The End Of TCW's Meal Ticket?

[Shitehawk]

Apparently the 'PM' is deffo going to cut back on 400 troops from Afghan.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13433813

Even though they mention earlier in the report about the guards etc, the last paragraph makes me laugh. The bosses at mighty 90 must be papping themselves because they have been making out that they are really busy, but all the time they have been trying to justify the amount of posts that TCW have out there when they could in reality slash the amount of posts & make them NFU.

'The 400 would include some, like forces working out of Kandahar airbase, who were no longer needed, the source added.'

 

[The Masked Geek]

TCW was only ever meant to cover the first six months or so of an operation. With NFUs filling the posts after the initial setup.

I'm surprised they've gotten away with it for so long. One problem they do have is their reputation out in the real world as a bunch of cowboys. If you're only trained to deploy, you'll have zero sustainment skills.

They're even looking at taking the radar off them.

 

[hobbes]

They've been clinging on to the posts in KAF for years when most of them could be NFU. It took them years before they finally gave up their Det in the Deed.

They must be really glad that ELLAMY kicked off, maybe now they can justify their existance (and the stupid amount of personnel they have) for a couple more years.

 

[TCWor90SU?]

Contrary to your belief, NFU personnel would not be able to sustain all the current OOA posts without breaking harmony guidelines. If you feel that your not getting enough meal tickets right now, volunteer for TCW!

The sad fact of the matter is, that TCW has no option but to continue to fill these important OOA posts.

 

[Shitehawk]

Contrary to your belief, NFU personnel would not be able to sustain all the current OOA posts without breaking harmony guidelines. If you feel that your not getting enough meal tickets right now, volunteer for TCW!

Really? Get over yourself.

Apparently 5 sqn have taken on the ME posts and TCW have the Herrick posts. WTF does that leave for everyone else apart from the FI? The only way it would break harmony guidelines is if 50% of the trade is downgraded.

The sad fact of the matter is, that TCW has no option but to continue to fill these important OOA posts.

I'm sure the lads that are sent out to KAF for 4 months on a helpdesk feel they are doing an important job.

 

[The Masked Geek]

Contrary to your belief, NFU personnel would not be able to sustain all the current OOA posts without breaking harmony guidelines.

Bollox, reduce TCW back to it's 1995 levels of manning, distribute the remainder around the trade and there will be no harmony problems at all.

Current DWR turnaround in the real world is around 5 years across the ranks. This would be reduced to around 3 years if TCW dropped it's manning.


The real problem is that the trade has been reduced to a point that there is nowhere for the personnel on TCW to go, so we are stuck with the beast as is. Once all the GRFs get civilianised (in 7 years) there will be even less TG4 posts out there and we may all end up on TCW / 1ACC.


Which raises another question: if we disbanded 90SU, spread their "non-deployed" roles around the RAF and reduced TCW to a point where they could only do the initial install on Ops, how would the TG4 "harmony" be affected if all Ops went to 6 month roulemonts?

 

[ScoobTech]

Once all the GRFs get civilianised (in 7 years) there will be even less TG4 posts out there and we may all end up on TCW / 1ACC.

Does this mean the GRF posts down the Falklands will be civilianised also.

Once we pull out of the sandpit, TCW will have to take over all the FI detachments just to justify the massive manning, meaning the rest of us won't get sent anywhere, unless you are on a formed unit.

 

[OK..Igiveup]

circle of life

circle of life

and the circle is complete!

We had all this back after a load of slots went NFU after GW1. What would all the manning do. Then we had the balkans, then the drawdown of slots there. Oh we don't need as many people now, then sep 11. GWII. .....etc

 

[kev827]

not all of the jobs in the sandpit area could go NFU due to the equipment used and the fact that the training courses are very limited and only run a couple of times a year.

If TCW was to go back to how it was designed, in first set things up and then out in 6 months, handover the jobs to the rest of the trade how would that affect the rest of the trade? I understand that there are approx 80 slots filled by each Sqn (320 per year) how would that impact on the DWR times across the trade?

When the sandpit detachment comes to an end then yes the wing will have a tough time justifying the 400 people that it currently has. So what will happen to the all the people that are no longer needed on the wing? could be an interesting time a head.....

 

[mad_collie]

not all of the jobs in the sandpit area could go NFU due to the equipment used and the fact that the training courses are very limited and only run a couple of times a year.

So what are the OEC doing for the rest of the time? Cormorant courses etc aren't any longer than a T101 course. The det is still 4 months. Most TCW only have their MRX as extra 'training' but depending on the sqn, it could be more FP orientated than actaully hands on.

Most NFU slots get their training about a year prior to deployment in case of fall downs, dont see the kit for 6-8 +months, but still get the job done.

 

[unruly1986]

When the sandpit detachment comes to an end then yes the wing will have a tough time justifying the 400 people that it currently has. So what will happen to the all the people that are no longer needed on the wing? could be an interesting time a head.....

They will probably swan around places wearing their floppy/jungle hats, pretending to be SF, like the 90SU lads I saw in Aki yesterday...

 

[Joe_90]

You can still be part of a Formed Unit and do DWRs. The personnel on TCW would just go on the list with the rest of the trade and maybe still fill slots in areas as they were needed. Or am I missing something?

 

[kev827]

They will probably swan around places wearing their floppy/jungle hats, pretending to be SF, like the 90SU lads I saw in Aki yesterday...

shouldn't the SWO then question them as to why they are wearing thier floopy hats? Is there a reason why they can't wear a beret? All Aki needs to do is put it to the Det Cdr that the dress regs are xyz and the problem would be solved...just a thought!

 

[unruly1986]

shouldn't the SWO then question them as to why they are wearing thier floopy hats? Is there a reason why they can't wear a beret? All Aki needs to do is put it to the Det Cdr that the dress regs are xyz and the problem would be solved...just a thought!

I'm not the SWO, but yes they should be pulled up for it. Maybe it's the `image` they want to put out.

 

[Dilbert]

Off Topic


Surely their floppy hats should be removed and replaced with stetsons...

DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[pilgrimshuffler]

Usual twaddle

Usual twaddle

What's with all this wing bashing, yes i agree that when Afghan reduces they will have a lot of personnel for not a lot of posts, but to label them cowboys is strong, obviously posted by someone who has never had to do a tour there or had a gash time whilst there? Without them doing what they do our harmony would be up the spout, and yes the floppy hats were probably a bad mistake so why didn't they get pulled up or told the dress Regs for the unit, strap a pair on man!

 

[The Masked Geek]

to label them cowboys is strong, obviously posted by someone who has never had to do a tour there or had a gash time whilst there?

The original "cowboy" comment on here was mine and I did 8 years on the wing.

Others who have suggested the same go from Sgt to WO most of whom have done a tour or two.

 

[pilgrimshuffler]

The original "cowboy" comment on here was mine and I did 8 years on the wing.
Others who have suggested the same go from Sgt to WO most of whom have done a tour or two.

Well that counts me in the above, I didn't mean to sound agro but i sit in a tea bar every day where those Winged Warriors get bagged by those who have never set foot at Leeming or Brize and have a lack of understanding of what bull **** the lads and lasses at Leeming get thrown down to them by the powers that be on the back of a fag packet.