A Dad, a lad and planes
Some stories sought, military forum dwellers.
The other night young 13 year old Tartaret and I were talking in the car.
`Dad,' he says, `I've decided I want to join the Air-Force (RAAF) as an officer cadet, do my degree, fly fast jets or C-17s and get some really good leadership skills, then get a corporate job.'
Bugger me, I just about drove off the road.
`That's very - advanced planning - lad, ' I said, wondering if I've utterly brain washed the poor little bugger.
Discussion commenced about competitiveness, eyesight, fitness, selection, being cut from training etc.
Then a few days of self analysis about living vicariously through one's son followed.
Despite a life long obsession with pointy things that fly, I've never served - my eyesight and maths wasn't good enough.
His maternal grandfather flew Hurricanes, Spits, Connies and some of the first 707s - photos are on our bookshelves, his logbook in a glass case. An uncle also on maternal side is a retired AM of the Indian Air Force who flew Jags... initials SR.
So it's in the blood.
I still sense that officer training would be a bloody good thing for a young man to go through - and having a goal like that would give him such a sense of purpose to carry him through the uncertainty and angst of teenage years.
A retired Oz army Major told me that the thing that really changed her was being continually pushed right outside her comfort zone as part of leadership development.
In a way it's not the flying that I think would be good for him.
It's learning how to lead people and how to work with a team.
I still think that even if he doesn't stay `in' for terribly long, it'd be a great thing for him to do.
He's still very young - but dead keen to do air-cadets as a first step.
I'd be interested in hearing some stories about the degree to which officer training shaped and influenced you, especially now, post your time in the various air forces that are represented on this forum.