Alnwick Detachment, Northumbria ACF
The George
and Dragon
Online at www.nacf.org.uk
Northumbria 16th January 2006
Special points of Annual Camp 2006: Otterburn
interest:
The Army Training Estate
• Annual Camp 2006. The Otterburn (ATE O), a place
situation so far. very familiar to us all, is the
venue of annual camp 2006.
• Gain more from your ATE O, covering some
ACF memberships:
BTEC and D of E. Gain 60000 acres, is the second
extra qualifications for largest training estate in the
little extra effort. UK. Only ATE Salisbury
Plain in Wiltshire surpasses
• The latest news from
the vastness of Otterburn.
around W Company.
The varied nature of the
ground makes Otterburn a
• Forthcoming events.
popular choice for infantry,
artillery and airbourne units,
although the wet and boggy
ground precludes the use of
heavy armour. Otterburn is
one of only two places
where the Army can fire the
Inside this issue: Multiple Launch Rocket
System (MLRS) and AS90
Cadet Vocational
Qualifications 2 gun. Recent multi million
pound work on the range
Duke of Edinburgh’s has concentrated on getting
Award 2 Annual camp begins on 5th
News from Around the
Company 2 New Year, New Newsletter
Frimley Focus
3 As promised late last year,
we have a new detachment
Forecast for the Next newsletter this year.
Few Weeks 3 three). If anyone has a better
Please contribute towards it.
News from Around the
County 3 I want your articles and your
photos. If you want anything
in particular included let me
know.
I will consider everything for
communications, roads,
drainage and accommoda-
tion up to the job of hosting
the big guns. The camp itself
W Company in action!
Fighting battles up at
Otterburn (again).
has enough facilities to sup-
port 1600 troops at any one
time. Military training has
taken place at Otterburn
since 1911, long before the
advent of the National Park
which now encloses much of
the estate.
publication, but don’t send
anything offensive, liableous
or that breaches copyright.
Everything will be vetted by
me and I reserve the right to
refuse an article and to mod-
ify articles before publica-
tion.
The newsletter needs a
Volume 1, Issue 1
August and finishes on 19th
August 2006. The training
programme has not been
finalised but it is expected
that week 1 will be for adult
training and cadets will at-
tend for week 2 only. We
will probably do most of our
training in the field. As usual,
there should be adventurous
training, visits and competi-
tions. The cost of camp
should be £20 for the week.
To go to camp you need to
be enrolled. The deadline
for enrolment (the day the
DC must have your com-
pleted AF E529, size roll
and enrolment fee) is 15th
April 2006. If you don’t
make the deadline you don’t
go to camp.
catchy and relevant title that
reflects the Detachment,
Regiment or town (or all
suggestion than that above,
feel free to put it forward.
Get those pens and cameras
working!

Cadet Vocational Qualifications
Senior cadets (2 star, aged 16
years or older) can obtain a
BTEC First Diploma in Public
Services alongside their APC
training. The diploma, the
vocational equivalent of 4
GCSE grades A-C, is achieved
by completing 6 out of 7 units:
• Public Services*
• Public Services Skills*
• Public Service Fitness*
• Outdoor Activities
• Land Navigation
• Expedition Skills
• Nautical Skills
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
The Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award Scheme (D of E) is a
challenging programme of
activities which will help you
to learn new skills, help oth-
ers, experience adventure and
gain a great sense of achieve-
ment. What’s more, many
organisations such as employ-
ers and universities take a
good view of the Award and
the person who has achieved
it. The award is complimen-
News from Around Company
Captain Michael Grey of Am-
ble has returned to the Com-
pany as 2ic. Captain Grey,
already a familiar figure to
most people in W Company,
has been in the ACF for more
than 30 years. He has been a
Cadet, Detachment and Com-
pany Commander, Adventure
Training Officer, County
Sports Officer and recently
Officers Mess PMC: experi-
ence which will be of benefit
to W Company. In his spare
time he enjoys hill walking and
* The first three units are
compulsory.
For an ACF cadet, completion
of the units will involve lead-
ership tasks, a small project, a
short presentation, map read-
tary to the APC: you can gain
a D of E award by very little
extra effort on top of your
ACF training.
The Award can be achieved at
three levels: Bronze, Silver
and Gold. Each level includes
four sections: Service, Skills,
Physical Recreation and Expe-
ditions. Additionally, at Gold
level, participants complete a
residential project. You can
start working towards Bronze
Captain Michael Grey
has recently completed his
Mountain Leader (Summer)
qualification.
SSI Paul Elliott, formerly of
Amble Detachment, has been
Volume 1, Issue 1
ing, expeditions, first aid train-
ing and completion of the
CVQO resource book. You “Senior cadets can
may have even already com-
pleted some of these units obtain a BTEC First
through your APC or D of E
training. Participation in the
Diploma in Public
scheme is free of charge to
cadets.
For more information check
Services….
out the Army Cadet magazine
or the Cadet Vocational equivalent to 4
Qualification Office website:
www.cqvo.co.uk GCSE grades A-C.”
To participate speak to the
DC.
“Learn new skills,
at the age of 14 years, Silver
help other people
at 15 years and Gold at 16
years. The upper age limit for
completion of any level of the and experience
award is 25 years. To enroll
on the scheme you need to adventure….
buy a record book (~£8) and
fill in a form.
Employers and
Further details from the DC,
or check out the website:
universities take a
www.theaward.org
good view .”
appointed acting Company
Sergeant Major following the
retirement of SMI Michael
(Mitch) Mitchinson. SMI Elliott
is the only person in North-
umbria ACF to have attended,
and passed, the prestigious All
Arms Drill Course at ATR
Pirbright. SMI Elliott has previ-
ous experience of being a
Cadet, Detachment Instructor
and Detachment Commander.
Page 2

