parabellum, aircrew re-selection didn't require any further aptitude testing, although we were asked to trial a couple of prototype tests under development by the trick-cyclists. This wasn't subterfuge as the test papers bore no names or references.
It was mainly a series of interviews, attitude assessments and board reviews. Whilst I (and others) were there after bonging the Bucc OCU, other mates from the Lightning and Harrier OCUs were also there, together with people from the whole spectrum of RAF aircrew training - including those who'd been chooped before solo-ing on the Chipmunk. The ex-Harrier mate could fly the jet fine, but told us that he was cr@p at navigating - his 'heading and time' flying on the JP, Gnat and Hunter had been so accurate that he'd always been scored highly, but they only found out that his 'free' navigation wasn't up to snuff when he was on the Harrier. But he was re-selected to the F4 OCU which suited him just fine.
Some took the option to leave, whilst others opted for a branch change.
Normally the first few interviews took place soon after arrival; you were then supposed to go on gardening leave or hang around the Officers Mess whilst the board did its work - this could take weeks. However, I marched into my bosses office and told him that I wanted something useful to do, so I had a few weeks of enjoyable bluntness acting as Dep OC GD Flt and Dep Families Officer. The latter was quite fun as I used to infuriate the Barrack Warden by being very lenient on march-outs. I dismissed a large stain on the floor of some Wg Cdr's bedroom carpet as being 'normal wear and tear' and the Barrack Warden nearly went into low earth orbit.....then I found the Wg Cdr's wife on her hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor, so I merely told the Barrack Warden "Kitchen - fine" because I didn't think it fitting for senior officers' wives to have to scrub floors just to pass a march out. Neither did I take more than a cursory glance at her cooker. Power is great fun when you can abuse it for the benefit of others! But when the real Families Officer came back from leave, she was 'rather surprised' at what I'd done
We 'reselectees' were full Mess Members, of course. One day there was a vote about when Dining-In nights should be held. Many of the bean-stealers wanted them on Thursdays, so they could slink off home with their hangovers on Fridays. Of course we all turned up at the Mess Meeting and voted firmly for Friday night Dining-Ins - the beanstealers were livid but the PMC thought it was highly amusing and announced that Dining-In nights would continue to be held on Fridays...
