Discussion
From a girlfriends POV...
I was with a guy for 6 years. He decided he wanted to join up, (RAF Regt though) I stood by him throughout his 7 month training. I saw him once a month for that period of time and he was at Honington. I didn't ever hold him back because I loved him and that was what he wanted to do. He passed out. Posted to Wittering, and within twelve months we split up.
My point is if it's meant to be then you joining up wont change that. And I'm sure she could find work on base, but if you're not married I would stay in block for a while until you know it's for keeps then she can think about her career and whether she wants to move.
I was with a guy for 6 years. He decided he wanted to join up, (RAF Regt though) I stood by him throughout his 7 month training. I saw him once a month for that period of time and he was at Honington. I didn't ever hold him back because I loved him and that was what he wanted to do. He passed out. Posted to Wittering, and within twelve months we split up.
My point is if it's meant to be then you joining up wont change that. And I'm sure she could find work on base, but if you're not married I would stay in block for a while until you know it's for keeps then she can think about her career and whether she wants to move.
Do it. Its a great job, great people, great travelling(mostly) and great money. Fast jets are the way forward, mechanical trade if you can so airframe/engines. The other trades are for girls, fact. Also, if/when you leave for another job everyone loves all the experience you have gained.
robmlufc said:
Do it. Its a great job, great people, great travelling(mostly) and great money. Fast jets are the way forward, mechanical trade if you can so airframe/engines. The other trades are for girls, fact. Also, if/when you leave for another job everyone loves all the experience you have gained.
Apart from the fact that you will still need to get your type approval & licences to earn decent money.RWDCossyWill on here will atest to after blowing £12k with Lufthansa to get his quickly. I work with an ex-rigger (I joined up with him) who is currently working towards his licence. Pay for unlicenced engineers falls very short of what they're paying for SAC Techs in the RAF.
Depending on what you want to do, you might have a long wait to join up anyway. My mates brother has been waiting for nearly two years to join up. There is a specific job he wants (Physical Trainer, or something like that), he missed enrolment last year because he broke his hand, but he's going to be waiting at least until the end of next year now.
VidalBaboon said:
Apart from the fact that you will still need to get your type approval & licences to earn decent money.
RWDCossyWill on here will atest to after blowing £12k with Lufthansa to get his quickly. I work with an ex-rigger (I joined up with him) who is currently working towards his licence. Pay for unlicenced engineers falls very short of what they're paying for SAC Techs in the RAF.
You don't have to carry on working on aircraft once you leave.. After 12 years a good rigger will have sound experience of all kinds of mechanical systems. Quite often in demand with F1 teams for their hydraulic know how, as are ex military leckies. RWDCossyWill on here will atest to after blowing £12k with Lufthansa to get his quickly. I work with an ex-rigger (I joined up with him) who is currently working towards his licence. Pay for unlicenced engineers falls very short of what they're paying for SAC Techs in the RAF.
Or you can go earn nearly £30 an hour with Airbus without having to do your licenses.
Edited by robmlufc on Wednesday 12th December 11:58
robmlufc said:
VidalBaboon said:
Apart from the fact that you will still need to get your type approval & licences to earn decent money.
RWDCossyWill on here will atest to after blowing £12k with Lufthansa to get his quickly. I work with an ex-rigger (I joined up with him) who is currently working towards his licence. Pay for unlicenced engineers falls very short of what they're paying for SAC Techs in the RAF.
You don't have to carry on working on aircraft once you leave.. After 12 years a good rigger will have sound experience of all kinds of mechanical systems. Quite often in demand with F1 teams for their hydraulic know how, as are ex military leckies. RWDCossyWill on here will atest to after blowing £12k with Lufthansa to get his quickly. I work with an ex-rigger (I joined up with him) who is currently working towards his licence. Pay for unlicenced engineers falls very short of what they're paying for SAC Techs in the RAF.
Or you can go earn nearly £30 an hour with Airbus without having to do your licenses.
Edited by robmlufc on Wednesday 12th December 11:58
VidalBaboon said:
That'll be contracting. So you give up your fairly solid career (about as solid as you can get in this climate), which has very good promotion prospects- generally it's a given that you will progress in rank & your (very good) pension which you draw after 22 years for patchy work for £30/hr
Yup thats contracting. Some people enjoy it, some people can't hack it. Either way, joining up will no doubt work out well. I did 9 years in the RAF doing ground comms throughout the 90s - worked on radar and HF comms equipment mainly. Left in 99 and gained experience with Nokia and then 3 until 2006. I've been contracting in mobile comms since then with various other companies - Voda, Ericsson, O2. Whilst not exciting, it's an easy life.
As has been said earlier in the thread, once you get to 12 you'll feel that 22 is a no brainer. Problem is that if you're not liking it you're kind of stuck until the 22. I felt 9 years was enough for me to pursue my career on the outside, whilst not being 'institutionalised'.
