Serious Skills on Show in Swynnerton
This weekend cadets from HWACF descended on Swynnerton Training Area for the 2024 regional Military Skills Competition.
In the glorious Staffordshire sunshine, Alamein and Gheluvelt Coy cadets competed against other West Midlands cadet teams in a competition that pitted participants on their fieldcraft, first aid, and leadership skills – and, what's more, in a realistic environment.
A highlight of the annual Army Cadet Force fieldcraft calendar, the mil-skills weekend is no ordinary competition. Cadets must practice self-reliance, discipline, and ingenuity to tackle a series of carefully-planned activities that test their ability to think on their feet, work as a team, and respond to the demands of a noisy and dynamic atmosphere – all under the watchful eye of duty staff.
At its peak, this included a dramatic mass-casualty simulation, in which participants were expected to take control, triage patients, and treat wounds with the skills they had learned in the Army Cadet Force's life-saving first aid syllabus. With HWACF's Annual Camp 2024 just four months away, this was the ideal moment for cadets to prime their military thinking, address any skill fade, and get those jungle knots tied into basha lines!
We think such events show the very best of the ACF syllabus in action: practical skills taught in detail by subject matter experts, which can then be applied in an adventurous and fast-moving activity. But the result is not just excitement. Our cadets come away with unforgettable experiences, lifelong friendships, and the unparalleled leadership experience employers love and peers envy.
Get Involved
The Army Cadet Force's syllabus offers young people aged 12 to 18 fun, friendship, and adventure across a variety of subjects, of which fieldcraft, drill, skill at arms, communication & information systems, and The Duke of Edinburgh Award are core offerings. Our motto is To Inspire to Achieve.
As a new cadet, your child will likely be taught such subjects initially at their local detachment, where qualified instructors will mentor, instruct, and assess their abilities at a pace that works for them. As they progress, they will regularly get the opportunity to put their new-found skills to good use – on company weekends, testing boards, and even at national and international events. Advancing through the Army Cadet Syllabus also earns them formal "star" levels, and provides further opportunities to climb the ladder of rank, take on fresh responsibilities, and mentor and coach younger cadets.
All adult instructors who serve in the Army Cadet Force are trained in safeguarding, first aid, and working with young people, and all syllabus activities receive prior approval from the ACF's chain of command and The British Army's own training safety advisers before they take place. The safety of young people is prioritised at all times.
Hereford & Worcester ACF consists of three companies – Alamein, Gheluvelt and Inkerman, covering both Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Each company has its own chain of command in charge of arranging training and overseeing the welfare of cadets. Each reports into our County Headquarters at Suvla Barracks Army Reserve Centre in Hereford.
To find out more about what the ACF can offer you and your child, and to find your nearest detachment, scroll down and click the link below. We look forward to hearing from you!
