Originally Posted by Ops and Mops
Would I be right in thinking you mean the RAuxAF? (Royal Auxiliary Air Force)
Not quite the "RAF's TA......" although I know where you are coming from with that statement!
Again a little bit of confusion here.
The RAF Reserve (RAFR) is made up of many different classes which dictates the call up liability for those serving in the reserve. This ranges from the "regular Reserve" which are those who have completed their regular service engagement and are transferred to the reserve but still have a full call up liability; Sponsored Reservists (such as the Mobile Met Unit), who work for an MoD contractor (such as the Met Office) but are required to deploy on full call up liability as part of their contract; Some reservists employed by the MoD in the Military Support Function in Full Time Reserve Service on Home Commitment (ie no overseas deployment) that includes the old J class, now known as the RAFR (Civilian Component).
I think that your statement "NOT, by any stretch of the imagination the "real" RAF." for those guys and gals of the RAFR that are serving in Basra, Kabul, Kandahar, Oman, Bosnia et al is maybe a little off target.
Apols - my knowledge of the RAFR was lacking - upon reading your post I now remember the guys n gals of 1359 flight who are of course - ex regulars,retained as RAFR to fly the hercs.
No disrespect intended - just a senior moment of forgetfullnes... The RAFR I was talking about were the ones I have most exposure to, in them being the J class reserve, who of course have done their time and earned their respect, but are now generally just civil servants wearing a uniform.
and yes I meant RAuxAF - it was a typo.
DK338 - Haven't you said all this about four pages back... It was cr@p then and it's still cr@p now.
