Questions about RAF Regiment Gunner Reserves

[anskills]

Hi guys,

I've been really keen to join the RAF Reserves for a number of years but unfortunately life got in the way... the usual story... family, work, sport etc. In a further unfortunate event, my local RAF base, Leuchars, is now an army base, so the Squadrons in my catchment are now over 1 hour away in Edinburgh or 3 hours away in Lossiemouth.

Whilst I'm still very keen, and seeking an active role such as Regiment Gunner, I'm now wondering whether I should join the Army Reserves as the base is only 20 minutes away. Additionally, I'm a Chartered Engineer and the Army Royal Engineers are headquartered at Leuchars.

I'm now in a difficult position trying to decide which Reserves to apply for, depending on which may offer the best short and long term solution. I hope you don't mind me asking you a few questions which may help me make my mind up.

If I were to apply for 603 Sqn in Edinburgh, would you anticipate I'd be heading through to Edinburgh regularly, or actually would most of training be held in remote locations such as Barry Buddon (15 mins from me) and other places that aren't actually Edinburgh?

What does the agenda look like for the monthly weekend camps, where do you typically go and what activities and training do you typically do? Same question for the annual 15 day camp? As a gunner is it a job of camping out for two weeks?

If I wanted to wind down my Corporate career in the coming years and spin up the RAF Reserves responsibility, is it possible to work additional days/weeks on a more ad-hoc basis but with an advanced request? Or just simply take up any mission/training shouts that may arise?

If you are posted to a base such as RAF Lossiemouth as a Reserve, what duties are you typically doing, is guard watch, patrolling etc?

How much engagement do you get with the flying side of operations, do you ever fly anywhere? Is there any interaction with flight staff or opportunities to see Typhoon maintenance, take off etc?

Sorry for this last question, I worked in Aviation engineering previously and still hold an interest, but there doesn't seem to be any suitable technical Reserve roles locally (nearest probably 5 hours away) I can take to get my aviation fix ha!

 

[Cornish_Pikey]

As a chartered engineer I think the Army would love to have you as a reservist officer amongst them.

You just might bring some much needed sensibility into the fold too.

 

[anskills]

Ha, I don't have much real insight into the Army culture, just what I see on TV and hear, however I'm not sure how close to the truth that is. Do you have any insight on RAF Regiment culture?

Also, if you have anything related to my queries that would be much appreciated

 

[Oldstacker]

Can't really help with the questions, but iirc the army have always relied quite heavily on reservists for the RE because of the range of practiced skills and experience that reservists can bring compared to the more limited practical training and experience that the army can provide in peace time.
Just a thought... Good luck either way.

 

[Penguins Suck]

Ha, I don't have much real insight into the Army culture, just what I see on TV and hear, however I'm not sure how close to the truth that is. Do you have any insight on RAF Regiment culture?

Also, if you have anything related to my queries that would be much appreciated

Right yous blok

Im's top rock Blok in thems E-Goat and Im's best Blok for regment stuff and nails and stuff so if yous smashes five mile of death you can bezzer up wiv me and mines fat misses.

 

[anskills]

I have to say, I expected a bit better from a RAF forum, one mention of the army and it seems to have de-railed my serious questions about the RAF. That's a bit unfortunate, but thanks anyway for your feedback.

 

[Barch]

I have to say, I expected a bit better from a RAF forum, one mention of the army and it seems to have de-railed my serious questions about the RAF. That's a bit unfortunate, but thanks anyway for your feedback.

The simplest thing to do is go to your local careers office and ask them.

The majority of us on here are veterans and most know very litte of the Rock reserves and even less about the RE reserves.

 

[Cornish_Pikey]

And I expect we are mostly from a generation that rather enjoyed the older style banter that is very much frowned upon these days.

The military is a very much changed place since a lot of us left, but there are other forums that are discussing the good old days.

As Barch says, we have had little to do with the Rocks and most of us only had bad experiences with them during our careers so can't help in that regard.

 

[Talk Wrench]

Ha, I don't have much real insight into the Army culture, just what I see on TV and hear, however I'm not sure how close to the truth that is. Do you have any insight on RAF Regiment culture?

Also, if you have anything related to my queries that would be much appreciated

The RAF regiment has literally been reinvented in order to survive the changes expected of it during the past thirty years and has evolved into a very tight, professional outfit. I dare say the culture has changed immeasurably too from low paid cannon fodder to becoming instrumental in the development of Force Protection and its wider elements.

However, there does appear to be a subculture of laddish behaviour that pervades the ranks highlighted recently by a well publicised scandal involving mortar base plates and human orifices.

RAF unit disbanded over sexual abuse investigation - BBC News

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace tells MPs in the Commons he is "appalled" by reports of the incident.

www.bbc.co.uk

Unfortunate and hopefully isolated behaviour which was dealt with at the highest levels.

As Barch intimated, a quick trip to a careers office would be advantageous to yourself and you may find that the staff there are able to "tailor" you into a role that suits both you and the RAF as a whole.

Good luck with your endeavours

 

[anskills]

Thanks Talk Wrench, this is a good response.

