BREAKING NEWS: Flt Sgt promoted to Warrant Officer.

[rest have risen above me]

It appears that in today's equality rich Air Force that promotion to Warrant Officer is news worthy. I fail to see why. Discuss for a while.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/first-female-aircraft-technician-promoted-to-warrant-officer-06102015

 

[Gord]

From Cosford. Posted to CAMO.

I'm shocked. Bet she's never been near a 1st line post in years.

When was the last time any of the tossers at the top table in the RAF, Army or RN have ever been on the pointy end? I reckon if she served in Germany, the Falklands and elsewhere, she's probably been closer than 99% of the fat cats who spend their time swanning around Whitehall.

 

[rest have risen above me]

Why is it news though? How hypocritical are the media guys being? I'm not allowed to say to SAC Girl "Well done for lifting that really heavy bit of kit. Must have been difficult seen as your a woman"
Media guys "Well done for getting promoted must have been difficult seen as you're a woman" sexual discrimination case? Not a hope because it suits them.
Without a full bio I'll not slate her although I can see a fast track project Titan to help the media case.

 

[Rigga]

Okay, I'll bite...Is it cos she is a WO or a WO-MAN?
Is she the 1st TG1 female WO?
I sense a little bitterness in the thread so far?

 

[Throatarea]

I think it is quite sad that Karen is the first female A/C techie WO. In other trades there are plenty of female WOs because it is easier to be promoted in lets say , supply or admin. In the techie world it ain't so good and Karen is proof of that. The 5 to 10 % of all the techies that are in or have been in, would have been female and Karen is the first, I think the RAF should hang its head in shame.

For Karen personally well for her. DT_Xtremez_28:

 

[Roobarb]

I see it as a case of either:

(a) the RAF was very slow in recognising that females can be equally good engineers, did not put in the effort to recruit, and now the consequences are being felt. Bad form RAF.

or

(b) Non-engineering trades have a quicker path to promotion. Female WOs were not a novelty when I joined, except in engineering. Bad form RAF.



P.S. what actual trade is she?
P.P.S. if she reads this, congrats!!

 

[MontyPlumbs]

More positive discrimination in the name of 'equality'.

I wish the media, and the world in general, would fcuk off going on about women in technical roles. Sick of hearing about it.

 

[Gord]

Granted things were perhaps not so technical then but my step mother was a rigger on Spitfires and Hurricanes during WW2, 20 years later she would have been classified as an Airframe Fitter. Women in the trades is nothing new, it only depends on their willingness to do the job. I have worked with women mechanics in the airline business and their abilities were equal to any guy there and NO, they weren't butch.

 

[Witty_Banter]

Just have to ask - are there many female FS in her trade? If she's one of only about 5 females in 500 FS, then I don't see the big deal - the numbers and the laws of probability are a big factor in this debate (though well done for picking up if you're reading this, I'm sure you worked hard for it and deserved it).

I know several female WOs, so I'm also failing to see why it's 'newsworthy'. Obviously there were less females joining up a while back, so there will naturally be less higher up the ranks.

If we've come to a stage where we're now promoting on quotas based on skin colour / gender / sexual orientation, rather than strength of character and effectiveness in their primary job, then I'm ashamed to be a part of it.

 

[Max Reheat]

32 years to get to WO isn't really news worthy. I've worked under a female TG1 WO before, granted she was only acting at the time but she would have made it permanent had she stayed in and deservedly so.

 

[propersplitbrainme]

Its an odd one isn't it? Equal opportunities etc are shouted out from the rafters and yet still a milestone like this is thought of as newsworthy.
When I spoke to her about this yesterday I admitted to being surprised and would have put money on this having happened when I was still serving, but clearly I'd have lost that bet.

Well, it is what it is, she moves on and we get a new fruit segment.

 

[4everAD]

In my trade ( TG4) promotion is so slow and rare that any FS making it to WO is worthy of a news story!

 

[gray]

In my trade ( TG4) promotion is so slow and rare that any FS making it to WO is worthy of a news story!

Where's that 'like' button

 

[muttywhitedog]

I suspect the TG1 girls have been peaking at Sgt due to their inability to grow a hairy ar$e, which is mandatory for all personnel who hold the rank of Chf Tech.

Its a sign of the times that women have now got beyond the sigma of being known as the "Hairy Ar$ed Chief.

 

[rest have risen above me]

I suspect the TG1 girls have been peaking at Sgt due to their inability to grow a hairy ar$e, which is mandatory for all personnel who hold the rank of Chf Tech.

Its a sign of the times that women have now got beyond the sigma of being known as the "Hairy Ar$ed Chief.

Most WRAF I know were more than qualified for chief. DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[sufferin succotash]

Why

Why

In TG4, 2 females were promoted to WO off a recent board.

A fellow female FS I work with raved how good this was.

Why? Was my question.

She went on about how its good to have more woman in those positions/need more/been needed a while but I could never get her to actually explain why?

If someone is good enough - promote them. Why does it matter what sex/colour creed they are?

If there are 10 WO's in a trade and they are all the best people for the job but they are all middle aged white males does that matter? Should one of them miss out to promote someone less capable because they are in a minority?

Absolutely not.

 

[Witty_Banter]

If we're gonna meet the RAF E&D guidelines (or whatever they're called this week), then the official response should to like this:


Female FS from TG X gets promoted to WO - Is she good at her job? Then good for her, well earned!

Male FS from TG X gets promoted to WO - Is he good at his job? Then good for him, well earned!

To make a fuss about the fact that she's a woman just flips the E&D argument to the opposite side, and implies that her gender was part of the reason that she promoted (which I'd like to think doesn't happen).

 

[Oldstacker]

Alternatively, it implies that the promoted one was somehow special compared to her female contemporaries "who should not expected to be promoted because they are just girlies....". If someone is good enough then promote them, don't worry about 'balance', don't make a fuss about them being first, second or third of their minority, just leave them to demonstrate their value just the same as anyone else.