Your best moment in the military.
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Your best moment in the military.
So what was your best moment during your service career and did it lead to anything else?
OK for me I can only recount events from a spell as an adult instructor with the cadets. But thats still service life to a degree.
For me with just a few annual camps and courses under my belt it was a flight in a Chipmunk at Wattisham just as their had changed over to the F-4. The pilot was an F-4 pilot who wanted to tried a four leaf clover, something he was unable to do with a cadet in the back but asked me if I would not mind. Silly question and so we tried, and tried, and tried just not quite grabbing the last stall turn as it should have been. I was happy as Larry in the back. Give the lad credit, after each try he asked if I was OK.
So if you flew WG308 on the 27th July 76. Thanks for a fun ride.
OK for me I can only recount events from a spell as an adult instructor with the cadets. But thats still service life to a degree.
For me with just a few annual camps and courses under my belt it was a flight in a Chipmunk at Wattisham just as their had changed over to the F-4. The pilot was an F-4 pilot who wanted to tried a four leaf clover, something he was unable to do with a cadet in the back but asked me if I would not mind. Silly question and so we tried, and tried, and tried just not quite grabbing the last stall turn as it should have been. I was happy as Larry in the back. Give the lad credit, after each try he asked if I was OK.
So if you flew WG308 on the 27th July 76. Thanks for a fun ride.
First solo in a single seat Lightning!
Briefed on what to do which included depart Colt, med level turns, climb to 36000 feet, more turns left and right, descent to Colt for GCA, overshoot for practice diversion to Marham, overshoot and return to Colt visual circuit to land! Forty eight minutes of fun!
Must admit I felt I was sitting on the fin until after the first overshoot! Caught up with the aeroplane halfway to Marham! Fairground rides were never the same after that!
Oh and much better than sex!
Briefed on what to do which included depart Colt, med level turns, climb to 36000 feet, more turns left and right, descent to Colt for GCA, overshoot for practice diversion to Marham, overshoot and return to Colt visual circuit to land! Forty eight minutes of fun!
Must admit I felt I was sitting on the fin until after the first overshoot! Caught up with the aeroplane halfway to Marham! Fairground rides were never the same after that!
Oh and much better than sex!
I tricked the System into sending me back to Vietnam for a second tour (that in itself was a great story....watching the system work against its own self)...to discover I had to do all sorts of silly assed stuff to become POR (Primary Overseas Replacement) qualified....Counter Ambush training, Patrolling, Ambush Techniques, Rifle Qual, Pistol Qual, CBR Qual, and on and on and on.....not with standing it had been less than six months since returning from.....Overseas in a Chinook Helicopter Unit.
Never you mind that 90% of the POR Check List had absolutely nothing to do with an Aviator but was focused upon the Infantry Replacement.
As I am coming out of the POR Office having tried to plea my Case....to absolutely no avail....muttering all those nice kind words Army Warrant Officer Helicopter Pilots were known to use....a young Enlisted guy approaches me and renders a greeting...."Hey Mr. Sasless! How you doing today?"
Me being at a real disadvantage as I did not recognize him.....he explained he had been in a Chinook Unit with me very early in my first tour. Upon catching up on our paths to the chance meeting....he asked what I was doing at POR. I told him the entire story.
He smiled....said "No Problem, GI! Come on in with me....I work here.". A cup of Coffee and Twenty Minutes.....I exited with my POR Checklist signed off as complete and ready for Transport to my next Duty Station.
Proves if you are nice to your Seniors.....and especially your Juniors....it shall be rewarded.
Those Bonds you forge in Combat are special....even when it is only a very distant relationship you have.
Seeing old friends from those days.....is always a good thing.....no matter when or where!
Never you mind that 90% of the POR Check List had absolutely nothing to do with an Aviator but was focused upon the Infantry Replacement.
As I am coming out of the POR Office having tried to plea my Case....to absolutely no avail....muttering all those nice kind words Army Warrant Officer Helicopter Pilots were known to use....a young Enlisted guy approaches me and renders a greeting...."Hey Mr. Sasless! How you doing today?"
Me being at a real disadvantage as I did not recognize him.....he explained he had been in a Chinook Unit with me very early in my first tour. Upon catching up on our paths to the chance meeting....he asked what I was doing at POR. I told him the entire story.
He smiled....said "No Problem, GI! Come on in with me....I work here.". A cup of Coffee and Twenty Minutes.....I exited with my POR Checklist signed off as complete and ready for Transport to my next Duty Station.
Proves if you are nice to your Seniors.....and especially your Juniors....it shall be rewarded.
