Discharge?!

[Cojer]

Just wondering if I could possibly have some advice. Basically to cut a long story short, I joined the RAF about a year and a half ago. It was my ideal career path from the age of about 9 or there about. However, RAF lifestyle was not quite what I expected. This was pretty much from day 1 at Halton but me being me I like to give everything a fair shot. I passed halton then took the long hour drive to Brize where I started my six month stint at the DMS. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed Brize but it was considerably more exciting than my Halton experience. I thought to myself ive made it to trade training might as well finish it and see what the "real" RAF is like once I enter the working environment. I started working on shift (at Lyneham) and to be honest it was crap. As many of you know Lyneham is not the busiest of places in the movement’s world, even though it is starting to pick up now. I’m finding this quite hard to explain, it’s not the job I don’t like because I do actually quite enjoy the job. It’s more the lifestyle and not being able to plan your life aspect side of things I just can’t stand. Not only that, if I’m perfectly honest I can say I haven’t really got any "mates" in the raf mainly because every minute of stand down and leave I get I go home. I wouldn’t say im home sick, maybe slightly but then, that’s life. However, im a quite independent guy and I like to stand on my own two feet. I thought long and hard about myself and the position I was in and basically concluded that the RAF is not for me. My PVR papers went in around 3months ago and according to the contract I signed at halton I need to serve three years from trade training. Now, the advice im after is.....


1) Is there anyway of getting a discharge of service? Please bare in mind I like to do things correctly and in the right way. I don’t like messing people around and I definitely won’t pull a fast one like other people have in the past. I just want an honest way of getting out where people wont look back on me and think I was being a total W****R.

 

[dantura]

My PVR papers went in around 3months ago and according to the contract I signed at halton I need to serve three years from trade training. Now, the advice im after is..... .

Really? Haven't heard of that before. Have you actually read the contract, properly, where it states this fact?

There are Goaters who would know a lot more than I on this matter knocking around . Try PMing 'Twonston Pickle', he would probably be able to help, or at least point you in the right direction.

Good Luck, sry the RAF's not for you. It's not everyones cup of tea.


D

 

[Oh sir]

Not only that, if I’m perfectly honest I can say I haven’t really got any "mates" in the raf mainly because every minute of stand down and leave I get I go home. I wouldn’t say im home sick, maybe slightly but then, that’s life.

Without pulling a fast one, the short answer is no, there is no shortcut.
There are plenty of ways, but they're all quite underhand if you ask me. (You can go down the medical route, the admin discharge etc).

I'm a bit old fashioned like this, and please forgive me as it's nothing personal, but I'm a great believer in the thinking that, if you signed on the dotted line and agreed to a 6 year stint, (for example) actually doing the 6 is the honourable thing.
As I say, don't take that personally, it's just my particular way of thinking.

On another point, I get the impression that you haven't really "joined in" much. Most members here enjoy (or enjoyed) the RAF mainly because of the camaraderie, despite a bad job, bad conditions etc. Your habit of going home every two minutes is, (while incresingly common) becoming one of those factors that is making the RAF a less enjoyable place these days. That is your choice however, and I digress.

In summary, try to join in and make friends at your unit. You might find you like the RAF a whole lot more. Failing that, my advice is serve your time, get it on your CV that you stuck at it, and it will do you good in the long term.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.

 

[monobrow]

sounds odd, but you need a DSP slot on deployment matey, you got no option but to muck in and get sh*tfaced in the precence of collegues.

As a sqn boy, detachments are frickin ace for getting wankered, and having a reeet laugh.

Don't go home all the time, get some deployed time in, you'll see a whole new world matey!

 

[Soon To Leave]

Cojer

I agree with Oh Sir apart from the point he makes about signing on the dotted line.

If the RAF kept it's part of the bargain that would be a different matter.


I can sympathise with you as even though I've done over 21 years (signed on for 30) I am also considering leaving and probably for some of the same reasons.

The reason that you are being made to stay in longer than the usual PVR waiting time is basically to give a return of service for the investment made in your training.

I'm a little suprised when you say you have few if any mates because you travel home at stand-downs and weekends. I've travelled home each weekend from the day I joined up apart from guard duty etc. I'm glad I still have a lot of civilian friends I can see at the weekend to keep me in touch with the 'real ' world. What you really need to do during on-station time is to try and join in some of the station social/hobby/sporting activities. Although I know this is difficult when working shifts, advantage is that the time before you leave will pass much quicker and you might make a few friends on the way.

