Don't be too harsh on yourself Tigs, as I will share the award. As Wizard pointed out, by not having followed the thread all evening, I didn't notice that PP had actually removed the 'sensitive' information.
I look forward to 78 Sqn arriving in theatre and showing us where we have been going wrong all this time.

We have an OCF not an OCU. As far as I am aware, they don't. I'm not on the OCF. Any more pearls of wisdom?

Merlin
 

MGD,

Please try to keep up. Merlin has been operational some years now and working very hard in Iraq. Your force has done incredibly well, and everyone acknowledges that, but that doesn't mean that other forces are less professional or worthwhile.

Channel 4
 

As media luvvies we were particularly pleased with the MERT piece as it shows the gritty reality of the conflict. Thanks to the guys and girls who allowed the embed. Channel 4 have done some good pieces for us with the Bootnecks too, including reconstruction projects, and they are currently still in theatre with us. Next week we have 3 more groups of journos arriving and hopefully we can let the world know a bit more about life out here. (Less than 50 days to do!:bored:)

Two snags there. One, you have to have been issued a PRR in the first place which the MERTs aren't (as mentioned in the report), and even if you do have one, all your conversation will still be drowned in the whine of two engines, five transmissions and the navigator.
....which is also used by the crew to try and operate the aircraft. A crowded intercom is as big a pain as a crowded aircraft. :rolleyes:

Get aware then. Yes, they (the instructors) do.

You are absolutely correct TR hence the next sentence after the line you have quoted :)

I have no idea why the MERTs in Afghan do not have PRR ,as they do in Iraq so that they can keep in touch with their QRF/ARF. Perhaps they haven't requested them? I guess only they can answer that one.

MGD, keep going, eventually the hole will be deep enough that you can't be heard.

I wasn't referring to tangled up leads and stuff.
I meant the problem of too many people all trying to talk at once (so a bit like Main Building in that respect)

Never said they didn't, but none have been out there any of the times I have been there. And as for the 'get aware' , get over yourself.

Whatever, I am perfectly willing to change my opinion, but until the Merlin does something to alter my opinion, it's the one I'm sticking with. If you don't like it...tough, but it is my opinion. Your not shy of sharing yours.

Well, actually you DID say they don't deploy (as far as you were aware), which is a little unfair towards those who have, admirably, started breaking the mould so far as OCF deloyability is concerned. If you must make such sweeping assumptions at the expense of other people's reputations, surely you expect some flames?
Little blinkered isn't it? "I don't know about it so therefore the answer's no"

Mmm, 184 posts in nine weeks compared to 151 in three years.
I think you win the 'opinion' title hands down:D:rolleyes:

Anyway, back to the thread....

Surely you mean the "opinionated" title Wiz? :ok:

If you are one of the small number that have deployed on behalf of the OCF, then you deserve the credit for breaking the mould. The majority, however, don't.
Some, and it is a small number I'll admit, or quite happy to live off a very stale experience of Ops, and pass it on as gospel. You (if your who I think you are, are not in that category) but many are.

To get back to the point raised by AIDU, I am not on the OCF (nor would I want to be), and the OCF collectively, do not deploy as a matter of course. I personally have never seen a member of the OCF in theatre. But if you want to carry on splitting hairs....

You know guys, it is tradition that this forum is self moderating. Well that's the idea anyway. But sad to say that for the past two pages there has been a dig here, a poke there and silly attempts at oneupmanship. Time to call a halt guys and get back on topic.

Take a moment to think - before you submit a post, and also take a moment to wonder. Just what the guys and gals reading this think of you who have lowered the tone on their efforts.

Do I have a point? I think I do.

Thank you Pop, as you say back to the thread! Thanks to airsound for the heads up on the item, thanks to channel 4 for showing it, thanks to the crew for filming it and above all thanks to the MERTs. Low profile, dedicated, professional and doing an outstanding job, well done ladies and gents all! Oh, and a plug for the Wokkas, whether in this thread or Ross Kemp's or "Above Enemy Lines" always there, the means by which all the rest is done. :ok:

Superb work by everyone involved. Did I not see the good Mr Padbury in "Above Enemy Lines"? He'll be after an Equity card next.

I was just about to say the same thing. He was a Flying Officer in 'Above Enemy Lines' but has since been promoted. How often do the crews go out there, or would he have been promoted and is on the same tour?

Indeed thanks to airsound (Sean?) for bringing everyone's attention to this. I did see the Channel 4 piece, I was very busy and only had it on in the background but stopped what I was doing and was spellbound.

As has been said, Channel 4 News is much the best evening news programme and has a long history of showing military stories in some detail and without the irritating and damaging BBC and ITV habit of reducing everything to "joe public" friendly soundbites. They have indeed pursued the Mull of Kintyre injustice, but I am surprised that no-one has yet mentioned that Alex Thomson created something of a legal precedent when he refused to be forced to reveal his (ex-Para) sources to the Bloody Sunday enquiry, taking it all the way to the high court and winning. Oh and Krishnan Guru-Murthy wanted to be a wokka pilot before be got into the media (honestly - I know him personally).

Channel 4 News is a professional, detailed, insightful and (surpisingly given Jon Snow's famous left-leaning) military-friendly news programme. I commend it to everyone.

And - of course - well done to all the MERT chaps and chapesses from the medics to the pilots to the gunners - you guys demonstrate the very finest of the British military spirit - low key, professional, EFFECTIVE.

KP

Pop
Thanks for your post.

MGD

since when has ANYBODY on an OCU, OCF or Sqn for that matter had any control over where and when they get posted or deployed?? I think if the powers that be told you on the quiet you were going to be looked over for your next trip to the sandpit you would not complain one iota. Non of the lads and lasses choose where they go, and if instructors are left on an OCF without recent deployment experience, then they have to do the best job they can to train the new guys with whatever experiences they have.

Your post

Is frankly not one I would want to see from somebody I was supposed to go to war with. As for your last bit, I hope you are posted to an OCF and the understand what it is like to have people as short sighted as you thinking that they are REMFS. You should be ashamed of yourself for the post, and bye the way, if it wasn't for some Remf on an OCU/OCF giving you the time of day you wouldn't be doing your job now.:mad::mad:

You've touched a nerve mate! (and no I was never on an OCU/OCF apart from as a stude). The difference between us is that despite banter, if you cut me through the middle you would find a roundel, in you ther would just be a squadron badge.

Tigs,

I think you need to take a chill pill my old son. I don't want to go to the OCF, just as I don't want to change type or become a Flt Ops Officer. I don't want to pay more tax or have nails hammered into my feet.
We all have things we don't want to do, even you. I just expressed mine in response to a post.
Are some of the OCF out of date....YES. Are some of them doing a top notch job, day in day out....YES. And I stand very firmly by my post, despite your knee jerk morale outrage.
As for your comments about not complaining if told I was not going to the sandpit, I find that a bit of an assumption and possibly a little reflective of your own mindset.
I always deploy, and always will deploy. Partly because of quals, partly because I enjoy it (being away from Odius is no bad thing these days), but mostly because that is the job I joined to do.
Well done on having a roundel. I think you'll find many of JHC have chucked theirs away having been cut adrift by the RAF. But if it keeps you happy, it's a good thing.

Now, can we get back onto topic, or does anyone else want to have a pop?

Back on topic, you can show your appreciation to Alex Thomson (and through him, to the camerman, Stuart Webb) by sending an email to him using [email protected]