Biggus, not 50 but I had to rewrite a 1st ROs report as he, a SNCO could not write.

Whatever happened to the RAF Education Test Part I and Part II?

You had to have Part II to be eligible for promotion to Sgt.

Ian, passing an exam and being wordsmith are different things.

True, but there are minimum standards.

Poor RG56 has had a bit of a hammering here which a quick proof read might have avoided. But most of the criticism is valid. To consider sloppy writing is ok for the internet is insulting to the reader, especially when asking for advice. My writing is far from perfect, but I try. How I envy the many posters on Prune who write with such fluency and humour. Perhaps it would be a good place for RG56 to start.

Hi RG, I think that although yes, the first reply was slightly of target - by and large you are getting an overly hard time.

I joined the RAF straight from school at 16 as (what was back then) A Mech (T) - basically airframe mechanic, with a fast pass to J/T. My English was, and still is, bad! However it did not stop me completing 10years, serving on the front line, and carrying on to get my EASA B1.3 licence with types on the AS350, EC135, B-105 and now starting studying for a CPL(H)

Life in civvy street and the mob is hard, you have two ears and one mouth, use them in that ratio and you'll never go far wrong!

I went back down to my local AFCO and I decided to be a weapons tech so hopefully I get my start date for the pre recruit training soon.:E:ok:

Now that some of you mention English, I recollect being officer i/c a station club.
We went off on an expedition and a sergeant was keen to write the report. I was sure he'd write a good one and wasn't worried about the spelling and grammar because the SHQ typing pool was excellent at cleaning up all that stuff. Although I was on leave when the report was disseminated my 2i/c the expedition was to sign on my behalf and he'd read it, wouldn't he?

Oh dear! What I didn't know was that the sergeant's technical department had their own typing pool and, because it was technical, typed ad verbatim. The 2i/c clearly signed p/p without reading.

The report went to station, command and, worst of all, to the RN :O

When I returned from leave I had a 'See me!' from the Station Commander awaiting.

I learnt about monitoring from that.

Well, I was a gunfitter in the TA but that was only for a laugh.
Unless you're taking the piss haven't you read any of the advice here re post mil career?

Sorry, RG56, that was a bit harsh. It is, after all, your decision. Good luck!

Good move RG, don't be put off by other techies. It stood me well in various guises from age 16 to 62, from a sqn to HQ to UNSCOM. Apart from the wide variety of jobs within the trade, from ejection seats to EOD, you will find camaraderie among the armourers that does not exist elsewhere. No doubt there will be incoming for that.

I do hope that this choice wasn't made because you thought that being known as a fairy was demeaning.

Best of luck.

Well I've heard that plumbers can make great money now all the Poles have gone home!

The report went to station, command and, worst of all, to the RN

Don't worry, Basil, we're not all wordsmiths either!;)

Jack

Friend of mine had hoped to become the youngest WO in the RAF. Sadly he went head to head with OC Eng and LOVed at just 38.

He then went on to become a highly experienced demolitions expert. One time he was hauled off the golf course at Aberdeen, flown to Brindisi and boated straight to a burning LPG carrier.

Another friend, not ex-Mil, runs an explosives company doing quarry work.

Finally another ran a nursing home :)

Sorry about the late entry to this thread but during my 28 years in the mob I was always led to believe that Chaplain was the best job what with only having one AP and no amendments!

Please don't ignore the advice about attitude and grammar.

If a pilot was flying an aircraft that you have worked on immediately prior to their sortie, they would want to be confident that you have paid attention to detail, weren't lazy and cut corners, have accepted criticism like an adult and corrected your mistake to the best of your abilities and have remained calm with a smile on your face while you were doing it. They wouldn't want to have to rectify your mistake by pulling the handle just to give them a chance of finishing the shift they started.

It might seem like some members are being tossers for the sake of it, they probably are... but try to see it as advice that will hopefully keep your conscience clear, aircrew (and those on the ground) alive and you out of prison.

As Tashengurt said, I suppose Survival Equipment Specialist (?) was a step too far? FWIW, ICT or and I hate to say it, Av tech, are probably the ones to look at :ok:

RG56, also try to get a job with a local engineering firm, doesn't matter what sort, learn the difference between a toffee hammer and a rubber mallet.

What? You have to whack them on with a mallet? I am humbled. :E

There's a song going round in my head....

A I'm an armourer... B I'm an armourer....

:p