Probably right - second name ends in -ker?

OK flying dudes....you have a choice........


Flying pay or a nice set of wings??????????????


half of you will be honest; the other half liars.

Badge any day!

Because, for me, money means nothing. I am the Queens man, I protect the symbol of royalty and the dominance of democracy.

By the way, what is the ratio of FJ pilots getting out the forces to fly for airlines against those who believe the crap I said above?

Greed is a dirty word.

Tomb Stone
 

AA will correct me if I am wrong but, in days gone by, the SAS lads would complete their initial training as SAS and immediately prior to being 'badged' would join the jumping school at Abingdon to do the balloon and aircraft jumps.

Having just completed an intensive course of training based at Hereford the SAS lads were every bit as fit and every bit, if not more, militarily able and airborne forces suitable as their para colleagues so they didn't do the full 'P' Company.

TS - parabellum is correct. We were badged at the end of PTS - there's no additional badge (or pay) for completion of HALO training. Us part-timers did a one w/e P Coy, except I managed to get out of it!

Parabellum & Airborne Artist,

thanks very much for info, always interesting to hear it straight from the horses mouth.

A colleague on 16AAB told me about a holding officer who joined the unit not so long back, whilst waiting for his course at 208 Sqn. Whilst at 16AAB, he had a crack at P company & broke several records in the process. Fair play to the Paras, they took it well & did nothing but pat him on the back (probably working out where best to stick the bayonet at a later date;)).

Is it possible for anybody to have a crack at it? I quite fancy the idea of it although I'm not too sure how the Sqn OC would receive my application!

I do a lot of fell running & try to maintain a high level of fitness so, would it be worth my while investigating the possibility or, would they simply offer me the proverbial finger?

Can't see why not - ask around, or just ring them up!:ok:

C'mon whizz, give 'em a break. Every badged pilot knows that nav course is one of the hardest in the RAAF - 'coz you have to do half of pilots course first!!:ok:

The Baffler

PS. A bit controversial for my first post, I know. Before all you old salty ppruners out there arc up on the newbie, it is just a friendly jibe. Love you guys (navs) like a brother!!:}

Latest news (direct from CDR SRG) is that Navs, Air Defence Officers and AEAs will all become Air Combat Officers.

And they will all wear wings, including the ground based Air Defence Officers.

This causes come contention with Air Traffic Control Officers, who essentially work in similar environments as (Ground based) Air Defence Officers, and won't be included in the category.

The issue came up a few years ago and most ATC's did not want a brevet - but that was before they knew that all Air Defence Officers would get it. Most people believed it was only those who were AEW&C trained would wear them.

There is a proposal to include ATC in the category at a latter date, as ATC is about to go through a massive restructure, becoming more tactically based. One proposal is for ATCs who achieve a senior rank (either SQNLDR or WGCDR, yet to be decided) to be recategorised as Air Combat Officers. This is because most senior ATCs don't control and are involved in airspace management and CAOCs etc.

Another step on the road to becoming a USAF clone......:rolleyes:

When you check the stock number and name for the new pseudo squashed moth it appears on the stacker's computer screens as Brevet - Non Aircrew....Therefore let the Air Tragicers have it and leave the rest of us with what we were presented with on Grad Parades.

And another thing! The bottom star is in the wrong place on the metal version, so as I'm clearly an old school Navigator who is unwilling to move with the times and embrace my future, I would like to propose that we approach CAF to have the new badge cancelled; as it is clearly in contradiction to the Bible of all poor sods who spent a year of their life at East Sale.....The Air Almanac.

Does that mean you'll be being operating enough aircraft to matter? :}

We can "matter" with a lot less aircraft!:ok:

"Fewer" actually, but either way, good on ya!

It is fine to introduce a new brevet to new recruits, but to discard the right of the more mature amongst us to wear the award they were given for a lot of blood, sweat and tears is wrong. It is right up there with removing the individuality of crew patches.
I am sure that the F111 navigator along with WOD support will now be happy with the grey men in their own model they have created.:ugh: :mad:
Charlie sends

A "common brevet", no flying suit patches (can't demonstrate personality now, can we!), a data base of "approved" SQN caps, shirts and badges etc....
Considering the RAAF is more operationally active now then it has been for many years, I thought this blunt cr*p would have been consigned to the bottom drawer.

Is this the return of the "7th Floor WOD"?:hmm:

One wing or two, we all know the purpose of the nav is to give the pilot something to eat until he gets rescued.

Interesting concept.! Most pilots I know are anorexic compared to the eating machines they fly with...I reckon you got that the wrong way around.

Also, Post ejection sausage-side, Popping the Nav and sticking an F-16 patch on his velcro won't work either!

Pathfinder Support
 

Went to a Pathfinder Force Association Dedication Service yesterday. Met a buch of the PFF veterans, almost all of whom commented that it was good to see someone sporting the single wing Brevet. (They keep up with all goings-on!)

During the dedication speech, the PFF Assoc President mentioned his initial PFF interview with Don Bennett.....Apparently he was asked why he was wearing his Observer Brevet vice the Navigator one, and replied that he would never wear a brevet in place the one he was awarded upon graduation.

Apparently this was seized upon by Bennett who replied that as an Observer he should be capable of 20wpm Morse Code and then proceeded to flip over a hinged morse key and tap out 40 words!

it it it it it it it it it it it it it it :hmm: