What a jolly nice guy !!

Last week on being called to the square in the usual fashion, the co of our regt (an artillery group in Larkhill) kindly informed us of his intention to send anyone signing off between now and OCT (when we deploy to Afganistan) to the Staffords to back fill there recent sinking ship syndrome.
Do i detect a note of panic in his voice and a slight knee jerk in his reactions ??
And theres me thinking that the army was against bullying and threatening behavior lol !!!
Let me just add that i have no intention of signing off at this time just had to have a giggle to myself when he later mentioned that for those off us who joined the army to be fighting soldiers this upcoming tour will be the pinical of our carrers still makes me laugh out loud today pmsl !!!!
(anyone out there who actually joined the army to be a fighting soldier ??)
Im most definatly a VM first soldier second, even our mato states by SKILL then by FIGHTING !!

 

I think Chris2006 (See the training wing) is trying to be a fighting soldier first. Well, he's joing the inf, you join the inf nowadays you pretty much guarantee yourself a ticket to Iraq or the 'Stan!

 

i'm guessing he was directing it at the troops wearing his capbadge, who almost certainly joined up to fight, given the choice of trade.

not at the gaggle of fat blokes in coveralls.

 

Sorry, just to clarify, your asking if anyone joining the REME joins to be a fighting soldier?

Im joining the REME to learn how to fix Helicopters. And im looking forward to it. But no, ill be honest, im not joing to fight, although ill probably be sent to the 'Stan or Iraq, so i obviously will be in some form of danger, which i wont shirk.

 

Let me put this into context, the only danger you're likely to find yourself in is not being able to find a crew to do A jobs when they need things fixing, or in danger of running out of Dollars when you need you're latest fix of Purple Fanta from Echos or the EFI or maybe if you are very unlucky, you could be in danger of falling mortars between 0100 and 0400 when your freezing your ass off in an air conditioned tent.

So unless you're CO is really sadistic you can bet a pound to a pinch of proverbial that there is no way they would let REME loose with the Taliban or IZ Insurgents.

 

My OC told me that special permission must be granted for a soldier to deploy 'OUT OF TRADE'.........

Then in his next breath, VOLUNTEERED a load of our guys to go foot slogging with the regiment (because of under manning!)..!!!

What a jolly nice guy !!

Anyway... I did this a few years ago and thouroughly enjoyed doing something OUT OF TRADE, However, when the workshop got overloaded with man hours i ended up turning spanners during my time off!, when my vehicle needed 7 day checks, servicing, inspecting, repairing etc, guess what?... yep i ended up doing it -

"well its your wagon, you can fix it!!"

SHAFTED BY THE REME ONCE AGAIN!!!!

 

Remerus, i said i'd be in "some form of danger". Falling mortars is some form of danger, right?

 

why not?..... I actually think it happens way too much! At least when i did it, i got the full 3 month training package with the regiment, not a poxy 1 week course/range package with the rest of the workshop!!!!!

 

a-h. Comment when you've done something, what would you know about deploying and life in the field force?
TB going with your Regt on foot is nothing we haven't done since NI kicked off a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. Its not exactly out of trade is it? Remember, soldier first etc etc

 

i feel a distinct lack of respect for the reme soldiers ability to actualy soldier.
yes we are all tradesman but we are all also soldiers

and yes we do soldier

2 military medals in the 1st gulf war one of them posthumous RIP mick dowling

1 military cross in 2nd gulf war and 3 mentions in dispatches plus a mention in dispatches on telic 3

so we should not put our selves down we should be promoting our selves to the fore we are soldiers who have a trade perform that trade under fire and any conditions and when the time comes to stop being tradesmen we can also soldier

and at the end of the day mr taliban doesnt ask what cap badge u wear before he pulls the trigger he just pulls it

im sure the lads of the para lad out there at the moment have took their fair share of incoming

call them a remf when they come home and i feel u might end up horizontal looking at the sky with a sore jaw

 

well said fella

 

I concur, well said!

 

Just got an email from T8 guys in Basrah, they say that when the Warriors deploy on convoy and the REME variants support (sorry keeping the designations out of it for A-H's sake) whenever they have to recover a dead vehicle they have done it under contact, and yes, even the Artisan Sgt has fired off a volley or two!!

I bet anything the REMEs in Helmand are often involved in fending off the Taliban hit squads that approach the perimeter fences at nightfall by cutting them down with gimpies!!

I don't buy into Soldier First..Tradesman Second anymore, it is more like, "He who dares. Wins" these days.

 

Sparky, i have friends and relatives who are currently serving abroad, and so i do know some things about it, and any comment i make is thought through. I was actually answering the question posed originally:

 

I also now feel the need to come in and say well said.
Having myself been involved in the 16 hour recovery task Telic one that resulted in an M.I.D or two and also finding myself using my rifle more than tool box while being hot side of the challies on telic 1.
and we arnt just the fat blokes in covies either, my fitter section getting some of the first confirmed kills of our battle group on that tour!!