Commissioned from the ranks.
Join Date: Sep 2008
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I left in the mid eighties and in those days it was the norm that after commissioning from the ranks, you never went back to where you came from. This gave you the chance to establish yourself as an officer and to avoid any piss taking from your previous colleagues. Is this still the case in the present day, much smaller RAF?
However, I recall two FS QFIs who on commissioning were not only posted back to Cranwell, but back to 1 Sqn on the waterfront, which they had left only weeks before.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Ian, iirc, in mid 60s it was given as one of reasons for posting of an airman.
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Well, as a j/t promoted to cpl, I went from working in the pleasant air-conditioned gin palace to the reformed 617 Sqdn, on the other side of the airfield! Rather longer hours in all weathers but some choice dets. and working on the Vulcan, made up for it.
Things must have changed with regard to normal promotion. In the late 60s I went from J/T to Cpl. without a move, Akrotiri, and in the early 70s, at Scampton, went from Cpl. to Sgt. without a move, in both cases I stayed in the same section.
I was accepted for commissioning whilst serving on 8 Squadron at Lossiemouth. Before leaving to head for Cranwell the Squadron Boss asked if I would consider returning after completing the course. I was more than happy to do so and I was well accepted back by all. It at least ensured me of a flying tour post commissioning whilst most of the other SNCO aircrew guys went to ground tours after commissioning.
I too went back to my former unit (38 Gp EU) after my IOT course. I actually knew I was going there before I left for IOT assuming of course that I passed.
As a J/T when I was promoted to Cpl I remained on 92 Sqn. Made sense as I already had an 'oversigning' chit and was now to be paid for that job !
As a J/T when I was promoted to Cpl I remained on 92 Sqn. Made sense as I already had an 'oversigning' chit and was now to be paid for that job !
In my time the Police service was the same, promotion never at your own station although there were some rare exceptions. I covered one of four vacancies at my station as an acting Sergeant for over two years but despite applying for substantive promotion never got one of those vacancies. It was only when I applied for a post elsewhere I got the promotion. Not long after it all changed and people began getting promoted at home stations.
Whereas in the lower strata of the RAF, another stripe was just a pay rise with little change in work area. Kuching, 1964, a quick flip-flops off, socks, sandals shirt and hat on, handshake by the boss, and back to work as a new corporal. Similar at Coltishall 1968, collect stripes from stores, move kit into Sergeants' Mess and back to the hangar (although informed I was now in charge of nights rectification).
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"If you have tears, prepare to shed them now"
As comparisons have been made with the Police service, perhaps you might be interested in how H.M. Customs & Excise dealt with the problem - or did before they were forcibly merged with the upstart Inland Revnue (whose Board dates back only to 1849 [Wiki], whereas we went back to Charles I). I don't know what they do now. On retirement from the RAF, I eked out my Pension with them as a VAT Inspector (boo !) for 13 years.
The scheme was this, first you had to be put on a "Vetted List" for promotion (by your superiors). Armed with this, you scanned a monthly (?) sort of AMO, which listed (inter alia) all the impending vacancies in the rank to which you aspired. Seeing one in a locality which was not vetoed by SWMBO, you applied for it. Then it was pot luck. If there was an applicant already of that rank (level transfer), he would get it. If not, and if you were the senior applicant in the junior rank, it was yours. Rarely, if ever, did a senior Post "come up for grabs!" in the place you were already serving.
Once "in post", you had "parson's freehold" it was yours till you died (or committed murder, or retired). All Customs Officers dreamt of "the little distillery in the glen" somewhere in the Highlands, where they could live tranquilly as part of the village triumvirage of leaders (Doctor, Parson and Exciseman) their whole lives through.
Now the devilish ingenuity of this arrangement came to light. You were moving to "suit yourself" weren't you ? (either to get a nicer spot [level transfer] or to get promotion). So why should the Board pay the expenses of your move ? - "You're on your own, mate !" My two moves (to take up first appointment in Manchester, and a year later a level transfer to Middlesbrough, plus new car, and my Lump Sum had "gone with the wind" !
Danny.
The scheme was this, first you had to be put on a "Vetted List" for promotion (by your superiors). Armed with this, you scanned a monthly (?) sort of AMO, which listed (inter alia) all the impending vacancies in the rank to which you aspired. Seeing one in a locality which was not vetoed by SWMBO, you applied for it. Then it was pot luck. If there was an applicant already of that rank (level transfer), he would get it. If not, and if you were the senior applicant in the junior rank, it was yours. Rarely, if ever, did a senior Post "come up for grabs!" in the place you were already serving.
Once "in post", you had "parson's freehold" it was yours till you died (or committed murder, or retired). All Customs Officers dreamt of "the little distillery in the glen" somewhere in the Highlands, where they could live tranquilly as part of the village triumvirage of leaders (Doctor, Parson and Exciseman) their whole lives through.
Now the devilish ingenuity of this arrangement came to light. You were moving to "suit yourself" weren't you ? (either to get a nicer spot [level transfer] or to get promotion). So why should the Board pay the expenses of your move ? - "You're on your own, mate !" My two moves (to take up first appointment in Manchester, and a year later a level transfer to Middlesbrough, plus new car, and my Lump Sum had "gone with the wind" !
Danny.
Danny42C
You were moving to "suit yourself" weren't you ? (either to get a nicer spot [level transfer] or to get promotion). So why should the Board pay the expenses of your move ? - "You're on your own, mate !"
Aaron.
During my visits to Lyneham over the years I knew of an airman who went from Cpl to F/Sgt without moving from the station, the added complication was that his surname was Sergeant lead to some interesting complications over the years I knew him! We also had a Herc G/E commissioned who had had a fairly lively social life over the years as a G/E and was rather put out to find out some years later, when he returned as O/C Eng H/Q Flight, under whose remit the G/Es lived, that a number of us who had worked alongside him were still doing the job so his exploits were still there in the " do you remember when" story mode!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Or I think 43, flying officers maybe but his about SAC Officer?
If he had gone to IOT he could have been Officer Cadet Officer or Cadet Officer2 and then all the way through pilot to flying officer.
If he had gone to IOT he could have been Officer Cadet Officer or Cadet Officer2 and then all the way through pilot to flying officer.