RAF - PRTC and beyond...
Discussion
Hi, basically I've just passed the medical and the pjft and am awaiting my dates for the PRTC down in Halton.
Then after that, fingers crossed ill be going down to Halton and doing my basic and upon completion going to Brize to do my trade training as a mover.
Just wondered if there were any guys on here currently in the RAF who could share experiences or offer any advice really?
Dan.
Then after that, fingers crossed ill be going down to Halton and doing my basic and upon completion going to Brize to do my trade training as a mover.
Just wondered if there were any guys on here currently in the RAF who could share experiences or offer any advice really?
Dan.
Yep, most of us are techies on here though.
My advice for Halton is learn to iron and clean up after yourself before you start so it's not a shock to you that mummy no longer looks after you. Seriously, some recruits just can't handle it!
Movers are alright, got some mates who do it, some go all over the world on mobility, some do their stints just at brize. But you will enjoy it.
My advice for Halton is learn to iron and clean up after yourself before you start so it's not a shock to you that mummy no longer looks after you. Seriously, some recruits just can't handle it!
Movers are alright, got some mates who do it, some go all over the world on mobility, some do their stints just at brize. But you will enjoy it.
Best bit of advice I ever got in the RAF, never p*** off a mover! Enjoy your time as it will be over in a flash and get lots of adventurous training, courses etc in. Oh and buy a house to rent out whilst you live in cheap base accommodation.
17 years done and its been bloody brilliant, less than 2 months left to go I will be genuinely gutted to leave but new horizons etc.
17 years done and its been bloody brilliant, less than 2 months left to go I will be genuinely gutted to leave but new horizons etc.
Don't have a hair cut before you go to Halton. However smart it looks they'll cut it and charge you for the privilege, unless you've already got s buzz cut.
Don't bother with most of the kit list they give you before you go to Halton (if they still do). You won't need most of it, and the bits you do need can be picked up from the spar at RTS.
Like the chaps above said, learn to iron properly, including putting a sharp crease in the front and back of trousers and in shirt sleeves. If you can do this you'll save yourself a lot of time in the evenings. Learn to bull shoes if you can as well. Look on YouTube.
Don't get caught shagging some moose in the bushes outside the bop. You'll get in the s
t and never hear the end of it.
Don't play football in your barrack block and smash the light fitting off the ceiling (speaking from personal experience here).
If you're not an early riser, start getting up early to get used to it. You'll be out of bed at 5ish every morning for the first few weeks, and if you're not a morning person you'll struggle. EAT BREAKFAST. Lots of people faint on parade with an empty stomach.
Halton is just a 9 week long game. Play along, work hard and help people out where you can. There's nothing worse than getting busted back down to day zero for having a st attitude or failing your final kit inspection. I just kept my head down, tried not to get in the st and helped my mates out when they needed it, and ended up getting best recruit.
If you want to go away lots as a mover then a fast jet base is a good bet. Wherever the squadrons go on detachment, there's always a couple if movers with them.
Don't bother with most of the kit list they give you before you go to Halton (if they still do). You won't need most of it, and the bits you do need can be picked up from the spar at RTS.
Like the chaps above said, learn to iron properly, including putting a sharp crease in the front and back of trousers and in shirt sleeves. If you can do this you'll save yourself a lot of time in the evenings. Learn to bull shoes if you can as well. Look on YouTube.
Don't get caught shagging some moose in the bushes outside the bop. You'll get in the s
t and never hear the end of it. Don't play football in your barrack block and smash the light fitting off the ceiling (speaking from personal experience here).
If you're not an early riser, start getting up early to get used to it. You'll be out of bed at 5ish every morning for the first few weeks, and if you're not a morning person you'll struggle. EAT BREAKFAST. Lots of people faint on parade with an empty stomach.
Halton is just a 9 week long game. Play along, work hard and help people out where you can. There's nothing worse than getting busted back down to day zero for having a s
t attitude or failing your final kit inspection. I just kept my head down, tried not to get in the st and helped my mates out when they needed it, and ended up getting best recruit. If you want to go away lots as a mover then a fast jet base is a good bet. Wherever the squadrons go on detachment, there's always a couple if movers with them.
Exactly what I was going to add about Halton too! 
Realise quickly that it's a game and not the real airforce, it prepares you to look after yourself and instill self discipline. Jump through the hoops and it'll be over in a flash!
I've just left cosford from a 3 week techie course I had to do, was really wierd being called corporal all the time by the AMMs rather than my first name, or mate. As they had only seen Cpl's as big scary instructors and discip's before. I did have a chuckle to myself.
Realise quickly that it's a game and not the real airforce, it prepares you to look after yourself and instill self discipline. Jump through the hoops and it'll be over in a flash!
I've just left cosford from a 3 week techie course I had to do, was really wierd being called corporal all the time by the AMMs rather than my first name, or mate. As they had only seen Cpl's as big scary instructors and discip's before. I did have a chuckle to myself.
PaulG40 said:
Exactly what I was going to add about Halton too!
Realise quickly that it's a game and not the real airforce, it prepares you to look after yourself and instill self discipline. Jump through the hoops and it'll be over in a flash!