Frimley Focus
Frimley Park is the national
Cadet Training Centre (CTC)
in Surrey. It carries out train-
ing for adults and senior ca-
dets in the ACF, CCF and, to
a much lesser extent, the
ATC and SCC.
the scent of rose and honey-
suckle drifts in the breeze.
The housekeeping staff make
everyone’s stay at Frimley an
enjoyable experience, with a
helpful manner, comfortable
surroundings and good food.
Volume 1, Issue 1
Commanders, attend the
‘Area Commanders Course’.
For three weeks every sum- “An enchanting
mer, senior cadets of the 4
cadet forces can attend the
prestigious ‘Cadet Leadership
world of colorful
Course’. Senior ACF cadets

The CTC is a old Manor
House nestled between lofty
ancient trees and edged by
beautiful gardens and a lake.
The house itself dates back to
1699 and holds lavish furnish-
ings in dark oak paneled
rooms. Despite being in one
of the most populated parts of
the UK the gardens offer a
peaceful retreat for the stu-
dents. A walk around the
grounds reveals an enchanting
world of colorful blooms,
painstakingly trimmed hedges
and perfectly mown lawns as
Training is carried out by
Regular Army personnel. ACF
adults first attend the ‘Adult
Instructor’s Course’ in the
second year of their adult
service. This qualifies them for
promotion to Lt (officers) or
SSI (adult instructors). More
experienced adults attend the
‘King George VI Leadership
Course’, often just called the
‘KGVI’, which qualifies them
for promotion to Captain
(officers) or SMI (adult in-
structors). Captains, or re-
cently appointed Company
can also attend the ‘Master blooms,
Cadets Course’. Every year
master cadets from ACFs
painstakingly
across the UK take part in the
Claire Short competition.
trimmed hedges
www.ctcfrimleypark.army.org.
uk
and perfectly
mown lawns”
Students put through their
paces on the Adult Instruc-
tor’s Course.

Forecast for the Next Few Weeks

• NCO weekend 1, 20th-22nd Jan 2006, CTC Otterburn

• W Company Staff Meeting, 25th Jan 2006, 1900 hrs, Alnwick

• County First Aid Competition, 4th-5th Feb 2006, County HQ Cramlington

• County Cross Country, 11th Feb 2006, CTC Otterburn (MAX ATTENDANCE)

• W Company Skill at Arms Weekend, 18th-19th Feb 2006, Alnwick

If you want more information about any event ask the DC.

News from Around the County

It has been a quiet month due to the Christmas break. Nothing major to report from County
HQ. Hopefully more news next month.
Page 3

Alnwick Detachment,
Northumbria ACF
TA Centre,
Lisburn Terrace,
ALNWICK,
NE66 1XQ
Monday Evenings: 7-9.30 pm
Det Mobile: 07776 475089
Inspiring to Achieve
W E ’ R E O N THE WEB :
W W W . NACF . ORG . UK
Disclaimer
This document is not an official
publication of Northumbria ACF.
It is produced for the guidance of
Alnwick Detachment cadets only.
Any opinions expressed herein are
those of the author and not neces-
sarily those of Northumbria ACF
or the Army.
Submissions
Deadline for February 2006 edition:
Monday, 6th February 2006
Publication of February 2006 edition:
Monday, 13th February 2006
The following items can be published:
Personal notices and announcements,
adult & cadet profiles, reviews of
weekend camps, photos. Items do
not have to be ACF related. All items
will be vetted and may be edited.
January’s Adult Profile
No adult profile this month.
Nominations for next month.
January’s Cadet Profile
No cadet profile this month.
It could be you next month!
If you want to appear here
and you want the entire world
to know all about you (by the
magic of the www) send a
short note about yourself to
the DC. Photo also needed.
January’s Review
JARHEAD
Director: Sam Mendez, Rating: 15
Forget the usual high adrenaline action-
packed war shoot ‘em up: Jarhead is a
movie with a difference, We hear about the
more routine, mundane and boring life of
accidental Marine sniper Tony Swofford
(Jake Gyllenhaal) and his best friend and
spotter Troy (Peter Saarsgard), as they
protect Saudi oil fields on the Iraqi border.
Despite long and exhausting days of training
they never fire in anger. Air power has all Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard as US Marines in
but made the infantry obsolete. They spend 1991 Gulf War drama Jarhead.
most of their days staving off the hot, sandy
tedium with illicit booze, football and war flicks. The war, when it does arrive, is plagued by
friendly fire and faulty equipment long before the first sight of an Iraqi. The most dramatic scene
comes as Swofford catches an Iraqi officer in his sights. As he takes up the first pressure on the
trigger he is stopped from firing, for fear the shot will give the enemy prior warning of an air
strike. There is more tension as the Marines stumble across eight Arabs with five camels in the
middle of the desert. Sensing a trap the men adopt a defensive formation and are poised for ac-
tion. Much to their frustration the only anger the Arabs show is to the men who killed their three
missing camels earlier.
Is it any good? The critics seem to think so. The lack of gory action is compensated for by the
realism and fascinating personality of Gyllenhaal’s character. Worth a look.