Ok sorry I lost track of the topic, I apoligise. I just on high horse about something as of late and I guess i let out a lot of crap last night. Not meant to offend and if I did sorry.
KeepItTidy There was no need to apologise I only commented as it was an interesting thread that was going off track a little.
I was not going to comment but after reading some of the other remarks I will..
Kudos to you though, you had for want of a better word, the balls to say sorry for straying off the thread, something some of the so called "Gentlemen" in here haven't.
I to was in the RAF and also was not an Officer, so I know where you are coming from, but don't paint all Officers with one brush, there are good and bad in all walks of life, sometimes arrogance and the belief they can do no wrong I am afraid gets passed off as knowledge and rank by those who have neither the intelligence nor foresight to see past their own little world.
The comments "oldest SAC in the RAF" is just another odious example, possibly by the equivelent Officer rank who knows he will never progress further, namely a Career Flight Lieutenant.
Having met many Ex Officers in the industry I would say on the whole a lot of them are good people, though there are some who would struggle to tie their own shoelaces without the support of all the hard working people in the RAF behind them.
It comes as a bit of a culture shock to a many of all ranks when they leave the RAF as the "mollyCoddling" of the system dissapears overnight, accomodation, medical coverage, food, wages are no longer there day in day out, outside its all up to you to sort..
I do not know what rank you are KeepItTidy and to be honest it does not matter, but one thing though I have learnt is no matter what rank and position in the RAF you hold, without those people the whole thing would grind to a halt....
In the real world, senior management often spend a week on the shopfloor so to speak, to learn how it all works, perhaps that would be the way forward then those that try to use people as a career move upwards, can understand the difficulties of operating and maintaining Aircraft or indeed any of the support trades often in difficult conditions, in theatre with long hours and lack of support...... It would make for a better work ethos, greater professionalism and increase moral.
Say a week would do it..... I am often pleased when in the Real World Junior Pilots ask me to show them how things work and explain the tasks we do to further their knowlege and understanding, perhaps something the RAF should take on board. It team builds, which is something that often gets left behind at the doors to the Messes.
I often found it strangely disturbing that several Officers (and they were few) on the squadrons I served on seemed to relish tormenting and making the lives misery for several Airman on whom their lives depended day in day out..... We all have pressure in Our lives, but to heap extra on the shoulders of those that are working to keep you alive seemed to be an accident waiting to happen.
As for the comments of Old Fat One, perhaps EX Officer was the correct move......
Shame on you 1.4g for using the fact someone was apologising for taking the thread offline to have a poke at him, you acted like a prepubescent schoolboy with the urge to rub himself up against something to get that warm glow.... Well, I hope you are basking in it...
Now please let's get back to the thread