RAF Personnel and Training Command

Personnel and Training Command (PTC) was one of two commands of the Royal Air Force (the other being Strike Command) that were merged to form Air Command on 1 April 2007.

RAF Personnel and Training Command
Active	1994 - 2007
Country	UK
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto	Ut Aquilae Surgant (That Eagles Might Soar)
Disbanded	1 April 2007

History

Formation

PTC was formed in 1994 bringing together the responsibilities of the former RAF Personnel Management Centre and the training functions of RAF Support Command. It therefore became responsible for recruiting people into the service, training all members of the RAF (including initial flying training), pay and allowances, and various careers functions including terms and conditions of service, welfare, and resettlement. Principally, PTC consisted of the Personnel Management Agency and the Training Group Defence Agency (later Training Group).

Merge with Strike Command into RAF Air Command

PTC was headquartered at RAF Innsworth near Gloucester from its inauguration until October 2006, when the headquarters co-located with Strike Command at RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire in preparation for the merger.

At the time of merger, the Command had a strength of 11,000 RAF personnel, 2,000 contractors and 4,000 civilians. The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Command was dual-hatted in the role of Air Member for Personnel. The Command included five Support Units of the Defence Logistics Organisation, eight RAF stations, 14 units dedicated to the Air Cadets and University Air Squadrons, three centres specialising in outdoor activities and no less than 27 Volunteer Gliding Schools.

Location

The Command's stations included Amport House, Andover, Hampshire; RAF Brampton/Wyton/Henlow, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire; JSU Corsham, Wilts; RAF Cosford, Wolverhampton; the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincolnshire; RAF Digby, Lincoln; RAF Halton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire; Headley Court, Epsom, Surrey; RAF Innsworth, Gloucester; RAF Linton-on-Ouse, York; RAF Scampton, Lincs; RAF Sealand, Deeside, Flintshire; RAF Shawbury, Shrewsbury; RAF St Athan, Barry, South Glamorgan; RAF Uxbridge, Middlesex; RAF Valley, Anglesey; and RAF Woodvale, Formby, Liverpool.

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief

• 1 April 1994 - Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Wilson
• 1 May 1995 - Air Marshal Sir David Cousins
• 7 August 1998 - Air Marshal Sir Anthony Bagnall
• 23 March 2000 - Air Marshal Sir John Day
• March 2001 - Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville
• April 2003 - Air Marshal Sir Joe French
• 6 January 2006 - Air Marshal Barry Thornton

Further reading

• Royal Air Force, Personnel and Training Command website, accessed 28 May 2008