QRs, moustaches and the USAF
 

Good man and quite within his rights!

Old story dredged up from 2008.

RAF Exchange Pilot Joins US Afghan Operation

BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | North East/N Isles | RAF pilot wins moustache battle

When you Google items, some on-line newspaper archives show the real date but when you display the page they put today's date !

Back in the 60s we had a pilot on 12(B) with the aptly named initials JB. This character, and he was, sported a magnificent bushy, full moustache. The snag was it was impossible to get a seal on his Oxygen mask.

Anyway he would try and the moustache would sprout up out the top. Periodically he would give in and shave it off. Periods of shaved and unshaved coincided with the opposite period on his security ID.

His subsequent posts to Antarctica, Oman and back to Antarctica gave him amply time to enjoy his 'tash.

However, one wonders if his stand, whilst "legal", was in the best interests of international co-operation and courtesy - "When in Rome......"

My thoughts exactly, Wander00. Being "in the right" is not the main thing here - being courteous to your host nation is far more important.

Funnily enough the story has just popped up on Facebook today, as well.

Robin Olds was not as fortunate, apparently!

CG

What a complete arse. The whole point of doing an exchange tour is to learn, give and integrate with your host nation. Be respectful of their traditions and regulations. Form long-lasting relationships that will help both countries work together. His "rights" have nothing to do with being an ambassador for his country and service.

If I were the DA in Washington I would certainly have him reporting to me for a very sharp lesson in his responsibilities and that his facial fashion statement does not need to attract the attention of national media.

Arse.

And an RN full set?

Equally unnecessary.

However, one wonders if his stand, whilst "legal", was in the best interests of international co-operation and courtesy - "When in Rome......" - Wander00

...and perhaps quite a good example of QRs being "for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men" - fully agree with Wander00 and Courtney.

And an RN full set? - PN

No special stories come immediately to mind about full sets, but I do recall a Royal Marine officer having the starboard side of his rather luxuriant moustache being cut off surreptitiously whilst he was asleep, as a result of which he had of course to match up the port side himself.

Jack

Must admit trying to think of an 'arse' of an exchange officer and admit I can't think of one.

We had a couple of KC-135 drivers who came to the VC10K for exchange tours who could be so described...

Back in the civilised days before aircrew were required to puff and pant their way around the gym for the 'Fitness Test' thing, a WIWOL chum was on an AV-8 exchange with the ooh-rah mreenkaw over on the US west coast. One day, some crewcut individual with a neck like a birthday cake asked him whether he wished to accompany the squadron on some PT run, doubtless chanting the same bolleaux as in 'Full Metal Jacket'....

He adopted a studious, hurt-looking expression before explaining "A run? A RUN?? Absolutely not! My dear chap, British officers don't run - it would panic the men!"....

:ok:

To those advocating wholesale "integration" by those undertaking exchange tours: in days gone by, when very short hairstyles were considered un-officerlike, would you have expected an incoming "high and tight"-styled US exchange officer to grow his hair out to a more respectable length? Of course not. It would have been very rude to have asked, and it would have removed some of the cultural "texture" that exchanges are meant to foster. The linked story is directly analogous: the only discourtesy was on the part of the American general, who should have established that he was on firm disciplinary ground before broaching such a subject.

Sir, Hell No, Sir! It would have reduced our opportunities to take the pi$$.....

There was a USMC exchange navigator on 228OCU when I did the F-4 course. Thoroughly nice chap - but he was rather taken aback when we were about to have some visit, for which B*****d B*ll had decreed No1 HD would be worn, when one of his rather rude staff colleagues asked "Does that mean you'll have to turn up in your Glen Miller lookalike outfit?".

Any similar request to a US officer on exchange to conform to UK dress regs would be met with a swift "Sir, No, Sir!" and backed up the hilt by his national CoC, the general should have done a bit of digging about other nations regulations before going off on one.

We had enough trouble getting one of our USAF exchange officers permission to wear UK AEA, and he was thoroughly onside, it was the US CoC who were bring obstructive.

Or didn't want to show off his level of conditioning, or lack thereof. Heaven forbid he should integrate with his host unit.

Signed mreenkaw

As Beagle said - this was back in the 70s when we somehow managed to fly, and carry out out our other duties without attempting to emulate Olympic athletes. I believe a similar attitude to excessive physical fitness training was prevalent amongst an earlier generation who somehow managed to get through the Battle of Britain without doing anything more strenuous than sprinting 30 yards to their aircraft, and lifting a pint in the local pub at the end of the day.

His story reminded me of a former cavalry officer who by some mischance found himself in the RAF Regiment. He wore the flowing locks favoured by the cavalry, and one day his boss gently suggested it was time for a haircut. Adopting a hurt expression he replied, "But sir, the men have their hair cut, officers wash theirs".

Being able to run a couple of miles doesn't qualify one for the Olympics. Going out a running a few miles is a nod towards staying in shape. If you can't see an advantage to that, then I doubt I can explain. Aversion to exercise aside, it goes back to integrating ones self, you know, when in Rome...

We were blessed with a Kapitänleutnant on exchange to 824 Vertical Pursuit Group, to gain Sea King experience when they were introducing the SK for SAR. Kapitänleutnant is a senior lieutenant (4+ years), but with the rank rings of a lieutenant commander which he accepted with glee and Teutonic efficiency. Very tedious, and certainly not an advertisement for the German Navy.

Notable was leaving a tyre impression on the 2nd step down off the flight deck when doing a winch transfer to a Leander: not much except for an entry in the Line Book had he not been so adamant that it wasn't him/it didn't happen :ugh: