The RAF - No room for 'Guys'

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

Which is? You can't start a rant and leave it without telling.

Lets just say TW that there was an ever increasing lack of teamwork at my last section although it wasn't just there. Was finding a myriad of unhelpful Admin/MT/CS/Contractors and even people from my own trade. The Officers in our branch were incredibly becoming more condescending and patronising as they try to hide their ineptitude. Lo-and-behold anyone who should challenge poor conduct/behaviours/customer service. All this was contributing to making life harder and with the ever increasing B5 and "Op focussed - YES SIR/NO SIR" infantry type expected responses tying in with the down-skilling of the trade and branch. A certain trade "SF" unit was promoting people beyond their means (Peter Principle) and pumping them out to the rest of the trade. B5 attitudes but no actual man-management or technical knowledge of their charges.

I realise these statements may seem broadbrush but this was my perception of things and was a major factor in my leaving.

 

[muttywhitedog]

RAF Promotes Use Of Gender-Inclusive Pronouns

An "Air Force fit for the 21st century" could see an airman or airwoman referred to as an air-per, as part of moves to encourage diversity.

www.forces.net

I wonder what the alternative for "Sir" or "Ma'am" will be....

 

[Cornish_Pikey]

I wonder what the alternative for "Sir" or "Ma'am" will be....

Bwana?

 

[ghostbuster1]

I wrote an email out to circa 140 pers this week, opening line, the usual "Good morning Sirs, Ma'ams, Ladies and Gents" had a reply from one of them (CS) stating that "Good morning everyone" would be better for unconscious bias and inclusivity reasons. I'm a JNCO so don't think the Wg Cdrs and Col's etc and above in that email would have been happy not addressing them appropriately.

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

And we don't want to upset the CS now do we?............ Whole Force b0ll0xxxxxxxxx and all that!!!!!! :-O

 

[Oldstacker]

Speaking as a former NCO, now a CS; I have to say I despair at times over how little my CS colleagues know about the services they are there to support. My guiding principle is always 'front line first' - will what i do benefit the front line either by improving operations or reducing hassle for the front line. For some of my colleagues, the end purpose of what they do seems to stop at what they directly see. I think that part of the problem is that with the steady reductions in budgets over the years there have been far fewer opportunities for 'familiarisation' activities and an increasing reliance on mechanical 'process' of doing things rather than a need for understanding and judgement. The focus on inclusivity & diversity etc training, on the other hand, is continually growing.

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

Oldstacker!! Does it drive you mad or are you now just meh to it all???

 

[Downsizer]

I wrote an email out to circa 140 pers this week, opening line, the usual "Good morning Sirs, Ma'ams, Ladies and Gents" had a reply from one of them (CS) stating that "Good morning everyone" would be better for unconscious bias and inclusivity reasons. I'm a JNCO so don't think the Wg Cdrs and Col's etc and above in that email would have been happy not addressing them appropriately.

Good morning Sirs, Ma'ams, Everyone.....

Not that hard is it?

 

[Spearmint]

I wrote an email out to circa 140 pers this week, opening line, the usual "Good morning Sirs, Ma'ams, Ladies and Gents" had a reply from one of them (CS) stating that "Good morning everyone" would be better for unconscious bias and inclusivity reasons. I'm a JNCO so don't think the Wg Cdrs and Col's etc and above in that email would have been happy not addressing them appropriately.

That's why I used 'Sir's, Ma'ams et al.'

No fucker can catch you out with that one even if they have multi-coloured hair, steal the alphabet and build so called 'careers' from it.

 

[4everAD]

That's why I used 'Sir's, Ma'ams et al.'

No fucker can catch you out with that one even if they have multi-coloured hair, steal the alphabet and build so called 'careers' from it.

Why Sirs first and not Ma'ams? That's just plain sexist

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

How about "Yo Beeeetcheeeeessss"? Would that be accpetable you think?? :-D

 

[Barch]

Half Bar
Bar
Tow Bars
Two and a half Bars
Three Bars
Four Bars
One Star
Two Stars
Three Stars
Four Stars
Mate

 

[Rigga]

Main Gimlet
Massive Gimlet
Big Gimlet
Medium Gimlet
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Non-comissioned Gimlet
Insignificant Gimlet

 

[Tin basher]

At least we use the term "Maam" for our Doris's. The Italians smash their heads into wings smack them on the @rse and chuck them in swimming pools. Allegedly

Female Italian Air Force rookie sues over 'hazing' ceremony

Giulia Schiff, 21, was hit in the backside with wooden objects and thrown into a swimming pool during the 'hazing' ritual in the Italian air force.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Barch]

Main Gimlet
Massive Gimlet
Big Gimlet
Medium Gimlet
Small Gimlet
Non-comissioned Gimlet
Insignificant Gimlet

What has a Gin & Lime cocktail got to do with things ?

 

[Oldstacker]

Drives me mad quite frankly, fortunately my most immediate colleagues are either currently serving, FTRS, or ex-service (and cover all 3 services) like me so we have similar outlooks and a high banter quotient during the day - my career CS boss despairs at us sometimes but has been around the mil long enough to know that when we're taking the p**s out of each other we're happy and lets us get on with it. The ones that have no military experience, on the other hand, and and have taken on board the full on CS, this is a financially driven, process orientated business, love everybody, never upset anyone, etc etc can be very frustrating.

Oldstacker!! Does it drive you mad or are you now just meh to it all???

 

[Barch]

I worked at Ascent Flight Training at an MOD building down in Bristol, it was mostly ex servicemen with a few 22 Group officers and a smattering of civilian educators.

The civvies couldn't get their heads round the things we got up to and we (middle aged) were forever the HR Director's office explaining why farting competitions and such like were normal behaviour.

Our team leader a retired USAF Colonel went into the HR Director's office one day, slammed the door on the way in and told her in no uncertain terms that if she carried on a large part of the multi billion pound contract was in jeopardy. We didn't get a squeak out of her from that point on.

 

[muttywhitedog]

I work entirely with CS, none of whom have served, although some do have connections through family. Although being PC is a hot topic, although my LM uses the phrase "guys" in just about every sentence, and I have no intention of bringing it up purely because it doesnt offend anyone there at the moment. We do have the occasional E&D briefing, but on the whole we just get on with our day and if someone is offended by the odd slip of the tongue, we apologise and thats it.

 

[foreverwar]

Her bio, for info

Command Senior Enlisted Leader

Warrant Officer Simon Waldock

ac.nato.int

Warrant Officer Sara Catterall, Royal Air Force (RAF) has been Command Senior Enlisted Leader at NATO’s Headquarters Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, since Sept 2019.

She joined the Royal Air Force in 1995 as an Intelligence Analyst and over her career has served in a variety of Joint Defence roles and operational intelligence specialisations both in the UK and abroad.

She has deployed extensively, including a number of tours in Afghanistan providing direct support to Special Forces and Air operations. In 2011, she received a 3* Commanders Joint Operation Commendation in recognition for intelligence support to tactical operations.

Prior to taking up post, she served at the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, Germany, where she was the Baltic Air Policing Liaison Officer and more recently was the Station Warrant Officer at RAF College Cranwell, the spiritual home of the Royal Air Force.

(Current as of November 2019)

 

[Barch]

What are the odds that she is the next CASWO ?

I reckon less than evens, maybe 1 to 3