As for your girlfriend situation, I met a local girl
on my first proper posting. We were together for 3 years before I found out I was posted to Cyprus. It was either get married or split. So we got married and are still together 17 years on 
As has been said earlier in the thread, once you get to 12 you'll feel that 22 is a no brainer. Problem is that if you're not liking it you're kind of stuck until the 22. I felt 9 years was enough for me to pursue my career on the outside, whilst not being 'institutionalised'.
As for your girlfriend situation, I met a local girl
on my first proper posting. We were together for 3 years before I found out I was posted to Cyprus. It was either get married or split. So we got married and are still together 17 years on Edited by Bitzer on Thursday 13th December 08:31
Do it, you won't regret it (well you might). I haven't regretted it at all, I've been to some s
tholes - Basra and Afghan, but also been to the Falklands for free and got to see some amazing things. Things that the people on the cruise boat that stops at Port Stanley wouldn't see, and they have paid literally thousands to go there.
This chap tried to steal my sandwiches:
And a random Afghan one:
Afghan is a bit rubbish, but the people you are there with can make the tour - I've done 2 Christmas tours and they aren't that bad. I met Gordon Ramsay on the first one, and had Christmas dinner cooked by him. And you get to buy all your presents in the sales when you get back.
It also feels like you are doing something out there, back home the cabs fly, they come back, you service them, you go home. Out there you know when they go flying they are actually doing something - taking some morale in the form of post to the FOBs, or out on an IRT shout to go and save someones life. Yeah, sometimes they come back in a state and you have to hose out the cabin, but hopefully the guy is alive.
tholes - Basra and Afghan, but also been to the Falklands for free and got to see some amazing things. Things that the people on the cruise boat that stops at Port Stanley wouldn't see, and they have paid literally thousands to go there.This chap tried to steal my sandwiches:
And a random Afghan one:
Afghan is a bit rubbish, but the people you are there with can make the tour - I've done 2 Christmas tours and they aren't that bad. I met Gordon Ramsay on the first one, and had Christmas dinner cooked by him. And you get to buy all your presents in the sales when you get back.
It also feels like you are doing something out there, back home the cabs fly, they come back, you service them, you go home. Out there you know when they go flying they are actually doing something - taking some morale in the form of post to the FOBs, or out on an IRT shout to go and save someones life. Yeah, sometimes they come back in a state and you have to hose out the cabin, but hopefully the guy is alive.
I had a girlfriend before I joined up, in fact they asked me in my selection interviews about my future with her etc and how it'll affect me and her, etc. Stayed with her through my 7 weeks basic at Halton, then a couple of months into Cosford trade training, we'd split up as I was enjoying my new life too much and tbh it was dragging me down having to commit to see her all the time. I then met a girl during my training, also RAF and we both went to Marham together where we had a rented house etc. But we split up 2 1/2years later, different sqns, she didn't want to chat about our days, and we'd never see each other due to overlapping shifts and dets/ops sometimes, she also hated my cars. I moved back on base, and enjoyed myself as a singley doing what I wanted, both socially and enjoying my cars again. A few years later, I meet a lovely civvie girl who followed me to Coningsby and we are still together now 7 years later, we have our own house and are engaged.
At the moment, she still lives in lincs and I work at Lossie, as I took promotion and I travel every two weeks. It's tough, but we are strong together and she can cope with my afghan stints and other dets.
I've known alot of lads even when they are on a two week det, they spend the whole time on the phone trying to comfort their girlfriends, as the GFs are insecure, even those that get married don't seem to realise the amount of time we go away and other commitments being in the military brings.
If your strong enough with her, then it'll work but if it doesn't, it isnt the end of the world, you will move on. What I'm saying is don't let your relationship hold you back from a very fullfilling career.
The money isn't too great in the first 2-3years of your career, but being a singley you'll be fine. The you ramp up the levels, and become resentful that it's never enough, because an admin corporal and a chef get paid the same as you as a techie when you've a ste load more responsibility and training. Grrr.
RB5BIRD - Did you do the prison officer strike training a few years back at Wittering? I remember you and your car from it. Lovely RB5!
At the moment, she still lives in lincs and I work at Lossie, as I took promotion and I travel every two weeks. It's tough, but we are strong together and she can cope with my afghan stints and other dets.
I've known alot of lads even when they are on a two week det, they spend the whole time on the phone trying to comfort their girlfriends, as the GFs are insecure, even those that get married don't seem to realise the amount of time we go away and other commitments being in the military brings.
If your strong enough with her, then it'll work but if it doesn't, it isnt the end of the world, you will move on. What I'm saying is don't let your relationship hold you back from a very fullfilling career.
The money isn't too great in the first 2-3years of your career, but being a singley you'll be fine. The you ramp up the levels, and become resentful that it's never enough, because an admin corporal and a chef get paid the same as you as a techie when you've a s
te load more responsibility and training. Grrr. RB5BIRD - Did you do the prison officer strike training a few years back at Wittering? I remember you and your car from it. Lovely RB5!
