Military delivering fuel
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Military delivering fuel
Interestingly
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58713770
So a quick trip to Saint Athan and a drive across the parade square to get a HGV3 and qualify you on the Green Goddess has moved on... 
Strange how the Army can do in 5 days when you can do it on a 4 days civilian course, so is the problem testing and issuing, not the course itself? Do the military still do in house testing?
https://www.easyashgv.co.uk/hgv-training-courses/ce/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58713770
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said the move to place the Army on standby was a "sensible, precautionary step" and if troops had to be deployed, they would temporarily "provide the supply chain with additional capacity" to ease the pressure caused by increased fuel demand.
The BBC has been told that 75 military drivers are on standby initially, and another 75 could be added if needed. They require up to five days of specialised training.
The BBC has been told that 75 military drivers are on standby initially, and another 75 could be added if needed. They require up to five days of specialised training.
Strange how the Army can do in 5 days when you can do it on a 4 days civilian course, so is the problem testing and issuing, not the course itself? Do the military still do in house testing?
https://www.easyashgv.co.uk/hgv-training-courses/ce/
So why not the RAF Drivers used to drive and refuel from Bowsers?
Or the Spare Aircraft Refuelers from the Civi Airports?
Both used to handling volatile fuel and their vehicles easily cleaned out for Diesel or Unleaded...
Or the Spare Aircraft Refuelers from the Civi Airports?
Both used to handling volatile fuel and their vehicles easily cleaned out for Diesel or Unleaded...
Do the RAF have any bowser drivers these days? Hasn't it all been contractorised long since?
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
So why not the RAF Drivers used to drive and refuel from Bowsers?
Or the Spare Aircraft Refuelers from the Civi Airports?
Or the Spare Aircraft Refuelers from the Civi Airports?
He noted that the previous government up to 2010 (e.g. Labour) had moved to such support being provided from within the civil community under contract - doubtless exactly as you suggest - but since the Conservatives got back int9 office they prefer to use the armed forces.
The problem with that is they seem to fail to understand how small the forces now re and how small a pool of people not required for their primary duties on a day to da6 basis there is - due in no small part of course to having identified all such posts as non-critical and privatised or contracted them out years ago anyway.
Putr gesture politics of course - how far do they think 75 drivers will go spread out across 24 hours and the length and the breadth of the country - 2 in London, 1 each in Manchester, Birmingham, Bath, Bristol etc?
There was an interesting interview with a retired army VSO on Sky this morning addressing the issue of support to the civil powers.
He noted that the previous government up to 2010 (e.g. Labour) had moved to such support being provided from within the civil community under contract - doubtless exactly as you suggest - but since the Conservatives got back int9 office they prefer to use the armed forces.
The problem with that is they seem to fail to understand how small the forces now re and how small a pool of people not required for their primary duties on a day to da6 basis there is - due in no small part of course to having identified all such posts as non-critical and privatised or contracted them out years ago anyway.
Putr gesture politics of course - how far do they think 75 drivers will go spread out across 24 hours and the length and the breadth of the country - 2 in London, 1 each in Manchester, Birmingham, Bath, Bristol etc?
He noted that the previous government up to 2010 (e.g. Labour) had moved to such support being provided from within the civil community under contract - doubtless exactly as you suggest - but since the Conservatives got back int9 office they prefer to use the armed forces.
The problem with that is they seem to fail to understand how small the forces now re and how small a pool of people not required for their primary duties on a day to da6 basis there is - due in no small part of course to having identified all such posts as non-critical and privatised or contracted them out years ago anyway.
Putr gesture politics of course - how far do they think 75 drivers will go spread out across 24 hours and the length and the breadth of the country - 2 in London, 1 each in Manchester, Birmingham, Bath, Bristol etc?
N
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
You'd get more drivers back than that if you just told existing drivers that, in an emergency, those who had contact with someone with Covid didn’t have to isolate unless they had symptoms. It’s not as if they mix with anyone in the cab anyway.
Last edited by ORAC; 28th Sep 2021 at 16:02.
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Or the Spare Aircraft Refuelers from the Civi Airports?
OB
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I take it he has not been involved in changing a tanker over from Jet to Avgas, filters done etc and its the mother of all filters, then fill and flush etc
The government will have to be careful they do not have a repeat of the firefighter's strike. Many of the airmen sent to man the Green Goddess fire tenders came back wanting to leave the RAF and become firemen. They had seen what a good job it was and how well paid it was. No doubt many military tanker drivers will discover the same. Plus they will not have to guard the 'camp' on their day off !
" Call in the Army" is the stock in trade of politicians feeling heat and pressure to do something to avoid seeming powerless / clueless. The efficacy of deploying military resources to address civilian problems is usually questionable, and rarely the most effective or efficient solution to a problem, but is a lever which is available for politicians to pull. No criticism of the military intended or warranted, it is simply a case of horses for courses.
We have world class logistics capability in this country, most of it in the hands of our supermarkets.....
We have world class logistics capability in this country, most of it in the hands of our supermarkets.....
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I think it’s true to say that the firemen’s strike got the military a pay rise. The military personnel sent in to replace the firemen over the Christmas period (and obviously not allowed to strike) were on considerably less pay. One of the good things that the Thatcher government did.
I think it’s true to say that the firemen’s strike got the military a pay rise. The military personnel sent in to replace the firemen over the Christmas period (and obviously not allowed to strike) were on considerably less pay. One of the good things that the Thatcher government did.
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And as a young LAC i think my pay probably went down because of it Rigga
Especially when the food and accommodation charges were adjusted to compensate.
I think it’s true to say that the firemen’s strike got the military a pay rise. The military personnel sent in to replace the firemen over the Christmas period (and obviously not allowed to strike) were on considerably less pay. One of the good things that the Thatcher government did.