I've just left cosford from a 3 week techie course I had to do, was really wierd being called corporal all the time by the AMMs rather than my first name, or mate. As they had only seen Cpl's as big scary instructors and discip's before. I did have a chuckle to myself.
ATSC? Got mine in April. Realise quickly that it's a game and not the real airforce, it prepares you to look after yourself and instill self discipline. Jump through the hoops and it'll be over in a flash!
I've just left cosford from a 3 week techie course I had to do, was really wierd being called corporal all the time by the AMMs rather than my first name, or mate. As they had only seen Cpl's as big scary instructors and discip's before. I did have a chuckle to myself.
It does feel weird when people address me by rank out in the real world, and it does happen occasionally at work. I'm just a bloke who happens to have been promoted. Anyone below Flt Sgt who insists on being addressed by rank is a t
t in my book. Yeah, ATSC. Last one with normal messing too as Pay as you Dine comes to Cosford 1st feb. lol, it's going to be a shock to trainee's, they eat soo much! In the breakaway mess, they'd pile on the main course and then add chips, then grab 3 or 4 sandwich rolls on top. Used to be a race to see who got there first just to get some food as we just wanted a roll to eat. Vultures the lot of them!
HaplessBoyLard said:
Don't have a hair cut before you go to Halton. However smart it looks they'll cut it and charge you for the privilege, unless you've already got s buzz cut.
Don't bother with most of the kit list they give you before you go to Halton (if they still do). You won't need most of it, and the bits you do need can be picked up from the spar at RTS.
Like the chaps above said, learn to iron properly, including putting a sharp crease in the front and back of trousers and in shirt sleeves. If you can do this you'll save yourself a lot of time in the evenings. Learn to bull shoes if you can as well. Look on YouTube.
Don't get caught shagging some moose in the bushes outside the bop. You'll get in the st and never hear the end of it.
Don't play football in your barrack block and smash the light fitting off the ceiling (speaking from personal experience here).
If you're not an early riser, start getting up early to get used to it. You'll be out of bed at 5ish every morning for the first few weeks, and if you're not a morning person you'll struggle. EAT BREAKFAST. Lots of people faint on parade with an empty stomach.
Halton is just a 9 week long game. Play along, work hard and help people out where you can. There's nothing worse than getting busted back down to day zero for having a st attitude or failing your final kit inspection. I just kept my head down, tried not to get in the st and helped my mates out when they needed it, and ended up getting best recruit.
If you want to go away lots as a mover then a fast jet base is a good bet. Wherever the squadrons go on detachment, there's always a couple if movers with them.
I think they closed the Spar and replaced it with a Costa. I was there recently for IMLC and Im sure I was told that. Times change, eh?!Don't bother with most of the kit list they give you before you go to Halton (if they still do). You won't need most of it, and the bits you do need can be picked up from the spar at RTS.
Like the chaps above said, learn to iron properly, including putting a sharp crease in the front and back of trousers and in shirt sleeves. If you can do this you'll save yourself a lot of time in the evenings. Learn to bull shoes if you can as well. Look on YouTube.
Don't get caught shagging some moose in the bushes outside the bop. You'll get in the s
t and never hear the end of it. Don't play football in your barrack block and smash the light fitting off the ceiling (speaking from personal experience here).
If you're not an early riser, start getting up early to get used to it. You'll be out of bed at 5ish every morning for the first few weeks, and if you're not a morning person you'll struggle. EAT BREAKFAST. Lots of people faint on parade with an empty stomach.
Halton is just a 9 week long game. Play along, work hard and help people out where you can. There's nothing worse than getting busted back down to day zero for having a s
t attitude or failing your final kit inspection. I just kept my head down, tried not to get in the st and helped my mates out when they needed it, and ended up getting best recruit. If you want to go away lots as a mover then a fast jet base is a good bet. Wherever the squadrons go on detachment, there's always a couple if movers with them.
I went through a few years (15!) back now, but the rules above stand now as well. Learn to bull shoes if you get the chance, practise ironing creases into sleeves and trouser legs, I re-iterate the above 'EAT BREAKFAST' it was a chargeable offence when i went through and you need every calorie there as they do work you hard.
How old are you, OP? I was 25 when I went through and the Flight Staff left me alone once I had proven I wasn't there for an easy ride, thats the key, first impressions last. Once they know you are good for it, they'll mostly leave you alone (until you fvck up that is!)
Once you are through basic, you'll enjoy Brize. Big camp, good social scene, block rooms are good (although you'll stay in the Gateway House hotel type thing until a room is vacant), with a wet room shower set up, double bed etc.
Moving on from there, not sure about your trade training, but complete it and you might have a little choice as to where you go, or at least an input. If so, get the deployable bit done when you are young, its a blast.
Don't burn the sleeve of your No. 1 uniform with an iron, within a week of receiving it!
This is what I did at Swinderby (the former School of Recruit Training) back in 1982. It was a very obvious big brown 'iron shaped' burn as well, on the outside of the sleeve at elbow level. It was partly my fault for trying to do without an ironing cloth and partly because the ancient RAF supplied iron had a dodgy thermostat. (I bought my own iron soon afterwards).
I put the tunic into the station tailor's shop for alteration a few days later, hoping they'd sort out the burned sleeve for me as well. No chance. The Indian tailor threw it staight at me when I went to collect it, shouting, "it's not my problem, it's your problem, you sort it!"
The correct procedure would have been to report to the drill sergeant and own up. It would have resulted in a massive bking, ridicule in front of my peers and me forking out for a complete new No. 1 uniform. (Tunics and trousers are matched, allegedly).
However, I had other ideas and a blue felt-tipped pen, which I used to 'colour in' the burn. A bit of smudging with a damp cloth helped to blend the colour in. I could still see it, but could anyone else?
Apparently not! That uniform served me well for the next few years. Through my Swinderby pass-out parade, through the numerous parades and inspections I endured during my 3 years as a Halton Apprentice. These included route linings in London and Windsor in front of Royalty and foreign heads of state.
Ha! I was untouchable!
This is what I did at Swinderby (the former School of Recruit Training) back in 1982. It was a very obvious big brown 'iron shaped' burn as well, on the outside of the sleeve at elbow level. It was partly my fault for trying to do without an ironing cloth and partly because the ancient RAF supplied iron had a dodgy thermostat. (I bought my own iron soon afterwards).
I put the tunic into the station tailor's shop for alteration a few days later, hoping they'd sort out the burned sleeve for me as well. No chance. The Indian tailor threw it staight at me when I went to collect it, shouting, "it's not my problem, it's your problem, you sort it!"
The correct procedure would have been to report to the drill sergeant and own up. It would have resulted in a massive b
king, ridicule in front of my peers and me forking out for a complete new No. 1 uniform. (Tunics and trousers are matched, allegedly).However, I had other ideas and a blue felt-tipped pen, which I used to 'colour in' the burn. A bit of smudging with a damp cloth helped to blend the colour in. I could still see it, but could anyone else?
Apparently not! That uniform served me well for the next few years. Through my Swinderby pass-out parade, through the numerous parades and inspections I endured during my 3 years as a Halton Apprentice. These included route linings in London and Windsor in front of Royalty and foreign heads of state.
Ha! I was untouchable!
Edited by JoeBolt on Saturday 26th January 14:43
myles1972 said:
I think they closed the Spar and replaced it with a Costa. I was there recently for IMLC and Im sure I was told that. Times change, eh?!
What?! Sacrilege. I did JMLC in November and never heard that. OP...nothing wrong with being a bit of a joker (the RAF is full of 'em), but stay on the right side of 'cocky' and know when to shut up and listen. Mark your cards early as a pain in the arse and it'll make the 9 weeks more difficult than it needs to be (I'm not saying that you are, you'll soon notice the type).
When you're allowed out at the weekends, don't go out in Aylesbury. You're all too noticeable. Get a bus or train to Watford or Milton Keynes. Anywhere except near camp.
HaplessBoyLard said:
What?! Sacrilege. I did JMLC in November and never heard that.
OP...nothing wrong with being a bit of a joker (the RAF is full of 'em), but stay on the right side of 'cocky' and know when to shut up and listen. Mark your cards early as a pain in the arse and it'll make the 9 weeks more difficult than it needs to be (I'm not saying that you are, you'll soon notice the type).
When you're allowed out at the weekends, don't go out in Aylesbury. You're all too noticeable. Get a bus or train to Watford or Milton Keynes. Anywhere except near camp.
I was down the other side for the whole time, but a mate of mine was on JMLC at the time and I'm sure he said it had gone!!OP...nothing wrong with being a bit of a joker (the RAF is full of 'em), but stay on the right side of 'cocky' and know when to shut up and listen. Mark your cards early as a pain in the arse and it'll make the 9 weeks more difficult than it needs to be (I'm not saying that you are, you'll soon notice the type).
When you're allowed out at the weekends, don't go out in Aylesbury. You're all too noticeable. Get a bus or train to Watford or Milton Keynes. Anywhere except near camp.
OP, this thread is going to be invaluable to you, if you want to get through the 9 weeks with no fuss. Take heed of the lads and lasses(?), and you'll not go far wrong.
Been out of halton for just over 4 years now. Top tip id say is shut up and do what your told when your told and youll breeze it. Dont think of halton as the real RAF though. Halton is all just game. Tis a strange place though. Women who claim they have morals turn extremely slutty after the first day 10 disco hahaha
Just a little bump to update you all.
Flew through the PRTC with no problems at all, received the boots (which I'm currently wearing in) and just the final interview to go! Been given my leaving date as the 10th of July, so fingers crossed everything will be ok until then.
Kept in touch with the lads I went through PRTC with, as there was 6 or 7 of us doing the mover role, and now I can't wait for the process to begin!
Flew through the PRTC with no problems at all, received the boots (which I'm currently wearing in) and just the final interview to go! Been given my leaving date as the 10th of July, so fingers crossed everything will be ok until then.
Kept in touch with the lads I went through PRTC with, as there was 6 or 7 of us doing the mover role, and now I can't wait for the process to begin!
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