Once you have been with us a few weeks, and you are sure that the Air Cadets is for you, then you will be issued with your uniform, all of which will need to be cared for, and kept clean and smart. Below are great tips and information for looking after your uniform when you become a Cadet in the Air Training Corps.

What we Provide

We issue the following uniform: -

Trousers (male & female)
Skirt (female only)
Jumper
Shirts – Light & Dark Blue
Black Tie
Brassard & Badges

We also have a limited supply of DPM Clothing, Boots and Shoes, which we issue to Cadets if we have them in stores, these are not part of the issued clothing from the RAF, but are donated to the Squadron from ex-cadets.

Due to hygiene reasons, we do not supply socks or tights.

There are lots of Army Surplus Stores and Websites offering clothing and footwear, please speak to a member of staff for advice if you are looking at purchasing items.

British Military Supplies do a Cadet Starter Kit for DMP Clothing and Footwear, and it is excellent value for money, but please look at other websites/stores before purchasing as different offers are available.

Shoes
Footwear should be black, Service type shoes or laced ankle boots (males only). The entire shoe must be polished to a high standard. There are various cheats in existence for having shiny shoes, including floor polish, varnish and even Tornado nose-cone paint!! But there's only one way to do your shoes, with plenty of elbow grease!! Once a shoe has been done properly, it only needs a little touch up for each parade. Only use Black Kiwi Parade Gloss

1. Wipe off dust with a damp cloth. Better to run them under a tap of running water (warm is good).
2. Use either a soft cotton cloth or a fine natural bristle brush, whose hairs are tightly packed to the handle, to put on the polish.
3. Apply polish to shoe in a small circular movement (magic finger); wrap cloth around finger, or evenly cover shoe with polish using the brush. (The key is not to put too much polish on the shoe--but build the polish and shine up in thin layers--"Fat on Lean" process).
4. Make sure that polish reaches the inside of the creases on the shoe (if they have any)
5. Next let the polish "go off" on the shoe (preferably in the sun, or somewhere warm (heater) for 2 to 3 minutes. This will help the leather absorb the polish and also help the thin layer of polish melt (at a nano level) across the shoe.
6. Using an atomizer, or pistol grip sprayer filled with water and adjusting the nozzle to a fine mist or spray, spray the entire shoe until it is covered with tiny droplets of water. Then polish the shoe dry with the same bristle brush, or another one if you prefer.
7. Repeat process 2 through 6 until you reach the level of shine you want or need.
8. Always keep the polish damp or it will dry out and not take (water works better than spit, but in seriously dried out situations use white spirit, or mineral oil).
9. After you have finished (you'll know when you can see your face in them), wipe with a cotton ball soaked in cold water, or lightly buff with a cotton cloth.
10. You can run over the shoe with a silicone cloth at the end. However this will scratch the shoe leather at a microscopic level (synthetic cloth against a natural product) although it will supercharge your shine, it does not last more than 10 minutes. Use only in absolute emergencies.
11. When the shoes have dried up a little, using fine women's stockings evens the polish out and gives a further shine. You can add a little moisture by spraying or even by breathing on the shoe (there is quite a bit of moisture in human breath). If you don't believe the tip, try it.
12. Leave shoes in a cold room or even the shed to dry. Best to place them in a shoe box with lid.

Trousers

RAF No 2 dress trousers, to be worn with blue-grey supporting belt. Need to have a crease front and back. Front crease must run in a straight line from the pleat to the bottom. Back crease runs from the waistband to the bottom. No tramlines here please. Single crease only!! Dry cleaning & pressing are the best ways to have your trousers done for parades and inspections, but obviously you can't do this every week or when you're on camp. SO, to press your trousers: Lay the crease on the ironing board. Place a wet cloth or tea towel over the crease. Using a hot iron with the steam on, press down hard on the towel. CAREFUL, LOTS OF HOT STEAM! Keep on ironing until the cloth is dry. Repeat along the whole length of the crease. WARNING, DO NOT PLACE THE IRON DIRECTLY ON THE TROUSERS, THEY WILL BURN. 

Skirts

Skirts should to be crease-less and should sit just below the knee. Use a warm iron and press on the inside of the material. Avoid ironing the outside if possible, but if you must, cover the material with a cloth. Avoid ironing over any hems. 

Jumper

Blue-grey RAF pattern. Should be crease and bobble/lint free. Not much to do here. Keep it folded away, hanging it up stretches the neck. Use a soft clothes brush to get rid of hair, lint etc. If it gets bobbly, stretch the jersey over a stool top etc and, using an OLD razor, lightly shave off the bobbles. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO HOLE THE JERSEY!! 

Beret

Beret should be worn so that the band is horizontal round the head, 1in (25 mm) above the eyebrow. The loose material of the crown is to be drawn down to the right side and the badge clearly displayed in a position above the left eye. A new beret looks like an aircraft carrier on your head unless it is shaped. To do this: Tear out the plastic on the inside, if there is one. Soak the beret in warm water, but avoid wetting the band if possible. Put the beret on as stated, hold the badge in place and drag the excess material over to the right. Keep on training the material, the water should run out. When the beret keeps it shape, carefully take it off, put it on a round object e.g. a football and leave it in an airing/linen closet to dry. Best to do the just before a shower, you will get wet doing it!! 

