Should officers spend compulsory time in the ranks?
It’s an interesting question. The best boss I ever had, had never served in the ranks. Yet, the worst bosses (plural intended), I ever had, were commissioned from the ranks or ex soldiers whom went through the School of Cool/Fool.
Personally, I believe it’s an attitude thing, rather than a “rank” thing.
Personally, I believe it’s an attitude thing, rather than a “rank” thing.
Avoid imitations
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I was never interested in such subjects, or going to university so I served mine working for two years as a builder’s labourer and then studying a non degree Mechanical Eng course, which included four months of practical work. Having worked alongside some of the lowest of the low, I felt well placed in joining the RAF as aircrew
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ShyTorque"I served along ex Cranwell grads who had served their apprenticeship studying Marine biology, American history and literature and Law" .
brakedwell was from an earlier era and, I submit, ethos.
brakedwell was from an earlier era and, I submit, ethos.
Not sure what you mean about that. I served along ex Cranwell grads who had served their apprenticeship studying Marine biology, American history and literature and Law.
I was never interested in such subjects, or going to university so I served mine working for two years as a builder’s labourer and then studying a non degree Mechanical Eng course, which included four months of practical work. Having worked alongside some of the lowest of the low, I felt well placed in joining the RAF as aircrew.
I was never interested in such subjects, or going to university so I served mine working for two years as a builder’s labourer and then studying a non degree Mechanical Eng course, which included four months of practical work. Having worked alongside some of the lowest of the low, I felt well placed in joining the RAF as aircrew
.CG
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
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Received 418 Likes
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Not sure what you mean about that. I served along ex Cranwell grads who had served their apprenticeship studying Marine biology, American history and literature and Law.
I was never interested in such subjects, or going to university so I served mine working for two years as a builder’s labourer and then studying a non degree Mechanical Eng course, which included four months of practical work. Having worked alongside some of the lowest of the low, I felt well placed in joining the RAF as aircrew.
I was never interested in such subjects, or going to university so I served mine working for two years as a builder’s labourer and then studying a non degree Mechanical Eng course, which included four months of practical work. Having worked alongside some of the lowest of the low, I felt well placed in joining the RAF as aircrew
.The graduates now are smart, determined, focused, and just as good as those who went before.
If you want any more info, PM me and I’d love to have a chat.
Last edited by Toadstool; 21st May 2021 at 23:05.
The Armed Services reflect the evolving ethos of the Society that they are perforce tasked to represent.
And it's not just "The Beano" that's going "woke",,,,,
And it's not just "The Beano" that's going "woke",,,,,
If you ever actually went on Ops, you’d know that was bull****. You didn’t answer my question, but I know why you didn’t.
Toady Your question was irrelevant ,so why should I bother to react ?
You may presume what you like about my Ops record, spouting vacuous, unfounded and uninformed opinion about another's credentials.
.
You may presume what you like about my Ops record, spouting vacuous, unfounded and uninformed opinion about another's credentials
..
Last edited by Haraka; 22nd May 2021 at 12:02.
How does going "Woke" improve the war fighting capability of a military unit?
Does long hours of class room or on-line training modules improve the training for combat?
Do we really want to encourage empathy with one's adversaries when it comes to doing combat?
Should the military be the social justice warriors de jour or should that be left to the civvie world?
Does long hours of class room or on-line training modules improve the training for combat?
Do we really want to encourage empathy with one's adversaries when it comes to doing combat?
Should the military be the social justice warriors de jour or should that be left to the civvie world?
It’s an interesting question. The best boss I ever had, had never served in the ranks. Yet, the worst bosses (plural intended), I ever had, were commissioned from the ranks or ex soldiers whom went through the School of Cool/Fool.
Personally, I believe it’s an attitude thing, rather than a “rank” thing.
Personally, I believe it’s an attitude thing, rather than a “rank” thing.
FB
PS: I hope I haven't simply paraphrased any earlier comments.
Last edited by Finningley Boy; 24th May 2021 at 14:14.
And what is your CV? Got a clasp on any medals? Or is that a clasp on a Bar. Officers Mess bar that is? You a Gibson or a Cheshire or a Bader? Cheshire was the true leader of the three.
Whilst it is interesting to hear tales of the RAF of yesteryear, there are always those bores who rail against the current “woke” RAF. Those halcyon days where the closest one got to ops was a Taceval or an inconvenience was the NAAFI running out of duty free cigarettes.
34 years ago a trip to the range was met with dread. The inevitable inspection after getting off the bus when someone had an errant hair on the chin or a spot on the mess tin. Trying to get a tight grouping having ran around the ranges for an hour with an SLR above the head was nigh on impossible. Lying in the prone position and worrying about whether or not the instructor would provide a boot between the legs.
Nowadays, the woke bearded RAF Regt instructor, with a chest full of Campaign medals, would dare to provide coaching on how best to fire my glock. If that makes it woke, I’m happy to be part of it.
Ironically, I’m doing near enough the same job now as I did years ago except, rather than doing it on the Inner German Border, I do it at 30000 ft.
Wokeness, I don’t see it but I’m happy to be proved otherwise by someone who does. That said, all of the rubbish about wokeness is being spouted by people who left years ago and it doesn’t accurately reflect the modern RAF.
34 years ago a trip to the range was met with dread. The inevitable inspection after getting off the bus when someone had an errant hair on the chin or a spot on the mess tin. Trying to get a tight grouping having ran around the ranges for an hour with an SLR above the head was nigh on impossible. Lying in the prone position and worrying about whether or not the instructor would provide a boot between the legs.
Nowadays, the woke bearded RAF Regt instructor, with a chest full of Campaign medals, would dare to provide coaching on how best to fire my glock. If that makes it woke, I’m happy to be part of it.
Ironically, I’m doing near enough the same job now as I did years ago except, rather than doing it on the Inner German Border, I do it at 30000 ft.
Wokeness, I don’t see it but I’m happy to be proved otherwise by someone who does. That said, all of the rubbish about wokeness is being spouted by people who left years ago and it doesn’t accurately reflect the modern RAF.
Last edited by Toadstool; 24th May 2021 at 14:54.
OP is clearly a troll with a chip on his shoulder. However I’m not sure how much pleasure he’ll get when he realises pprune military forum follows the same pattern no matter what the subject is…couple of answers before it goes down a “back in my day”, “I remember when I was in the RAF back in the 1960s/1970s” rabbit hole. In fact, I’d be surprised if there are any responses from anyone who hasn’t been drawing their military pension since the late 90s.
However, for what little my opinion is worth, the basic premise by the OP did very well to draw more reply than "the idea is cobblers, move on!".