I am the tender age of 21 and have a degree and am applicable for many jobs within the RAF. Joining the RAF has been a career path i have been considering for a long time and was wondering if anyone here has served or is apart of the RAF? If so, experiences etc...

Enter stage left.... Scutter - he's your man.

One obvious perk appears to be unlimited use of the airfield as a track when nobody is looking!

I got out last year after serving 7 years. Had a great time seen some great places with some odd people and spent about a third of my career just hanging around due to 'military planning' Served up and down been to the usual places but the arse has just fallen out of the military. No money, too much bickering at the moment, sh1te equipment, incompetent people coming through because they've lowered their entry levels trying to get more people in and all the good people are (still) getting out. Dunno, I don't regret but as things are its a bit rubbish. Mind, you've never known it any differently and with a degree will probably be an officer and its always what you make of it so give it a go. You'll learn summat and definitely get summat out of it

It's ok i'm here

As mr grumpy says, try to get the highest position you can, Pilot/officer is best if only for nice pension when you leave.

Myself, loving it, have been now for 16 years. Thankfully on the aircraft side there isn't much Sh*t equipment left aside VC10's. Be prepaired to love the desert. People wise, be prepared to put up with others(some crap places can be made enjoyable just by the people you work with) and the hours can be strange (just finished at midnight on shift)

What line of work were you looking into? Engineering / Flying / Operations. We worked out recently that as an engineer on a specialist Sqn, i've spent 3 out of the past 16 years in the states

Naturally your first port of call has to be the careers office local to you. After that if you've anymore questions drop me a line or pop along to Newlands this sunday and have a chat.

ATB Dan.

[Edited on 2/8/07 by scutter]

Wow, it's amazing the people you find on a silly little car forum! Wish I could come to Newlands on Sun, it's only 3 or 4 miles for me but I'm in France doing some cycle training. I was interested mainly in weapons systems operations. What do you do? Where are you based? Do you see your job as more of a lifestyle or a job?

[Edited on 2/8/07 by Daimo_45]

Trust me it takes over your life, Is that weopon systems operator as in the rear seat of a Tornado or an armourer handling 500 rifles a day? the back seater would be the better choice.

Myself I'm an propulsion engineer, sounds good doesn't it(aircraft engines), based at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, working on C17 transport aircraft. Look Left.

No worries about Newlands, still feel free to drop me a line.

ATB Dan.

did 7 years in the 80's myself, loved every minute of it, airman aircrew, would still be in but my eyes let me down and got magically turned into an air trafficer didint want to do that for life!!
Personally i am of the opinion that 12 months national service would do the whole country a lot of good!
Mac

My brother went in as a pilot officer, straight from industry. Worked his way through the ranks, mostly on the engine & aircraft maintenance side, up to Wing Commander.

He loved the hands-on side, actually running aircraft maintenance departments, but hated the occasional tours of duty in London (in the MOD, I guess). The higher he got, the more he hated the politics, so eventually he got out.

Mind you, he married a squadron leader, so they're now enjoying a double RAF pension!

All right for some...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Daimo_45
Wow, it's amazing the people you find on a silly little car forum!



Wash your mouth out with soap

---

mistergrumpy - 3/8/07 at 10:21 AM

I was a weapons technician or armourer ^ trust me we didn't just shuffle 500 rifles a day it was a bit better than that. As said it does take over your life and its when it gets to the point that you realise that much of your life doesn't belong to yourself and they're interfering more and more and well really you'd like summat more then thats the point to go. Some people never get that which is great but for me now finishing work is great cos I know that I'm not going to get that phone call back in which was all too often or someone banging on your door for summat. Still mate I'd say give it a pop its definitely worth it.

---

TimC - 3/8/07 at 11:27 AM

My Grandfather was a Dambuster and my Dad did national service helping to develop the percussion bomb AKA stun grenade.

Not exactly helpful as Pa is 72!

---