PaulG40 said:
RB5BIRD - Did you do the prison officer strike training a few years back at Wittering? I remember you and your car from it. Lovely RB5!
Yes, that was me. Thanks, still got the car, and still love it. I enjoyed the prison guard training, quite a laugh and interesting. I almost wanted them to go on strike, but kinda glad they didn't. Not sure I could really do that for a job though, not convinced I could be totaly calm when the scrotes were kicking off, they might get a baton in the face a bit easily.Rotaree said:
If you have the qualifications join as an officer, much improved quality of life, pay, pension (even after the recent government mauling) and prospects; especially if you join as aircrew.
Well let's face it, aircrew IS the only decent officer job. The others are man managers and your resigned to a desk.robmlufc said:
Do it. Its a great job, great people, great travelling(mostly) and great money. Fast jets are the way forward, mechanical trade if you can so airframe/engines. The other trades are for girls, fact. Also, if/when you leave for another job everyone loves all the experience you have gained.
Owwwww mate you RAF C£$k good pay? just got a job out the RAF for 48k starting was on 33PaulG40 said:
Oil and gas per chance?
Yes mate they told me I was up for redundancy so I started looking and was amazed how much better the oil and gas industry pays and try's to look after its work force.The RAF is a good place to get skills and to better your self HNC/D but its not worth staying in I wish I had looked earlier but that's the past looking forward to this new job time to be a small fish in a big pond again,
Every day is a school day for me for the next 20 years I hope. Harrier, Chinook or oil rig there all screwed together with nuts and bolts.
But please do not think the RAF is all sun shine there are bad points to 12 year max, use them because they use you.
All the best and good luck
The bottom line is that everyone's circumstances and career/family aspirations differ.
In this day and age (particularly with the future reductions in the armed services) it's probably best not to look at a job in the RAF as just another occupation. That said, with the changing tides, it's probably a good time to join; promotion prospects could actually be favourable to those joining in the next couple of years.
After 22 years of seeing many facets of the RAF I can confidently say that it's fundamentally no different to any other walk of life in that, if you look for opportunities, you will find them. I have had a great career so far and would never discourage anyone from joining; I have done things that I could not have imagined as a kid and some that, quite simply, I could not have done if it wasn't for the RAF.
If she loves you, she will follow, hopefully in the knowledge that the military also offers opportunities to dependants too.
Good luck.
In this day and age (particularly with the future reductions in the armed services) it's probably best not to look at a job in the RAF as just another occupation. That said, with the changing tides, it's probably a good time to join; promotion prospects could actually be favourable to those joining in the next couple of years.
After 22 years of seeing many facets of the RAF I can confidently say that it's fundamentally no different to any other walk of life in that, if you look for opportunities, you will find them. I have had a great career so far and would never discourage anyone from joining; I have done things that I could not have imagined as a kid and some that, quite simply, I could not have done if it wasn't for the RAF.
If she loves you, she will follow, hopefully in the knowledge that the military also offers opportunities to dependants too.
Good luck.
Wow! It's like a mini reunion in here isn't it!
I knew Vidal baboon personally in the RAF, posted to the same station albeit different trades, and RB5 bird, if you are who I you think you are, I was in the Falklands with you when you were on VAHS, might remember me as Spills?
I did 12 years in, had a pretty good time & met some fantastic people (and Vidalbaboon
), and learnt a Very good trade with probably the best training you will ever get!
However, at the moment promotion is slow due to the big cuts being made, and it will take you a good few years to start earning sensible money.
If you are not wiling to be away fit long periods of time don't bother joining, the days of det dodging are gone, you WILL be going to a warzone at some point.
The important thing is to understand that while the RAF will give you the hard sell about how good it is & the chances you will get, ultimatly you are an expendable soldier first & foremost & a tradesman second. If you hunt out the good bits you will have an awesome time with moments of sheer terror thrown in for good measure.
Make sure you have a good sense of humor!
I knew Vidal baboon personally in the RAF, posted to the same station albeit different trades, and RB5 bird, if you are who I you think you are, I was in the Falklands with you when you were on VAHS, might remember me as Spills?
I did 12 years in, had a pretty good time & met some fantastic people (and Vidalbaboon
), and learnt a Very good trade with probably the best training you will ever get!However, at the moment promotion is slow due to the big cuts being made, and it will take you a good few years to start earning sensible money.
If you are not wiling to be away fit long periods of time don't bother joining, the days of det dodging are gone, you WILL be going to a warzone at some point.
The important thing is to understand that while the RAF will give you the hard sell about how good it is & the chances you will get, ultimatly you are an expendable soldier first & foremost & a tradesman second. If you hunt out the good bits you will have an awesome time with moments of sheer terror thrown in for good measure.
Make sure you have a good sense of humor!
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