Ah, bloody hell, I'll bite, I was sick of Eurovision anyway!
Ah that old chestnut, where they always get them from - civvy street. Don't overplay your position, if you honestly believe that the ATC is the single source of personnel for the future RAF you're living in dreamland.
So the time honoured 60% Officers and 40% Airmen are ex-ATC is tripe then? I know we had an 'outing' session in the bar on det and of seven of us, three officers, three NCOs and 1 Airman all were ex ATC/CCF.
Couldn't agree more! But what really grips my sh!t are people noncing around in military uniforms with no military service and I do not mean RNR/TA/RAuxAF
With the passing of the generations that served during the war or National Service cadets is the main exposure kids get to the Armed Forces apart from Hollywood blockbusters
. Without the hard work of the VR(T) and ATC staff that have never worn HM’s uniform (of whatever colour) ‘in anger’ the cadet system would collapse – there aren’t enough of us old bastards to go round and many of us don’t have the time to commit to uniformed service.
I have rather wondered about young people who display an unhealthy interest in militarism, rather more keen on the youngster who joins for the adventure than the drill and military crap myself.
Whilst I was a cadet and later when serving I was never that keen of that side of life either, nor with the creeping 'greening' of the RAF, introduction of the Fitness tests and other cr@p that took me away from my primary role! Then we went all expeditionary and there was some point to it.
I see in some of our male cadets the macho pseudo military posturing that you deplore so much, and go out of my way to point out that's not how the RAF works - We need thinkers not cannon fodder, and eventually they'll grow out of it, if Halton/Cranwell are doing their jobs properly round about day 2 - sadly I'm not allowed to kick it out of them (though came close last week
). The girls strangely enough don’t seem to go through this phase – I may have to put bromide in the lads tea….