Gay recruitment drive by RAF
 

As seen on ARRSE:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../31/ngay31.xml

A commentator wrote:

:D

I am so glad that I'm out.

What's the betting that £hundreds of thousands will be diverted from op budgets to be spent on courses for all service personnel on:

'lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) equality in the workplace' and

'rising - lesbian and gay professionals in the workplace'.

It will, of course, be compulsory and it won't be long before gays are fast tracked to prove that the RAF is, indeed, championing the cause [whatever that is] at the same time sweeping away any recruiting problems.

Equality for all?

Er, Freudian slip? ;) :E

I "came out"* 2 years ago...on PVR! I am sure that the problems of overstretch and low morale will easily outweigh any small gains made in targeted recruitment. The Army are losing people quicker than they can replace them, despite a high-profile recruitment campaign.
* a joke. Am I a bigot if I point out it is a joke? I am married. But I liked Brokeback Mountain. Just the outdoors bits. Honest!

Clearly their Lordships don't have enough real issues to concern themselves with - inadequate numbers of mostly outdated aircraft, poor retention of personnel fed up with endless detachments to the desert, lack of spares etc. If there are as many homosexuals in the forces as quoted (12000 - presumeably worked out using the standard perceived 6% of the population) then we already have our 'quota'. Targeting the gay community to boost recruitment will not solve the manning problem, as they will still be affected by all the same issues as affect everyone in the military. Gay or straight, people are fed up with the same things, namely inadequate resources, excessive tasking, & the poor leadership that contributes to that situation.

I'd rather see the money spent on the things we need, not on PC window-dressing, & I reckon that most of the non-heterosexual members of the armed forces would agree with me. I can't believe they would want to be fast-tracked in their careers on the basis of their sexuality alone.

Remember when:

LGB meant Laser Guided Bomb
EO meant Electro Optics
PC meant Personal Computer

In my day it meant Police Constable

Just another example of how the language of this country has been twisted into different meanings. I appreciate that you know that I meant that 'I'm out of the Services', but in my informative years, for example, a 'gay' man was someone with an amusing and spirited character; life and soul of the party; always had a crowd round him at happy hour. And straight as a die.

Terminology hijacked by minority groups. PC brigade having you watch every single thing you say.

Freedom of speech? I'm Scottish, and I cannot call my brother 'Jock' or take the p*ss or tell an anti-Scottish joke...

More Lesbians!!! Excellent!!:D :ok: :p

VR,

Lesbian is good, in fact bl@@dy marvellous but I think from a purely male perspective Bi Sexual girls is a much better option:E

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

The meaning of...
 

I always thought PC was supposed to be pre-fixed by R...certainly from an RN perspective.

Oh and wasn't LGB an infamous or otherwise previous encumbant of the title "Red 10"....?:cool:

"More Lesbians!!! Excellent!!"

Well VR, I suspect you certainly don't need to worry about your quota from the G and B fraternity over there on Pansy's Own!! ;)

I rest my case..............

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sb5pF0IF_DM

These threads are great. The ex-RN bigots on Rum Ration are a joy to behold, with quotes ranging from "shoot the pooftahs" to "it wasn't like it in my day". Rum Ration also being the place where the entire board was groomed by a paedophile for 6 months before outing himself!

Don't forget, the only difference between gay and straight is 8 pints of Fosters....and the bit about "only if you push back" is not true...

Oh well, no surprise that the pink wing of NuLabour should be getting MoD payback for its part in assisting against the fight for real equality, so as to promote and maintain a ghetto.

The RAF will now have to sign up to place pointless recruitment advertisements in the ghetto 'gay press', a press largely ignored by a great majority of gay people in the country, and targetted at a section of the 'gay community' who are highly unlikely to be considering a military career.

Those of us who actually engaged in the fight for equality are as horrified by this kind of patronising bolleaux as many of our straight brothers in arms. Strangely, we all managed to find our way to the recruiting office and many of us managed to serve rather well until we were booted out. We campaigned against the type of special treatment we received then; ideally wanting just to be left to get on with our jobs. We certainly did not campaign for one type of special treatment to be replaced by another.

The mind boggles!

Anyway - another corker from ARRSE:

http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/uploads...sforqueers.jpg

I guess we have to replace the loss of shirt-lifters after the closure of Colt..."If I was a Jag Mate...Ooh, Ah!...etc"

:ok:

Oh right. Like any straight bloke would have an amusing and spirited character; be the life and soul of the party; or ever have a crowd round him at happy hour.

http://www.earlydoors.info/general/i...ries1/gen3.jpg

I see Mess rules have already been amended to make offering to push somebody's stool in a promotable offence.

