Originally Posted by
Proletarian
Sadly .....
Sadly, IMHO many of the problems with the current standard of much the S&FA occupied by the Army are almost entirely their own fault.
Sadly, the policy of continuing to invest in improving/maintaining this estate often appears to have been curtailed and the result has been a gradual deterioration in their overall quality - particularly in the single accommodation for the junior ranks.
Having worked alongside the Army and seen how some of the troops behave, I can fully understand why so much Army single accommodation is so bad - put simply, they seem all too keen to trash the place at every opportunity.
Proletarian - Firstly my apologies for selectively quoting you, however the length of the entire post would be excessive.
Secondly, the ex-RAF accom being handed over to the Army is in itself approximately 70 years old. RAF Colerne for example, was built at the same time as RAF Scampton, and even in RAF hands, Scampton is a decaying pit by all accounts. Topcliffe is a shed of a place. Dishforth was largely rebuilt for the AAC, Upavon vastly changed, North Luffenham another RAF backwater, the list goes on. It is not as though the RAF has relinquished decent accomodation; granted because it didn't have any in the first place.
Thirdly, trashing the accomodation at every opportunity is 1) in keeping with the finest traditions of the Service (blazing pianos anyone?), 2) billed to the miscreants, or collectively billed as barrack damages and most importantly 3), mildew on a decaying ceiling is hardly in the same bracket as puking in the ablutions.