TTN ... I agree ...

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1c0cfbd9.jpg

Image Credit : MOD RAF

Congratulations Ma'am :D:D:D:D

I think this is great news. Congratulations, Wg Cdr Thomas.

Back in my UAS days, I can remember seeing a recruiting ad for Air Trafficers, showing smiling male and female officers and the salary range, with a footnote along the lines of "of course, women's pay is slightly less". How times of changed.

A question. Why do they make female officers wear that stupid hat? Why haven't they adopted the male officer's hat?

We should also congratulate Wing Commander Roger Elliott as the new Boss of II (AC) Squadron who is also to lead the re-roll to Typhoon and the move to Lossiemoth. :D:D:D:D

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...pse7eaca88.jpg

Image Credit : MOD RAF

PS. Given that it was a joint parade by 12(B) and II(AC) Squadrons at RAF Marham last Friday (09 JAN 2015), it seemed only fair and equitable to congratulate both new CO's.

Indeed. Heartiest congratulations and the very best of luck. I wish you a happy, safe and successful tour.

Congratulations !
 

Congratulations, both !

But why the media fuss about Wg. Cdr. Thomas ? We've had lady pilots, Navs, ATC and Fighter Controllers, etc (as well as M.P.s, Doctors, Solicitors, etc - and even voters) for quite a while now ! (my only cavil is about front line close combat).

But my eye was caught by this link from #1 on this Thread:
(Extract D.Tel 9.1.15).

"The pair have said that one of their proudest moments to date involved helping to foil a rocket attack on their base at Kandahar airfield in 2010".

"There was a high threat and the base was expecting an imminent attack after some men were spotted in a nearby ditch, setting up to fire a rocket at their accommodation block".

"They took the aircraft out to 15 miles from their position in the ditch and came down to low level, approaching at more than 500mph and as close to the Operational Low Flying minimum of 100 feet as possible, passing directly over them before heading into a steep climb".

"The rocket crew immediately scarpered in a truck and the pair felt they had made a tangible difference to protect their colleagues".

“The intention is to always use the minimum force required to provide the effect needed by the guys on the ground".

Am I missing something here ? This was in 2010, and there was a war going on in Afghanistan (as we have 453 good reasons to remember). This is the enemy, and he is making ready to kill you (or some of your comrades) if he can. You are airborne in one of the RAF's most powerful weapons. You have a 27mm cannon.

You buzz him off (as I used to shift a flock of goats off my strip before landing).
So that he can come back later and try again ?

I am a simple soul. Can someone please explain this to me (after all, my war was 70 years ago, and things change).

D.

Note - (Tornados came in after I retired):

"The aircraft is also equipped with an integral 27mm Mauser cannon capable of firing 1700 rounds per minute". [Google>RAF - Tornado GR4]

"......cannon.[47] When the RAF GR1 aircraft were converted to GR4, the FLIR sensor replaced the left hand cannon, leaving only one;[85] Guns: 2× 27 mm (1.06 in) Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon internally mounted under each side of fuselage, each with 180 rounds. "27 x 145 B ammunition (Switzerland), Cannon – 20 to 30 mm cannon." (Jane's Information Group, 27 October 2011).

[Google>Panavia Tornado - Wiki, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panavia_Tornado]

Was the cannon loaded; were they loaded with bombs?

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1c0cfbd9.jpg

Sorry, but that's not a flattering photograph. One should NEVER photograph a lady from such a low aspect.

Still, at least she's 'flipping the bird', if ever so subtly, to the photographer.

And that's why the whole damn military shebang is a load of gangrenous old cock.

Yes, congratulations Roger '2-gong' Elliot. Is he moving them single-handedly, or getting some other buggers to do it for him?

Seriously, any more fawning on this thread and I'd think i was in Richmond Park in May.

Well, her decision to wear the nav brevet doesnt appear to have affected her career!

Thanks for the explanation re which brevet is worn, guys.

Perhaps there were civilians nearby. Perhaps it was too close to the base for a strafing run.

In response to Danny's question - 2010 is about the time that General McChrystal's policy of 'courageous restraint' was gaining a lot of traction in theatre.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...s-at-risk.html

Danny. The low pass tactic was requested by Aussie SAS in Iraq at a Cement Factory, in order to save the infrastructure, but I see your point in this case.

Congratulations to the two Wing Commanders concerned, albeit somewhat surprised that someone talked them into wearing a sword for their photographs on a flightline.:uhoh:

Jack

Both just come off parade, UJ, although if you look closely I think the chap is just wearing a sword belt.

In my experience of training young officer cadets at Cranwell I can concur with the statement that amongst the women there were no 'middle roaders' just very very good or poor (all branches) whereas amongst the men there were plenty of grey men keeping their head down in the middle. There were, however, some outstanding young women who would clearly carve out a long and strong career if they stuck at it.

Well done.

Bloggs (ex-12 Sqn)

PS. Interesting to note that the mud mover, female or not, has more operational medals than the AD chap!! And she has quite smartly and correctly got them all Court Mounted unlike OC II!!

Exascot:

Rather than deleting your comment, I think it should stand as a measure of how so far out of date you are, with your racist and misogynist , jokes straight out of a 1970s low-budget comedy.

You need to be bleedin' good to be given custodianship of one of the few remaining RAF FJ sqns. Well done.

Congratulations indeed!

However, to get to Wg Cdr in this day and age without serving on operations must be quite an achievement.

With respect to the mounting of medals, here's the new MOD JSP on such things:

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...med-forces.pdf

and look at this little gem:

Does this mean all medals - unless attached to the Royal Household, shall be swing mounted - as per the chap above?

"PS. Interesting to note that the mud mover, female or not, has more operational medals than the AD chap!!"

As the story goes, RAF dentist posted from Odiham to Leuchars enquired at her first Guest Night why the policy was not to wear medals...

Not really surprising.....a few AD guys might still have FRY and Iraq gongs, and a few more will have something for Ellamy. There's not been much need for OCA/DCA in the sandpit - unlike muds, SH and AT.

I still think that a Wg Cdr taking over his Sqn could pay a few quid to get his Jubilee medals mounted...at least when he inevitably gets his OBE at Tourex he can get them done in a oner.

Having been involved in the medal trade, including mounting medals, since the late 1970s I have observed the slow creep from swing mounted to court mounted over the years, until the latter method is now very much the norm. The original reason for court mounting was to prevent contact damage to the medals when they had to be worn frequently, particularly by mounted troops, or in the case of very long groups where much overlapping was required. There seems little point in court mounting two medals, then, other than for reasons of fashion.

Personally I much prefer swing mounting, and in particular I dislike seeing old groups, from WW2 or earlier say, being remounted court style by collectors or descendants of the recipients. Still, as I say, that's just my opinion.