OASC 'CANDIDATES' and WANNABES, PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST!
Hi,
If you are even in the slightest bit interested in any of the Aircrew branches you MUST apply for them. Now this might be a bit controversial but in this Air Force flying is where it is all at. Not to put down the strerling work of the ground branches or in any way reflect badly on their professionalism, they are there to support the Aircrew, so why do the supporting when you can be supported. Oh and good luck
If you are even in the slightest bit interested in any of the Aircrew branches you MUST apply for them. Now this might be a bit controversial but in this Air Force flying is where it is all at. Not to put down the strerling work of the ground branches or in any way reflect badly on their professionalism, they are there to support the Aircrew, so why do the supporting when you can be supported. Oh and good luck
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Sounds like you are just plucking jobs out of the air!
Pick a job and stick to it and convince them that you know as much as you can about it when you are interviewed.
If you are this indecisive about what you want to be - a commission sounds ideal for you!
As for an aircrew job, just wait a couple of years - at this rate everyone in the RAF will be given a flying suit and aircrew selection will be obsolete!
Good luck!
Pick a job and stick to it and convince them that you know as much as you can about it when you are interviewed.
If you are this indecisive about what you want to be - a commission sounds ideal for you!
As for an aircrew job, just wait a couple of years - at this rate everyone in the RAF will be given a flying suit and aircrew selection will be obsolete!
Good luck!
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OASC leadership tasks
Right, 2nd time at OASC coming up very soon. Got a level 3 last time (should have got it!) but slipped up on the leadership tasks.
So, question:
Does anyone remember any of the leadership task layouts / possible solutions?
Swinging rope, diverging rail tracks, cylinders......
Cheers. If you have a good idea on how to solve the probs in advance it'll give you a huge help in actually proving how good a leader you really are! Trust me - they're not all easy for those who haven't been yet........
So, question:
Does anyone remember any of the leadership task layouts / possible solutions?
Swinging rope, diverging rail tracks, cylinders......
Cheers. If you have a good idea on how to solve the probs in advance it'll give you a huge help in actually proving how good a leader you really are! Trust me - they're not all easy for those who haven't been yet........
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
No it won't.
From someone who did your diverging tracks a few years back,
Well briefed, looked at the task, formulated a plan, and raring to go.
The DS told him to wait, he still had time in hand, all he did was fretted.
At the off all that he managd to do was fail quicker.
Ultimately he passed. The point is not to solve the problem but to LEAD your team in tackling the problem. The team with the 6 foot 4 rugby player will have different attributed from the 5 foot by 5 foot female player.
From someone who did your diverging tracks a few years back,
Well briefed, looked at the task, formulated a plan, and raring to go.
The DS told him to wait, he still had time in hand, all he did was fretted.
At the off all that he managd to do was fail quicker.
Ultimately he passed. The point is not to solve the problem but to LEAD your team in tackling the problem. The team with the 6 foot 4 rugby player will have different attributed from the 5 foot by 5 foot female player.
Take in ALL the information you are given at the start of the exercise - don't miss a single word. Missing one crucial fact can completely ruin the lead. This goes for the paper exercises too.
Don't be a shrinking violet. Lead the team. Call on the teams expertese by all means to give you ideas, but the lead is yours so you have to maintain control.
It doesn't matter if you don't even get near completing the task. You can show leadership potential and therefore succeed at OASC even if you barely got half way through a lead.
Leadership is rectifiable by professional training. i.e. you don't have to be a natural leader, just show potential to learn. You can be successful at OASC by not having the best developed leadership, but excel in other areas (eg aptitude)
Like anything, the more you practice/experience you have, the better you get. If you can expose yourself to leadership roles and team leading, then you will fare better at the exercises.
Don't be a shrinking violet. Lead the team. Call on the teams expertese by all means to give you ideas, but the lead is yours so you have to maintain control.
It doesn't matter if you don't even get near completing the task. You can show leadership potential and therefore succeed at OASC even if you barely got half way through a lead.
Leadership is rectifiable by professional training. i.e. you don't have to be a natural leader, just show potential to learn. You can be successful at OASC by not having the best developed leadership, but excel in other areas (eg aptitude)
Like anything, the more you practice/experience you have, the better you get. If you can expose yourself to leadership roles and team leading, then you will fare better at the exercises.
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Didn't complete my task and here I am assessing people!
The only advice I ever give for OASC is go out there and enjoy yourself. You'll show yourself at your best.
If you don't enjoy it then you won't enjoy the tougher challeges that are to come later and you're in the wrong job.
Crack on and give it your all.
The only advice I ever give for OASC is go out there and enjoy yourself. You'll show yourself at your best.
If you don't enjoy it then you won't enjoy the tougher challeges that are to come later and you're in the wrong job.
Crack on and give it your all.
I'matightbastard
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I have a mate wot his wife went to the Army one. It was all she'd dreamed of since being a little gurl. She'd studdied and swotted for it and when she gets there they give her an exersize to get over an electric fence with a couple of planks, a Fairy Liquid bottle and some lollipop sticks.
No slouch her, she'd been watching Blue Peter, so she lays the plank onto the fence and gets her team over wivout a scratch on 'em...good as gold it was definately one in the bank she thought...only to be told she's failed.
"Wot?" says she "Wot d'yer mean failed yer tw@t?" the last bit under her breath of course.
"Well you got electrocuted because the plank toucheth the fence" came the earnest reply
"Bollocks!" quote she in a dudgeoness voice "wood doesn't conduct electricity you pig higgerent product of a council estate." again using sotto voce.
Well a kindly soul took her aside and said "Look luv they're doing you a favour here. You're right of course, any moron can tell that, but if you get upset at this show of ignorance, believe me, being in the Army will be like hell for you."
So instead she became "something in the City" and made packets and packets of money.
No slouch her, she'd been watching Blue Peter, so she lays the plank onto the fence and gets her team over wivout a scratch on 'em...good as gold it was definately one in the bank she thought...only to be told she's failed.
"Wot?" says she "Wot d'yer mean failed yer tw@t?" the last bit under her breath of course.
"Well you got electrocuted because the plank toucheth the fence" came the earnest reply
"Bollocks!" quote she in a dudgeoness voice "wood doesn't conduct electricity you pig higgerent product of a council estate." again using sotto voce.
Well a kindly soul took her aside and said "Look luv they're doing you a favour here. You're right of course, any moron can tell that, but if you get upset at this show of ignorance, believe me, being in the Army will be like hell for you."
So instead she became "something in the City" and made packets and packets of money.
Just remember that the "test" may not be what you think it is. An Australian version has the "team" you are supposed to lead well briefed to screw up in the most unimaginable way possible. The leader who looses their cool as time ticks away fails.
Just be yourself and enjoy it.
Just be yourself and enjoy it.
When I did my one and only session at OASC Biggin Hill at the age of 15 or 16, naivety of youth meant that they saw us as we really were without any attempts to be someone we weren't. Swinging around the hangar was just a bit of a game to us; some tasks were easier than others but it was how the team responded and how it was led which mattered more than dropping ropes into shark infested rivers!
I recall one of the other teams going through at the same time; one of the people-formally-known-as-WRAFs took a fairly basic approach to moving the fiberglassed kitbag labelled 'delicate instruments' over the obstacle - she swung it around her head and hurled it over. It sailed through the air and landed with a resounding crash, splitting open as it did so much to the amazement of the staff. I guess she later became a mover?
There must be an excellent 'Line Book' at OASC with some of the gems uttered by candidates?
I recall one of the other teams going through at the same time; one of the people-formally-known-as-WRAFs took a fairly basic approach to moving the fiberglassed kitbag labelled 'delicate instruments' over the obstacle - she swung it around her head and hurled it over. It sailed through the air and landed with a resounding crash, splitting open as it did so much to the amazement of the staff. I guess she later became a mover?
There must be an excellent 'Line Book' at OASC with some of the gems uttered by candidates?
I'm sure there are some proper gems! Good old diverging tracks, that was one of mine.... failed to realise the tracks diverged, that was my problem!
Passed though, so it does go to show, it's how you handle being rubbish as much as being great that counts!
Passed though, so it does go to show, it's how you handle being rubbish as much as being great that counts!
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Good advice from all above...if you can get your stlye of leadership, the way you want to brief and lead your team sorted out in your head (think S.M.E.A.C, which if a new term to you then look it up or PM someone you trust on here) then the obstacle you are given is fairly irrelevent. The good people at OASC just want to see you in the raw to see if you are acceptable and malleable. Pre-contrived ideas on exercises may stunt your natural flair!
Slightly off subject but referring back to the comment on 'Gems in a linebook' it made me think back to when I went through and this priceless incident.
There was this 17 year old Mancunian cheeky chappy who was on my intake at OASC. He was going for loadie I think and had impressed all around him for his lack of being 'phased' by the surroundings and also for his forthright comments and knowledge of various subjects.
Post interviews most of us are hanging around in the candidates lounge when one of the staff, an ageing silvery haired Sqn Ldr ultilising a clipboard as an excuse to look busy, wandered over to our party. He was one of these blokes who you are assured is not assessing you at any time but still slips in the odd searching question in converstaion. He loitered by the 17 year old momentarily and slipped in the old chestnut, "so young man, what do you think of homosexuality?" (It was still a definate no-no when I went through and a favourite question to be asked). The 17 year old considered it for about a mili-second and with his future career teetering on his next few words came back with what seemed a purley reactionary response of, "why? Are you cruising for a bl*wjob?"
It certainly got the rest of us off any questions as the elderly S/L,stumped for words, tottered off for a strong cup of tea and a double ration of biscuits. I had my fist in my mouth attempting to stifle myself until at least he was out of earshot.
Never did find out if he got it...
Best wishes to all...Vim
Slightly off subject but referring back to the comment on 'Gems in a linebook' it made me think back to when I went through and this priceless incident.
There was this 17 year old Mancunian cheeky chappy who was on my intake at OASC. He was going for loadie I think and had impressed all around him for his lack of being 'phased' by the surroundings and also for his forthright comments and knowledge of various subjects.
Post interviews most of us are hanging around in the candidates lounge when one of the staff, an ageing silvery haired Sqn Ldr ultilising a clipboard as an excuse to look busy, wandered over to our party. He was one of these blokes who you are assured is not assessing you at any time but still slips in the odd searching question in converstaion. He loitered by the 17 year old momentarily and slipped in the old chestnut, "so young man, what do you think of homosexuality?" (It was still a definate no-no when I went through and a favourite question to be asked). The 17 year old considered it for about a mili-second and with his future career teetering on his next few words came back with what seemed a purley reactionary response of, "why? Are you cruising for a bl*wjob?"
It certainly got the rest of us off any questions as the elderly S/L,stumped for words, tottered off for a strong cup of tea and a double ration of biscuits. I had my fist in my mouth attempting to stifle myself until at least he was out of earshot.
Never did find out if he got it...
Best wishes to all...Vim
Nixor ut Ledo
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Had 2 shots at OASC. Failed miserably the first time. The explanatory letter sent to my OC just wasn't written about me! However, I swallowed my pride and spent the next 2 years asking every officer I could lay my hands on just what they did and what their reaction was. The answers varied: "Wasn't particularly bothered, I had another job lined up" etc etc etc. Bottom line that I worked out was that they were being themselves when they went for selection. And that's what I did on the second occasion - and passed.
That reason became even clearer when I was posted as a flight commander at IOT and which I developed in cadets when I and a number of other flight commanders started the Recourse Squadron (now disbanded because the Recourse syllabus was eventually adopted for the Main Course).
BE YOURSELF!
That reason became even clearer when I was posted as a flight commander at IOT and which I developed in cadets when I and a number of other flight commanders started the Recourse Squadron (now disbanded because the Recourse syllabus was eventually adopted for the Main Course).
BE YOURSELF!
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The tasks are designed so that you can give them a good shot without knowing what exactly they compromise. You may complete it, you may not but as the chaps on here have said that is irrelevant. I have OASC in a couple of months and I just plan to be relaxed and myself. Everyone I have spoken to says that they enjoyed their time at OASC, which is an attitude I've adopted. If I don't pass at least I can make sure I damn well give it my all and enjoy my time there.
Try not to worry too much.
Try not to worry too much.
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jamesnochain
Suggest you change your callsign to "jamesnochance" - but don't tell the OASC Staff - they might suss you out
Best of luck on your next attempt and all the others after that!
Regards B15
Suggest you change your callsign to "jamesnochance" - but don't tell the OASC Staff - they might suss you out
Best of luck on your next attempt and all the others after that!
Regards B15
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OASC at Biggin Hill in my day and I was helped a great deal by a SNCO who was in the "intake" He was one of life's great characters and I never really understood why he was there as he seemed totally uninterested in becoming an officer but thought the time at Biggin Hill was such great fun.