Frequently Asked Questions

Once a Cadet has joined the Squadron and completed all of the paperwork, we add them to the computer system and this will generate an account on Cadet Portal; you can learn more about Cadet Portal here. The account details are emailed to the primary email address on the sign-up paperwork and this will contain the web address for Cadet Portal, the username (a Cadets service number) and an initial password. The password will need to be changed on first access to the system. Once an password has been setup, the Squadron Staff cannot change or reset passwords. You can learn about resetting your Cadet Portal password here.

If you forget your password for Cadet Portal, you need to complete the password reset process which will allow you to set yourself a new password so that you can login and use the system. To reset your password, visit the link below and watch the video. Cadet Portal Briefing for Air Cadets on Vimeo Beneath the video are some time-stamps to help you navigate. The password reset is covered in 04:04 minutes.

Cadet Portal is every Cadets 'go to' place for information, news and resources relating to anything RAF Air Cadets. It is a powerful system and the key of communications between Squadron, Event Organisers and the wider Corps with Cadets. The easiest way to understand what it is, is to watch the video at the link below. Cadet Portal Briefing for Air Cadets on Vimeo You can navigate through the video using the timestamps in the description below the video player.

The Squadron parades every Tuesday and Thursday, 19:00 to 21:30 hrs, and is only closed during the two weeks of the school Christmas Break. It is expected that a Cadet should attend both parade nights, as discussed during the Information and Recruitment Evening when they signed-up. We do, however, fully understand how busy a Cadets life (outside Squadron) can be and we therefore understand if a Cadet cannot attend every night. If a Cadet is unable to attend a specific parade night, they must report this to the Squadron Staff via Cadet Portal. This then automatically updates the attendance records and lets us know why a Cadet hasn't attended. The downside to not attending regularly and as much as possible, is the impact on progression and engagement for that Cadet. The Squadron plans its activities and events in advance and, when doing so, plans for all Cadets to be in attendance. Especially the Junior/ Training Flight Cadets which will have recently joined the Squadron. This allows us to plan when a new Cadet's enrolment and completion of the First Classification will be. This is importance, because a Cadet cannot fully engage with RAF Air Cadets life until they are enrolled and have completed their First Classification; usually taking between 8 to 12 weeks. If a Cadet does miss a parade night, and that night is around Classification, then they should log on to RISE and Shine to ensure they catch-up. They should also confirm that they have caught up by informing the Training Officer. If a Cadet has a regular evening they cannot attend (i.e. the second Thursday of every month) then we can support this by ensuring the Cadet is kept informed of the events and the Cadet and relevant Instructor will work together to ensure the Cadet can progress with the rest of their Classification as desired.

At the moment, the Squadron is running a mix of face to face (on Squadron) and online (Virtual) parade nights. This is due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and our response to the impact of this. Over the next few months (May 2021 onwards) we will be starting to move back to face to face parade nights, and away from virtual parade nights. This process is being done in a structured way to allow all Cadets to come back to Squadron, whilst complying with current regulations and ensuring everyone's safety. To find you more about the specifics of each parade night's format, you need to check Cadet Portal and look for the current month's Training Plan. The plan will detail all activities and events planned for the month and detail what type of parade we will be holding. If you have any other questions, you can email the Training Officer, who will happily respond to your questions.

All Cadets can access the published Training Plan(s) using the 'Training Plan' section within Cadet Portal a Cadet can see all upcoming planned activities and get notice of uniform requirements and any equipment needs or special information. It is recommended that all Cadets check the Training Plan every week as this is where updates will be issued and communicated as and when they happen. Cadet Portal Briefing for Air Cadets on Vimeo The Training Dashboard explanation can be found at the 11:19 minutes timestamp.

We are currently looking at how we can make resetting your RISE and Shine password easier. We do need to be careful with access to the system as it forms part of an MoD (Ministry of Defence) provision to RAF Air Cadets. Currently, to reset your password you will need to email the Training Officer or the General 136 Sqn Account. Once we receive this email, we will email you back with a new password as soon as possible. If you haven't had a reply within 24 hours, email us again and we will sort things. If you need a password reset on a Tuesday or Thursday, mention it at the Parade Night and we will reset it there and then.

When a new Cadet joins the Squadron, part of the sign-up paperwork includes the Uniform Measurements form. This form is completed within the first two to three weeks and we then place an order with our RAF Parent Station. The uniform order can take a few weeks to be returned to us, but we aim to have uniform issued to new Cadets within 8 to 12 weeks. This ties in with being enrolled in to the Squadron and the wider RAF Air Cadets.