Last Working Day
TAC Int Bloke
Join Date: Nov 2002
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WG consider this for a moment, most of us that were around for a while saw the RAF reduced from 90,000+ down to 40,000 odd, stations closed left, right and centre, (Of the six I was on one remains - bloody STC) squadrons were scraped to save a few quid rather than because the world was a a safer place and mates binned it for reasons various. We are (were in my case) posted and detached as individuals rather than as a formed unit so it doesn’t matter if you'd been a top bloke throughout your time, chances are your last tour would be spent somewhere where you're relatively unknown and you're spending much of that last tour on det or resettlement and when actually on squadron/in section surrounded with FNGs- such is the light-blue way
When I worked with the Army the Inf units all seemed to stay together for all of their service with a few notable exceptions. The corps guys tended to move in comparatively small circles, so again, tended to have a family like feel so no problems organising dining-out nights or pissups etc, even for some that were described as 'total c****' and therein is the difference.
Now if you still feel qualified to speak about something you've never experienced please carry on
When I worked with the Army the Inf units all seemed to stay together for all of their service with a few notable exceptions. The corps guys tended to move in comparatively small circles, so again, tended to have a family like feel so no problems organising dining-out nights or pissups etc, even for some that were described as 'total c****' and therein is the difference.
Now if you still feel qualified to speak about something you've never experienced please carry on
It's true that the RAF does not owe him a farewell party. I don't think anyone could produce an article from the Air Force Manual of Law or whatever that states he is to receive one.
However, what about the command at the unit or base? Legally, no - but are those people acting in the best interests of recruitment & retention? Wouldn't it send a good message if even a small soirée was held, thanking him for the service and wishing him the best in future endeavours?
How do you think this one small incident influences potential recruits for the services? If asked about joining the RAF, will Gaspode give positive encouragement?
Even if we take an extreme view and suppose that Gaspode was unpopular and that they were glad to be rid of him, a small farewell should have been organised by the unit - because it is the right thing to do.
However, what about the command at the unit or base? Legally, no - but are those people acting in the best interests of recruitment & retention? Wouldn't it send a good message if even a small soirée was held, thanking him for the service and wishing him the best in future endeavours?
How do you think this one small incident influences potential recruits for the services? If asked about joining the RAF, will Gaspode give positive encouragement?
Even if we take an extreme view and suppose that Gaspode was unpopular and that they were glad to be rid of him, a small farewell should have been organised by the unit - because it is the right thing to do.
I too had a quiet time as I left the Mob after 24 years. However, I was quite partied-out by that time anyway.
When I left a civvy company, after 5 years, I was well impressed with the farewell festivities - And I was invited too!
When I left my last company I'd asked "Top Management" not to announce my leaving as the so-called "managers" would just take that as a cue to not do anything I needed done!
So, on the last day, I just passed over a note of the state of my now completed tasks and walked out shaking a few chosen hands and saying farewells on the way out. To the astonishment of many, may I add.
It can work well both ways.
Enjoy your new Life, and leave the old one behind. You won't forget it, but you'll get over it.
Rigga
When I left a civvy company, after 5 years, I was well impressed with the farewell festivities - And I was invited too!
When I left my last company I'd asked "Top Management" not to announce my leaving as the so-called "managers" would just take that as a cue to not do anything I needed done!
So, on the last day, I just passed over a note of the state of my now completed tasks and walked out shaking a few chosen hands and saying farewells on the way out. To the astonishment of many, may I add.
It can work well both ways.
Enjoy your new Life, and leave the old one behind. You won't forget it, but you'll get over it.
Rigga
Join Date: Nov 2000
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SWMBO was told to attend a fellow University employees leaving tea 
Tea, cake and speech from management ensued. Upon enquiries to person leaving, as to how long they had been with Uni, response was 18 months !!
If civvy life can do this, for someone who's only done 18 months at a place.Then surely after 20 odd years mil life can do something better than, heres your pension book p1*s off.
Tea, cake and speech from management ensued. Upon enquiries to person leaving, as to how long they had been with Uni, response was 18 months !!If civvy life can do this, for someone who's only done 18 months at a place.Then surely after 20 odd years mil life can do something better than, heres your pension book p1*s off.
I don't care whether Gaspode the Dog was the most popular or least popular person on the unit, tradition used to be that when someone left, a farewell 'do' of some sort was arranged.
But that was back in the days when the RAF had people who cared about others, rather than people whose sole aspiration was onwards to their stars - "Through your hardship to my stars".......
Nowadays it seems to be more "Don't let the door hit you on the ar$e...." when people go.
And I despair at the cruel and unnecessary comments made by idiots such as wg13dummy and vechohkwhatever.
But that was back in the days when the RAF had people who cared about others, rather than people whose sole aspiration was onwards to their stars - "Through your hardship to my stars".......
Nowadays it seems to be more "Don't let the door hit you on the ar$e...." when people go.
And I despair at the cruel and unnecessary comments made by idiots such as wg13dummy and vechohkwhatever.
Leaving
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
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I decided to take my option at 38. I bought a barrel (two, actually) for the sqn but declined a formal dining out.
I took the opportunity to announce my thanks to a few people, because it was a genuine pleasure to have worked with them.
I also took the time to announce my thanks to a couple of others for making my decision to leave so much easier......
Ah......Yes!
When we left (on a Sunday morning, off to LHR), we had a Gp Capt, two Wg Cdrs and a bunch of Sqn Ldrs to wave goodbye to us, which was unexpected and caused more than the odd wet eye, to be honest.
The numbers were up to 110,000 at one time and it was a team effort. Now it's less than half that and some comments here show how much less of a team it has become. I made the correct decision. Some of those who made my decision to leave easy are obviously now running the show
I took the opportunity to announce my thanks to a few people, because it was a genuine pleasure to have worked with them.
I also took the time to announce my thanks to a couple of others for making my decision to leave so much easier......
Ah......Yes!When we left (on a Sunday morning, off to LHR), we had a Gp Capt, two Wg Cdrs and a bunch of Sqn Ldrs to wave goodbye to us, which was unexpected and caused more than the odd wet eye, to be honest.
The numbers were up to 110,000 at one time and it was a team effort. Now it's less than half that and some comments here show how much less of a team it has become. I made the correct decision. Some of those who made my decision to leave easy are obviously now running the show
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Gaspode
4 points:
1. There are so many people leaving at the moment, how do you expect those that are left to go on ops and organise farewell parties?
2. How many farewell parties have you organised (without being told to)?
3. Did you put a leaving barrel on? (How many times did I hear a hairy SNCO tell me that he'd done 5 years on the Sqn and deserved twice the value of leaving present from the fund; only for me to tell him I expected him to put 2 barrels on for the boys...silence !!!)
4. I reckon you are better off leaving quietly; if you are leaving through bitterness, then the opportunity to revel in it publicly will only lose what good reputation you may already have.
I have no doubt that your time has been valued, but a leaving party is not part of the contract, and when I leave, I would rather do without one.
4 points:
1. There are so many people leaving at the moment, how do you expect those that are left to go on ops and organise farewell parties?
2. How many farewell parties have you organised (without being told to)?
3. Did you put a leaving barrel on? (How many times did I hear a hairy SNCO tell me that he'd done 5 years on the Sqn and deserved twice the value of leaving present from the fund; only for me to tell him I expected him to put 2 barrels on for the boys...silence !!!)
4. I reckon you are better off leaving quietly; if you are leaving through bitterness, then the opportunity to revel in it publicly will only lose what good reputation you may already have.
I have no doubt that your time has been valued, but a leaving party is not part of the contract, and when I leave, I would rather do without one.
There's a wider issue here, about how we treat our service people in general. Having just returned from a tour with the US, I was amazed to see the fuss made about promotions, medals, retirements etc. Families are invited, speeches made, national anthem played, oath of alliegance re-taken etc etc. They are genuinely proud of their service, and their nation takes great pride in honouring that. Now, I don't advocate that we do all that (we're British, after all), but some more formal recognition of time served, and the sacrifies we all make (including our families) during that time would be better than the 'hand in your 1250 and there's the door' approach we have at the moment. The veterans' lapel badge bought in by Bliar is not exactly what I had in mind, either...
Cunning Artificer
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My passage into civvy street was relatively painless but walking out of the gate in grey flannels and a sports jacket did feel a little strange. The mighty bureaucratic machine of the RAF took little notice of my passing - other than to issue me with 60 days notice to vacate my married quarter and a set of discharge documents that got several of my qualifications wrong. I didn't expect it to be otherwise. Who would?
As to farewell parties, I've had three including the one when I finished my RAF service; it never once occurred to me to not organise my own leaving party. The best was a multi-cultural family garden party/BBQ with the children invited too. It went on all afternoon and well into the early hours of the morning. I enjoyed it so much I was back with the same employer six months later, albeit in a different job.
