Harry quits flying
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Wilts
Age: 58
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just applied last week on JPA for a job based in Horse-guards, SO3 clubbing in Kensington and Chelsea or something like that.
I've already got an oyster card so must be in the running.
Fingers crossed and waiting to hear from my deskie.
130.
I've already got an oyster card so must be in the running.
Fingers crossed and waiting to hear from my deskie.
130.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: North Yorkshire
Age: 82
Posts: 641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
130
You will have a long wait. I expect that whatever desk you are flying at the moment is perfectly suited to your talents, potential and intellect. What is it by the way?
You will have a long wait. I expect that whatever desk you are flying at the moment is perfectly suited to your talents, potential and intellect. What is it by the way?
Originally Posted by smujsmith
Has Harry announced he will no longer fly anything ? I suspect not, and like all aircrew assigned to the mahogany bomber, maybe he'll keep his hand in "just in case".
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Far North of Watford
Age: 82
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is no requirement for him to keep his hand in on something he will never fly for real. If and when he returns to the AAC to do a second three year flying tour, possibly as a Sqn Comd or 2IC, he will do a refresher course on whatever aircraft he is assigned to. The system works.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,910 Likes
on
1,247 Posts
Reading the thread, everyone appears to be assuming this posting was of his own doing, not the Armies....
Does anyone really know?
Does anyone really know?
Racedo - you are very naughty and I fear the Tower beckons.
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Far North of Watford
Age: 82
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does anyone really know? Only he and his personnel branch.
However, he has just completed a full flying tour, his Regiment is based in London, he is due a staff posting, this SO3 post in HQ Londist is ideal for him, round post in round hole. Unless one is an ignorant, republican conspiracy freak, what the hell is the problem?
However, he has just completed a full flying tour, his Regiment is based in London, he is due a staff posting, this SO3 post in HQ Londist is ideal for him, round post in round hole. Unless one is an ignorant, republican conspiracy freak, what the hell is the problem?
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm no Royalist but the lad has done his time in the front line
Pity they are (apparently) giving him a staff job working so close to his family - it would have been better if he'd gone to work on procurement or even HR for the lower ranks
Pity they are (apparently) giving him a staff job working so close to his family - it would have been better if he'd gone to work on procurement or even HR for the lower ranks
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Far North of Watford
Age: 82
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HH
Why is it a pity? Better for whom? He's in the Household Division and has a lot of experience and knowledge relevant to his new post. What would be the point of deliberately sending him away from his home base to a post for which he has no aptitude or experience, apart from satisfying the antis? Round peg. Round hole.
Hope you don't have anything to do with personnel or career management because you have very odd priorities.
Why is it a pity? Better for whom? He's in the Household Division and has a lot of experience and knowledge relevant to his new post. What would be the point of deliberately sending him away from his home base to a post for which he has no aptitude or experience, apart from satisfying the antis? Round peg. Round hole.
Hope you don't have anything to do with personnel or career management because you have very odd priorities.
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's a pity because it will be perceived that it's a cushy number working with the Palace, No.10 etc etc
Surely they could have found something a bit different for him to do - 2 tours by anyone in Afghanistan after all is experience that shouldn't be wasted by organising ceremonial duties - there must be a herd of (useless) SO's who would love to do that
Surely they could have found something a bit different for him to do - 2 tours by anyone in Afghanistan after all is experience that shouldn't be wasted by organising ceremonial duties - there must be a herd of (useless) SO's who would love to do that
2 tours by anyone in Afghanistan after all is experience that shouldn't be wasted by organising ceremonial duties - there must be a herd of (useless) SO's who would love to do that
Public duties in London include large ceremonial parades which are in effect state occasions, and present the public face of the army to thousands of people. The value to the country in terms of overseas tourist revenue must be very great, and can be compared in PR terms to the Red Arrows, etc. Not a job where you want cock-ups.
I am reminded of an old Irish Guards officer chum of mine (now sadly deceased), who told me he was in charge of a defensive position somewhere up country in the Radfan in the early 60's. As they were keeping their heads down to dodge accurate incoming rifle fire from the dissidents, his sergeant, who was ducking down beside him muttered - "It'll be good to get back to London to do some real soldiering again, sir!"
It concerns me not one bit what the fourth in line to throne does as a job....he'll be outside the top 10 in a generation, but I am troubled that the RAF requires a 6 year return of service for an OCU whereas the army has sufficient taxpayer's money to allow its pilots to disappear after only 3 years.
