:: Honours, Awards and Appointments

One of the interesting aspects of membership of the ACF is that individual and selfless contributions to the organisation are, from time to time, recognised by the award of promotions to senior positions, certificates of meritorious service, long service medals and very occasionally other national honours. This page is dedicated to those members of Surrey ACF whose contributions to the service of youth have merited an award of one sort or another.  

:: Appointment of New Deputy Commandant

Lieutenant Colonel John Ross TD completed his tenure as Deputy Commandant of Surrey ACF shortly after Annual Camp last year following nearly eight years of service with Surrey. A selection board was held in late January 2007 from which Lieutenant Colonel Nigel Wright TD was selected as the new Deputy Commandant of Surrey ACF. 

Lieutenant Colonel Wright has now joined CHQ and will have his first real  experience of Surrey ACF at Annual Camp this year although he has had a baptism of fire by agreeing, two weeks ago, to stand in for Captain Rayner at "B" Company during his absence on sick leave.  

He joins us from the Territorial Army where he commanded "A" Company, 6/7 (now 3) PWRR in Farnham. He has served in Northern Ireland attached to the Regular Army and brings a wealth of command experience and military contacts.

Lieutenant Colonel Wright lives in Dorking and runs his own successful business refitting office interiors.

Lieutenant Colonel Ross has agreed that, although stepping down from the Deputy Commandant role, he will stay with Surrey ACF for the foreseeable future, allowing greater flexibility within CHQ. He will continue his involvement with the Battlefield Tour programme and, with Lieutenant Colonel Wright, will work on a progressive training programme for young officers and potential officers with a view to ensuring that the shortages that are currently experienced in Surrey ACF are corrected and that Surrey's pass rate at the Cadet Force Commissioning Board is improved.

:: Lord Lieutenant's Awards 2006

Cadet Under Officer Kirsty McDermott was recognised for her achievements in Surrey ACF by being nominated Cadet of the Year and appointed as the Lord Lieutenant's Cadet in a ceremony held at Redhill TAC presided over by Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant for Surrey, Mrs Sarah Goad JP.

Rewarded with a Lord Lieutenant's Certificate of Meritorious Service for their outstanding contribution to Surrey ACF were RQMS Charlie Cooper of B Company and Captain Jim Newbury, recently retired County Quartermaster. 

Other recipients of awards were Cadet RSM Chris Roper, Cadet Colour Sgt Paul Adams and Major Alan Mulder who received ACF Certificates of Good Service.

In addition to a Certificate of Good Service, Major Mulder also received the first clasp to the Cadet Forces Medal which represented the completion of 18 years of ACF service.

:: Commandant Appoints New RSMI

Following the retirement of RSMI Nigel Jackson, the Commandant has appointed CSM Jo Wavell to be County RSMI with effect from 25 January 2006.

RSMI Wavell is an ex-cadet who enlisted into Cheshire ACF in 1985 at the time that girls were first allowed to join. She completed her four star APC and finished her cadet service as a Colour Sergeant. On her 18th birthday she became an Adult Instructor, completed her ITC at Preston in 1989 and remained as an instructor with Cheshire for two years until she joined the Regular Army in 1991. RSMI Wavell completed her basic training in Guildford (badged as WRAC - Women's Royal Army Corps) and subsequently transferred to the Royal Corps of Transport and trained to be a Tank Transporter Driver - the first woman to do so in the British Army - working with over 200 men! RSMI Wavell stayed in the RCT until 1996 when she was discharged in the rank of Lance Corporal. On leaving the army, she joined Hampshire Constabulary where she worked for five years in uniform covering the Farnborough area. She has held the appointment of Drugs Intelligence Officer for North East Hampshire and has recently been transferred to the CID where she was appointed Detective in December 2005.

RSMI Wavell joined Surrey ACF in 1999 and through her commitment and enthusiasm has rapidly progressed through the ranks for which she recently received a Lord Lieutenant's Certificate of Meritorious Service. Her last appointment was that of CSM of C Company.

Footnote: Following her recent wedding RSMI Jo Wavell will henceforth be known as RSMI Jo Brocklehurst.

:: Lord Lieutenant's Awards 2005

Cadet Regimental-Sergeant-Major Paul Farr, aged 18,  was honoured recently by being appointed the Lord Lieutenant's Cadet by the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Mrs Sarah Goad, at a ceremony at Farnham TA Centre. Cadet RSM Farr, a sales advisor from Woking and who serves at Pirbright Detachment was declared Cadet of the Year for his achievements and dedication to the Army Cadet movement. Cadet RSM Farr has been a member of the ACF for 5 years.

Also awarded Lord Lieutenant's Certificates of Meritorious Service for their contribution to the Army Cadet Force were Sergeant Major Instructor Brian Woodley of Farnham Detachment, Sergeant Major Instructor Jo Wavell of Surrey ACF "C" Company HQ and Civilian Assistant Mick Horan of County Headquarters.

The award of a Lord Lieutenant's Certificate is a prized honour in the ACF. Very few members are nominated and even fewer are selected to receive the award that recognises the recipient's commitment, dedication, achievements and devotion to duty.