Woman RAF officer joins top military brass
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Females are under-represented in the workplace and males are under-represented in Labour wards. (In hospitals, I'm not talking politics.)
So what?
She is the first female to make 2-star rank in the Air Force and for that she deserves congratulations.
One or 7 people have flown across the Channel since Bleriot did so, but he's still famous for being the first.
So what?
She is the first female to make 2-star rank in the Air Force and for that she deserves congratulations.
One or 7 people have flown across the Channel since Bleriot did so, but he's still famous for being the first.
She is the first female to make 2-star rank in the Air Force and for that she deserves congratulations.
LJ
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Prior to Air Vice-Marshal West’s promotion, the highest rank held by a regular serving female officer in the modern day RAF was Air Commodore. The highest ranking female officer in the Navy has been Commodore and the highest rank achieved by a woman in the Army has been Brigadier.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/t...r-vice-marshal
As I said earlier in the thread. Up until 1994 there were no women in the RAF, because they were in the WRAF until 1920, no women at all between 1920 and 1938 (apart from the Princes Mary's RAF Nursing Service which has been going throughout from 1918 to present day), the ATS in 1938, the WAAF from 1939 until 1949 and the WRAF from 1949 to 1994. All the these made up the Air Forces of Great Britain, just like the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, etc... Make up the Naval Service of Great Britain.
From what I can see there have been 4x 2-stars serving full-time and also a 4-star who was Princes Alice who was the CinC of the WRAF until her passing. Now if there was a WRAF or WAAF these days then this latest 2-star would have been definately in it, as they no longer exist she is in the RAF. "Semantics" I hear? Yup, but she is most certainly not "the first female to make 2-star in the Air Force" and the others were all full-time and definately not part-time reserves as some seem to be insinuating.
LJ
PS. Once again, I am not patronising, be-littling or devaluing AVM West's fantastic achievement, it's just that headlines are misleading and is spinning a story that is not true.
From what I can see there have been 4x 2-stars serving full-time and also a 4-star who was Princes Alice who was the CinC of the WRAF until her passing. Now if there was a WRAF or WAAF these days then this latest 2-star would have been definately in it, as they no longer exist she is in the RAF. "Semantics" I hear? Yup, but she is most certainly not "the first female to make 2-star in the Air Force" and the others were all full-time and definately not part-time reserves as some seem to be insinuating.
LJ
PS. Once again, I am not patronising, be-littling or devaluing AVM West's fantastic achievement, it's just that headlines are misleading and is spinning a story that is not true.
Last edited by Lima Juliet; 26th Aug 2013 at 19:40.
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SASless is really plumbing the depths of unnecessary bad taste and offensiveness these days. Pity. His posts used to be worth reading. Male menopause?
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Fortunately I spent my 30 years in a Branch where women were normal (as in simply other human beings who did the same job as the blokes).
Indeed, back in the early 90s (as Branch/Trade sponsor) I responded to a letter asking about female quotas. I was very happy to be able to respond that "the ATC Branch and Trade has no quota ... We take the best man/woman for the job."
I was surprised to note that others had quotas. We managed to amortise officer training before the ladies managed to trap a handsome member of aircrew (I believe there were some) before departing the fix
Indeed, back in the early 90s (as Branch/Trade sponsor) I responded to a letter asking about female quotas. I was very happy to be able to respond that "the ATC Branch and Trade has no quota ... We take the best man/woman for the job."
I was surprised to note that others had quotas. We managed to amortise officer training before the ladies managed to trap a handsome member of aircrew (I believe there were some) before departing the fix
We managed to amortise officer training before the ladies managed to trap a handsome member of aircrew ....
Rather than complaining that she's not the first 2-star in the RAF, modern or otherwise, can't we just celebrate the fact that an evidently well-liked and talented RAF officer is currently the most senior woman in the armed forces, royalty excepted?
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Originally Posted by 5 Forward 6 Back
Rather than complaining that she's not the first 2-star in the RAF, modern or otherwise, can't we just celebrate the fact that an evidently well-liked and talented RAF officer is currently the most senior woman in the armed forces, royalty excepted?
Originally Posted by Wrathmonk
There was a good reason for that....boy, the shelves must have been big in ATC
As a bit of "reverse polarity", I 'acquired' an ex-Admin Sec as a first-tourist flt lt ATCO - a very late transfer of Branches. She was under confident at first, so having shovelled her through the training mill I gave her a few months - and then selected her for training as a Watch Supervisor. She protested … "I'm a first tourist" I wasn't interested … she had the brains and the maturity. Some 3-6 months later, she was a superb Watch Sup. Cheers, Liz
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If it's all about best person for the job, I look forward to reading about AVM West getting her third star in a few years on posting to Air Sec, replacing AM Wiles' replacement...or is first non-aircrew Air Sec even more difficult than first(ish) woman AVM...
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Air Sec is a 2-star and the current incumbent is not aircrew.
AMP&C is a 3-star and aircrew.
Last edited by Climebear; 29th Aug 2013 at 20:50.
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we are living in an enlightened age and the RAF is better than this. First
gay squadron commander? First black two star? First asian..... you get my
drift.
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Climebear
It's a fair cop...didn't do my staff work thoroughly. Think I was getting Air Sec and AMP confused....
As AMP seems to have become a dual appointment with Deputy Commander Air Command then always aircrew.
Maybe Air Sec for her next tour...she's at least one tour left (51).
The wasted talent in years gone by is a crime in retrospect...there was an amazing ADSecPol in the late 70s (married to a Rock) but ISTR forced to leave when family started. Asked about returning mid 80s and told that she'd have to return on demotion to sqn ldr and that would be it.....
It's a fair cop...didn't do my staff work thoroughly. Think I was getting Air Sec and AMP confused....
As AMP seems to have become a dual appointment with Deputy Commander Air Command then always aircrew.
Maybe Air Sec for her next tour...she's at least one tour left (51).
The wasted talent in years gone by is a crime in retrospect...there was an amazing ADSecPol in the late 70s (married to a Rock) but ISTR forced to leave when family started. Asked about returning mid 80s and told that she'd have to return on demotion to sqn ldr and that would be it.....
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lj101
No wot I said was
Blimey I thought you were my mate.....there's no such thing as the male menopause because men don't have a mens....l cycle. Motor cycle, bicycle, unicycle and even life cycle perhaps.
Still congratulations to AVM West.
Rgds SOS
Wot Courtney, baff and Genstab said!
Still congratulations to AVM West.
Rgds SOS
