Just picking up on the RAAF/RAF article in Air Clues. When I was the ALM leader on 30 we had an RAAF loadmaster (from 36 Sqn I think) attached to us for six months.
This was part of a scheme called Ex Airwave whereby they sent one to us and we sent one to them. I wonder if the scheme still exists as I believe it included groundcrew as well.
Originally the system wanted him to do the full RAF ALM Herc course as our rules etc are totally different to anyone elses. This would have left him with about two months on a squadron. I talked them into letting him doing just two weeks on the OCU and getting the EU to sign him up as 'Proficient'. The quid pro quo was that he could not operate as the sole ALM on a crew. This was no hardship to me as at the time the one ALM per 33 pax rule was being enforced. As I was always under establishment I could and did use him as the number two on such trips. I also sent him to places he would not normally get to go. He was not allowed to do standby, or go to NI or the FI.
So 'Tommo T' enjoyed his time with 30 and presented us with a plaque and some pics when he left.
By right we should have been allotted the 'return' leg but that went to an ALM from the OCU despite my protests. I was not best pleased at this turn of events but the chap they sent was the I would have chosen if I had still been the CALMI.