This year we also celebrate the Australian Air Force Cadets 80th birthday, the Royal Australian Air Force's 100th birthday and also Griffith's 105th birthday.

As part of our Birthday celebrations we are holding a dinner at the Griffith Exies Club for current members of the Squadron, but also opening it up to all ex cadets and staff members. We have invited a number of VIP's to attend this milestone.

The Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) is a youth oriented organisation that is administered and actively supported by the Royal Australian Air Force.

The AAFC will teach you valuable life skills and will help you develop qualities including leadership, self-reliance, confidence, teamwork and communication.

Some activities undertaken by the AAFC include flying, fieldcraft, adventure training, firearms safety training, drill and ceremonial, service knowledge, aeromodelling, navigation and gliding.

Our fundamental aim is to foster qualities that will enable cadets to become responsible young adults, who will make a valuable contribution to the community.

No matter what career you choose, the AAFC provides a foundation of knowledge and skills that will assist you towards your future.

In 2014 a working group was established with a number of stakeholders to see if the Australia Air Force Cadets had interest.

This working group worked very hard for 18 months to get to April 29, 2016, where we had 25 Cadets enlist at our first enlistment day.

This was a fantastic achievement by the working group and the new staff to get to this point.

340 Squadron prides it self on being a family orientated Squadron and instils in the Cadets the values of the Australian Air Force Cadets which are Honour, Honesty, Courage, Integrity, Loyalty, Teamwork and Citizenship.

Being in a Rural Community once you put on the uniform, everyone knows you are a Cadet.

Over the past five years we have been done some fantastic activities, such as attending the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2019 in Sydney, visited Victoria Barracks Sydney, School Of Military Engineering Museum, attended the 2019 Australian International Airshow in Avalon Victoria, visited the Australian War Memorial and laid a wreath at the closing ceremony.

We have also conducted camps in Goolgowi, 50km west of Griffith and support the township of Griffith where possible and the local RSL Sub Branch.

Over the five years we have had approximately 130 Cadets enlist in the Squadron.

Some have lasted a month and found that it is not for them.

I give them credit for giving it a go, and some cadets stay to they have to leave at 18 year of age.

We have had a number of Cadets go into Captains and Vice Captains at their local schools.

It is a fantastic achievement by the Cadets but also the opportunities that we give the Cadets to get out of their comfort zone and achieve.

All this could not be possible without the knowledge and guidance of Flight Lieutenant(AAFC) Michael Borg, who is the inaugural Commanding Officer of the Squadron.

Michael moved to Griffith in 2014 to commence employment with the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Michael commence his military service as a cadet in 1989 at 21 Regional Cadet Unit in Penrith.

In 1995, he enlisted into the Army Reserve in Penrith where he enjoyed military life and subsequently transferred to the Regular Army in 1998.

In 1999 Michael deployed on Operational Service to East Timor.

Michael retired from the regular army in 2001.

In 2002 he commenced service with the Australian Army Cadets. In 2011, Michael changed to the Australian Air Force Cadets.

Whilst this has been a challenge for Michael learning about the Royal Australian Air Force and the Australian Air Force Cadets, he would have it no other way. Michael has a passion for the Military and the youth.

Michael is supported by a great number of Staff, who go above and beyond to ensure that the Cadets get every opportunity to achieve.

Over the years their has been great staff who due to other commitments have left the squadron, and we thank them for their contribution to ensuring that the Squadron could run.

The support that we receive from the community is nothing but fantastic and we could not operate without this support.

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