Originally Posted by hangarshuffle
It would be better for all the Royals if they got out into our country, get real jobs
Originally Posted by Genstabler
If you are not cap badged AAC, you do your flying training followed by a three year tour as a squadron pilot. You then revert to your own cap badge and do further tours at regimental duty or on a staff. Harry is a captain so he has been given an SO3 staff appointment at HQ London District, one for which he is ideally suited. He may be asked at a later date to return to the AAC for a further flying tour, possibly as a Squadron Commander.
Last edited by Courtney Mil; 18th Jan 2014 at 22:21.
We have a Monarchy -whether we like or not.
Personally I think it is the least worst form of constitutional arrangement we could have, given our long proud island history and disastrous flirtation with Republicanism/Theocracy in the 1650s and Euro-Communism prior to the crash of 2008 (discuss!). What's the alternative today? President Dave or Comrade Secretary General Millibland?
The Firm (immortalised in Princess Squidgy's words) is very good at PR - just look at the way it was rehabilitated into the national consciousness after the PR nightmare of Mrs Al-Fayed's death: We have had a genial, accessible young chap marry a middle class girl, a 'multi-culti' Diamond Jubilee, a roguish young JO on detachment in Las Vegas that we can all envy and admire in equal measure. Hell, even ‘Wills and Kate Ltd’ have begun to trademark their ‘brand’.
And yes - the Royals are going to have a cushy time of it: parties, polo and pate. Wouldn’t you if all that money was available? (earned…or given? Discuss!!). I have stated on record on previous threads that a bespoke wings course at Cranditz, a very accelerated captaincy Q on SAR and very carefully and safely managed tours as a FAC/Apache pilot, is nothing more than PR spin for a 24-hour news society obsessed with knowing far more than they need to about the Royals.
Yes the boys may want nothing more than to go on ops and be subjected to the same sh!te that the rest of us had to endure; but due to their constitutional position, they never will. We have to accept it for what it is: the preparation for the heir and the spare to take their places in the Firm in due course, all under the watchful eye of the media, vocal republicans, the establishment and us.
Just my 2p anyway.
Personally I think it is the least worst form of constitutional arrangement we could have, given our long proud island history and disastrous flirtation with Republicanism/Theocracy in the 1650s and Euro-Communism prior to the crash of 2008 (discuss!). What's the alternative today? President Dave or Comrade Secretary General Millibland?
The Firm (immortalised in Princess Squidgy's words) is very good at PR - just look at the way it was rehabilitated into the national consciousness after the PR nightmare of Mrs Al-Fayed's death: We have had a genial, accessible young chap marry a middle class girl, a 'multi-culti' Diamond Jubilee, a roguish young JO on detachment in Las Vegas that we can all envy and admire in equal measure. Hell, even ‘Wills and Kate Ltd’ have begun to trademark their ‘brand’.
And yes - the Royals are going to have a cushy time of it: parties, polo and pate. Wouldn’t you if all that money was available? (earned…or given? Discuss!!). I have stated on record on previous threads that a bespoke wings course at Cranditz, a very accelerated captaincy Q on SAR and very carefully and safely managed tours as a FAC/Apache pilot, is nothing more than PR spin for a 24-hour news society obsessed with knowing far more than they need to about the Royals.
Yes the boys may want nothing more than to go on ops and be subjected to the same sh!te that the rest of us had to endure; but due to their constitutional position, they never will. We have to accept it for what it is: the preparation for the heir and the spare to take their places in the Firm in due course, all under the watchful eye of the media, vocal republicans, the establishment and us.
Just my 2p anyway.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia - South of where I'd like to be !
Age: 59
Posts: 4,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TR
Tell me, how does the military make a safe tour for an Apache pilot / gunner when they are shooting at the enemy that are shooting at troops on the ground and always the chance of an RPG being fired at them ?
"and very carefully and safely managed tours as a FAC/Apache pilot, is nothing more than PR spin".
"And yes - the Royals are going to have a cushy time of it: parties, polo and pate."
Sound like what a lot of ex RAF officers on here have expressed as spending non flying hours doing (well, the parties and pate part), the third part could be added for Guards officers.
Tell me, how does the military make a safe tour for an Apache pilot / gunner when they are shooting at the enemy that are shooting at troops on the ground and always the chance of an RPG being fired at them ?
"and very carefully and safely managed tours as a FAC/Apache pilot, is nothing more than PR spin".
"And yes - the Royals are going to have a cushy time of it: parties, polo and pate."
Sound like what a lot of ex RAF officers on here have expressed as spending non flying hours doing (well, the parties and pate part), the third part could be added for Guards officers.
Last edited by 500N; 18th Jan 2014 at 22:48.