Are the RAF Regiment an "elite" unit?
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Uckfield, East Sussex
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Well, irrespective of the ranking of the RAFR in the 'Elite' competition, my son, coming to the end of his JROC course has been allowed home (briefly) for Easter.
He has worked his ball$ off in all weathers (snow on Dartmoor in April!), he's skinny as a rake, bruised & knackered, but is still going for it; the NCO's on the course are all dedicated (in their different ways!), he was back-coursed after failing his last JROC, but (unlike the majority of those in that group) chose to do it again!
Who cares where they are in the 'Elite' League? (As perceived by others)
A good degree in economics, 7 years in the Air Cadets (famous in his squadron (1414) for cooking the best curry over a solid-fuel stove), but he always wanted to join the Reg & earn his 'mudguards'.
At the end of the day, these decent lads & lasses will be sent out (amongst other things) to help clear up after Blair's phoney war (continued by the pathetically weak Brown), and we should salute their fortitude & dedication.
(Sorry, rant over
)
RB
He has worked his ball$ off in all weathers (snow on Dartmoor in April!), he's skinny as a rake, bruised & knackered, but is still going for it; the NCO's on the course are all dedicated (in their different ways!), he was back-coursed after failing his last JROC, but (unlike the majority of those in that group) chose to do it again!
Who cares where they are in the 'Elite' League? (As perceived by others)
A good degree in economics, 7 years in the Air Cadets (famous in his squadron (1414) for cooking the best curry over a solid-fuel stove), but he always wanted to join the Reg & earn his 'mudguards'.
At the end of the day, these decent lads & lasses will be sent out (amongst other things) to help clear up after Blair's phoney war (continued by the pathetically weak Brown), and we should salute their fortitude & dedication.
(Sorry, rant over
)RB
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: bristol
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Elite troops
Golf Bravo Zulu.
It seems your version of the rocks is very up to date in it's jointed thinking - A true example of purple forces
Irish Tempest. There are a few missing from your list, the SRS, SFSG, Pathfinders and any line regt recce platoons. (from my era, II Sqn RAF Regt would often put more members into the UKSF than any other unit man for man..Just an observation.
From my own experience, there is one very useful way to sort out whether troops of any colour are a force to be reckoned with, and that was were they experienced in combat or not!
The average chap in a Regt Sqn who has seen action and KNOWS what he can do, is a totally different beast from one that has not, no matter how long he has served.
This IMHO is why so many of you now admire the rocks, rather than the old dirision of the cold war days. It seems to have something to do with them keeping your pink fleshy bits safe
It seems your version of the rocks is very up to date in it's jointed thinking - A true example of purple forces
Irish Tempest. There are a few missing from your list, the SRS, SFSG, Pathfinders and any line regt recce platoons. (from my era, II Sqn RAF Regt would often put more members into the UKSF than any other unit man for man..Just an observation.
From my own experience, there is one very useful way to sort out whether troops of any colour are a force to be reckoned with, and that was were they experienced in combat or not!
The average chap in a Regt Sqn who has seen action and KNOWS what he can do, is a totally different beast from one that has not, no matter how long he has served.
This IMHO is why so many of you now admire the rocks, rather than the old dirision of the cold war days. It seems to have something to do with them keeping your pink fleshy bits safe
Join Date: Jul 2007
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The RAF Regiment is left field. It attracts mature characters, oddballs and its a clever organisation, and in that respect its like the Royal Marines. If you are one of those saying that it isn't as good as the Paras, you possibly haven't quite got the hang of it yet - you're probably the sort of person who also says; 'White cars are better than red cars, everyone knows that..'.
As part of 613 TACP (5 Airborne Brigade) I was happy enough with the rep we had with the people who were important. We never seemed to need to prove ourselves with those who mattered either, and so we all blundered on. That was before messageboards were invented of course.. the e-version of Jacky Door Knockers. So I suppose this business of who is elite and who isn't is only important if you aren't yet shaving as often as you might one day be doing.
As part of 613 TACP (5 Airborne Brigade) I was happy enough with the rep we had with the people who were important. We never seemed to need to prove ourselves with those who mattered either, and so we all blundered on. That was before messageboards were invented of course.. the e-version of Jacky Door Knockers. So I suppose this business of who is elite and who isn't is only important if you aren't yet shaving as often as you might one day be doing.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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This is all a very silly argument. Nowadays, there is no such thing as "special forces". Every soldier/sailor/airman in a modern, flexible, responsive, efficient armed force has a specialist role to play. The days of poorly trained troops, whose contributions (and lives) are not valued by senior commanders are long gone.
So what is your measure of "elite" forces?
If it is money invested in their very selective training - then it would be a single-seat FJ pilot.
If it is sheer courage (usually completely unrecognised) then it would probably be the regimental christmas-pudding chefs (ordnance disposal) who regularly undertake their tasks without any tactical advantage or any sort of backup except a body bag.
At least infantry (whether RM, Para or LI) have considerable tactical advantage and backup (compared to say WW1 or WW2) in most though not all of their confrontations.
If it is ability to carry out a complex task under conditions of prolonged physical and mental hardship, then ISTAR/LRRP troops would take the medal.
If it is ability to carry out a demanding physical task on a front-line under continuous fire, whilst relying on others for your defence and being unable to fight back yourself, then RE or even loggies, could take the biscuit.
RAF Reg are just a different category from all of them, doing a different specialist job - doesn't make them more or less "special" than anybody else.
So what is your measure of "elite" forces?
If it is money invested in their very selective training - then it would be a single-seat FJ pilot.
If it is sheer courage (usually completely unrecognised) then it would probably be the regimental christmas-pudding chefs (ordnance disposal) who regularly undertake their tasks without any tactical advantage or any sort of backup except a body bag.
At least infantry (whether RM, Para or LI) have considerable tactical advantage and backup (compared to say WW1 or WW2) in most though not all of their confrontations.
If it is ability to carry out a complex task under conditions of prolonged physical and mental hardship, then ISTAR/LRRP troops would take the medal.
If it is ability to carry out a demanding physical task on a front-line under continuous fire, whilst relying on others for your defence and being unable to fight back yourself, then RE or even loggies, could take the biscuit.
RAF Reg are just a different category from all of them, doing a different specialist job - doesn't make them more or less "special" than anybody else.
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"Nowadays, there is no such thing as "special forces". Every soldier/sailor/airman in a modern, flexible, responsive, efficient armed force has a specialist role to play. The days of poorly trained troops, whose contributions (and lives) are not valued by senior commanders are long gone."
Absolute tree-huggy, lefty, "we are all special" crap.
Absolute tree-huggy, lefty, "we are all special" crap.
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Gentlemen.
Notwithstanding that these people guard our airfields.
What the F**k has this to do with aviation.
I thought this site was all about aircraft related matters.
Shall we now talk about the Guard Service or the Dorris in HR who processes our JPA claims?
Notwithstanding that these people guard our airfields.
What the F**k has this to do with aviation.
I thought this site was all about aircraft related matters.
Shall we now talk about the Guard Service or the Dorris in HR who processes our JPA claims?