Shirts

Shirts should be neatly pressed, including epaulettes and breast pocket flaps. Single crease down the centre of the sleeve, with pleats at cuff neatly folded. Collar on Working shirt should be allowed to flatten out, Wedgwood collar should be pressed to stand upright. Again, no tramlines here! Be careful to always iron the same crease.
1. Start with the shoulder material (undo epaulettes and fold up collar).
2. Iron underside of collar flat.
3. Fold collar along stitch line and iron on inside of neck (Wedgwood only).
4. Iron epaulettes, and then re-fasten.
5. Lay sleeve on ironing board, cuff un-done, folded with seam along the bottom. Start at the top of sleeve and iron down, using tip of iron to press inside pleats at cuff.
6. Repeat for other sleeve.
7. Lay side flat on board and press all material, including under breast pocket flaps.
8. Repeat for back and other side.
9. Immediately hang up to prevent warm material being creased.
10. Avoid ironing over buttons, they will leave burn marks. 

Socks

Plain black nylon or wool socks or "Barely Black" 15 denier tights for girls.

Ties

Plain black tie tied in a Windsor knot (see below), tip of the tie to reach the navel. Get someone to do it for you, but leave it tied. Just loosen it to take it off. 

Badges

Only authorised badges are to be worn. In some cases, e.g. D of E, only the highest award is worn. In other cases, badges must be worn in certain order, highest award first etc. Cpl, Sgt, FS and CWO badges are to be worn on the shoulder straps of either the jersey or the shirt, depending on the mode of dress. Flying and Gliding badges are to be worn on the left shoulder patch of the jersey, as follows: When more than one badge is authorised, the Flying Scholarship, Cadet Navigator badge or the microlight badge is worn centrally 1 cm above the Gliding badge, the bottom edge of which is to be worn 1cm above the lower edge of the patch. When only one of these badges is worn, it is to be worn centrally, 1 cm above the lower edge of the patch. Only one out of the Flying Scholarship, Microlight or Cadet Navigator badges is to be worn. The priority is Flying Scholarship, Air Cadet Pilot and Navigation Badge, then the Microlight Badge. D of E Award Badges. D of E and MV badges are to be worn on the right shoulder patch of the jersey, as follows: When more than one badge is authorised, the D of E badge is to be worn on the outside of the patch, 1 cm from the edge and 1 cm above the lower edge of the patch. The MV badge is to be worn on the inside of the patch, 1 cm from the edge and 1 cm from the lower edge of the patch. When only one badge is authorised, the badge is to be worn centrally 1 cm above the lower edge of the patch. Only one D of E / MV badge is worn at a time: i.e. when the Silver is gained, the Bronze removed. Pin badges in place before sewing. Use single line of thread and go in the side of the badge to create hidden stitches. 

Brassard

Brassard is worn on the upper right arm and should be crease free. Badges on the Brassard Identification Badge. The identification badge (Squadron Number) is to be worn centrally; 6 mm below the top edge of the brassard and in this position covers the buttonhole. Distinguishing Badge. The distinguishing badge (Air Training Corps) is to be worn centrally, immediately below the identification badge. Classification Badges. The First Class, Leading and Senior Cadet badges are to be worn centrally on the brassard, immediately below the distinguishing badge. The Staff Cadet badge is a yellow lanyard, worn with the cord fastened over the left shoulder, under the shoulder strap and fastened to a small raised, RAF crested, black button sewn centrally on the bottom edge of the left shoulder patch of the jersey. Only one classification badge is worn at a time, i.e. when Leading Cadet classification is gained, the First Class badge removed. The Staff Cadet lanyard signifies that the cadet has completed all his training and he wears the lanyard only - with no badge on the brassard. Badges for Shooting. The Air Cadet Marksman's or the RAF Marksman's badge is worn centrally 6 mm above the lower edge of the brassard. Note that only one badge is worn at a time, i.e. when a cadet wins the RAF Marksman's If a cadet wins a Cadet Hundred badge, he wears this in addition to his Marksman's badge and must reposition the badges so that the Cadet Hundred is on the left side 6 mm above the lower edge and the Marksman's badge is on the right side with 1 cm between the two. Bandsman's Badge. The Bandsman's badge is worn on the brassard above the Marksman's badge, i.e. in a central position 75 mm above the lower edge. Leadership Course Badge. The Leadership Badge is only to be worn by cadets who have successfully completed the Air Cadet Leadership Course. The badge is to be worn in a central position immediately below the classification badge. Communications Badge. The Communications Badge is to be worn below the classification badge, or if one has been awarded, immediately below the Leadership Badge. Same as for other badges. 

DPM (Disruptive Pattern Material)

All DPM clothing must be British Forces Issue. DPM Field Jacket is to be clean, with all buttons fastened and zipped up to just below neck. DPM Trousers are to be clean and crease free but do not need to be pressed. However, DPM Lightweight Trousers (Soldier ‘95) Pattern MUST have crease front and back. Trousers are to be tucked up so that ankle of boot is visible, either by using draw-cords, trouser twists or by tucking into top of boots. No un-authorised badges (e.g. Para wings, sniper badges, national flags etc). Boots must be clean and brush polished black, but do not need to be "bulled" like parade shoes. Best to get 2nd hand boots as they will be broken in, but make sure they are in good condition and have plenty of tread.

The tie should be tied in a Windsor knot.

	1) The wide end "W" should extend about 12 inches below narrow end "N". Cross wide end "W" over narrow end "N".
	2) Bring wide end "W" up through loop between collar and tie; then back down.
	3) Pull wide end "W" underneath narrow end "N" and to the left, back through the loop and to the left again so that the wide end "W" is inside out.
	4) Bring wide end "W" across the front from left to right.
	5) Pull wide end "W" up through the loop again.
	6) Bring wide end "W" down through the knot in front.
	7) Using both hands, tighten the knot carefully and draw up to collar.