Aircrews are at the end of their tether
oldgit47
Had to laugh when Tac Admin Wg handed me a form re-iterating the fact that you had to be an inmate for 7 days to get your phone card!
Guess that will be LOA for transitting crews then.....great for banter!
Like to see on what grounds that they will try to refuse it.
Co, don't lose the original.
Had to laugh when Tac Admin Wg handed me a form re-iterating the fact that you had to be an inmate for 7 days to get your phone card!
Guess that will be LOA for transitting crews then.....great for banter!
Like to see on what grounds that they will try to refuse it.
Co, don't lose the original.
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R Supwoods
The Americans have been getting tax breaks for years now just for going to certain bases in the Middle East and other places in the world. Not only that but the tax break is such that if you are in the theater or even fly over it for one day, you get that whole months salary tax free.
The Americans have been getting tax breaks for years now just for going to certain bases in the Middle East and other places in the world. Not only that but the tax break is such that if you are in the theater or even fly over it for one day, you get that whole months salary tax free.
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The way that the 'Substantial Welfare Package' is put across as the reason as to why we do not receive LOA, would suggest that the package offered is in someway unique and justifies withholding our entitlement. We all know that is not the case and bear in mind you get LOA in Germany and Cyprus, what facilities do they have?
Having read 'Have your say' in the RAF news from 7th Dec, it is more than obvious that there are those who have had no access the vaulted welfare package and having to deal with worse living conditions to those at Seeb etc.
I know of a number of bods currently in theatre who are considering having 'Mr' before their name instead of a rank, and a number have already have made the decision, when will the airships see what is happening to the RAF.
You can only rely on the goodwill and pride of the troops to get the job done no matter what for a short period of time, taking the p*** is eventually detrimental to the cause.
[ 15 December 2001: Message edited by: maniac55 ]
Having read 'Have your say' in the RAF news from 7th Dec, it is more than obvious that there are those who have had no access the vaulted welfare package and having to deal with worse living conditions to those at Seeb etc.
I know of a number of bods currently in theatre who are considering having 'Mr' before their name instead of a rank, and a number have already have made the decision, when will the airships see what is happening to the RAF.
You can only rely on the goodwill and pride of the troops to get the job done no matter what for a short period of time, taking the p*** is eventually detrimental to the cause.
[ 15 December 2001: Message edited by: maniac55 ]
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But if you're a Brit on exchange, and toddle off with the host nation, the mighty Adminners in UK stop a portion of your LOA, even though one's better half is still back at home. Ah, the equity of it all....
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"Tac Admin Wg"
Sorry I just can't stop laughing at this!
What do they have, DPM ink and specially silenced typewriters?! I can just imagine the dragged-up sandbags and swinging lanterns cluttering the corridors at Jobsworth
Sorry I just can't stop laughing at this!
What do they have, DPM ink and specially silenced typewriters?! I can just imagine the dragged-up sandbags and swinging lanterns cluttering the corridors at Jobsworth
I have to say that these issues have been prevalent for years - they have now been given a wider audience to encompass the AT and refuelling fleet, so will alienate even more individuals. I really do sympathize with the majority of points that have come to light on this thread and welcome you all to the "out of sight, out of mind" club!! 
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The place is now a rolling joke :-
The 'Morale' BFOT has a full suite of leather armchairs, yet we're still showering out of plastic bags (and the guys at TTH are even short of those!),
The Adminners are getting Sundays off when every one else is working 24/7,
and the bar rebuild comes complete with full on dance floor - ingenious i'm sure but since when did 600 blokes in a camp get pissed and start dancing with each other? - or are we now positively encouraging this kind of thing?
What will they come up with next?
Uncle G
The 'Morale' BFOT has a full suite of leather armchairs, yet we're still showering out of plastic bags (and the guys at TTH are even short of those!),
The Adminners are getting Sundays off when every one else is working 24/7,
and the bar rebuild comes complete with full on dance floor - ingenious i'm sure but since when did 600 blokes in a camp get pissed and start dancing with each other? - or are we now positively encouraging this kind of thing?
What will they come up with next?
Uncle G
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I wonder if some dimwit actualy costed out hire of tents, catering contracts, mega sattelite required for internet etc against simply taking over the local Novotel. Not only do we liive in sh:t, but we are probably paying over the odds for it.
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The tents vs HOTAC issue was costed for Ex SSII, and the tented option is actually more expensive - but the Ex, of course, was intended to be austere. What is not costed are the hidden 'extras' such as the impact on our critically understaffed caterers and other trades. Some of the chefs I spoke to at Seeb are now down to 8 or 9 months between 4 month OOA dets, and if that's not a 'push' factor, I don't know what is!
