Commandant Air Cadets is the title given to the Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for running the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, embracing the Air Training Corps (ATC) and the RAF Sections of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF RAF). The current Commandant Air Cadets is Air Commodore Allen Lewis, who assumed the post in September 2024.[1]

Commandant Air Cadets
Incumbent
Air Commodore Allen Lewis
since 23 September 2024 (2024-09-23)
Reports toAOC No. 22 Group RAF
First holderJohn Adrian Chamier

Previously known as Commandant ATC, the appointment is now held by an RAF Air Commodore and is based at Headquarters Air Cadets (HQAC) at RAF Cranwell. Prior to the establishment of HQAC as an independent unit, the post of Commandant ATC was held by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Reserve, Home and finally Flying Training Command. HQAC was formed 1 May 1960 within Flying Training Command.

The Commandant is responsible for over 1000 units of the ATC, 199 CCF (RAF) Sections and the nationwide network of Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS).

Until 24 March 2003, the Commandant Air Cadets also held the role of Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets, the appointment then passing to the Air Officer Commanding Training Group (TG). The post has now been merged into the post of AOC TG and no longer exists as a separate entity.

AOC Air Cadets and Commandant ATC 1941 – 2003

edit
Picture Commandant Air Cadets Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
Air Commodore
Sir John Adrian Chamier (Ret'd)
5 February 194131 January 19442 years, 11 months
Air Marshal
Sir Ernest Leslie Gossage (Ret'd)
1 February 194431 December 19451 year, 10 months
Appointments held by
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Reserve / Home / Flying Training Command
1946February 196014 years, 1 month
Air Commodore
Antony G Dudgeon
February 196013 September 19622 years, 7 months[2]
Air Commodore
James Baird Coward
14 September 196222 June 19663 years, 9 months[2]
Air Commodore
Edward J Morris
23 June 196617 June 19681 year, 11 months[2]
Air Commodore
John N Stacey
18 June 196816 July 19713 years[2]
Air Commodore
Percy O V Green
17 July 197112 October 19732 years, 2 months[2]
Air Commodore
Thomas H Blackham
13 October 197312 June 19773 years, 7 months[2]
Air Commodore
Michael J E Swiney
13 June 197714 December 19792 years, 6 months[2]
Air Commodore
Kenneth J Goodwin
15 December 197916 April 19822 years, 4 months[2]
Air Commodore
P V Mayall
17 April 19825 January 19863 years, 8 months[2]
Air Commodore
P P W Taylor
6 January 19864 January 198711 months[2]
Air Commodore
Peter G Naz
5 January 1987April 19903 years, 2 months[2]
Air Commodore
Richard P Skelley
April 199022 April 19933 years[2]
Air Commodore
Peter M Stean
23 April 199311 January 19962 years, 8 months[2]
Air Commodore
Jon A F Ford
12 January 199627 March 19982 years, 2 months[2]
Air Commodore
John D Kennedy
28 March 19982 May 20024 years, 1 month[2]
Air Commodore
Jon P Chitty
3 May 200223 March 200310 months[2]

Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets 2003 – 2005

edit
Picture Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
Air Vice-Marshal
David Walker
23 March 20033 January 20051 year, 286 days
Air Vice-Marshal
John Ponsonby
4 January 2005200511 months

Commandant Air Cadets 2003 – present

edit
Picture Commandant Air Cadets Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
Air Commodore
Jon P Chitty
24 March 2003July 20052 years, 3 months[2]
Air Commodore
David Harrison
July 200512 October 20061 year, 3 months[2]
Air Commodore
Gordon Moulds CBE
13 October 200619 May 20081 year, 219 days[2]
Air Commodore
Ian R W Stewart
20 May 200831 May 20102 years, 11 days[2]
Air Commodore
Barbara Cooper CBE
1 June 201016 August 20122 years, 76 days[2]
Air Commodore
Dawn McCafferty CBE
17 August 201214 July 20207 years, 332 days[2][3]
Group Captain
John Lawlor
Acting
15 July 202020 September 202067 days[4]
Air Commodore
Anthony Keeling OBE
21 September 202023 September 20244 years, 2 days[2]
Air Commodore
Allen Lewis
23 September 202470 days[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "New Commandant Royal Air Force Air Cadets announced". Royal Air Force Air Cadets. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Mackie, Colin. "Senior Royal Air Force Appointments" (PDF). gulabin.com. p. 58. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Dawn is New Commandant". 17 August 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2020. Dawn McCafferty today took over as the Commandant of the Air Cadets
  4. ^ "RAF Air Cadet Commandant Handover". RAFAC. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.