I have discussed with local-ish AFCO and it was a great discussion, but I felt I got the high level when I'm really looking for the nitty gritty real life.

I guess I'm not really a typical 'grunt', although I do love being outdoors and fitness based activities. I'm a Chartered Engineer and worked in aviation engine design before so I'd be happy to do something more practical and technical but the reality is there are no local-ish bases offering such an RAF Reserve role. It's only really regiment type work or air operations (desk based which I don't fancy) so either I move forward with RAF Regiment (my preference) or take up the Army Royal Engineers as an alternative.

 

[Cornish_Pikey]

The AFCOs will only have the party line to tell you as you have found out. Regiment reserves will be lots of running around and getting dirty which seems to be what you are after.

The RE might use you in an officer role in the back rooms providing advice and expertise rather than running around with a gun, although as an Army Reservist you might get to do both desk work and play soldiers.

 

[Deltaitem]

I dare say the culture has changed immeasurably too from low paid cannon fodder to becoming instrumental in the development of Force Protection and its wider elements.

When exactly was the Regiment considered to be cannon fodder?

 

[Talk Wrench]

When exactly was the Regiment considered to be cannon fodder?

Well, being the intelligent gentleman that you are, you just need to read the ramblings of that tosspot Penguins Suck to work that one out.

 

[Deltaitem]

You might want to base your analysis on more than the pox-ridden wittering of an avatar in a beer and peanuts chatroom.

 

[Spearmint]

You might want to base your analysis on more than the pox-ridden wittering of an avatar in a beer and peanuts chatroom.

Somebody's tired.

Nil Stock on the Mortar Base Plate you wanted?

 

[Deltaitem]

Well, yeah, but that's like, kind of my point. The mortar tube incident was just over a year ago, presumably by which time Talkwench feels that the Regiment had morphed into a Force Protection band of brothers, bless 'em, but that they were cannon fodder at some distant time in the past.
My question was, at which point was the Regiment some kind of disposable unit which existed solely to soak up enemy ammunition?
If you're saying that one unsavoury headline, however accurate, makes a unit cannon fodder, then you'd have to say the same about the Marines, the Paras, hell, even the Red Arrows.
I'm sure we could all reel off times when we wish we hadn't crossed the path of one or more Rocks, myself included, but I have to say, regardless of what I or anyone else might think of them personally, and socially, when the shit comes down, they'll do their job every bit as professionally as any other unit.
And quite frankly, just like any other branch of the air force, they always have.
I suppose in that sense, the RAF Regiment are a bit like consultant surgeons. The chances are you won't like them, because quite a few of them are complete arseholes, but at the end of the day, most of them are pretty good at their jobs, and if you need them, you'd probably put up with their foibles to have them on side.

 

[bigjd]

I was in the Army Reserves as an artillery gunner until I went in to the RAF as a regular in January. I appreciate my experience may differ slightly from RAF Reg reserves but I expect there will be many similarities!

Drill nights take place once a week for a few hours and this will usually be at your home unit wherever it may be.

Weekends away are usually offered on a monthly basis, however it can change in frequency depending on the training cycle. While the weekends are of course optional we would have to attend a specific number of weekends for specific types of training in order to achieve our annual bounty. For us that would be two live firing and two non-live firing weekends during the year, as well as keeping mandatory annual training up to date, this would include weapon handling, range packages amongst other things. Generally it was flexible and you would attend whatever events you can. Most weekends would take place in the field or in other military bases, however we would be transported from our home unit to these locations and you would not usually have to make your own way there.

The weekends were varied and could be taking the artillery pieces out for live/dry firing or we could be conducting infantry exercises, range packages or adventure training.

Our annual camp was every September and was mandatory if you wanted to achieve your bounty (some can get a waiver or a replacement camp for a course at another time of year) and these also varied. Sometimes it would be full two weeks in the field, other times half of the camp on exercise and the other half doing something else. Often longer courses would be scheduled during annual camp, for example I did my SDC (land rover) course as part of my last annual camp before coming out. Sometimes adventure training features and generally the unit will decide how they wish to spend annual camp and some people may do different things to others depending on training requirements.

As for additional commitment, there was often scope for working extra days here and there and attending various events throughout the year for additional pay. On top of that we had a number of full-time reservists working in the unit and others who volunteered to attach to regular units for months at a time, gaining valuable experience. There were also opportunities to deploy on operations, often joining other regular units on their strength in the UK and abroad. Ultimately those who had the time and motivation to really throw themselves in to reserve life had plenty of opportunities to get involved!

I can't answer your last couple of questions as that was outside the scope of my old unit.

All in all I found it a really enjoyable experience, made great mates and got to get involved on a level that suited my personal circumstances. If you find yourself in a position to really commit to extra duties you would promote reasonably quickly and this would bring further opportunities so I generally wouldn't be concerned about lack of things to do and days to commit.

I hope this gave you at least some insight in to reservist duties. I appreciate it is Army and not RAF but it will give you some idea. With your engineering experience I imagine some Army units in that field would bite your hand off but ultimately it's down to how you want to spend your time. I personally went with artillery because I wanted something totally different to my day job, so I can see why the regiment appeals!

Good luck!