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Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 14:13
by speedbird591
Well done that man! I reckon the forces will be the safest place to be over the next couple of years.

Civvy street'll be like a battleground!

Ian Image

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 16:37
by cstorey
The very best of luck, Adam . My cousin was an engineering apprentice at Halton ( rather a long time ago ) and loved it , and served 24years, the last 10 or so as a Warrant officer

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 16:42
by 511Flyer
You'll be given a number that you'll never forget. It comes in useful for PIN's!

You might hate it for a while, but as any ex-serviceman will tell you, you couldn't buy the memories.

Good luck from an old Airframes bod.

Dennis.

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 16:44
by Trev Clark
Good luck mate, I started off as an A tech E (heaven knows what they are called nowadays) and trained at the old No. 1 School of Technical Training at RAF Halton. I have happy memories of marching down the hill every morning behind the Halton 'Pipes and Drums'. I bet they do not do that now either :lol: :lol:
The training I got in the RAF set me up for life, I trust they will do the same for you and fellow entrants!

Just keep an eye out for a certain forum member who you may come across ( I think he is still there), but you will have to salute him and call him 'Sir' in a very big way :prayer: :prayer:, not 'pringle' BTW, you will have to him 'Sargeant.....not 'sarge' BTW :kissu: .

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 16:45
by Pringle
Tweek wrote:
Pringle wrote:Runaway whilst you still can! There is still enough time right up until the attestation!
Is it possible to do so during the attestation? :lol:

"Actually, I don't agree to this at all!"
I think not i'm afraid.

4 1/2 years in and I think a career change might be in order after the next few tours of Iraq then poss Afghan.

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 16:49
by Trev Clark
Oh Tom, what was that about 'cannot take a joke' :lol: :lol: :lol: , at least you have certain comforts in your job (possibly :worried: ), how long before you can put that crown up, or have they taken 'time promotion' away as an economy matter nowadays, it use to be 6 years service after the age of 18!

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 16:54
by Pringle
All down to secondary duties now. Not a great deal to do with how good you are at your job. Without sounding like an old sweat Trev, from the way the old boys are talking, it's not like it used to be!

Iraq and Afghan are hitting guys hard, especially the SH force...which is currently detached to the Army under the clever title 'Joint Helicopter Command'

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 18:28
by Vulcan_to_the_Sky!
Good Luck!

And keep it contact.

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 18:44
by Trev Clark
Not a great deal to do with how good you are at your job. Without sounding like an old sweat Trev, from the way the old boys are talking, it's not like it used to be!
I don't think promotions in the old Airmen Aircrew (can't even use that phrase now :roll: , though even then we did have 'girlies' on the shiny fleet) were ever down to being good at your job Tom, just keeping a 'clean sheet' at most things (i.e. not getting caught)! At one time, it was 'technically' possible to be Master Aircrew by the time you were 30! That started to change in the early eighties though.

We used to work alongside the AAC (being careful not to blow their mounts away, on the pan at Aldergrove :lol: ), but working 'under them' seems a 'rum deal', to us the Army were the 'clients' ...not the bosses. Ah, progress! Don't you love it.

None of this 'pull up a sandbag and I will tell you about the 'real' RAF in my day' stuff has any relevance to you Tweek, we 'retired' warriors are just a bit jealous of someone starting out on things.

Re: Off to the RAF

Posted: 25 Nov 2008, 19:45
by Tweek
calypsos wrote:None of this 'pull up a sandbag and I will tell you about the 'real' RAF in my day' stuff has any relevance to you Tweek, we 'retired' warriors are just a bit jealous of someone starting out on things.
Be jealous of me once I've got away from Halton. :roll: :lol: