OOA Holding post?

[5 Forward 6 Back]

There's a throwaway line in the 22 Gp guidance for holding officers that says you can't send a holding officer OOA. You could go but only if there's a very specific need for your sort of speciality.

[Flyboywanabe]

Does anyone know if it is possible to get a job OOA whilst on hold? Holds nowadays are lengthy, as you are all aware, and I'm looking to do some good rather than waste my time.

I'm sure there must be plenty of JO General Duty roles to be filled..?

[Redcarpet]

Admirable though your intention to 'do some good' is, I cant' help imagining that is the sort of the thing the Yeovil Ninja would say. Do yourself a favour and avoid an OOA until you have finished training. There are plenty of useful things to do whilst on hold if you want, either branch related or in the context of recognised AT courses, Educational qualifications, ATPL exams etc etc. Make the most of your opportunity to do such things now as it is unlikely that you will have the time when you reach the frontline.

[Could be the last?]

Phase 2 personnel are not allowed OOA!

If you are holding for the next stage of trg, then do as advised previously, enjoy AT and kick back. It won't be long before you are stagging on and wishing you could take your lve etc etc!

[Melchett01]

Phase 2 personnel are not allowed OOA!

Don't entirely agree with that - it may be written somewhere, but it's not always adhered to. A quick search on the MOD website reveals a number of JOs waiting for OCUs have gone out to the Thunder Lab teaching English to baby AF aircrew. And I ended up in GDC with 39 Sqn - when they had proper aeroplanes as the sqn adjt whilst holding at Marham before Phase 2 trg.

So it may not be normal, but it does happen. If you are really really really keen and thrusting, ask, they can only say no, but expect it to be a bit more mundane / admin based rather than a hugely crunchy ops job.

But as has already been said, don't be in a hurry to jump on the ops bandwagon - you'll spend enough time on it once Q'd. Enjoy the privileges of being a holding officer - early stacks, AT, courses and of course beer and girls.

[cazatou]

Mellchett 01

They supply Beer and Girls nowadays?

I knew I joined too young!!

[spindrier]

There are always ways and means of circumventing the system; you just have to find them!!

Try holding with a deployable unit, which matches your future leanings C130 or Rotary; some specific units still deploy globally on exercise and a willing pair of hands may be welcome!!

Failing that try the SERE school - they run courses globally.

Join an Adv Trg unit; they still have overseas Trg courses and often have spare places.

The other option is to cold call someone abroad and use your charm to make yourself indispensable. Miracles do happen if the poster gets a request from the right quarter.

Good luck

[Melchett01]

Cazatou - they aren't issued, but I think they are commented on in one's annual report under effective intelligence and initiative

[Kreuger flap]

when they had proper aeroplanes as the sqn adjt

Shame the RAF have never had proper adjutants.

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

One of the nav studes at Shawbury 10 years ago had a medal from a holding job in the Balkans, so it's worth a try!

[Whenurhappy]

Great Holds

Oh happy days. 20 years ago, I missed Gulf War I because I was holding after SERE on a yacht, part of the British Sailing Team, in the Mediterranean and other places - for about 13 months. If I had been a few degrees further east, I would have qualified for the Op Grandby Medal!

To avoid the obvious embarrassment of missing the ‘maximum effort’ against Iraq, I used to mumble about spending the Gulf War on a vessel in the Med, finishing off with ‘I don’t like to talk about it’. But the plethora of sponsored yacht clothing gave the game away…and it’s plagued my career ever since.