Gentlemen,
What i am about to say its the truth in its entirity with certain elements covered up. Mil Ops will be able verify many aspects of what i have said.
Where to start? The course, it is nothing more than a joke! An overstretched version of what the FOA's assistants course is at Shawbury. What they should be teaching is the larger picture, what i term the mil ops 'rotti and narn.' That is being able to prep Mission Folders for crews embarking on a sortie; in essence the ability to dissect information from daily ATO's, ACOS's and SPINS, liaise directly to the HQ and ensure that all aspects are covered. Lets face it this is what is done once any JOO leaves his 'comfort zone' in his nice hardened WOC. There is a whole host of further issues such as dip clears, fuel fig calcs etc that must be learnt on the job. Enough about that!
My place of work then. As Mil will confirm i have 2xSgts (FOM's), 2xCpls who works for me (one should really be a Sgt) and several FOA's. It is these people WHO RUN the ops rooms in the RAF. We presently have 3x Ops O's and we are not even a 24hr unit! We are here as supposed 'top cover' and decision makers. In reality 99.9% of these decisions can be made by a Sgt and senior Cpl. As for Ops O's on Sqns, Mil step in any time, all i can say really is why? I have mates on some F3 Sqns and essentially all they are is an extra admin clerk to do sqn VI's and other gash jobs that the aircrew palm off that need Officers to do. Unfortunately 2Gp seem to believe that Ops O's in all departments is the way forward. It has got to the stage where Ascots Ops Controllers will only speak to us Ops O's because, they have the opinion that the FOM's on my unit, A and P, cannot be trusted despite them running transops and tanker trails!!!!
DH98, as for secondary duties. Yeap i'm one of those who was told when i arrived at my nice pointy jet unit that your secondary duty will be CCIS SIM. As Mil will verify i'm not interested in network management of computers but have soldiered on and i'm sure Mil may agree, have not done a bad job. At the end of the day my job is boring and only find solitude when i go and spend quality sciving time at Mils gaff in his nice planning room, the gym or hanging around the Int section. A job i am qualified for but the RAF and their CRAP selection policies said no!
On the issue of people competing for recognition one of the guys i work with is this man. He has more secondary duties coming out the ying yang than a man with 20 arms.
I am utterly demotivated and see no future staying in my present employment in a branch which is politically directed at Air rank level. As those who now me ia m 100% for the RAF and most of the Ops we undertake, but unfortunately get demotivated with some of the muppets in the branch you wanted to do.
Even though this is an open forum and many will be able to deduce who i am because of my present location. Lets just call it an on air symposium where people can air their views without retribution! My final comment is QJK04 if you intend to join then so be it but DO look at other branches, especially Int and good luck!
Mil, i'll see you back in the UK in August. Bu the news is good and bad though, gotta leave the RAF before they will confirm employment for the other firm. Give me 12 months and a little cash saved and that's me done!
Opinions, Questions, Comments?
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The Warbler, again? Oh go on then!
