| James J. Gavan 2007-04-26, 6:55 pm |
| LX-i wrote:
<snip>
>
> So there's hope for me yet -  ! (Of course, this will probably be my
> last "hands in the code" assignment, especially if I make E-7. That'll
> put me into management at that point.)
>
Daniel,
What the hell is an E-7 ? OK, so I used Google to find out.
Never ever did get a handle on British Army officer ranks. Actually
never dealt with them and didn't want to :-)
For comparison of British Services, you might want to look at following,
plus the second shows RAF rank insignia, (presumably current ?).
http://www.bomber-command.info/rafranks.htm
http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/ranks.cfm
Reasonably easy to figure out RAF and RN officer ranks because they are
a series of thick and thin stripes at the cuff, for dress uniform and
worn as shoulder loops when in RAF/RN battle-dress. I had always assumed
that an RAF group captain was the equivalent of an Army brigadier, which
I think you folks call a Brigadier General. While not an 'air officer' a
group captain is the first rank where they wear 'scrambled egg' on the
peak of their cap.
If you look at the list of RAF non-comm ranks it's been updated since I
left (1961). As you will note the chevrons, are v-shaped pointing
downwards. I trained as an Administrative Apprentice between Feb '49 -
Sep 50 in S. Wales. (We had three 'trades', secretarial,
equipment/supplies (everything from logistical control of toilet rolls
to aircraft engines) ands accounting (I'm fairly certain the latter was
nothing but Payroll - for sure they never produced a P & L statement :-)
). My training included shorthand, (Pitman's) and typing. A short period
before we passed out the Air Ministry introduced a new series of ranks
both for ground and non-comm aircrew - technicians. This sort of
paralleled the chevrons but were inverted.
The reasoning behind the new ranks - pure speculation - if you followed
the traditional rank route you would make it in progressive steps from
AC1(Aicraftsman 1st Class), through corporal and sergeant before the age
of 30, provided you did a reasonable job and kept your nose clean. It
stagnated a little after that, usually you didn't make flight sergeant
(three chevrons and a crown) until you were knocking 40. It's so long
ago that I can't remember specifics but I think you could take
technician examinations and if you passed you got the next technician
rank. This allowed a minority and 'brighter' people to bypass the
time-served approach.
I 'passed out' from training with speeds of 60 wpm for typing and 120
wpm for shorthand and on the basis of that I automatically got the rank
Junior Technician come 1951/01/01. Because of the shorthand/typing my
first posting was AMU(IG) - they do LOVE their sets of initials in the
military don't they ? Nobody could translate AMU(IG) for me but I was
given a rail and Underground voucher to get to Air Ministry Unit, West
Drayton, Middlesex, (fairly close to Heathrow). Having dragged my crap
through the camp to the orderly room they gave me another Underground
voucher to get to IG Richmond, (in Surrey, and Richmond Hill overlooks
the Thames; a magnificent view in September). Still no clue what the
'IG' is. 'Can you tell me how to get to the RAF in Richmond ?", I ask a
paper-seller. "Sorry mate, there's no RAF 'ere. The nearest is
Chessington", which I knew had a zoo. Fortunately a young WRAF comes on
the scene, works where I want to go and gives me directions. You've been
there done that, ask somebody for directions in a strange place and
you've lost it when they've directed you to the first left turn. Sod it
! I elicit the help of a taxi driver and after about fifteen minutes we
eventually are parked outside No. 136 Richmond Hill. No signs, no RAF
or Union Jacks flying and nothing in the grimy looking front window to
indicate either.
Anyhow I had arrived. Two private houses leased, for the Inspector
General of the RAF, an Air Chief Marshal, final posting before he
retires. So as secretary to the ACM I take his letters down in
shorthand, which he gently dictates 'cos I'm a kid. Having typed and
corrected the first letter a dozen times, they get themselves in a real
secretary a 35-40 year old WRAF sergeant :-). Not quite the end of my
secretarial career, I did shorthand/type stuff for his wing commanders
and for about eight months was secretary for an Air Commodore at HQMEAF
in Egypt, SESO (Senior Equipment Staff Officer).
Above of course, allows me to wax nostalgic. But back to the technician
ranks - you'll see from the current rank insignia that they use a
four-bladed propeller. Well during my time is was just moving the
chevrons around from South-pointing to North-pointing. Whether they had
back during my time, or currently, examinations for promotion I just
don't know. But how do you achieve your E-ratings in the USAF, time
served or some form of examination ?
I had a little smile about you being in 'management'. Related to a
commercial setup is that like saying your are a Chief Programmer
controlling a team or perhaps a Programming project leader ? The 'smile'
is it would never have happened in the RAF in my time or even after I
left. As part of the English caste system you would have needed to be an
'officer and gentleman' to have the necessary intelligence.
Case in point. Around '69-'70, Ivor my DPM, (did his National Service,
conscription, in the RAF leaving with the exalted rank of LAC (Leading
Aircraftsman), subsequently traveled and became a computer operator at
a GE site in California), and yours truly, (leaving with the rank of
sergeant), did a liaison visit to a military site at Blandford Forum,
Dorset(shire) - forgotten name, but let's call it Joint Military
Computer Education Centre.
Don't know what rank the CO was but the place was primarily run by two
RAF flight lieutenants in the Education Branch. Candidates from all
three services were there for periods of training, (might have been 6
months or logically longer - just don't remember). But a prerequisite
was that they should all be officers and gentlemen. (From memory I would
say up to squadron leader/major rank). The two flight 'lewies' could
sense that Ivor and I had military backgrounds but were too polite to
ask to satisfy their curiosity. We really smirked to ourselves when we
reached their computer room. The Operations Manager was a hairy-arsed
flight sergeant and his minions were aicraftsmen and corporals. OK for
the serfs to mind the shop, but design - good gracious me, that requires
superior qualities.
Nearly forgot - those apprentices who trained in accounting. Well much
of that work being Payroll is now done by those computer thingies. As
part of cost-cutting the MofD in UK has amalgamated departments and
possibly originally had three computerized payrolls for army navy/RM and
air force. But to upgrade, makes sense - one payroll for the lot. After
all, other than their uniforms change colour, it's the same thing - right ?
For the switchover, take the smallest of the three first, the RAF. Small
piece in W ly 'Express' - a right cock-up ! People not receiving
allowances when they should and others receiving allowances when they
shouldn't. Permutations on the previous plus late cheques arriving in
bank accounts. Nothing been written since, but one can hazard a guess at
people spinning off into space. No it wasn't programmed by the
'militaire' but done by an outside contractor called EDS. Oops ! EDS
used to be on the J4 COBOL Committee until about a year or so back.
Jimmy
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