Are there any other reasons why you want to make an early exit? For example compassionate grounds or unsuitability to service life. Is so, these can be taken into account (See AP 3392 Vol 2).

 

[AndyZ]

Just wondering if I could possibly have some advice. Basically to cut a long story short, I joined the RAF about a year and a half ago. It was my ideal career path from the age of about 9 or there about. However, RAF lifestyle was not quite what I expected. This was pretty much from day 1 at Halton but me being me I like to give everything a fair shot. I passed halton then took the long hour drive to Brize where I started my six month stint at the DMS. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed Brize but it was considerably more exciting than my Halton experience. I thought to myself ive made it to trade training might as well finish it and see what the "real" RAF is like once I enter the working environment. I started working on shift (at Lyneham) and to be honest it was crap. As many of you know Lyneham is not the busiest of places in the movement’s world, even though it is starting to pick up now. I’m finding this quite hard to explain, it’s not the job I don’t like because I do actually quite enjoy the job. It’s more the lifestyle and not being able to plan your life aspect side of things I just can’t stand. Not only that, if I’m perfectly honest I can say I haven’t really got any "mates" in the raf mainly because every minute of stand down and leave I get I go home. I wouldn’t say im home sick, maybe slightly but then, that’s life. However, im a quite independent guy and I like to stand on my own two feet. I thought long and hard about myself and the position I was in and basically concluded that the RAF is not for me. My PVR papers went in around 3months ago and according to the contract I signed at halton I need to serve three years from trade training. Now, the advice im after is.....


1) Is there anyway of getting a discharge of service? Please bare in mind I like to do things correctly and in the right way. I don’t like messing people around and I definitely won’t pull a fast one like other people have in the past. I just want an honest way of getting out where people wont look back on me and think I was being a total W****R.

Check out this thread;
The E-Goat - The Totally Unofficial Royal Air Force Rumour Network > General Chat Forums > General Chit Chat
PVR Waiting Times

 

[vim_fuego]

Food for thought Oh Sir...If somebody has decided he/she does not want to serve anymore and puts less than the required in do you want him as a drag factor on your section?

This is not aimed at the thread starter...just in general.

And do you especially want somebody who has not the will in him to do the job deploying? Its all hands to the mainbrace when you're away and people like this may affect morale...If they've exhibited nothing else other than a desire to leave as they've made a mistake then I say let them go...Maybe charge them some cash to make sure they know to choose more wisely in the future but in general get shot...

 

[Oh sir]

It's a very fair and good point Vim, certainly valid in some cases that I've come across. That is however the natural flipside to my "coin" if you like.... That signing the dotted line, especially for a short term contract, seems to mean very little these days.
Which is worse? I'm not sure.

Mind you, to give this discussion a third side, seing as the RAF (and HMF in general) struggle for high quality recruits these days, should we now shorten the minimum contract to encourage recruiting? It might encourage people like our thread starter here.... So possibly a 4 year minimum?

Not an opinion of mine I hasten to add, just more food for thought.

It's not an easy one this, quite a grey area.

 

[Storm Rider]

few

few

a few of my friends, have got out early by having a good job line up for some top company.

i think 2 of them were for another service e.g police, fire service

its all dependent on you trade i think.

you could alway just hit your boss. only kidding dont do that, ull just end up in colly

 

[vim_fuego]

The pay structure as it stands today may levy some of the blame...When the kids come out of training the pay is fairly handsome to say the least...As long as they are careful there is no need to go without anything from the start...(except a house and lets face it many seniors can't afford to get into that market these days)...So why try? Wheres the hunger?...Just play the game, pass your tats and get SAC...

Why not start them off low...And make the increases sizeable so they grow with their pay...At first with f*ck all they will have to show character and learn street sense...after first year chunk of extra cash is added enabling some more of lifes luxeries...year later and so on for the first four years...By that time they will have an appreciation of what they earn and a sense of acheivement for getting through the lean years...

On my mechs course in 86 at Halton only 1 person had a car and it was a total shed...but we all put petrol in it, if it broke we chipped in and it got us around in groups and we had fun...Who can say that of a mechs course these days? Shiney car each, moby phone and and the rule book well thumbed...DT_Xtremez_32:

 

[Lil Miss Naughty]

Normally you have 2 do 3yrs service, however like storm rider says if you have an actual job offer then you might be able to get out earlier. Are you really sure you want to leave? Why dont you try and do a det? I felt like I wanted to leave a few years ago but I applied for an OOA as a last ditch hope that it would change my mind and it did!!!!! It's worth a try.

