The RAF Air Cadets have been accused of being ‘over-sensitive’ after members were ordered to stop using the term ‘marksman’ in a bid to be ‘gender-neutral’.
Instructors and teenage cadets were told not say ‘marksmanship’ when referring to new shooting badges in a bid to be more inclusive.
Critics have described the internal document, issued this month, as ‘over-sensitive’.
It marks the latest row within the Ministry of Defence over new diversity and inclusion policies which forced Defence Secretary Grant Shapps to order a review.
RAFAC, which is sponsored by the MoD, teaches children aged 12 to 19 to shoot with air rifles and a cadet-specific version of the SA80 rifle.
Last year, it emerged that the organisation was allowing transgender cadets to wear ‘chest binders’.
And according to its own policy, the RAFAC allows any cadets that are transitioning to ‘use facilities, such as toilets and ablutions’ of the gender of their choosing.
The Cambridge Dictionary definition of a marksman is described as ‘someone skilled at shooting accurately’.
One Air Cadet instructor with several years of marksmanship training experience told the Daily Telegraph that he believes the rebranding is being carried out as a ‘PR stunt’.
He said: ‘What gets me is that they’re putting these new changes on social media, which to me looks like they’re doing it as a PR stunt as they never normally public badge amendments on socials.’
Chief executive of the Country Alliance, Tim Bonner, said: ‘Great women shots like Annie Oakley have always been complimented on their marksmanship.
‘In the absence of anyone actually being upset by the description, it looks as though the Air Cadets are being over-sensitive’.
A spokesman for the Air Cadets said: ‘Our priority is providing safe and effective training to support the development of our Air Cadets.
‘Any change in language has had no impact on this training.’