PC Seasons Greetings
 

a tenuous PC link here but sadly it appears to be where we are going.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress,non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all ...
and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make the United Kingdom great, (not to imply that the UK is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "UK" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.
- DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTABILITY -
(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

I'm looking forward to the call 'chocks away Ginger' ringing out once more from RAF bases?.

or listening in to the fighter jocks " this is Mountbatten pink 1, calling Fuchsia 2, you are cleared to scratch his eyes out..".

Hmm.. which set of Queens regulations do they have to follow?.

Joking aside, It doesn't matter, gay straight or lesbian as long as they are good at their job..

We all have our preferences ;-) mine... to be dipped in chocolate and thrown to the lesbians..:ooh:

Happy New year to all..

It's just not the same since you left darling!!:O

And how much is this gay recruitment drive going to cost the MOD??

Probably enough for individual sets of body armour for all AT crews, ESF for all transport aircraft and an updated DAS for all!!!

We don't need to be targetting individual groups in society - the truth is no-one actually wants a career in a dwindling military raped by New Labour. The reason we are so short is that we are sick and tired of being reduced and over-stretched with insufficient funding or equipment.

I have served alongside homosexuals in various theatres and they don't ask to be treated any differently - why should we have to fund a gay recruitment drive??

What next? - a Yorkshire recruitment programme??

PC and EO spin - they can stick it up their arse!!!;)

I imagine that the homosexual community are equally annoyed at this ludicrous positive discrimination...... A desperate attempt to augment the recruiting deficit; a finger in the crumbling dyke (sorry).

As others have said, surely the real reason for recruitment difficulty is the self-induced implosion of the UK's armed forces this century? Overstretched, underfunded - and anyone who dared to raise his/her head above the parapet with the slightest criticism or complaint was jumped on mercilessly by the inadequately testiculated 'middle managers'.....

Or rather, 'muddle mis-managers'?

Just what has been achieved over the last 10 years? Anyone can list a dozen or more things which have destroyed service quality of life - but what has actually been improved? Anything at all?



OK - perhaps one thing. Recognition of military flying skills and experience by the CAA which has made transition to a second career in civil flying much easier.

Unfortunately The PVR rate has, and is continuing to "improve"!

Totally agree Antique, although I think there is some merit in returning to tried and tested recruitment grounds, such as the Northeast, (read: working class areas) traditionally being good areas.

But we do seem to waste an inordinate amount of time and effort trying to recruit minorities - the ethnic minority recruitment teams are a prime example of disproportionate effort to results. A couple of asian servicepeople I knew were regularly poached from their primary duties to attend all expenses paid, high-profile events across the country, but where are the asian recruits? (and yes, you could argue that's the point!)

By targetting homosexuals I think the policy people have, as usual, missed the point - people aren't choosing other careers because they're gay, they're not bothering with the military because it has a growing reputation for being undermanned and underfunded.

Perhaps we should devote more time and effort to recruiting people who like travelling a lot, who don't get offended by paying tax while pissing in a hole in the ground somewhere crap, who can see the funny side when their tax revenues go to scroungers while their equipment pre-dates them or simply doesn't work.

Just not sure how you'd market it...

I'm able to speak from both sides of the proverbial fence on this one, being both actively involved in a major RAF PR project at the moment, and also being a gay man.
It's probably fair to say that 99 percent of us "queers" (as quaintly described by our beloved Army brethren on Arrse) also think it's vaguely ridiculous to be diverting MoD money to Stonewall for no obvious reason. Clearly, it won't result in so much as one additional recruit but it will put a bit more money in Stonewall's pocket so that they can continue their heroic campaign of achieving er... nothing. Unfortunately, Stonewall has long lost most of its credibility with us fags and it is now seen as a political group which spends more time in bed with Tony than Cherie does.
Naturally, anyone with an ounce of common sense agrees that the RAF wants the best people for the job, be they gay, lesbian, bisexual, green, yellow, whatever. It's going to take much more than Stonewall's claptrap to change attitudes within the RAF so that any potential recruit feels comfortable at the prospect of announcing his sexuality to his work mates. The sad aspect of this saga is that it really shouldn't be an issue. A gay man has no interest in the sleeping arrangements of straight men therefore it seems ludicrous that the converse shouldn't apply.
In reality, it's pointless to make any effort to change people's attitudes. People's attitudes cannot be "made" to change; they inevitably change gradually thanks to the influence of society as a whole, personal experience, age and wisdom. Sooner or later we'll reach a stage where anyone can join the RAF's ranks and be happy to tell anyone that he's gay without raising so much as an eyebrow. We're already getting there but Stonewall's involvement won't make anything happen any faster.
I fear that this latest MoD crusade is just another hair-brained attempt at plugging an ever-widening hole in a proverbial dyke (if you'll pardon the expression). I've sat in plenty of crew rooms and listened to all kinds of banter, much of which has contained all manner of "gay" comments. But I have to say that I've never heard anything which I found offensive and one gets the impression that the whole "gay thing" is already something which is rapidly becoming an issue which is of no more interest than the colour of one's skin.
Ultimately, this latest nonsense probably has more to do witha desire to be seen to be competing on a level playing field with the Navy. The Navy went off to do their "let's get gay-friendly" thing and one presumes that the RAF simply want to do likewise, rather than be at risk of missing the political boat. Whilst any attempt to out-grow institutionalised homophobia has to be applauded, it's difficult not to conclude that this latest move is unnecessary, pointless, and probably another major waste of money.