Before I left Seeb, the talk was of an upgrade to the site costing an estimated 15 million pounds (no, I can't think what they would spend that much on either) but even a fraction of that money would have put the entire Det in HOTAC for some considerable time, especially at the reduced rates the local hotels were charging!
It all goes back to basic fact - if SSII hadn't been going on, we'd never have been operating from tents.
Best wishes for Christmas to the Seeb mob and all those deployed elsewhere.
CV
(Also in the desert)
[ 17 December 2001: Message edited by: Chinese Vic ]
Before I left Seeb, the talk was of an upgrade to the site costing an estimated 15 million pounds (no, I can't think what they would spend that much on either) but even a fraction of that money would have put the entire Det in HOTAC for some considerable time, especially at the reduced rates the local hotels were charging!
It all goes back to basic fact - if SSII hadn't been going on, we'd never have been operating from tents.
Best wishes for Christmas to the Seeb mob and all those deployed elsewhere.
CV
(Also in the desert)
[ 17 December 2001: Message edited by: Chinese Vic ]
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According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Austere means 'severely simple and plain'. Is more expensive, less comfortable and potentially unsafe accommodation austere then?
Who runs the fire patrols?
Who runs the fire patrols?
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Now that there are enough to go around, the RAFP do (or at least they should do - actually they spend most of the night sitting in their tent watching videos). When the op first started, the blunties insisted that the op sqns provide fire picquet guards for night shifts! To make a point, I know of at least one sqn boss plus some of his aircrew that stood guard so the troops could get some rest....
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And here was I thinking that the Rocks were formed in WW2 to guard airfields without misemploying skilled engineering manpower. The job was beneath the Army's dignity then; I suppose it is beneath the Rock's now? 
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Good point FV - pity the Rocks don't like to remember it.
All too busy playing with rapier and little tank thingies to actually guard the expensive assets that their branch was formed to protect.
The only time I have ever seen rocks do their actual job was guarding the Harrier field sites in Germany - and to be fair theey did a good job (well, I NEVER saw any Russians!)
All too busy playing with rapier and little tank thingies to actually guard the expensive assets that their branch was formed to protect.
The only time I have ever seen rocks do their actual job was guarding the Harrier field sites in Germany - and to be fair theey did a good job (well, I NEVER saw any Russians!)
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As Chinese Vic pointed out, there is some sort of improvement plan in place for Muscat. However, the bombing campaign in Afghanistan is being scaled back, so for just how long are we going to need all those tankers, MRR and Recce. Anyone with a brain cell can see that Seeb is a b*llocks AT location for supporting the ground forces. Just how long are we going to keep muddling through.
lazy fairweather PPRuNer
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OI! Moggie,
the only thing the Rocks did in the field in Germany was to sneak around trying to nick yer SLR whilst you were asleep on guard (that was AFTER you'd set up site and AFTER you'd done your first engine change). You'd get it back but only after they'd stripped it to its component parts and tied it up in a placky bag.
Its a hell of a sight seeing a bunch of blokes running to stand-to carrying black bin liners full of jangling nuts and bolts.
Bet those East Germans were quaking in their boots.
the only thing the Rocks did in the field in Germany was to sneak around trying to nick yer SLR whilst you were asleep on guard (that was AFTER you'd set up site and AFTER you'd done your first engine change). You'd get it back but only after they'd stripped it to its component parts and tied it up in a placky bag.
Its a hell of a sight seeing a bunch of blokes running to stand-to carrying black bin liners full of jangling nuts and bolts.
Bet those East Germans were quaking in their boots.
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The Scottish Group Captain is due to visit our boys and girls in the near future. Understand that he will be coming out in a slipped Herc through Cyprus and staying in Tent City, just to get a feel for how his minnions have been doing it.
NAH!!
Private 146, staying at the Hyatt and going back in the 146 (half empty!). What outstanding leadership Sir; we all knew that you had this sort of thing in you.
Hope you choke on your Bacardi and Coke.
HPT
[ 20 December 2001: Message edited by: Hydraulic Palm Tree ]</p>
NAH!!
Private 146, staying at the Hyatt and going back in the 146 (half empty!). What outstanding leadership Sir; we all knew that you had this sort of thing in you.
Hope you choke on your Bacardi and Coke.
HPT
[ 20 December 2001: Message edited by: Hydraulic Palm Tree ]</p>