 

[wgaf]

Cojer, Lil'miss is right give it a chance and you never know, it would be a shame to look back in 10/15 yrs time and wonder about what ifs. That said if your heart really isn't in it then you could well be making the right choice, I really think you should hang around camp a bit more and have a go at making some mates here as well as at home and seeing what else the RAF has to offer, whatever your decision best of luck fella.

 

[vim_fuego]

Cojer, Just out of interest have you got anything else in the pipeline?

 

[Tashy_Man]

if you have an actual job offer then you might be able to get out earlier.

Well we have a SNCO where i work who has done his 22, got a firm job offer with start date......RAF will not release him and he has to wait 12 months (basic PVR time).
As you can imagine he's not a happy bunny.....lots of C/T's and SNCO's PVRing up here.

 

[gemarriott]

Is this perhaps another case of a guy getting lost in "one man room"? Just wondering because home sickness is a complaint that grows out of loneliness. It is impossible to be totally unsociable in a 3 or more man room, there is always something happening to take your mind off yourself. cojer says he quite likes the job so he needs to sort the social bit out. Perhaps play a sport if work allows the time.

Be a pity to lose someone who is as bright as his posts indicate over what possibly amounts to little more than homesickness.

 

[Lil Miss Naughty]

Well we have a SNCO where i work who has done his 22, got a firm job offer with start date......RAF will not release him and he has to wait 12 months (basic PVR time).
As you can imagine he's not a happy bunny.....lots of C/T's and SNCO's PVRing up here.

I think it might depend on your trade, the mood Innsworth are in and the current manning levels in your section. My old SNCO had done his 22 he had put his papers in and still had 12 months left, he got a job offer and Innsworth released him early.

 

[Bitburger]

Is this perhaps another case of a guy getting lost in "one man room"? Just wondering because home sickness is a complaint that grows out of loneliness. It is impossible to be totally unsociable in a 3 or more man room, there is always something happening to take your mind off yourself. cojer says he quite likes the job so he needs to sort the social bit out. Perhaps play a sport if work allows the time.

Be a pity to lose someone who is as bright as his posts indicate over what possibly amounts to little more than homesickness.

Perhaps he can go up to Lossie and spend the night in the bowl with PS, that might improve his social skills.

 

[Lil Miss Naughty]

Perhaps he can go up to Lossie and spend the night in the bowl with PS, that might improve his social skills.

PS likes the bop better !!! lol

 

[Cojer]

Wow, lots of replies! I wasn't expecting that many! I can appreciate you guys telling me to give it a chance, but in my opinion i have. What trade am i? Well, that would be trade group 18, Movements! I can say i have gave it a lot of thought, and it really is the right decision for me - to leave! ASAP! Well, being on the mobile side of things i get more than my fair share of traveling! Doesnt really appeal to me that much. Plenty of fellow movers would love to be in my position! But, i'm being honest and saying its not for me! I have no get up and go with regards to anything in the raf. Im not gonna slack off - not my style. Just want to get out as quick as possible - the right way? If there is such a way! Dont like letting people down or messing people around. Likewise i dont like it being done to me. Makes me laugh that people pull sickies and get terminal leave until their pvr date is up! Somewhat unfair to us people that want to leave the right way! Anything in the pipeline for me? Well, yes and no! I know what i want to do. Not the worlds best job but i enjoyed it before i joined up. Working in a civi airport. The joys of my current trade without the excess crap that 9 times out of 10 gets chucked on top of it! I can survive fine in civi street, done it for a year on my own before i joined up. Granted money was and will be tight. But i got through it, dont owe anyone anything! Not a bad thing to say these days! Just want to thank you guys for you replies, very much appreciated.

Further advice ref this matter will be super?!


Cheers guys,


Cojer.

 

[Hu Jardon]

Further advice ref this matter will be super?!


Cheers guys,


Cojer.

Cojer

The best thing to do now is get an appointment with the Chief Clerk - be as open and honest with him as you have been on this forum and he should let you know exactly what your options and timescales are - If you're genuinely unhappy he needs to know ASAP. You are now at the stage where you need professional advice, you've had some good guidance and ideas from this thread but you now needs hard fact and reality to take this forward and to see light at the end of the tunnel

Best of luck

HJ