Branch reselection

[donald stott]

Anybody know what happens if you are unsuccessful with your professional branch training (RAF) under the following circumstances:

1. You are told you are crap and they fail you.

2. You voluntarily withdraw yourself from branch training because it is way above your head.

Prefer opinions from anyone who can offer first hand experience.:confused:

[opso]

1. You have the option to leave (provided they don't think you failed on purpose!).

or...

2. You get to hang around for a bit, go visit a few RAF stns to see what people in other branches do. This usually takes a month or 2 (minimum). Then you write a formal letter to PMA requesting a branch change to the branch of your choice. If they have slots and your face fits, then you'll get a blue letter and go off to your new specialist training. If not, you'll either be offered something else or shown the door.

[Specaircrew]

OC Movements School will ring you up and tell you that you're just the sort of person they've been looking for. ;-)

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

And then post you to Akrotiri to work along side the dizzy blonde thing who is rapidly turning into an aircrew pal...........NOT:}

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[bad livin']

Hmmm...well, from personal and unpleasant experience (mirrored by several people in the same situation at the same time) Officer Reselection Board is probably one of the least enjoyable two days of any chopped / VOLWFT person's career.

Despite the fact I wasn't going to make it as a pilot was not in question, I had to endure an hour's inquisition from an F3 QFI Wg Cdr about why I wasn't able to do this that and the other in the aircraft. What was the point of this? I was offered a few things that didn't appeal to me and with that I was shown the door. On my way out I was told never to apply to any of the services again to fly...i'm happy to say i was offered observer less than 3 months after leaving.

A nice way to end what you hoped would be 16 years service to your country...thankfully the senior service actually knows how to treat people, and I wish I'd started there in the first place.

The key is - work hard, smile a lot and DON'T GET CHOPPED!!!!!

Best Wishes
BL

[Training Risky]

Hey Bad 'Livin. How's life with the skates?;) Giz a bell sometime.


Donald, As regards to getting chopped, it's horrid when it happens, but if you've been struggling it can sometimes feel like a real weight has been lifted from your shoulders.

My mate has been suffering a real nightmare these past months. He was chopped at the end of a helicopter OCU and has been refused a multi-engine crossover.

He joined full of enthusiasm and eager for fast jets, but realised early on in training that his talents lie in the world of instrument flying, not low-level.

He therefore asked for multis, not helicopters. Guess where he was sent?

After a couple of years and a few chop rides later, he got his wings :O ..... and eventually got chopped for low-level nav.

Did he get sent to VC-10s? ....Did he f**k! (The glut of multi-engine pilots in the RAF didn't help)


These may be the ravings of a madman, donald. But the moral of the story is that once you join up, all control over your destiny as a pilot is taken out of your hands and handed over to people who have never met you. They may ask for your input from time to time, but in my mate's (and many others) experience, a personal preference for a particular role is the last thing that is considered.

If your preference matches the numbers, it's a bonus. If it doesn't,
tough.

Top tip: Get chopped BEFORE you get wings, you are more likely to get a re-stream. (Either that or claim that you're gay, ethnic, female or require gender reassignment)

Send a message if you need more info....

[SpotterFC]

I wasn't 'positively streamed' out of my Branch, just out of part of it (controlling - pah, the dark side will one day rule the Empire!)

From my experience of that, and subsequently witnessing others being re-branched, I can only advise that you're probably better off being chopped rather than VW-ing. Some might view the VW option as indicating a 'lack of moral fibre' so to speak. I think on balance I've seen more successful re-branches from chopees than VOLWFTs. Let the people who are paid to make the decision about your abilities do what they're paid for. They may, after all, see something in you that you don't.

Keep on hitting your head against the wall, despite the squishy sound. Training budgets are so hard pressed these days that if you really are not going to crack it, you should find out sooner rather than later.

Best of luck

[Edited for stupidity and inability to read prior posts!]

[bad livin']

FC - If you care to read my post properly you'll see that I was chopped...I would have died before I would have given up.

:mad:

BL

PS Training Risky - ID yourself!!!

[bad livin']

Here's my reply - don't post people's names on an open, largely anonymous forum. Dumb.

Hope you are well. Don't get yourself into anything too nasty in the near future...and I'm not referring to your general standard of pull either. Things have developed along an interesting line...will I be seeing you at a wedding this summer?

BL

[Training Risky]

Bad Livin, is that a response to the E-mail and PM I sent you?:confused:

You appear not to have received my last message.

Let me know on this thread if you have.

TR

[SpotterFC]

BL

You have my profoundest apologies - misconstrued part of the first sentence of the second paragraph - and in any case had no place in casting aspertions like that - have edited post accordingly.

Best of luck with the Matelos.

Spotter

[bad livin']

Training Risky - not at all, I was referring to another post by someone I think we both know, which has now been removed at my request! About to read your PM.

Spotter - no snags...

Rgds
BL

[toothless tiger]

As someone who was chopped at the final stage (CR) and not even offered re-stream, what is said above basically outlines the options and how it works. If there are not the options for re-stream or branch no matter what your ability it will be written to preclude you the opportunity of going down that line - redress wont help!!

my advice think seriously about what you want to do long-term and work the system to enable you to fulfil that ie if leaving leave at a time of your choosing (make yourself needed in whatever role you end up filling - much easier if already professionally qualified). Otherwise expect things to move pretty quickly an ruthlessly when they start moving. However, the grass is greener and its not the end of the world when plans dont work out as hoped.

DLTBGYD

:cool: