Little BLUE BOOK

[TAC Queen]

Has every one in THE Royal Air force all been issued with the little blue books?
Modelled I believe on a similar Red Book issued in China some years ago.
Apparently we get the pyjamas next march.
Did any one get any useful information out of it?
More importantly did anyone read it?

Just wondering as in these days of penny pinching, sorry I mean cost cutting. When people are doing one detachment after another, only to be given a phone card, as allowances will not be issued to save money. When buildings need urgent work services and essential kit is not available. When aircraft are grounded through lack of spares
Do we really need money to be spent on little blue books about that value of the statue in Piccadilly Circus. (Oh sorry miss read the title.)
First one to out with the OTHER BUDGET gets a cuddly toy..

Any way sorry to bother you all, I’m sure your all very busy reading the times and slamming your bits in the fridge (Officers). Have to go now as the nurse is calling me back for my tablets and I need to finish my bottle of turps.

All spelling mistakes are because.

[Phoney Tony]

I have transfered these comments from my original thread on OJARS.


Was told again today that we are all, in terms of OJARs, B grades (satisfactory in all respects).

In a force which:

Strives for 'excellence'.

Quote: “An Air Force that strives to be first and person for person remains second to none”. (I am still not sure what this actually means).

Instils doctrine as follows:

Quote "RAF ethos is the distinctive character, spirit and attitude of the RAF which together inspire people to face danger, and even death. It is underpinned by tradition, esprit de corps and a sense of belonging. It encompasses the will to contribute to the delivery of effective air power that arises from confidence in the chain of command, trust in colleagues and equipment, respect for individuality, sustainment of high professional standards and the courage to subordinate personal needs for the greater good"

Insists we undergo regular, ineffective training, which is unsuited for our actual deployment sites. (CCS/ IRT/ IDT)

Provides poor equipment, remember, we end up flying in kit which is supplied by the contractor who can provide best value for money. This is invariably the cheapest bidder.

Yet we consistently deliver.

My point………..I think most of the people I work with are more than satisfactory in all respects. If they were not the job would not get done.

The terminology/ word pictures are wrong and we are trying to shoe horn most of our people into mediocrity.



The quotes were from the RAF web site.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/info/statements.html

I note the new AP 1 now reads ‘ The distinctive character, spirit and attitude of the RAF which together inspire our people to face challenge, and, on occasion danger’.

2 points here:

1. Why is the RAF web sight is not displaying current RAF doctrine.

2. Why was the phrase changed, was the spin too close to the mark.

Some other quotes: ‘We may well be asked to fight on behalf of the Nation as a force for good in the world’.

Some points here:

1. As per the sexing down above should n’t the phrase be ‘We may well be asked to have a damn good argument on behalf of the Nation as a force for good in the world’

2. Who exactly decides what ‘is good in the world’.

I think that would be an interesting thread. Or even commented in an OJAR, FS Bloggs is an excellent pilot and a force for good on the Mess Ents Committee (Must be a B+)

[TAC Queen]

Thanks for that PT just got your reply before the turps kicks in
Just read the OJAR thread.
Unfortunately for me I am good at my job and like to spend the rest of my time (about 5 days a month) watching my kids grow up. So that’s me never getting promoted. But then who wants to be a LAC anyway.
No offence was meant to any serving or ex serving LAC's. I would like to make that plain before another war erupts on PP.

All spelling mistakes are because I can’t spell

[rivetjoint]

I heard somewhere you get LAC automatically after 6 months service now, sorry to blow your career plans there :)

[TAC Queen]

I'm afraid I’m just not that good:{

[Oggin Aviator]

RAF ........ "is underpinned by tradition, esprit de corps and a sense of belonging."

Can understand the second 2, but tradition? I thought you had to be around for more than half a dogwatch before you got any traditions! :ok:

Oggin

(put a fair wind behind the old oggin dust m'hearty!)

now retreating to find flak jacket :D :D

[BEagle]

The only little blue book worth getting whilst in HMFC is the one with 'Commercial Pilot's Licence (Aeroplanes)' written across the front in big gold letters..:ok:

Oh - and Oggin Aviator, don't speak too loudly about tradition or I shall recount what Churchill had to say about so-called naval traditions...

Although I concede that the Army and Navy have traditions, whilst the RAF has nasty little habits!

[juliet]

Chaps, just to sidestep back to the penny pinching arguement.
Have heard a vicious rumour, of a certain base, setting up a "mock detachment" on the far side of the airfield. This is to practice war ops, which apparently now have a 3 month currency!?!?!?!

Needless to say, those that spent a lot of time out East (I admit, I wasn't one of them), away from family and friends, are more than a little pis$ed off at this idea, let alone the waste of ££.
Thoughts?

[Oggin Aviator]

Beagle,

I can imagine what the great man said however please enlighten me, I'm always after a good quote, they sometimes come in useful.

Oggin

[Molesworth Hold]

Attributed to Churchill but in fact said by his assistant Anthony Montague-Browne
“The only traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy and the lash.” Also misquoted as “mutiny, bugg*ry and the lash.”

[BEagle]

Molesworth - you're right. I stand corrected:

"Rum, sodomy and the lash"

The only traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy and the lash. Churchill's assistant, Anthony Montague-Browne said that although Churchill had not said this, he wished he had.

[Oggin Aviator]

If you are that way inclined , take a look at Jackspeak, a marvellous book by Surg Cdr Rick Jolly (of Ajax Bay Field hospital fame), which lists all the slanguage and the many traditions of the Royal Navy.

I'm no good at posting URLs but it can be found on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0951430521/ref%3Dpd%5Fsr%5Fec%5Fir%5Fb/202-2412725-7615044

RJ is a top bloke and an aviators friend and has written an excellent book. It also contains a lot of marvellous cartoons by Tugg, for years the main cartoon illustrator for Navy News.

Oggin

[BEagle]

Certainly agree about Tug! His FAA calendar used to be avidly sought out even by us lateral perambulatory beings!

Jackspeak was always a mystery - the Questions of the Day on the Navy's Daily Orders at Leeming (when RNEFTS was based there) always invited ribald comment!

[Training Risky]

Rum, sodomy and the lash...

maybe even Rum, Bum and Baccy!

;)