UAS Pay
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: my sordid mind
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Beags
I totally agree with your sentiments. I was in the UAS fairly recently and indeed one of the first to enjoy the new system of EFT at UAS and that's yer lot. From the way people spoke at the time the UAS's have changed markedly. The UAS is now EFT for the RAF and hence it is a very serious business for the flyers, no longer is it a case of rock up, go to the bar for a few ales and then take a kite for a jolly. Perform there because marks count.
I even had the pleasure of returning to my UAS to finish off the course after 6 months of bottom felching at Cranwell, the pressure was considerable but still an enormous relief after IOT.
With regard to the comments made by others regarding UAS vs OTC vs URNU, I think I can comment. I did a year in the URNU which was extremely good fun indeed, going all over Europe on a boat containing and run by 20 Studes, all on £30 a day, and I would recommend it if money is the most serious concern.
With regard to the OTC, hmm......possibly not the choice for someone who is not absolutely and totally committed to an Army career. The comments made about digging holes and running miles carrying bergens and rifles are justified. It was no fun at all, to put it in perspective allow me to talk you through a weekend with each Service.
Army.
Pitch up at THQ, get changed into greens, get issued rifle. On bus to STANTA (Norfolk Trg Area). Off nice warm bus into desolate waste land. March 5 miles with kit, arrive at platoon harbour setup bivvies, lie in mud until 30 mins after sunset, get 2 hrs sleep, get woken up to stag on, stag off after an hour back to pit for 1 hrs sleep. Get up eat rat pack if can be ar$ed, lie in mud until sun comes up. Walk another 5 miles, fire off 20 blank rounds while crawling through mud. Repeat, and then return to THQ to clean weapons sort kit etc. Between each event include standing in a squad with kit on for average 10 mins. It was not fun.
Navy.
Pitch up at train station with rail warrant, get train of your choosing to Pompey. Throw kit on boat, go to pub, those not planning next days passage (er ...um...missus), return to boat when pubs chuck out. Get up, slip the boat and head out to sea, people alternately running nav, steering, OOWing, (and sunbathing, reading on the back deck). Arrive at new port eg Poole, Brighton, Caen, Amsterdam etc, put boat to bed. Then to pub/restaurant to spend that pay. Invariably the boat docks at very nice marinas, hamble, QAB (Plymouth), Brighton so pubs etc are generally good, and allows the URNU stude to pretend to be a rich Yatchy. Like being a short range ASCOTeer.
Air Force.
Pitch up at base, car or train normally, find room in mess, get changed into suit, go to bar. Return from bar to do last minute prep for trip, books, maps etc. Breakfast in mess then over to met brief, check out program and retire to crewroom where entertainment is found or created. Those with serious trips will be found in planning room, those without will be found on phone negotiating with stn workshops how much beer is required to get them to make us a new BBQ, PIGZ board etc. Fly trip, land, debrief, if it's a test or first solo then to the bar where a sqn whip round will pay for a pint glass half full of assorted spirits and topped up with guiness, wine and pork scratchings for the successful individual. Find kebab wagon in OM's car park, retire to bed, repeat. With certain understanding from staff if it was an important test and your absence is noted at met brief. Genrally good fun, but at the risk of cliche, very much work hard play hard.
Hope it helps, in conclusion
Top UAS Good fun and a good job to keep
Middle URNU Good fun but wouldn't want to do it as a job
Bottom (by a long way) OTC neither good fun nor a good career (IMHO)
All the Best
Dunc
I totally agree with your sentiments. I was in the UAS fairly recently and indeed one of the first to enjoy the new system of EFT at UAS and that's yer lot. From the way people spoke at the time the UAS's have changed markedly. The UAS is now EFT for the RAF and hence it is a very serious business for the flyers, no longer is it a case of rock up, go to the bar for a few ales and then take a kite for a jolly. Perform there because marks count.