Those Bonds you forge in Combat are special....even when it is only a very distant relationship you have.
Seeing old friends from those days.....is always a good thing.....no matter when or where!
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Never got a ride in an FJ, was lined up for a run in a Canberra from Wyton but it suffered a bird strike on the sortie before and as it had entered the wing through the leading edge that cancelled my fun run. 
I have flown some rather tasty aeroplanes..from Hunter to F4, Chippy to VC10. I think my best moment was getting airborne from Vancover in a VC10 in awful weather, then breaking out into a crystal blue sky at a mere 1000 ft AGL to see the entire snow capped mountain range laid before me in brilliant sunshine.
Probably my best fun sorties were the weather check in a Hawk from Chivenor with the entire Welsh low level flying area all mine (well apart from the Brawdy weather check) Were we naughty???
Probably my best fun sorties were the weather check in a Hawk from Chivenor with the entire Welsh low level flying area all mine (well apart from the Brawdy weather check) Were we naughty???
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Good point Sasless about being nice.
In the cadets only came across one a-hole of an officer, a Flt Lt, at one time my squadron CO, who was more interested in himself and what he could get for himself rather than help the cadets. I left the cadets because this idiot was forever having a go at me for not attending every single parade. He just could not get his head round the fact that working shifts meant I was not able to do that.
Few months after I left I got a visit from some RAFP lads from Rudlow Manor. Appears he had some stuff nicked from a car following a breach of security and they wanted to know what he was like to work with etc. Think he might have tried to drag a couple of us down with him.
In the cadets only came across one a-hole of an officer, a Flt Lt, at one time my squadron CO, who was more interested in himself and what he could get for himself rather than help the cadets. I left the cadets because this idiot was forever having a go at me for not attending every single parade. He just could not get his head round the fact that working shifts meant I was not able to do that.
Few months after I left I got a visit from some RAFP lads from Rudlow Manor. Appears he had some stuff nicked from a car following a breach of security and they wanted to know what he was like to work with etc. Think he might have tried to drag a couple of us down with him.
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sharpend,
Were you ever on Harriers and were you the sod that flew over my car while I was resting in a layby near Holbeach range where you had just departed L/L?
Cos that sounds very likely your next posting.
yep I did wake up very quickly, afterwards taught me not to rest in laybys near airfields, ranges and the like.
Were you ever on Harriers and were you the sod that flew over my car while I was resting in a layby near Holbeach range where you had just departed L/L?
Cos that sounds very likely your next posting.
yep I did wake up very quickly, afterwards taught me not to rest in laybys near airfields, ranges and the like.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Two.
18:00 7.12.64; signed on to start officer and pilot training, just short of 18
23:59 31.12.76; became a civilian again, just past 30.
Some serious good times in between, but it's a young man's life.
18:00 7.12.64; signed on to start officer and pilot training, just short of 18
23:59 31.12.76; became a civilian again, just past 30.
Some serious good times in between, but it's a young man's life.
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A very memorable moment was being picked up to go on exercise.
My very own Puma. All I had to do was stand out on the apron at Upavon with my gear and wait for the Puma. Landed on, picked me up and off we went. Just the crew and I.
It might not seem much, but it was a hell of a good way to get to Otterburn from Wiltshire vs Landrover. There I was, a 22yr old lancejack. Important enough to the exercise to have a heli pick me up. Very memorable.
Then there were the night medevacs. C130 into Lyneham with casualty, Puma from there to Woolwich, where we (MAOTs) would be waiting to marshal the Puma in. Not a particularly spectacular job, but I felt part of the team bringing some poor soul to get urgent treatment, knowing that one day it might be me. It never was, thank the Lord.
My very own Puma. All I had to do was stand out on the apron at Upavon with my gear and wait for the Puma. Landed on, picked me up and off we went. Just the crew and I.
It might not seem much, but it was a hell of a good way to get to Otterburn from Wiltshire vs Landrover. There I was, a 22yr old lancejack. Important enough to the exercise to have a heli pick me up. Very memorable.
Then there were the night medevacs. C130 into Lyneham with casualty, Puma from there to Woolwich, where we (MAOTs) would be waiting to marshal the Puma in. Not a particularly spectacular job, but I felt part of the team bringing some poor soul to get urgent treatment, knowing that one day it might be me. It never was, thank the Lord.
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Many years of working in ATC, but highlighted by working in sqn ops for 16 during the Bucc days.
