MPN11
A few weeks back both Danny and you, I think, were promoting display of users' ages for 'orientation' purposes. I explained I used to have my age displayed until a rabid poster, on ATC issues threads, took umbrage with my view on something and suggested I was a coffin-dodger, an expression I took in simple terms to mean that I ought to be dead. Would he have said that to my face? I don't know, but had I not been capable of smashing him in the face one of my sons ( 6'4" rugby playing test pilot and 6'3" ATCO ) could have obliged!
I am in fact 70 in September, joined the RAF in December '65, commissioned 1st April '66 ( Yes I know! ), first baby nav' to be posted to the new mighty Herc' which I absolutely loved and decided to take my 8 year option when faced with a ground tour. I could put up with all the BS and imposition of service life provided I was flying, but not otherwise - so hey ho I became a civvie.
If you PM me I'm sure you will know a lot of the ex-military ATCOs I came across - so to speak! In fact one summer evening at LHR a BA pilot said to me on Ground, "You sound happy ", I replied, " I'm the only man here working with 4 gorgeous female ATCOs and they're taking me for a beer afterwards ". 2 of them were ex-RAF.
Union Jack
No offence meant to the land of the heather, but Stornoway was something else. We did some great things there - I dug peat, grew oats, had a croft and met some really good folk, there are fantastic beaches, good birdwatching etc. Work was so boring that I became quite good at the Telegraph crossword! My poor kids suffered quite badly from anti-English abuse at school sadly - all character building I suppose.