Dallas - I was only joking about the Yorkshire recruitment drive!!!

Being born and bred from God's own county myself!!

This farcical announcement will make absolutely no difference whatsoever to recruiting at all. It is yet another nail in the coffin of a dying RAF that is slowly being eaten alive by the maggots at the MOD. Time is running out fast for the RAF, and unless action is taken soon, it will be gone forever.

If the CAS is reading this then may I make this plea....

Glenn, for Christs sake wake up and put a stop to all this kind nonesence NOW. If you or the MOD have money to waste, then 'waste' it on those that are under your command now, and need it urgently, not on a tiny few who may be under your command in the future.
The boys and girls need flying suits, socks, boots - the essentials Sir! They cannot get them because stores don't have any! Put the money towards the AT fleet to help them out or some other needy outfit; SAR maybe?? Spend it on the front line, they are the ones that need it NOW, please. Here is a real opportunity for you to make a name for yourself in history. Not just as the CAS but as the man who told the government that 'enough is enough' and it has to stop. You are the CAS, NOT some 20 yr old spotty civil serpent. You should decide what is happening, NOT them

Come on Sir, this is the chance of a lifetime to make a real difference. Dont throw it away.

Kind regards
TSM

Last year I saw on my local website a link to LGB Training.

"That's handy I thought, I need to know more about the EPW III. Unfortunately it was the wrong link. :(

Pretty in pink!
 

I think the recruiting campaign started years ago!!
http://home.clara.net/acf/scale/scal...pit/spit-1.jpg:}

I must confess to being intrigued as to what happens at LGB training sessions.

As a card-carrying poofter (to whom it all seemed to come fairly naturally), were I to rejoin, would I be able to skip the lesbianism syllabus or would I have to sit bored to tears through that to get my diploma? Does one get a diploma?

Is there a syllabus anywhere that I can check? Is the Bisexual Training session just the elementary Lesbianism and homosexuality sessions chucked together with intermediate heterosexuality?

Does the advanced syllabus in all 3 disciplines include any heavyweight 'slap and tickle'? I've never been averse to a bit of tickle but I draw the line at anything involving pain. Can one opt out of nipple-clamps and piercings and still get one's diploma?

Is there an exam? Is it a practical, viva-voce, written or multiple choice?
Can anyone enlighten me?

Perhaps it's an oral exam?

Sorry - just banter!

This must be the biggest pink jet the RAF ever had:


But there was once, of course, a hideous brown Nimrod!

Air Force enlists Stanedyke for Scots recruits
 

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/img/logo.gif

1 Jan 07

Air Force enlists Stanedyke for Scots recruits



The Royal Air Force has called in a Scots pressure group to help solve its recruitment crisis. The Service will take advice from Stanedyke on how to make itself more attractive to Scots and Multi-national men and women, and is aiming to spend tens of thousands of pounds on advertising in the "tartan" media.

As part of the initiative, the RAF will pay Stanedyke an undisclosed sum to join its "Diversity Champions" programme, under which commanders have to demonstrate the Service's commitment to implementing a range of policies to promote "Scots and Bi-national (S&B) equality in the workplace". The measures will include offering Whisky rations to Scots couples, creating an S&B staff group and sponsoring events such as the annual Scots and Bi-National Pride festival, featuring the world-famous RAF Regiment Synchronised Bagpiping Morris Dancers.