I even had the pleasure of returning to my UAS to finish off the course after 6 months of bottom felching at Cranwell, the pressure was considerable but still an enormous relief after IOT.
With regard to the comments made by others regarding UAS vs OTC vs URNU, I think I can comment. I did a year in the URNU which was extremely good fun indeed, going all over Europe on a boat containing and run by 20 Studes, all on £30 a day, and I would recommend it if money is the most serious concern.
With regard to the OTC, hmm......possibly not the choice for someone who is not absolutely and totally committed to an Army career. The comments made about digging holes and running miles carrying bergens and rifles are justified. It was no fun at all, to put it in perspective allow me to talk you through a weekend with each Service.
Army.
Pitch up at THQ, get changed into greens, get issued rifle. On bus to STANTA (Norfolk Trg Area). Off nice warm bus into desolate waste land. March 5 miles with kit, arrive at platoon harbour setup bivvies, lie in mud until 30 mins after sunset, get 2 hrs sleep, get woken up to stag on, stag off after an hour back to pit for 1 hrs sleep. Get up eat rat pack if can be ar$ed, lie in mud until sun comes up. Walk another 5 miles, fire off 20 blank rounds while crawling through mud. Repeat, and then return to THQ to clean weapons sort kit etc. Between each event include standing in a squad with kit on for average 10 mins. It was not fun.
Navy.
Pitch up at train station with rail warrant, get train of your choosing to Pompey. Throw kit on boat, go to pub, those not planning next days passage (er ...um...missus), return to boat when pubs chuck out. Get up, slip the boat and head out to sea, people alternately running nav, steering, OOWing, (and sunbathing, reading on the back deck). Arrive at new port eg Poole, Brighton, Caen, Amsterdam etc, put boat to bed. Then to pub/restaurant to spend that pay. Invariably the boat docks at very nice marinas, hamble, QAB (Plymouth), Brighton so pubs etc are generally good, and allows the URNU stude to pretend to be a rich Yatchy. Like being a short range ASCOTeer.
Air Force.
Pitch up at base, car or train normally, find room in mess, get changed into suit, go to bar. Return from bar to do last minute prep for trip, books, maps etc. Breakfast in mess then over to met brief, check out program and retire to crewroom where entertainment is found or created. Those with serious trips will be found in planning room, those without will be found on phone negotiating with stn workshops how much beer is required to get them to make us a new BBQ, PIGZ board etc. Fly trip, land, debrief, if it's a test or first solo then to the bar where a sqn whip round will pay for a pint glass half full of assorted spirits and topped up with guiness, wine and pork scratchings for the successful individual. Find kebab wagon in OM's car park, retire to bed, repeat. With certain understanding from staff if it was an important test and your absence is noted at met brief. Genrally good fun, but at the risk of cliche, very much work hard play hard.
Hope it helps, in conclusion
Top UAS Good fun and a good job to keep
Middle URNU Good fun but wouldn't want to do it as a job
Bottom (by a long way) OTC neither good fun nor a good career (IMHO)
All the Best
Dunc
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: clown town
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As I finished my last year on UAS streaming was introduced .
This affected a number of gifted pilots who at the very least were not able to produce 100% results while involved in the usuall activities of trying to get a degree and ripping it up in the mess.
Hell we did not know that was going to happen when we started.
All I can say was I made it to BFTS and onward with the only change in life style not having to go to uni.
OHH and GO NUAS
This affected a number of gifted pilots who at the very least were not able to produce 100% results while involved in the usuall activities of trying to get a degree and ripping it up in the mess.
Hell we did not know that was going to happen when we started.
All I can say was I made it to BFTS and onward with the only change in life style not having to go to uni.
OHH and GO NUAS
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Near a castle!
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BEagle: I can only comment on a certain UAS in Scotland, but we last had a summer camp away from home in 2001. I'm not sure about any other UASs, but we were at home last year, and this year is looking the same. On the negative side, the old excuse of "I don't know the area, Sir" won't quite cut the mustard now 
