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Best years are gone

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Best years are gone

Old 19th Jun 2013, 14:44
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Best years are gone

RAF aircrew at Leuchars base say they are being left hungry by new food rules - Daily Record

A further reminder for why I wouldn't want to be in the R.A.F. or any of H.M. Forces today!

FB
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 14:54
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Someone needs to look at the fire risk assessment and judge against the morale implication of taking his ADVICE! looks like a bit of LEADERSHIP required.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 14:58
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Why do I remember Messes which would have been freezing cold after 1st May [or was it 1st April?] but just about everyone had a heater in the room?
The next problem was showers/ bath room/ bogs and down to a meal in an overcoat.

At Brize, my last sojourn, I had heater, microwave, TV, radio and lots besides.

The military covenant is rather one-way these days.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 15:14
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Sadly this isn't restricted to just one base and you have to applaud LEU for complaining.

The civilian company has all but completely destroyed Mess life and most these days choose to eat out.

Would love to see their annual profit and loss returns over the next few years.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 15:29
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PAYD/SAYS - no-one could have predicted this coming, could they? Apart from all of those middle ranking SNCOs and officers who predicted that it would destroy catering on station but were overruled by the VSOs who had signed up to SAYS. And those members of the SAYS implementation team who had to try and make it work and who had lots of surveys that proved that this is what the junior ranks and JOs wanted. Be careful what you wish for...........
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 15:50
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Talk about "big brother" stupidity. How many MOD accommodation blocks have burned down in the past due to this dreadfully dangerous "fire risk"

It smacks more of a policy issue so the catering company gets a captive market.

If the fire alarm system is faulty by being too sensitive, get the company who installed it to fix it so it works properly.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 15:56
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We'll be back to dormitory rooms 'ere long, together with station parades on Saturday mornings. What is the situation with Army and RN messes/wardrooms?
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 15:59
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At the end of the day it boils down to choice and I agree with ShyTorque that this smacks more of bolstering the audience for the civilian company than saving lives.

My opinion, of course!
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 16:00
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What staggers me is that FB was still in shorts when PAYD was first muted. He has probably just started secondary school when it was initially rolled out. Rightly identified nearly 40 years ago as SAYS it was muted that training establishments such as Halton would continue to serve food on demand .

PAYD was a predictable offshoot of the military salary. It is unfair if you stop my pay for food I don't eat so that those that eat every meal benefit.

Now, full circle, as stated, people go out to eat or bring food in to cook themselves.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 16:04
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He said the decision was made because the fire alarm is very sensitive – in some cases the steam released from opening a shower door triggered the system.
Showers hot enough to generate steam? Some things have improved then
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 16:05
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this smacks more of bolstering the audience for the civilian company

So they listen to the food instead of eating it?

Now that is a terrible waste of money.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 16:08
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I see the standard of reporting is up with the best of the Daily Snail:

Microwaves, toasters and kettles have been banned from airmen and women’s rooms at RAF Leuchars after being deemed a fire risk.
Airmen are now aircrew.

I wonder if they have computers, TVs, chargers etc of have they been banned too?

When was the last fire in a barrack block or SLAM caused by overheated electrics?
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 16:10
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Originally Posted by langleybaston
this smacks more of bolstering the audience for the civilian company

So they listen to the food instead of eating it?
Snap and crackle at breakfast, pop extra?

Bubble and squeak?

Bombe surprise? Boom boom
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 16:11
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There is no civilian fire legislation that forbids you to cook in SLA.

Even student halls of residence can have cookers.

The ban at Leuchars is blatantly a made up order.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 16:53
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Don't see what the problem is just ignore it. I'm sure there are lots of things that shouldn't be in the room!
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 17:06
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So out of interest on nights at Brize married guys were entitled to free meals because obviously they couldn't go home and cook at 3am, so I take it the days of seeing how many puddings one could eat has gone, one guy had about 6 or 7 quite regularly

Last edited by NutLoose; 19th Jun 2013 at 17:08.
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 17:15
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Nutloose,

Duty meals were done and dusted in 2003. The rank and file moaned about the old standard food rate for years to the AFPRB...."I pay 3.24 at the weekend and I'm not here"etc

Then PAYD came and we are fooked.....no chefs left (gone as a saving)

Short opening hours (we are only contracted to be open for so long....I dont care if they are night flying)

Messes serving ****e food that is a disgrace to the institute that it the WO's and Sgt's and Offrs Messes.

Under PAYD every station/camp ISTR was required to have facilities for service personnel to prepare food outside of hours due to the constraints of the contract.....

What has happened?
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 17:28
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Probably nothing to do with a "Fire Risk" at all. More to do with the lack of food being bought in the Messes and the lack of caterers "milking machine" profits being made.

It does make me wonder if any former "Senior Staff" joined that company too?

If I recall correctly the new Catering Contracts effectively banned all Tea-Bars and Butty swindles in all Squadrons/Sections as they were seen as "Competition". (I dont know how successful that was)

It is just an extension of the "poor" Contractors power to make all singlies eat in the messes too. Watch this space for attempts to ban service personnel from eating outside the camp gates.

I believe it was only gritted teeth that got SPAR to remain on most Camps...but for how long?...and then watch the "local" prices rise...
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 17:42
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SLAM blocks do have facilities to cook; that article even says that there are cookers/microwaves etc permitted in "certain communal areas" or something like that, exactly the same as student halls of residence as someone quoted. Seems the ban is just extended to personal cooking devices in individual rooms.

That said, it's a case of reaping what you sow, isn't it? I remember all those people up in arms that the £100 a month they paid for the daily food charge was wasted, and they'd rather have the option like they did for lunch. Now they do, and it's awful
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Old 19th Jun 2013, 17:45
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5F6B.............nail on the head!
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