And the current serving page would be a ghost town, Current ops... now there's an idea, discuss them on an open forum, sure that'll go down a treat in Whitehall.
Also how would you tell a current from a former member?

I suspect that those proposing this move don't like being told that there is something to be learned from the past and from those that served in it. So be it, but the forum that does not learn from the past is doomed to repeat it...

Chug,

Spot on.

Smudge

This thread is exactly what is right about this Forum in general.

A provocative post is made (even if not meant to be such) and a very good discussion takes off.

When we bring up the value of historical context, I am reminded Ol' BEAGS should be the go to person as he was a Corporal when the Wright Brothers were born.

The amazing amount of experience that can be found here has always been something I have enjoyed. As I have survived to become an Old Fart.....I freely admit I owe it to those that I followed in this business of flying airplanes and helicopters.

I see no way to break what we do into nice neat convenient segments so that we can just pigeonhole our discussions. No matter how a Thread starts....there is no requirement it continue on a straight defined course to its completion.

If one wanders....in time someone will inject a comment that causes a change in course....maybe even back to the original topic.

We do, of course, have a history and nostalgia forum that has always included mil in many of its past forms. It works, and it is interesting, when a topic is opened that throws a few people back to when they were a lad in the mil.

With diminishing returns of our current military it is probably better to leave things as they are.

Funny how this old chestnut turns up from time to time. If you missed the last couple of episodes, Ralphmalph, I must assume you're not a hugely regular user here. And that is part of the issue; as mentioned before, it would be a pretty quiet place without all the current and highly active members that we have now.

If you were to be made redundant next year would you immediately hand in your keys to PPRuNe along with your ID card on the grounds that your opinion was valid here yesterday, but not today?

It has always been the case here that serving personnel tend to read more than they post, often for good reasons, not the least being that the powers that be take a dim view of people that put themselves forward as unofficial spokspersons, especially if the views expressed are sensitive, controversial or critical.

PPRuNe Pop's decision is a good one for ALL that use the Mil Forum.

Courtney

Right! That's settled. Can we close this one and open a nostalgia thread then?

I remember when Nostalgia threads were much better than the current crop...

Yep! They don't grow them like they used to when I was a young whipper snapper.

"Today's Ops" become "Yesterday's Ops" in very short order. At some point in one's life the fit young rooty-tooty top gun becomes the "old bugger full of war stories sitting in the corner with his pint". However, as many have pointed out, those war stories come at some cost and have been hard won by experience.

So go ahead and split the forum; miss out the histories and stuff that might possibly stick in your head and save your life some day. Most of us don't really care if the OP ends up in the proverbial smokin' hole in the ground - except that it's a fellow RAF serviceman in that unfortunate position and we'll commiserate along with your squadron mates.

The RAF is for the young. But don't forget the young at heart of those that served, for we have only your best interests at heart. And anyway we enjoy a good yarn over a beer or three :ok:




'twas ever thus.

Oi! I resemble that remark

Permission to join your corner, Ali.

Surely not - wasn't he the model for this 1920 recruitment poster?

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps26db0aa0.jpg

Very funny, but the only time I was an NCO was in the school CCF.

Wow! I didn't know they had a CCF back then.

Ok I was never a Military pilot but I did serve as ground crew so the last time I checked I'm ok to use this forum. But as I'm now a civillian Military Contractor (not waste of space btw) I'm just wondering where I fit into the proposed scheme:confused:

AGS man,

My original post is borne out of a number of desires.

For the serving man/woman, this forum can be a gold mine. I have perceived over the years a steady decline in my fellow serving members participating.....for many reasons, one being continually raised in crew rooms is

"It's full of old duffers banging on about how it was in xxxxxx"

Maybe unfair, but there is an element of truth and straight talking in that. All of us as servicemen like to reminisce.

I know security is a limitation.....and some topics are verboten.

My views are no "hissy fit", merely an idea to try and bring information, discussion and debate.

I understand the relevance of past lessons....And am a huge proponent of the adage.. "Before you blindly run off like an enthusiastic spastic, someone somewhere has probably done this before"

I am in no way denigrating those who have served before....and whose ranks I will join.....perhaps very shortly!

Honestly.....if I am being very very truthful, I feel that the proportion of relevance to me as a serving military aviator.....is diminishing.

Not much to be done about that but just skim the site once a week.

SASless....my OP was not meant to inflame or be provocative.....it was borne out of frustration, and a desire to perhaps see the same kind of interaction that used to occur on PPrune. IHMO.

Ralph

Rumour has it when he signed up they used a slate for the "paperwork".

:E

Surely not - wasn't he the model for this 1920 recruitment poster? Warmtoast

The equivalent dark blue slogan was "Join the Navy and see the world", which inevitably led to "Join the Fleet Air Arm and see the next ....":(

Very funny, but the only time I was an NCO was in the school CCF. - BEagle

I'm shocked - Let's hope that the RAF Club doesn't find that out ....:D

Oh, and regarding Ralph's original point, Shakespeare summed it up pretty well in The Tempest when he said "What's past is prologue".:ok:

Jack

In those days Beags you didn't have to be a commissioned officer to be a pilot. Anyway, I bet under that hat he has more hair than you ever had!