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10th March 2008

Operation Spartan

Air Cadets from 134 (Bedford) Squadron have been put through a series of gruelling tests and assessments as part of a selection weekend to pick the unit's Field Team for 2008.

A team trust exercise

In June of each year the 30 Squadrons that make up the Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire Wing of the Air Training Corps meet for a weekend of intense competition at RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire, to decide who wins the coveted Field Team Shield.

To be considered for the team, cadets from Bedford Squadron participated in a selection weekend titled ‘Operation Spartan’ held between Friday 7th March and Sunday 9th March 2008, at their headquarters building in Shortstown, Bedford and nearby Ampthill Park.

The weekend commenced with formal pen picture introductions and a team task requiring the cadets to work in three teams to build and fly rubber band powered model aircraft. 

The next phase of the weekend saw the operation move away from the Squadron and the cadets spent a day in Ampthill Park where they were put through some testing command tasks, an orienteering exercise and a physical training exercise. 

To complete the weekend and finalise the selection the Cadets were required to attend a formal panel interview where they were interviewed by the Commanding Officer Flt Lt Mark Robinson and members of the Operation Spartan training team.

Flt Lt Robinson said at the conclusion of the weekend, “We have had a great weekend. The Cadets have applied themselves in true Bedford Squadron style and the selection of the team has been very difficult as they were all excellent candidates. We have chosen the best of the best and I know that we have selected a winning team.”