Please
click on a staff member to read a little bit about them. As you
will see the team adds up to a lot of expertise and skill. They
are all voluntary and do have normal jobs too, they work on the
squadron in their spare time and often have to arrange leave
from their normal jobs to fulfill their cadet duty. The staff
is highly motivated and as volunteers you know they are there
for the development of young people.
Flt Lt Tony Piedade RAFVR(T)
Tony Is 32 Years old. He Joined the
Air cadets at the age of 16, his long cadet career allowed
him to reached the rank of Cadet Warrant Officer. Tony
left at the age of 21 to go to university, during which
time he was also a member of the University of London Air
Squadron where he trained as a pilot. In 1999 he returned
to the Air Cadet Organisation and was commissioned in 2002.
Tony took over as Commanding Officer of 344 (Fulham) Squadron
in September 2005.
Tony is a keen sportsman and mountaineer.
Professionally Tony is a consultant, specialising in banking
and transaction systems.
Joseph Mulae is 22 years old and is
currently in his 5th year of study at
the Imperial College, reading Medicine. Joseph holds the
rank of Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force who sponsor
him as a Medical Cadet. He will go on to work as a doctor
(Medical Officer) in the RAF upon completion of his studies
in 2008. Joseph also has a BSc in Management from Imperial
College.
Although he was never an Air Cadet, Joseph
is a current member of the University of London Air Squadron
which he joined in 2002. This has provided him with the constant
opportunity to fly the RAF's basic trainer under qualified
flying instructors, to undertake personal development and
leadership training and to participate in adventurous training
and sports.
Joseph has been involved with 344
(Fulham) Sqn since 2004 and, until recently, has acted as
the Training Officer. He brings with him his specialist medical
and RAF knowledge in addition to buckets full of confidence,
commitment and enthusiasm.
Mick is 38 years of age, and started
his cadet life aged 13, gaining the rank of Flight Sergeant,
obtaining his Solo Glider Wings, and completing the Silver
Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Mick is a keen mountain walker
and holds the Basic Expedition Leader Award qualification,
and is almost finished his Mountain Leader's (Summer) qualification.
He is also one of the two staff on the Squadron who holds
a Range Conducting Officer qualification.
He has taken
cadets on camps as far and wide as Scotland and Germany
(twice). He is keen to make the squadron succeed but does
not hold the desire to Command a Squadron.
Various jobs have seem him have
a successful career path, starting as a chauffeur on leaving
the army where he served for 9 years in the Parachute Regiment,
serving in places such as Kenya, Belize and Northern Ireland.
A Store Manager for Carphone Warehouse and then working
for Network Rail before settling down as a Train Driver
for South West trains in 2004.
He is also currently completing
a Licentiateship in Youth Leadership and Training.
Dave Owen
has been with 344( Fulham) Squadron for over 32 years
as a Civilian Instructor. Dave has been the bedrock of
the squadron having seen in and out
7 Commanding Officers.
Dave is
RCO qualified and spends much of his time coaching the
squadron’s Shooting team,
which this year won the most coveted Battle of Britain competition,
coming first in the Corps!
Professionally Dave works in printing
and reprographics.
Mark joined the ATC at the age of 13, participating in all
activities offered by the ACO. Throughout his career as a
Cadet, Mark gained his gliding wings, Bronze Duke of Edinburgh
Award and three Cadet One Hundreds. Shooting target rifle
he represented the ACO numerous times as well as shooting
for Great Britain and England. He also won the Middlesex
Wing Drill and NCO competition 3 times as a Cadet NCO.
A keen Bandsman joined his Squadron band 267 (Twickenham)
Squadron. After playing the bugle (or was it the fool?) for
many years, became the Squadron, Wing and Corps Drum Major.
Mark, like Flt Lt Piedade, also attended the Royal Tournament,
as the Middlesex Wing Band Warrant Officer (when the CO was
but a Cadet Warrant Officer), and has played for Her Majesty
the Queen on two separate occasions, as well as completing
the Lord Mayors Parade several times.
On reaching
the upper age limit of 22 as a Cadet Warrant Officer, Mark
became an Adult Warrant Officer, and went on to complete
his Drill Instructors course. Mark currently has an active
role within the Corps Drill and discipline team as well
as HQAC Music Services. Mark is the current London & South
East Region Band Warrant Officer, enabling him to travel
around the Region Striking up new bands and help with established
bands.
A former Company Director with in
the building industry, Mark is now a Freelance Photographer
and spends what spare time he has outside of the ACO traveling
the world photographing animals, from Deer in the Royal Parks
of London to Big Cats in Africa and Bears in Canada.
Now after many years with Middlesex Wing, Mark has transferred
to London Wing for a new challenge, and to further his career
with the ACO.
Julia Crowell is 22 and was born in
Cuckfield, England. She is currently
a fourth-year scholar studying for a BMus (Hons) degree
at the Royal College of Music, London. Julia is a part-time
peripatetic music teacher, teaching privately in West London
and as a registered music tutor with the Music House for
Children, based in Shepherd's Bush, teaching flute and
piano. She also works as a freelance orchestral player,
and is a member of micro-orchestra the Philharmonia/Royal
College of Music Elastic Band, who specialise in education.
Leander has been a Civilian Instructor
at the Squadron for 7 years. She is instrumental in
delivering much of the training syllabus that the squadron
has to offer.
Her specialist
subjects are navigation & map
reading. This year Leander will also be supervising the cadets
through their NVQ awards.
David has been with 344 since 1993
when he joined as a cadet. He is mostly interested in training
the cadets but these days has been focusing on equipping
the Squadron with a computer network and database. Recently
his efforts have been turned towards the Squadron and Exploring
Falcons websites.
Professionally David is an IT Consultant
working for various Design, Publishing, Film and Music companies.
Originally from Dorset, Julie
joined ULAS (University of London Air Squadron) at university
(Medicine at Imperial College) and found
to her surprise that she loved the RAF way of life. She
joined 344 ATC in her final year of ULAS and she is currently
awaiting to hear
the dates of Officer and Air Crew Selection Centre to undergo
selection to be an RAF Officer.
Dave is
22 year old Medical Student currently studying Medicine
at Imperial College London. Born in Preston and living
and going to school in or near London, he graduated in
2006 from the University of Manchester with a BSc at
2.1 in Biomedical Sciences. While in Manchester he continued
to contribute to voluntary work including "Nightline" a
confidential phone support service and "Student Action" an
action group to help less privileged individuals within
Manchester including children living in refuges, the homeless
and the Elderly.
He first got involved in the Air
Cadets with 344 Squadron when he moved down to London after
Graduation and immediately decided to apply to be a CI.
Now he has started his Medicine course he has many work
and voluntary commitments but working with the cadets of
344 (Fulham) Squadron and the dedicated staff remains amongst
the most rewarding.