Finishing that tour with a trip in a T7 on a glorious sunny day with no north German haze and "doing" the Dams trips. In the days when 250ft areas were normal, gliding across from the Moehne to the Eder tentatively holding the stick whilst the map was being scrutinised by **** made me concentrate! No impression of speed but highly impressed at the thought that crews could fly, fight and navigate at this and lower heights just filled me with pride and admiration.
Numerous other flights in fixed and rotary were completed over the years, but that one was memorable. But then, 16 were the dogs wotsits!
Finishing that tour with a trip in a T7 on a glorious sunny day with no north German haze and "doing" the Dams trips. In the days when 250ft areas were normal, gliding across from the Moehne to the Eder tentatively holding the stick whilst the map was being scrutinised by **** made me concentrate! No impression of speed but highly impressed at the thought that crews could fly, fight and navigate at this and lower heights just filled me with pride and admiration.
Numerous other flights in fixed and rotary were completed over the years, but that one was memorable. But then, 16 were the dogs wotsits!
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It was Saturday and I was SDO at Leuchars.
Shortly after 1600 I happened to be in the guardroom talking to the Orderly Sgt when I noticed that there was a really stunning brunette asking questions of the Orderly Cpl at the guardroom window.
I gently moved over and said "Not to worry Cpl - I'll deal with this".
About 8 weeks later I married her.
Rgds SOS
Shortly after 1600 I happened to be in the guardroom talking to the Orderly Sgt when I noticed that there was a really stunning brunette asking questions of the Orderly Cpl at the guardroom window.
I gently moved over and said "Not to worry Cpl - I'll deal with this".
About 8 weeks later I married her.
Rgds SOS
sharpend wrote:
Probably one of my best fun sorties was as wingman of a 2-ship low level tactical formation trip in a Hawk from Chivenor, with the entire South West England low level flying area all ours. And the leader? One Flt Lt sharpend.....
Hunter GT6 first solo was also pretty good!
Probably my best fun sorties were the weather check in a Hawk from Chivenor with the entire Welsh low level flying area all mine (well apart from the Brawdy weather check) Were we naughty???
Hunter GT6 first solo was also pretty good!
It was Saturday and I was SDO at Leuchars.
Shortly after 1600 I happened to be in the guardroom talking to the Orderly Sgt when I noticed that there was a really stunning brunette asking questions of the Orderly Cpl at the guardroom window.
I gently moved over and said "Not to worry Cpl - I'll deal with this".
About 8 weeks later I married her.
Rgds SOS
Shortly after 1600 I happened to be in the guardroom talking to the Orderly Sgt when I noticed that there was a really stunning brunette asking questions of the Orderly Cpl at the guardroom window.
I gently moved over and said "Not to worry Cpl - I'll deal with this".
About 8 weeks later I married her.
Rgds SOS
I hope you are still together.
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the best moment I ever had in the military, absolutely the very best moment, was walking out into the sunshine and getting into my car to drive away as a civilian again after 6 years of absolute bloody crap.
the military
are tossers.
the military
are tossers.
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the best moment I ever had in the military, absolutely the very best moment, was walking out into the sunshine and getting into my car to drive away as a civilian again after 6 years of absolute bloody crap.
the military
are tossers.
the military
are tossers.
My best moment? Too many to mention.
One that sticks out and is vaguely related to flying: returning from a night rescue on Seakings in the highlands and seeing the aurora borealis on NVGs. pretty impressive.
Sun.
Edited to add:
I also met my wife in the military (24 years ago). I threw peanuts at her in the NAAFI. She likes peanuts.
Sun.
the best moment I ever had in the military, absolutely the very best moment, was walking out into the sunshine and getting into my car to drive away as a civilian again after 6 years of absolute bloody crap.
the military are tossers.
the military are tossers.
I can't compete with you guys, but for what it's worth.........for me it was exercise Lionheart/Spearpoint back in '84. I was a driver in the RCT/TA.....despite my lowly position, I've never forgotten the buzz I got from that. From picking my Bedford TM up in Minden........speeding through red traffic lights (with German police on duty at the lights of course), to being scrimmed up in forests and hearing the Jags and Tornado's screaming overhead. For a 20 year old office worker it was a total blast. I actually felt as though I'd made a miniscule contribution. I can only imagine the fun you guys had in Germany in the '80's........and before anyone says anything, yes, I know it was a deadly serious business, but they just felt like great times!
Cracking thread gents btw!
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Best tour was instructing at Cosford; besides being a surprisingly interesting job I also learned to fly there which has kept me in poverty ever since. Best actual moments were two: flying over the Alps on a clear, full moon night in the jump seat of an E3 and just after I left the mob, grinning from ear to ear because I'd checked the ATM outside Sainsburys and my lump sum had gone in.