After my brief and unsuccesful time on the Buccaneer, I was sent to RAF Biggin Hill for 'Aircrew Reselection'.
Having completed the various interviews, I was told that I could expect a decision in a few weeks time. Having no permanent residence in the UK, I asked to be given something useful to do on the station. So I became deputy to both OC GD and the Families Officer.
Quite simple - and all OC GD's tasks were easily completed. The Families Officer was on leave, so I had to do a few march-outs. Until then, my only experience of MQs had been when I was joe'd to check up on DoE slackness at Valley 3 years earlier, whilst holding before my Hunter refresher course. We checked 4 MQs each in the morning and 4 each in the afternoon, revealing a whole range of work which hadn't been done, of contractors cheating on overtime and other scams... OC Admin threw the book at the DWO shortly afterwards, I gather...
But having no idea what was involved in a march out, I turned up at one place to join the Barrack Warden. "Any work not yet completed?", I asked the lady of the house - who told me about various reported snags which hadn't been fixed. "Make a note please", I advised the BW. Then a quick tour of the place, all looked fine to my ex-Flt Cdt eye and none of the stupid cooker inspections etc. "Thank you - that's all splendid. Hope you enjoy your next posting", I told her.
The BW was incandescent - I'd taken a fraction of a time the Familes' Officer normally took and hadn't been very thorough. But he was more annoyed at having to sort out all the outstanding fixes before the next family arrived.
I did a few more march outs, then moved to other work.
The Fg Off (W) Families Officer then returned from leave and was astonished that all my march outs had been so straightforward - every stain or similar I'd reported as 'fair wear and tear'! I told her that the anal 'white glove' nonsense practised by others was daft - and if she wanted me to do any more march outs, I'd be happy to do so.
Needless to say, I wasn't asked!
Last edited by BEagle; 10th Aug 2013 at 19:13.