To be fair the tented set up we have in BSR is actually pretty decent. I'm sorry, I'll amend that, WAS pretty decent. Good showers and ablutions, hard plastic floors and aircon. None of yer old 12 by 12 cobblers. Unfortunately, when I first arrived in BSR late April/May 03 the newly assembled tentage was known as TDA -
Temporary Domestic Accomodation. It has subsequently been renamed
Tented Domestic Accomodation just so we don't think it's temporary
Also, chatting with the contractors who were putting it up, the TDA had an expected life of one year before it would need to be taken down and refurbed/swapped for a new one. 2 years and counting.......... The place is just starting to fall apart now.
I have no problem with sleeping in the tents in BSR, in fact I'm such a sad giffer I volunteer for dets there. What does grip my sh*t is what BTDTGTTShirt alluded to - the attitude of the "permanent" staff there. As far as I can tell all the aircrew and aircraft at BSR are a hinderance to the efficient running of the APOD
They seem to have no concept of what we (any of us) us do on a daily basis, despite our best efforts to educate them. Important things at BSR are wearing hats, ironing trousers, Health and Safety at Work and not running in the corridors with scissors. I'm all for military discipline and the wearing of correct uniform etc, what not for is some self obsessed remf telling me or my crew to put our hats on whilst in the wagon after a 14 hour, 5 sector day in upwards of 50degC, operating into some of the most dangerous airfields in the world (not trying to be clever, just stating fact) or some jobsworth telling me I can't have any dinner because I've forgotten my meal card
The internet access and phones, are, to be honest great. I've never had any problems getting on them and am grateful for the facility. The gyms are pretty decent, food is good and the flying operational and at times rewarding
. What the place needs is to understand that we're not taking the p*ss quoting crew duty regs when we have to. We have very few if any jobsworths and all the crews I know will bend over backwards to get the job done even if it means "stretching" the regs in places. None of us want to be the one that prevents someone getting home on time from their det by delaying a sortie. All the crews work hard under dangerous and, at times, trying conditions. All we ask in return is some understanding from those that "run" the place.