West Bridgford Air Cadet, Rebekah Oldknow, has gained all the badges available to an Air Cadet, becoming one of a select band in the country to have achieved this milestone. Nineteen years old Rebekah is a Cadet Warrant Officer(CWO) with 209 (West Bridgford) Squadron in Nottingham. CWO is the highest rank a cadet can aspire to.

Badges are awarded for qualifying on may varied subjects in addition to badges awarded for completing each stage of the Cadet Syllabus of Training. During her cadet service Rebekah has gained qualifications in subjects and activities as diverse as Music (playing in the Regions Concert and Marching bands), parachuting, leadership, target shooting, and First Aid, to name but a few. She has also successfully taken part in the Nijmegen March in Holland and successfully completed a Cyber Course at The Royal Air Force No 1 Radio School.

Aeronautics is important to the Air Cadets and Rebekah has been awarded gliding and flying “wings” under the Air Cadet Aviation Training Package. She is also a Qualified Aerospace Instructor, entitling the wearing of the Blue Lanyard. Although hugely satisfying for the Cadet Warrant Officer, the awards and qualifications not only encourage other cadets on the squadron to achieve, it has also given Rebekah the skills and knowledge to mentor the other cadets at West Bridgford.

“We are all extremely proud of Rebekah and she is a great asset to us. She has grown in confidence and proved to be enthusiastic and committed, qualities that have endeared her to both staff and cadets”, said the Squadron’s Commander, Flight Lieutenant Jade Waring RAFAC.