I started this discussion a few weeks back now, and basically I’ve seen it degenerate because of a few obviously bitter and twisted individuals.
Let me state a few facts.
1 I used to be an engineer, although to my detriment, I was only a fairy, not one of you hero rigger types…………
2 I worked with fast jet mates for the first 8 years of my career, so a “lets all help each other out” attitude was not high on the agenda.
3 I worked on a front line support helicopter squadron for 4 years, where a “lets all help each other” attitude was actually necessary for the squadron to function.
4 I do not think that all engineers sit around all day watching TV, nervously waiting the return of their previously fully serviceable aircraft.
5 I know for a fact that aircrew do not take your perfectly serviceable aircraft and break them for fun.
6 I don’t expect ground crew to pick up all the ****ty jobs on the squadron whilst we swan off home to drink beer and tell war stories.
7 But I also don’t expect to see a single one of you whilst I’m over a border getting shot at by the very unhappy local people, or while I’m watching hydraulic oil run down the side of the aircraft into the sea while we’re 150 miles from land or when I’m on a hill side scraping up the bits of someone who’s fallen 3 million feet down a cliff onto sharp rocks.
We all have a job to do, and we all need to help each other when we can, but we also need to realize that if one person does every job that needs to be done on the squadrons then the powers that be will think that they can cut thousands of jobs from the military, and we’ll still be able to fulfill all of our commitments…………………
Bugger!! They beat me to it!