|
|
OT The ATC
|
Salad Dodger, AW, weren't you in this?
They've let my daughter fire a gun with real bullets. Is this normal
|
Ultimately, this is far more useful than making her point her finger at
people, move her thumb like a trigger, and shout bang.
Plus, if civilisation ever collapses she might at least be able to shoot
straight... or hunt for food. It's all good.
|
on your very first session? They'll let her up in a plane as well. I'm
not convinced this is a good idea.
Being somewhat of a pacifist I'd rather she hadn't joined. Hey ho.
|
I was in 50F in Tulse Hill, London. Loved every minute of it. We
were near an underground shooting range (TA) so often went shooting
303 and SLR. Went gliding most weekends, and went on annual camp to a
proper airbase where we went up in everything from Chipmunks to very
big planes with lots of engines. Local yobs in Tulse Hill used to
vandalise our hut a lot, so occasionally the commander would get the
rifles from the range and select a number of windows in the local
flats for us to practice on. Kept the natives at bay a little.
|
|
I lasted two visits, I think. At the age of 13 or so I fondly
imagined that I wanted to be an air force pilot.
However, having already left the cubs due to my inability to function
in a para-military organisation, it really shouldn't have been a
surprise to anyone that I was unlikely to flourish in the ATC
|
I never got as far as joining any of these organisations. I can't really
remember why but I guess I was just stubborn.
|
Bloke with strips: Do
Me : why?
|
There isn't really that much opportunity for a full-team problem
solving workshop in combat, though. All they are trying to do is find
those who'll toe the line when they need to.
We'd have sufficient bodies to stick in uniforms if powers that be
didn't feel the need to be involved in every minor kerfuffle the world
over.
|
|
I had a similar problem with RAF authority, and ultimately that was
(mainly) why I didn't stay longer. SD and I were both POM (potential
|
I didn't, which is why I did.
I did have the advantage (as did you) over the regulars, of always
having the "sod this for a game of soldiers, I'm going home" option
available.
I simply treated it as playing at being in the Air Force, and if I
wanted to play, I had to stick to their rules. It worked for me. Most
of the time the "orders" were bonkers, but harmless.
|
Tis true. But I've never been that good at buckling to authority.
Like Champ I lasted about a fortnight in the cubs.
|
|
officer material) but in the meantime while we got experience we were
subject to being told what to do by everyone and his dog. I had one
particularly rancourous discussion with a jumped up junior NCO when
the training programme for the weekend had fallen by the wayside
*again* and she'd told me to do something particularly meaningless to
fill in the time. Resulting conversation was something like:
JUJNCO: No, don't argue, just do . You *have* to
respect me!
AW: No, I *have* to obey your orders but there's nothing in QR that
says I have to respect you and I have to tell you that the chances
that I ever will are looking increasingly remote.
|
Step forward Cpl Angie Luddington. :)
|
She was a rancourous old cow, she was.
|
|
I left shortly after that, much to my mother's lack of surprise, as
she said something like "well, you never were any good at doing as you
were told".
|
|
Not particularly surprised to read this. You've been your own person for
a long time, then.
|
|
Mine, too. And, funnily enough, one of the reasons I think I'm good in
my job at dealing with the military.
|
|
On one level, I agree with you, which I why I've never been involved
in any military or semi-military (like the Police) organisation.
However, what's the difference between the bloke with the stripes in
your above example, and your boss at work?
|
I'm allowed to disagree with my boss. And, more crucially, in the
business environment I can't think of an occassion when I've been
asked to do something without the reason why being explained.
I was in the audience of a lecture by an ex-marine the other day,
which was quite entertaining, and fairly interesting. He
charactarised the marines as the "thinking man's infantry", and they
work on the basis that *every* member of the force in an operation has
as much information as possible - i.e. you know the 'why' as well as
the 'what'. Now that I might be able to work with.
|
You also have to be incredibly fit..
|
Not really. This programme gets you to the level of fitness needed for
the Paras (I assume Marines aren't that different):
Wk no Day Run (in training shoes) Daily Exercise
1 Mon-Fri 20 Minutes Daily 15 Press Ups
Sat Rest Day 15 Sit Ups
Sun 2 Miles in 16 minutes 5 Underarm Heaves
2 Mon-Thus 3-Miles Daily 20 Press Ups
Fri 2 Miles in 15 minutes 20 Sit Ups
Sat Rest Day 7 Underarm Heaves
Sun 3 Miles in 25 minutes
3 Mon-Fri 4-Miles Daily 25 Press Ups
Sat Rest Day 25 Sit Ups
Sun 4 Miles in 35 Minutes 9 Heaves
4 Mon-Fri 5-Miles Daily 30 Press Ups
Sat Rest Day 30 Sit Ups
Sun 5 Miles in 45 minutes 10 Heaves
If this programme is followed you should be capable of passing the
PRAC physical assessment. So get training now!
|
Well yeah that shouldn't trouble anyone with any pretence at fitness,
but it looks like that's the suggested minimum for even being allowed
to start the course. I also can't tell from the context but it looks
like it might only apply to 16-year-olds.
|
|
|
Well, sure, but for soldiers in their 20s and early 30s that's not
difficult. I'm way beyond call-up age now, so even if we ended up in
some WW2 style situation (which I think unlikely to ever happen to the
western democracies), it wouldn't affect me.
|
|
|
To a point. Need to know still applies but they do expect Marines to
be empowered rather more than the nornal army infantry.
|
|
|
|
|
Christ, these days if you haven't been up in a plane by the time you're
5 there's something wrong.
As for the gun, right and proper training for going postal later in life
innit.
|
|
The two sigs thing? Good work, einstein.
|
|
|