Average Trip lengths..

[AlternativeNavs]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

The RFA are currently reviewing the recruitment of Qualified Officers...No positions as yet for Deckies

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

All new joiners to the RFA are sponsored reservists, receive ?300 a year for that and get a call-out bonus if ever activated. We won't see SR status activated outside of a big shooting war. It certainly wasn't for units operating up the NAG in recent years, though might have been for Telic Pt. 1 if it had been in place at the time.

If memory serves SR status was activated for a couple of the AWSR ships during Telic 1.
Their training bounty is higher, ranging from ?400 for year 1, to ?1700 for year 5, i.e. the same as normal RNR.
RFA bounty is lower due to the "RFA Factor" arrangement already in place.

[Rowdy]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

I was hoping to keep on as a reservist, but due to the working routine I cant see it been possible!

[kayak]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Yeah the RFA 2/O at Dartmouth has stayed in the RNR, and a lad on our course was told he wouldn't really be able to go and do the weekend warrior training with the RM because of the whole SR thing and not being able to be on two reserve lists.

[Steve]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Used to be that you could be, and those who already are I'm pretty sure can stay, but I'm not sure if current RFA can join or if new RFA can maintain their RNR etc. commitment. It's a pretty obvious conflict of interest.

[Lewis]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Does that mean you couldn't be in the RFA and TA or RNR in your spare time?

[Steve]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Nope. Used to get double-bubble or thereabouts for warzones, same as the rest of the Merchant Navy. In the 90s it was decided that it was actually just a part of the job and instead of double-time in warzones they pay a permanent allowance in recognition, which in reality is just another part of the wages, though I can't remember how it sits with regard to pension etc.

All new joiners to the RFA are sponsored reservists, receive ?300 a year for that and get a call-out bonus if ever activated. We won't see SR status activated outside of a big shooting war. It certainly wasn't for units operating up the NAG in recent years, though might have been for Telic Pt. 1 if it had been in place at the time.

[Rowdy]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Yeah, last time I was on-board I was in a 38-man mess situated underneath the take-off ramp whilst the Harriers were night flying

Do you get extra pay/benefits should you need to supply ships in hostile enviroments?

[Steve]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Well they are generally envious of our food, cabins and leave arrangements, but the RN typically pays more for the equivalent rank/rate, though possibly not at the most junior end of the scale.

There are a lot of ex-RN (and Army (esp. 17P&M RLC) and a few RAF) in the RFA, some branches more than others.

[Rowdy]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Ahh yes, what sort of feedback do you get from the RN lads with regards to who they work for?

I can imagine they all drip about how little they get paid ect ect.

[Steve]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

No. The RFA inhabit a strange twilight world between Merchant and Royal where we learn a lot of both.

[Rowdy]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

They abreviate everything so would take a while...

Are you Ex RN Steve?

[Steve]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

What is ME steve?

As Rowdy says. It's a Royal Navy thing. They have ME and WE where the latter is Weapons Engineering (which includes electronic). Strictly the RFA has E and SE (Systems Engineering i.e. electrical/electronic/ETO) branches but it's often easier to refer to RFA Engineers (in the Merchant Navy sense) as MEs.

Oh, I nearly forgot the RN have AE too, sorry Rowdy. (Air Engineering). Any more that I've overlooked?

[Lewis]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

Thought that just wanted to be sure. Cheers rowdy

[Rowdy]

Re: Average Trip lengths..

What is ME steve?

I'm not Steve...But it stands for Marine Engineer