The "contract" between the RAF and Stanedyke follows 18 months of negotiations in which senior military chiefs were told that the Armed Forces were a "turn-off" to Scots men and women because of the belief that they were "entrenched with anti-Scots and bi-national prejudice". A trawl of websites such as PPRuNe reveals deep-seated prejudice with frequent use of derogatory terms such as Sweaty-Sock and Porridge-Wog.

Many of the estimated 35,000 Scots personnel in the Armed Forces have fought – and in some cases been killed – in Iraq and Afghanistan but, according to Stanedyke, few if any serving Scots troops feel confident enough to declare their nationality publicly.

As part of the new undertaking, the RAF has agreed to be placed on a Workplace Equality Index, which showcases Britain's top 100 employers for Scots and bi-national staff. Stanedyke will offer RAF personnel the chance to attend its intensive two-day Whisky appreciation exercise for "rising Scots & Bi-National professionals in the workplace".

Senior RAF officers will also receive a training package "designed to educate employers and their staff about the benefits of building an inclusive workplace environment for Scots & Bi-National staff".

Scottishness was taboo in the Armed Forces until 1746, when the Government was required by its need for an empire to lift the Armed Forces' ban on Tartan.

An Teallach, Stanedyke's chief executive, described the decision by the RAF to join forces with his group as "marvellous". He said: "After decades of entrenched [anti-Scots] prejudice across the Services, it would have been almost miraculous to imagine that the day the ban was lifted in 1746 everything would be hunky dory.

"I can punt out courses on Burns and Bagpipes and laugh all the way to the bank. Would you recommend the Seychelles for a holiday? There’s one born every minute in the NuLabour Public Sector."

Gerald Howarth, the shadow Tory defence minister with responsibility for the RAF, said that he thought that "taxpayers would be aghast" that public money was being used to support a pressure group. "This is an extraordinary exercise in political correctness," he said. "The idea that the Scots & Bi-National community is not already aware of the opportunities in the Armed Forces is ridiculous, and to go out and specifically recruit on the grounds of a person's nationality seems to defeat the whole purpose of anti-discrimination legislation."

A spokesman for the MoD said: "The Armed Forces are committed to establishing a culture and climate where those who choose to disclose their National orientation can do so without risk of abuse or intimidation. This is a far more PC use of the Defence Vote than body armour or explosive suppression in our aircraft. Anyway, we pished millions up the wall on lawyers fighting the Scots and we now have to use the Bigotry Budget for something. Rather than lose it back to the Treasury, we’ve renamed it the Patronizing Budget."

Can we expect a whole new re-write of RAF slang in light of the new program under discussion?

I can see it now..........

"Join The Navy and Feel A Man" ( We have lots of them for you )

"Are you Male 16 and over with Transexual Tendancies? Well Join the Army" (You haven't tried on webbing till you try on ours)




I suppose the ideal applicant for the forces these days is a, Disabled, Gay, Ethnic Minority Illegal Immigrant with strong Pacifist tendancies............... as that should just about tick all of the PC boxes...

Be careful - you might just get what you wish for :}


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c9...tchlesbian.jpg

I KNEW IT !!!!


BTW Tim, well made points throughout.

SASless:

The phrase, used when clipping the edge of the tanker basket, "Rim, no damage" took on a whole different meaning a few years ago.

Also, the annual report phrase, "he has a good pair of hands" also ceased to be used.

Will that make "just nipping out for a Fag" a thing of the past, the future, or fall into the category of "Don't ask, don't tell" :}
Dallas has got it right, target the areas of high unemployment which have always been the richest recruiting ground for the RAF. The specific notion of the North East is a little off the mark though. There is next to no RAF footprint in the north east. It lies just about halfway between RAF Scotland and RAF Lincs/south. If you are on Tyneside and see an aircraft, 9 times out of ten, it'll be Queazy Jet or some such. Very few machines with roundels seen in these parts.

Somewhere, deep inside their dark minds, the MoD must know that the fundamental cause of recruitment problems has nothing to do with attracting gays, ethnics or anyone else. The fundamental shift for all three services has been caused by the sudden realisation that joining HM Forces is now no longer a mere career opportunity. Joining-up now runs a very considerable risk of being required to fight and put one's life at risk. Consequently, all the traditional attrractions like decent pay, job security and career advancement don't seen quite so appealing.

Ultimately there's not much the MoD can do to shy away from this fact. Tinkering with recruitment campaigns is fine but it's not going to create a change of attitude. Indeed it's difficult to think of any obvious means of attracting people back through the Careers Office doors.