Blue Sky Warriors

[mike_alpha_papa]

The RAF in Afghanistan in their own words.

"Blue Sky Warriors is the first book about the RAF's mission in Afghanistan to benefit from official endorsement and behind-the-scenes access. It features eighteen first-person accounts by men and women - from a wide variety of trades and ranks - talking candidly about their experiences of life on the front line"

Interesting range of contributers from the Air Commander, a surgeon, aircrew, FACs, ground engineers, fireman and chef.

Saw an advance copy of the book on the desk of one of those featured. Now on general release and just got my copy from Amazon today.

MAP

[G-BOAG]

I feel privileged to be the author of Blue Sky Warriors and to have spent time in Helmand with most of the men and women I interviewed for the book.

Much is written about the lives, and the roles played by our front-line personnel. But it’s the Army that dominates in terms of column inches, and in the countless books that the war in Afghanistan has given birth to.
It's most definitely a tri-service operation though and the Royal Air Force’s remit extends into almost every aspect of it. Most people know that the RAF’s Harrier and Tornado aircraft provide Close Air Support to troops on the ground, but what of those RAF personnel with a lesser profile?

There are many books about, and by, fast jet pilots. There are numerous accounts by soldiers, bomb disposal experts and snipers. Yet they don’t work in isolation. Those who work alongside and support them are fighting the same war; they take the same risks, and in some cases, (as with the sad death of SAC Luke Southgate last month) make the ultimate sacrifice too. Their stories are often just as compelling.

That’s why I decided to write Blue Sky Warriors.

Even though I've worked extensively with all arms of our forces in the past few years, I was impressed with the modesty of all those I talked to in theatre. None sought me out; I sought them. None requested inclusion. In fact, it was only at the launch party last Friday when I met one of the Harrier Pilots that I'd interviewed and he was dressed in No1s with medals that I realised he'd been awarded a DFC - he didn't mention that when I interviewed him in theatre (which sort of skews the received wisdom of fast jet pilots!)

One of the things that really hit me when I wrote this book was wondering how the RAF is going to continue to motivate pilots (particularly fast jet crew and those on the Chinook Fleet when they are battle hardened and combat experienced right at the beginning of their careers. What stood out was the two medals on CAS's uniform, compared to the six, seven - even eight in one case - that some of the more junior officers and NCO's that were there sported. How do you motivate guys like that when they have another 35 years or more of potential service ahead of them?

[Airborne Aircrew]

How do you motivate guys like that when they have another 35 years or more of potential service ahead of them?

Keep the conflicts coming? Iran, anyone? :E

[philrigger]

;)

How do you motivate guys like that when they have another 35 years or more of potential service ahead of them?

The same way that the guys who served before, during and after WWII were motivated. And many oif them were very bemedled(?). Many went on to serve until the age of 55. More than in todays RAF. My father served from 1935 to 1970 and he was motivated up until his last day! There was an engine Chf at Gut in the early 80s that had been an Air Engineer on Lancasters during WWII and he was motivated. And countless ex WWII SNCOs that I have come across during my time were there to serve.
There were, of course, exceptions. Some that spring to mind;

When the Chf Tech rank was demoted to lower that FS in 1964 - that demotivated nearly all of the Chf Techs!

When the Air Gunners were discontinued a lot of them took posts as SWO and so prevented those already in the trade of RAF GD from promotion. (No wonder that most of them were grumpy!). Others found jobs in stores and general offices with no experience in admin matters and blocked the promotion prospects of many.

Simply it is leadership - something that the current forces seem to lack.