Army Cadets vs Air Cadets

So, I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I've always wanted to join air cadets but it was 45 minutes away and an army cadets detachment was right on my doorstep and people told me it was basically the same thing. So I listened, and went to army cadets for three years. I can't say it's not what I expected but I really hated my experience there because I had no friends and no physical prominence (i did to pass the actual physical tests but I really struggled with even lifting a rifle for proper checks and so on.) It was much more focused on drill, as in an entire two hour night spent marching in the rain which made me really sick for the next week. We didn't do much else, and especially not things I was interested in like first aid and STEM. They were a once every six months type of thing. They kept telling me though that it was just a ranks thing and I'd get loads more opportunities if I stayed. I rose to 2* (stayed a cadet though, not lance corporal or above, because they said I didn't have the leadership skills necessary which is alright I guess) and really didn't feel much difference. If I was in a leadership role, would more opportunities have been given to me? I tried to insert myself everywhere I could, like dofe and expressing interest in an upcoming first aid competition they said they'd pass on but never got back to me. My friend who joined a month apart from me (but at a different detachment) is always headed to Italy and Canada on trips and comps (but frankly, she IS a 4* sergeant.) This weird progression difference also irked me. I kid you not, at summer camp I had many 2* in my room who couldn't lace their own boots and had only joined 4 months prior! Working at something for 3 years to be overtaken by someone in 4 months was really disheartening, especially when I see my friend and I think I could have been at that same level because no, i wasn't failing tests, i literally just think it was the amount of drill our detachment did compared to others. 3 months after quitting, I kind of miss what army cadets could have been, and I was thinking about my original wish to go to air cadets. But then I was wondering, are there really any big differences between air and army cadets? I know there's flight opportunities but I mean in the whole culture as well. I'd be willing to make the journey now, but only if I know it's not going to be the same sort of experience. Cadets is literally softened Military stuff so I get that it's not supposed to be easy but I don't want to spend time on something with no real payoff or clear unfairness. Should I bother with air cadets if it's potentially the same or worse?? Thanks, and sorry for the rant.

Reply 1

d.eborah

i mean you can always test it out and see if it’s smthing you like and if you really don’t like then you can always quit also air cadets is the same as army cadets just has more to it like the flying planes and stuff.

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Army Cadets vs Air Cadets

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