Only 19000 have done an OOA

[Gunnerrock]

Without giving to much away, someone in the know told me the other day that out of the whole of the RAF only about 19000 had ever done an OOA.

Now can that really be true?

 

[FOMz]

That is one hell of alot of sicknotes being written if true.

 

[wgaf]

Thats fekkin shocking, if it's true!! I can appreciate that there are posts that are not deployable and wether we like it or not there are people who are genuine in their down gradings, but it makes you wonder how many OOAs the rest of us have done to cover for the faux sickies.

 

[Sospan]

If TG1 is anything to go bye I can well belive it, I know many NON SICK riggers who took 16years before they went OOA. It obviously differs with Q's and Aircraft type etc etc, but our turnaround seems to be quite good.

 

[Cooheed]

So if the current manning situation is anything to go by, thats about 50%. Give the sprogs a little catch up time... I'd like to see the stats of those of us on or near double figures!

 

[Get Tae]

Nothing to worry about there as there will soon only be 19,000 folks left in the RAF and we will ALL have to do our fair share!!

 

[Notsoblunt]

Have only done the 1 OOA myself in my 27 years of service - and as I am out within the next couple of months, it is now too late to get me again!!!

 

[Olovv]

Nothing to worry about there as there will soon only be 19,000 folks left in the RAF and we will ALL have to do our fair share!!

I have been in 18 1/2 years mostly first line and never been down graded, and never been OOA

I have done my fare share of desert time but these were just det's 2 months at a time but 2 a year.

does this count?

 

[rugby then work]

done 20 years and 5 OOA's all down Saarf bloody hepititus 101.

(thats a Type 101 radar for the none TG3, used to be 18 months turn around down Saarf)

 

[Major Geek]

..... It obviously differs with Q's and Aircraft type etc etc, but our turnaround seems to be quite good.

Agree with that. If you are in the wrong trade or wrong place at the right time you are going to get stung. And if you are unfortunate enough to collect the wrong Qs on the way that isnt going to help either.

 

[True Blue Jack]

I have been in 18 1/2 years mostly first line and never been down graded, and never been OOA

I have done my fare share of desert time but these were just det's 2 months at a time but 2 a year.

does this count?

Yes it does. If you do 81 consecutive days, or 90 days aggregated in 12 months, on an operational detachment then you drop to the bottom of the DWR list. It used to include things like Red Flag as well, but the rules got changed last year to even the playing field a bit.

I'm on my 2nd proper OOA in 14 years, which I can't complain about.

 

[Chuff Chart]

19000 have done OOA's, but theres only 24000 people in the RAF isnt there? Certainly feels that way! Im one of the draught dodgers sadly, was going to Bosnia in 98 but my post got dis-established so ended up in the Falklands. Apart from some tours to Turkey thats about it for me. And Im not a sick note either!

 

[Wing boy]

I have been in 18 1/2 years mostly first line and never been down graded, and never been OOA

I have done my fare share of desert time but these were just det's 2 months at a time but 2 a year.

does this count?

Yes mate this counts.

 

[monobrow]

It used to include things like Red Flag as well, but the rules got changed last year to even the playing field a bit.

I've heard otherwise..... as long as it is an exercise OR operational then it counts.

After all, exercises are training for ops.

 

[Goaty]

I start my 19th year in March and i've never done a DWR yet and Armourers have 2 DWR lists. I've got round it by constantly being on Ops with Sqn's averaging anywhere between 3 - 6 months away a year. If you put that lot into consideration then people who do that sort of time away are doing MORE than their fair share of the work as DWR's seem to come round every 18-24 months.....

 

[tommo9999]

I've heard otherwise..... as long as it is an exercise OR operational then it counts.

After all, exercises are training for ops.

It must be ops or ops related training.

 

[DrunkenMonki]

Depends what you call OOA too. I've never done a DWR, but always do at least 90 days a year in the deed, ex's etc. My wife really doesnt discriminate where i go, im still away!

 

[Notsoblunt]

It must be ops or ops related training.

Perhaps that is why I've only been stiffed for an OOA tour the once then, due to numerous operational dets in between. Regularly spent more than 4 months each year away, albeit in chunks of 6-8 weeks at a time. However, as someone else has pointed out, the family don't discriminate - you are simply "away" again!

 

[True Blue Jack]

I've heard otherwise..... as long as it is an exercise OR operational then it counts.

After all, exercises are training for ops.

Sorry, mate, it has to be operational. Which is really annoying the guys on my sqn. Some of them clocked up over 200 days away last year, none of which counts towards a DWR.

 

[Goaty]

Exercises in support of Operations count, at least every exercise with 'Herrick' in it does as do dets on the boat....

As to the 2 DWR list. Unless it's changed (which it may have done recently) there was also an EOD DWR list for those of us unfortuanate enough to be qualified.....