anything from urgent food supplies to ammunition — and then drop them mid-flight to troops on the ground or areas in desperate need of supplies.
The cadets were literally shown the ropes in the famous Hercules RAF plane, as they practised loading and tying in the supplies.
Recruiter sergeant Steve Alexander, from the Army Office Careers Information Office (ACIO) Oldham, said: “The cadets all helped to load the Hercules with the freight before the RAF practised dropping essential supplies during a flight.
“It was a great opportunity for the cadets to experience what life is really like for a member of the TA and the kind of responsibility and skills they learn. Plus, it was a fun day out for all of us!”
To find out more about a career within the Army and the Territorial Army, or for further information about upcoming events, call your local Army Careers Office or Territorial Centre on 0161-276 3233 or visit www.armyjobs.mod.uk
