A Burnham-On-Sea Air Cadets warrant officer has been promoted to the top job in the organisation.
Devon & Somerset Wing of the Air Training Corps has congratulated Warrant Officer Tony Bird, who has been appointed as the Drill and Ceremonial Warrant Officer for the whole of the Air Cadet Organisation.
Tony, who lives in Burnham-On-Sea, first joined the Air Cadets organisation as a cadet in 1979 and he later became an adult volunteer instructor.
Having relocated to Somerset in 2006, Tony became an active member of Devon & Somerset Wing’s Drill and Ceremonial Team where he was responsible for organising banner and rifle drill courses for air cadets throughout Devon and Somerset. He became the Wing Warrant Officer in 2011.
Tony told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “My new appointment as the Air Cadet Organisation’s Drill and Ceremonial Warrant Officer will be very demanding, as 2016 is the 75th Anniversary of the formation of the Air Training Corps and there are a number of high profile parades and events taking place throughout the country.”
As an adult volunteer, Warrant Officer Bird has also been responsible for organising and leading air cadets on overseas expeditions including Mongolia, Ghana, Ecuador and Borneo.
A particular highlight has been his participation in the Nijmegen Marches which are held each year in the Netherlands and consists of civilian, military and cadet forces marching teams. Tony is also one of the current committee members at the BoS branch of the RBL, who succeeded in saving the branch from closure.
Devon & Somerset Wing’s Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Brian Wills-Pope, added: “Tony is employed full time with British Telecom and gives up many hours of his spare time to help train other volunteer staff and teenage air cadets. We wish him well in his new role.”
