What CAS really thinks of FJ aircrew
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What CAS really thinks of FJ aircrew
I've always thought our senior leadership thought a little bit more of us.
How about this from a letter by CAS in early 2009 trying to justify why we need fast jet pilots in the RAF: "More than 50% of RAF pilots at SO1 and above are FJ pilots (indeed, exclusively at 3* and above at present). This is not by accident or 'tribal' design - the very intelecual and mental capacity attributes that help distinguish a FJ pilot, coupled with their direct experience of combat operations and the command and control of combat forces, drive these statistics."
Thanks CAS, using a Royal Marine catchphrse "99% of us need not apply" means that we're nothing but non-intellectual fodder then? I guess when all fast jets are gone we'll just have an RAF run by a 2* as we won't have anyone smart enough to make it further.
And as for direct experience of combat? Pathetic. How dare you suggest that tooling around 20,000 feet above the action in your air conditioned office is direct combat.
Have you even done that?
Maybe you should actually get out to where direct combat is taking place and talk with your RAF Regiment gunners who daily take actual fire and risk death or maiming from IEDs as they clear the known perimter for you to get airborne.
Maybe you should speak with your Merlin or Chinook crews who pick up soldiers and marines from the battlefield with various body parts missing.
Speak with the loadies who have to sweep out the blood and body parts from the back of the helicopter after the MERT has launched yet again.
Speak to your medics who see and deal with horrors of actual combat you will never, with your intellectual brain, have to deal with.
Speak with our ATC guys and girls or the MT drivers who waited in Basrah tower for the next volley of rockets to come over the wall.
Direct experience of combat my ar*e. Disgraceful and insulting.
TSRTOO
How about this from a letter by CAS in early 2009 trying to justify why we need fast jet pilots in the RAF: "More than 50% of RAF pilots at SO1 and above are FJ pilots (indeed, exclusively at 3* and above at present). This is not by accident or 'tribal' design - the very intelecual and mental capacity attributes that help distinguish a FJ pilot, coupled with their direct experience of combat operations and the command and control of combat forces, drive these statistics."
Thanks CAS, using a Royal Marine catchphrse "99% of us need not apply" means that we're nothing but non-intellectual fodder then? I guess when all fast jets are gone we'll just have an RAF run by a 2* as we won't have anyone smart enough to make it further.
And as for direct experience of combat? Pathetic. How dare you suggest that tooling around 20,000 feet above the action in your air conditioned office is direct combat.
Have you even done that?
Maybe you should actually get out to where direct combat is taking place and talk with your RAF Regiment gunners who daily take actual fire and risk death or maiming from IEDs as they clear the known perimter for you to get airborne.
Maybe you should speak with your Merlin or Chinook crews who pick up soldiers and marines from the battlefield with various body parts missing.
Speak with the loadies who have to sweep out the blood and body parts from the back of the helicopter after the MERT has launched yet again.
Speak to your medics who see and deal with horrors of actual combat you will never, with your intellectual brain, have to deal with.
Speak with our ATC guys and girls or the MT drivers who waited in Basrah tower for the next volley of rockets to come over the wall.
Direct experience of combat my ar*e. Disgraceful and insulting.
TSRTOO
As one who worked for the previous CAS - and the current one - in staff appointments all I can say is that this material is taken out of context. Sir Glen did take a lot of stick , but he is an extremely experienced operator with considerable combat expereince to boot. Nonetheless, he made excellent use of his staff and never specified 'this SO1 should carry out this staff task, because he is FJ aircrew and therefore sh!t hot'. There are Gp Capts in thrusting appointments, however, who believe this rubbish and surround themselve with aircrew as a default setting.
I never felt inferior becasue I wasn't fast jet material when in senior staff appointments. During my time in MB, it was pleasing to be wanted for my brain and broader corporate experience (indeed my Service career has been a lot braoder and satisfying than most), and not becausee of STT employment, and I know that I share this feeling with many of my ground-branch colleagues.
I never felt inferior becasue I wasn't fast jet material when in senior staff appointments. During my time in MB, it was pleasing to be wanted for my brain and broader corporate experience (indeed my Service career has been a lot braoder and satisfying than most), and not becausee of STT employment, and I know that I share this feeling with many of my ground-branch colleagues.
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Okay, I'll bite!
There are no surprises here; it just shows the narrow-minded, bigoted attitude of the (senior) RAF that has resulted in the recent SDSR cuts.
It is incredible that anyone can spout such "master race" nonsense, partiularly when it is solely based of its efforts to get rid of another regime that believed in the same. How long is the RAF going to hang its whole reputation on the Battle of Britain? Whilst you are answering that question, please tell me how many enemy (I know they took one of their own out) aircraft the RAF has shot down since WW2?
There are no surprises here; it just shows the narrow-minded, bigoted attitude of the (senior) RAF that has resulted in the recent SDSR cuts.
It is incredible that anyone can spout such "master race" nonsense, partiularly when it is solely based of its efforts to get rid of another regime that believed in the same. How long is the RAF going to hang its whole reputation on the Battle of Britain? Whilst you are answering that question, please tell me how many enemy (I know they took one of their own out) aircraft the RAF has shot down since WW2?
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I recently had the opportunity to join ACM Sir Stephen Dalton KCB ADC BSc FRAeS FCMI RAF for cocktails in the Officers mess at RAF Shawbury and personally found him to be a sound bloke with tons of support and empathy for the entire serving personnel irrespective of branch.
I further believe that he is as miffed as the rest of us about the defence cuts but his position leaves him with very little room to express his heart felt views freely.
I can assure you that he has spoken at length to those who have seen active service recently, both in the air and on the ground and as an ex Jag mate and Tornado GR1A jocky he has also seen the front line, of a different war, both from the air and from the ground.
Mrs CAS was delightful as well.
Would buy the man a pint any time (and a fruit based cocktail for Mrs CAS)
Cheers
I further believe that he is as miffed as the rest of us about the defence cuts but his position leaves him with very little room to express his heart felt views freely.
I can assure you that he has spoken at length to those who have seen active service recently, both in the air and on the ground and as an ex Jag mate and Tornado GR1A jocky he has also seen the front line, of a different war, both from the air and from the ground.
Mrs CAS was delightful as well.
Would buy the man a pint any time (and a fruit based cocktail for Mrs CAS)
Cheers
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...and before this gets too facile...has anyone noticed how many non-FJ pilot two stars and above are in the airstaff - and its been like that for a while now...thinks myself that this speaks volumes of the reality as opposed to anyone's parochial viewpoint...whatever rank they maybe.
Cheers
Cheers
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For all you indignant newbies on here, this whole thing was debated on Post 174 on Page 9 here
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ml#post4803811
in March 2009!
Can we leave it out now, rather than have more unbridled indignation about something that was apparently said (or misquoted) back in the mists of time!
Foldie
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ml#post4803811
in March 2009!
Can we leave it out now, rather than have more unbridled indignation about something that was apparently said (or misquoted) back in the mists of time!
Foldie
