What do I need to bring with me?

Before you arrive, we will send through a clear kit list of everything you will need to bring. This will include civilian clothing, toiletries, and personal effects.  You must bring an iron and ironing board with you. This is to ensure your uniform is treated with care and meets our inspection standards.

Is there anything not on the official list that might be useful?

Everything you will need is on the official kit list. We regularly take on board feedback from current and recently graduated cadets to make sure that the list is up to date and right for all cadets’ needs.

Can my friends and family come with me for my arrival?

You can arrive with friends or family, but they can’t accompany you on site and you will be expected to carry your belongings.

Do I have to arrive the night before? 

You must arrive the day your training starts. For those travelling from a distance, it may be beneficial to stay near the base.

What modules will I be taking and how long is the course?

The course duration is 71 days, from the first day of training until graduation day. You will be studying:

MOD 1 - General Service Training
MOD 2 - Initial Force Protection Training
MOD 3 - Graduation Preparation

Where will I be living? 

During your training at Halton, you will stay in same sex shared accommodation with approximately 14 other recruits. In your dorm you will have two lockers: one civilian locker and one military. Your military locker is to keep all your military kit which needs to be kept to inspection standard. The smaller civilian locker is to keep your personal belongings in.

What are the bathrooms like?  

At Halton, we have single sex shared bathrooms with individual cubicles for toilets and showers.

What is the food like?

We provide three hot meals a day from Henderson Mess. This includes breakfast, lunch & dinner. You will have a number of choices at each sitting that should meet your dietary requirements.

We create a balanced diet that gives you the right energy and nutrition for life in the RAF. You will be given a selection of choices at each sitting so you can choose what is right for you. We cater for a range of dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, halal and offer milk alternatives.

How fit do I need to be?

Fitness is important in the RAF, as a cadet you must be fit enough to enough to pass the Multi-Stage Fitness Test (MSFT) for your age and gender.

We’ve developed a training programme you can follow, and you can find out the standard you need to meet during the fitness test here.

What happens if I fail?

We aren’t looking for superhuman athletes, we want cadets that don’t give up and keep striving to be the best. Depending on when you failed the test and the degree of failure, we will look into each case and assess individually. If it doesn’t go the way you expected, don’t worry, retests will be offered.
 

What if I get injured?

If you are injured during your training, we will do all we can to keep you on the course safely. If this isn’t possible, you will be transferred to Cadet Support Flight (CSF) while you recover. When you are physically ready and the next available training place comes up, you will be placed back on the course.

Will we have downtime?

Downtime is in the evening after dinner, Monday to Friday and you will have weekends off. You are allowed local leave twice throughout the 10 weeks of training to go and explore the local areas.

Learn more about social, sports and adventure activities in the RAF here.

When you’re not training, revising, or carrying out preparations, your time is your own to spend as you wish.

Can I go back home to see friends and family?

You must remain on base during your 10-week training and you will not be allowed to visit friends or family.

Can I smoke / drink alcohol?

You can smoke within certain restrictions, however there is no drinking on base during your 10-week training course. Smoking is only permitted in designated areas and not between the training hours of 8am to 5pm.

Can I have a relationship? 

We do not allow relationships on base between recruits; however, you are allowed relationships outside of base and support those who have families throughout their time at Halton.

Am I allowed my phone?

You are allowed to use your phone, however there are certain restrictions that apply. You are allowed your phone at any point during downtime, and these are permitted in classrooms when used for educational use.

When do you have to wake up?

Timings may vary based on training to be carried out that day and can be as early as 4:30am.