“I joined the RAF Air Cadets at 14, just after the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many people at that time, I was looking for something bigger than myself — something that felt purposeful again. I’ve had a lifelong interest in aviation, so initially I joined for the flying opportunities. I thought cadets would be about aircraft, uniforms, and adventure.
“What I didn’t realise was how much it would shape who I am.
“In the early days, it was about learning the basics — drill, classification training, meeting new people and building confidence again after a strange couple of years for everyone. Flying was what drew me in, but the people are what made me stay. Very quickly I realised that the organisation is built on teamwork, shared standards, and pushing each other to improve.
Achievements and opportunities
“As I progressed, opportunities opened up that I could never have imagined when I first walked through the door. Completing my Qualified Air Instructors Course was a huge milestone — it combined my passion for aviation with academic challenge and practical experience. The course pushed me outside my comfort zone and changed how I understood leadership. International Air Cadet Exchange was another defining experience; representing the UK abroad reinforced the responsibility that comes with wearing the uniform.
“Working towards and achieving my Light Aircraft Pilots Licence has probably been one of the most personally significant achievements. What started as a childhood fascination with aircraft became something tangible and real. But more than the qualification itself, it symbolised the consistency, discipline and resilience that cadets had helped me build over the years.
Representing the cadet forces
“Now serving as a Cadet Warrant Officer and being appointed as a Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet in 2025 has shifted my perspective even further. When I joined, my mind-set was very much about what I could gain — the experiences, the flying, the opportunities. As I’ve grown into leadership roles, that has changed completely. It’s now about what I can give.
“Being able to represent the cadet forces at civic events has been a privilege. Supporting community occasions and attending services, including the recent High Sheriff’s Legal Service, reinforced for me that cadets are about more than adventure training or qualifications. We represent young people at their very best — disciplined, respectful, capable and committed to service. Standing in those moments, you feel the weight of that responsibility, and it makes you proud to wear the uniform.
Confidence and leadership
“Cadets has given me confidence to speak in formal settings, lead teams under pressure, and mentor younger cadets as they find their own path. It has taught me that leadership is not about rank slides — it’s about setting standards, being reliable, and making sure the people around you succeed.
“For anyone considering joining, I would say this: you may come for one reason — for me, it was aviation — but you’ll stay because of what it does for your character. It challenges you. It stretches you. It surrounds you with people who expect more from you than you expect from yourself.
“Looking back to when I was 14, I could never have predicted the journey ahead. What started as a simple interest in flying has become a commitment to service, leadership and representing something bigger than myself. And that, more than any single achievement, is what being a cadet really means to me.”