Submitted Article 10 : CCF
Well, during my time at QE Boy's, I stupidly decided to join the CCF (Combined Cadets Force). Obviously we had all heard wonderful things about it from the school - how it would look good on your CV - and lets face it, if you didn't have a lot on your CV you will never get a job, so a fairly large number of people joined.
What the school didn't tell us was that it was being run by the caretaker (Mr Stanton) who obviously thought he was some kind of commando Hitler or something, for the short duration of our membership we were put through numerous physical threats (e.g. "I'll punch your lights out") and verbal insults, so of course the majority of people were thinking 'maybe this isn't for me?' Wrong. What you are not told is that once you join, you are not allowed to leave without a valid reason to be presented in front of your year head - obviously a pretty scary prospect and lets face it, at QE Boys School if you are seen as a trouble maker if you do not submit totally to what the school wants you to do and your life can and will be made hell and you can quite easily pick up a reputation which WILL stay with you for your duration at QE Boys for doing something minor.
Well, when the first person tried to leave the CCF he was asked to see his head of year, but luckily for him Mr Stanton had made a direct physical threat to him so he was able to give an excuse, but for the rest of us we had to come up with various excuses to leave this torment - if you want to, join the ACF - at least you will be treated with the respect you deserve.
Moral of the story - be warned BEFORE you join the CCF - you CAN join later in the year and once you join you will not be let out unless you have a genuine reason - and don't believe everything you are told.