Anyone who expects their employers or fellow employees to give them a fabulous send off is probably headed for many disappointments in their future life.
As to farewell parties, I've had three including the one when I finished my RAF service; it never once occurred to me to not organise my own leaving party. The best was a multi-cultural family garden party/BBQ with the children invited too. It went on all afternoon and well into the early hours of the morning. I enjoyed it so much I was back with the same employer six months later, albeit in a different job.
Anyone who expects their employers or fellow employees to give them a fabulous send off is probably headed for many disappointments in their future life.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
With the new lean mean Air Force was there anyone there to say goodbye?
When I left there were two people at work that week - him and me and he put me on bloody nights on my last 4 days. As I 'could' be clearing during the day and working at night I told him to stuff it.
Would I have gone to a piss up with that man?
When I left there were two people at work that week - him and me and he put me on bloody nights on my last 4 days. As I 'could' be clearing during the day and working at night I told him to stuff it.
Would I have gone to a piss up with that man?
But I'll bet you'd piss on his grave!
As will I upon the grave of a certain 'post-nominally logorrheic' Mekon look alike.......
One of these days........hopefully.
As will I upon the grave of a certain 'post-nominally logorrheic' Mekon look alike.......
One of these days........hopefully.
Last edited by BEagle; 2nd Apr 2007 at 18:36.
Yeah, vecvecsmackheadattack always seems to turn up in the unlikeliest places with his snide claptrap. He has never said a good word about anyone or anything.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
BEagle, spot on. He was one of the select few that was selected to move across from Nav to Flt Ops, he was AKA Gimlet - a boring little tool.
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Have none of you guys read any of the the "-Entering my last year- blues" thread on the rumours forum?
Instead of all this "no-one gave me the send-off I deserve" stuff there's an entirely positive "how to wind down and leave with a feeling of satisfaction" discussion.
You get out what you put in.
Instead of all this "no-one gave me the send-off I deserve" stuff there's an entirely positive "how to wind down and leave with a feeling of satisfaction" discussion.
You get out what you put in.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Albert, been telling people for years, in the last two years work for yourself, not for you team. No one will thank you for your overtime. No one will promote you for hard work. Leave untaken will forever be lost.
Enjoy your freedom!
I liked the actions of one FS due to retire in January having been given the big good bye services no longer needed when given some moderately taxing work in September that would keep him busy for 3 months:
Suggest you give it to someone else if you want it done as I haven't got the time.
Lots of bluster followed, but somene else did the work!
Enjoy your freedom!
I liked the actions of one FS due to retire in January having been given the big good bye services no longer needed when given some moderately taxing work in September that would keep him busy for 3 months:
Suggest you give it to someone else if you want it done as I haven't got the time.
Lots of bluster followed, but somene else did the work!
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I don't often contribute here but for my part, I left last year after 22 years (on pvr). My last job was in a joint HQ and as far away from my usual aircrew environment as you could imagine. Like Gaspode, aside from some section beers, I had little else to 'celebrate' my passing on! I do remember my last day in the Service though and especially the long and emotional drive north having just handed in my ID card. I note that Gaspode's post was made on his last day and after a fair bit of red vino. Instead of knocking him we should try to understand. True, the RAF does not owe him anything in the way of an official goodbye, but even those who PVR have very strong feelings on the day they leave. All that effort over so many years etc... it can feel like you have thrown much away. Best thing is to remain in close touch with mates and ignore the others.
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The decision to leave if every bit as important as the decision to join........and the manner in which you leave is as important as the manner in which you join - that flying start we all hope for.
If there are "issues" left over with the departure you can't concentrate on getting a good start with the next job (even if that "job" is only organising a happy and satisfying retirement for yourself). That's what the other thread is all about. To move on you need to feel good about what just happened.
If you can't trust those around you to give you a good send-off then organise your own. If this isn't a good time to splash out, then when?
But doing nothing and complaining about the result, whilst perhaps understandable, is a bit self-destructive in the long run really.
If there are "issues" left over with the departure you can't concentrate on getting a good start with the next job (even if that "job" is only organising a happy and satisfying retirement for yourself). That's what the other thread is all about. To move on you need to feel good about what just happened.
If you can't trust those around you to give you a good send-off then organise your own. If this isn't a good time to splash out, then when?
But doing nothing and complaining about the result, whilst perhaps understandable, is a bit self-destructive in the long run really.