Voice Of Reason said:
Could a Flight Ops Officer please tell me how they feel about their trade, it's all very well defending each others corner, but it cant all be bad?
How do you feel about splitting the branch Ops/ATC?
What do you think of the quality of the LACs, Cpls, FOMs? Be very careful here!
Did you get the impression that your branch is full of "Failed Other Trades" and is this detrimental to the Branches name?
What steps can you take to get a better image of your branch and can TG9 personnel help.
(Hopefully this will change the banter in a different direction, rather than bitch-slapping, FOMZ/Standards take note)
Someone mentioned earlier about the start of TTF being for both ATC and Ops and then splitting for specialist training. This idea is valid and is what it is like for Regiment Officers. You do the hell which is JROC and then do further training for a Field Sqn or Rapier Sqn and it seems to work.
The quality of LACs, Cpls, FOMs etc is a varied as ever. The big problem is with ever reducing staffing there is both less time for 'further training' for the weaker ones, nor time to sort out problems caused by them. You cant win!! Across all the branches and ranks more and more people just want to do their bit then go home, the RAF is no longer a way of life it is just a job. How many times are quiet nightshifts just used for DVDs, pizza and getting your head down? We have probably all done it. Nightshifts present and ideal time to sit down and carry out further training. Sadly, the pirate copy if this years blockbuster, a deep pan hawian and an early stck always wins.
I have spoken before about the Re-brancer and reselectees, a lot of the jibes are unfounded (and this is coming from someone who suffered harshly under and ATC re-brancher). After all it is PMA or OASC that allow people to change brances/reselect for whatever reason, it is not the individuals choice. If the canditate is unsuitable at the job they should not be allowed to re-branch (etc). The procedures are not significantly different from those joing a branch from the start. So in fact reslecting/re-branching is a fresh start, if people bring in usefull previous it is a bonus, just like some joining the RAF after working in civy ops etc. Once working in FOTS, like for all other people, it is the ROs who are responsible for mantaining standards, training etc. Very few people are deliberately bad at there jobs, if the ROs and Flight Commanders are letting them get away with being sh#t, it is their fault. Of course this is where we could stray into the 'well if there RO was actually a Flt Ops officer, then it would not happen' argument, but lets save that for another thread. People need to stop being so narrow minded on this issue.
The answer to all the problems is very simple, teamwork. The branch, in fact the RAF has to modernise fast to cope with the years ahead. To do this we all need to work together, the US term 'One team, one fight' seems apt at this point. In terms of policy the RAF tends to be re-active rather than proactive and until that changes progress will be slow. Banter is all well and good, and i have done more than my fair share in the past. Now is the time for everyone to work together, help each other as much as you can. For those that are beyond help, ROs need to be fair but firm. Get your paperwork right and let these people know they have to improve or else, if the don't improve then it has to be goodbye.
