I scraped through my
I mean, I probably, I think I probably
I couldn't believe I had.
And then to go back a few years later
the OC or the Officer Commanding
was just kind of coursing through my.
But actually, I think,
found my JRoc challenging,
that not everyone is going to be
day of their course.
Some people like myself need a bit more
with a bit of support,
you can perhaps spot the people who are
and actually going to be fine.
So, and I'm not
I had when I was on my course,
of, you know, if you're face fitted,
you get through.
If they didn't, you're
But I think it takes all
So hopefully I brought a little bit
You know, those officers we graduated
Some of whom I'm now saluting
I'd like to say every
Not all of them were absolutely ready
but drawing on my own experience,
and many of them have been.
So it was a wonderful.
But
fresh faced, brand new junior
So they're in pristine,
They're all looking absolutely terrified
wasn't at Cranwell,
and that they were going to have six
you know, of a really testing experience
sort of five or six months later
in Otterburn in Northumbria or wherever
however tired, wet, exhausted they were,
they'd be planning an operation,
in the field, they'd be credible,
they'd look the part and then
you know, that's a wonderful
brand new officer we had six months ago
and go and take a squadron out.
And at the time,
Bosnia or Kosovo straight after graduating
So it really mattered
It was a good job.
As I say, there's some that are now air
and I'm proud to be able to salute them.
But it does make me feel old.
But, yes, I do.
I mean, there were some and there were
It's a hard course to pass.
I mean, typically, the,
they will graduate maybe 15.
And the others fall
Some of them get injured
You know, it's a tough job.
You have to really,
because if you're not sure, you just
the resilience to keep going,
and you're exhausted and it's wet
of the course to go
expected to kind of not just survive the
It's not for everyone
you are presented
your RAF regiment insignia,
it is a seminal moment of your life
And that goes for the.
The basic gunners as well.
They go through a tough course,
of their families in a parade
they have absolutely earned their place.
And that's one thing that's
whether an officer or a gunner.
You've all been through
all earned your right to be there.
And I think that that really helps
and ethos and pride
And that really matters, because when
and Afghanistan
then you've all started in the same
