The Helpful Stacker

Only for as long as the parts last, then you all come crawling to Supply....

glum

Crawling?

Don't think so, we learned how to walk upright well before initial training!

Is it true suppliers aren't allowed more than a week's leave or they need re-training?

The Helpful Stacker

Seems to be the case with the high quality, NFI in doing any work LAC's coming out of Halton at the mo.



Next time you go into Supply ask for one of the bitter and twisted Suppliers, you should get a bit better service once the moaning stops.

teeteringhead

A question for all of those who believe that UAVs can/will replace manned aircraft:

"Would you and/or your family be prepared to fly off on holiday in an aircraft without a pilot?"


... and if not...... why not??

Maple 01

Looks like I've got a bite now!

When the MoD finally figures out they can replace High maint Officer pilots that cost millions to train with SACs that only need a PC and 'Combat Flight Sim 3’ you’ll all be out of a job and you know it! Knock-on effect is that if there is no need for aircrew officers there are no need for anyone to be commissioned. Station Commander post re-ranked to WO level

Massive savings across the three services, closure of Messes and no need to pay retention bonuses. Sell off surplus OMQ. Transfer Cranwell to the private sector as a business school

I feel a GEMs coming on………

The Helpful Stacker

Maple 01 - Oh no you've got it all wrong, we'll always need commissioned officers.

Someone needs to stand at the front with a sword on Freedom Parades.

Climebear

All ready done - we dont' own any of them anymore.

That wonderful Tory government utilised a concept of mathematics that must have originated in H2G2 and somehow concluded that we could sell off all our quarters, then rent them back and still pay for the maintenance ourselves and this would be cost effective! doh!

Any profits from sale go straight into the Japanese economy!

The Helpful Stacker

Of course a Labour Government would never do that, or would they?

Snatch wagons, sold to civvy company for £3000 a piece, brought back for £6000 a piece.

Hmmmmmm

Lets not make this a party politics thing eh? Its a government thing or more specifically a Civil Service thing.

Tourist

Ok, I have to ask since nobody else has. Whats a "snatch wagon"?
Where can I buy one?

exleckie

Tourist,

it isn't a wagon full of sn@tch, It's a vehicle which has been..............

Well you should know this because all of the refuellers, marshallers and aircraft towers I have spoken to know.

Did you fail your "Bigger picture about the way the forces work and their associated equipment test?"

Tourist

If a fail saved me from becoming one of them, then long may I continue to fail.
You have to admit, the moniker snatch wagon does conjure up a great image

exleckie

Absolutely.

Despite you being an SSIU, can't knock your humour.

The Helpful Stacker

A 'Snatch Wagon' is one of those armoured Land Rovers that has been used for years in Ulster and are now found in Iraq.

They get their name from a task which they are commonly used for which is driving into a crowd of trouble makers to allow the soldiers in the back to snatch a ring leader or suspect that has been pointed out by top cover surveillance.

Chalkstripe

My apologies if this has alrady been addressed, and I'm not trying to be clever/facetious etc.

I thought that the RAF Regiment had been formed to guard airfields - I know that there job has evolved somewhat but isn't that what they are there for? Or are they unavailable because they are being utilised in a n other role.

As stated earlier would like to know

Cheers (ignorant) CS

The Helpful Stacker

Yes they are there to guard the airfield, but not 1st line defence (on the wire, so to speak), that has always been the responsibility of us 'guins'.

The RAF Regiment perform a role akin to the infantry when guarding MOB's, roving patrols in depth, base plate checks and stop and search away from the base. They are also supposed to support FARP's (though I can't say I've ever seen any RAF Regt hanging around TSW sites).

Obviously at the moment they also perform the air defence role but this is soon to be relinquished to the RA with the units re-rolling as field sqns.

Maple 01

During the 'Cold War' the plan at a top secret radar site somewhere in East Anglia was for the station personnel to hold the site for the first 12 hours - guard force to consist mainly of 'the expendable' admin types with a few tecs and operators to raise the tone in the guard-hut. After that it was the problem of the TA or Army - and proper order too, we had better things to do than 'stagging on in sangars' whatever that might mean.

So either way, historically, Rocks or Army, guarding was an SEP