The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force

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The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
Issue 5, 2018   The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton
The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
Issue 5, 2018                                                                               The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton                                                  Deter, Defend, Defeat, Assist

                                                                                      4             Commander’s Message
                                                                                      5             Editor's Foreword
   Issue 5, 2018                              The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton        6             51 Degrees North Writing Competition
                                                                                                                                                                        22            RAF Police Support civilian police
                                                                                                                                                                                      Operation in Swindon to target
                                                                                       News                                                                                           illegal drug use
                                                                                                                                                                        24            Falcons’ Focus
                                                                                      7             No 10 Squadron Commander
                                                                                                    Handover
                                                                                      7             The Learning Centre’s Open
                                                                                                    Day
                                                                                      8             Royal Bahraini Air Force complete
                                                                                                    training at No XXIV Squadron
                                                                                      10            Ten years of the Future Strategic Tanker
                                                                                                    Aircraft
                                                                                      11            No 10 Squadron Association celebrate
                                                                                                    RAF100
                                                                                      12            RAF Brize Norton celebrate RAF100
                                                                                                    with Nationwide Building Society
                                                                                                                                                                      Charity
                                                                                                                                                                     26            RAF Brize Norton inspires
                                                                                                                                                                                   students during a Blue Skies visit
                                                                                                                                                                     27            JET - Jon Egging Trust
                                                                                                                                                                     28            VC10 Preservation Group
Editor                                                                                                                                                               30            99 Squadron ‘Orange Slog’
Sqn Ldr Mark Taylor                                                                                                                                                                Bike Ride for RAF100 from Brize
                                                                                                                                                                                   Norton - Landsmeer Holland
Deputy Editor                                                                                                                                                         Community
Flt Lt Dave Coombs                                                                                                                                                   32            The HIVE
                                                                                                                                                                     32            Visiting Agencies
Magazine Co-Ord                                                                                                                                                      33            RAF Brize Norton Voluntary Band
                                                                                                                                                                     34            47 Squadron at the Abingdon
Flt Lt Sarah Margetts
                                                                                                                                                                                   Airshow
                                                                                                                                                                     36            Community Support Deployed
Media Team                                                                             Team                                                                                        Families trip to the Cotswold
Mrs Stacey Evans                                                                      18            Time for a Digital Spring Clean                                                Wildlife Park
Mrs Leanne King                                                                       20            RAF Brize Norton - Mental Health                                 37            Sudoku
                                                                                                    First Aid Training                                               Adventure & Sport
                                                                                      21            Padre’s Peace
Editorial Contact                                                                                                                                                     40            Brize Norton PEd Flt
51° North Magazine,                                                                                                                                                   42            RAF Brize Norton Cyclist
RAF Brize Norton,                                                                                                                                                                   presented with National Jersey
                                                                                      Submitting your Article
Carterton, Oxfordshire OX18 3LX                                                       We can help you in developing your article for the magazine. The following contacts are on hand to
                                                                                      assist you in planning, writing and publishing your piece;
Email: bzn-51degreesnorth@mod.gov.uk
                                                                                      Sqn Ldr Mark Taylor - Editor ext. 7930                                         Mr Simon Clarke – Web Manager ext. 6492
Tel: 95 461 7930 / 01993 897930                                                       Flt Lt Dave Coombs - Contributions Editor ext. 7880                            Mrs Leanne King – Deputy Media
                                                                                      Flt Lt Sarah Margetts - Magazine Co-ord ext. 7414                              Communications Officer ext. 7264
                                                                                      Mrs Stacey Evans - Deputy Media and                                            Stephen Lympany - Serco Photgraphy ext. 7523
Distribution Manager                                                                  Communications Officer ext 6342
FS Becky Hall
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Although advertisements are included in good faith, the Editor hereby declares that the publication of any advertisement in the ‘51° North’ in no way implies endorsements or responsibility, by the ‘51° North’. The MOD
or any Service Establishment - including RAF Brize Norton, for the advertiser or its advertised product or service. Furthermore, neither the Editor nor any Service authority will become involved in any dispute arising out
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reflect official MOD or Service policy. © No part of the ‘51° North’ may be reproduced in part or full without the written permission of the Editor or publisher. Photographs are Crown Copyright - all rights reserved - unless
credited to an individual photographer. The ‘51° North’ is the magazine of RAF Brize Norton and is published monthly by kind permission of the Station Commander - Group Captain Timothy T Jones BSc (Hons) MA RAF
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                                               Published by Forces and Corporate Publishing Ltd, Hamblin House, Hamblin Court, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 0RU. Tel: 01933 419994 email: sales@forcespublishing.co.uk

                                                          Managing director: Ron Pearson • Sub editor: Kerry Wells • Sales manager: Sally Haynes
The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
COMMANDER’S MESSAGE

With the summer months
finally here, we are all
due some reasons to start
feeling good about life!
One of the things that I
am most excited about is
the transformation of the
Spotlight Club into the
Common Room, including
a new outdoor ‘street food’
area. It is a transformation
from a facility that, if we
are honest, was feeling a
bit like 1971 into one that
is now definitely looking
like 2018. With access for
all ranks each weekday
until 7pm (Junior Ranks
                                  contribute to the operational        expeditionary capability and          who want to make a difference
only after 7pm), it is great      output of the Station. It is         something that we can be very         and speak directly with the
sign of the investment that       sometimes easy to focus on the       proud of.                             Station’s leadership, please ask
                                  aircraft that relentlessly deliver                                         your chain of command how to
Sodexo are putting into                                                                                      get involved.
                                  against each of the pillars of       In the same vein, the Station
the new catering contract         our mission: Deter, Defend,          Shadow Management Board is
                                  Defeat, Assist. However, this        becoming ever more useful to          RAF Brize Norton is a special
on Station. The challenge
                                  month I have been particularly       me as a Station Commander             place in its uniqueness across
now is for the Junior Ranks       impressed with the manner            to understand the issues that         Defence and we, collectively,
Welfare Committee to step         in which 38 Expeditionary            really matter. If I ran the Station   have to make sure that we
                                  Air Wing, our deployable             based only on my own insights,        keep it a special place by giving
up and get engaged in             element, has prepared itself         I would probably get it 10%           people the opportunities to do
making the very most of           for its validation exercise at       right. So having the views of a       things that other people can’t.
                                  RAF Leeming. The EAW draws           group of people from a cross-         That is why the opportunities
the facility; let’s not miss      people from across the Station       section of ranks and ages has         such as speaking to influential
the opportunity.                  and, therefore, is a good            been important in helping us          senior people who visit the
                                  barometer for the talent we          make decent decisions that take       Station are so important. So my
This month has, once again,       hold. As we saw on Operation         account of the needs across           final message is this: be part of
been full of examples of people   RUMAN, the EAW is an essential       the Station. I listen to these        the change by using your voice
going over and above to           part of the Air Mobility             Shadow Boards, so for those           to speak up as much as you can!

4
The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
EDITOR'S FOREWORD
                                 Hello and welcome to this edition of 51 Degrees North. Can you believe it’s
                                 June and we are already on issue 5?

                                 We have tried to cover as much as we can in this edition, but as always, we are just
                                 skimming the surface of what happens at Brize. I strongly encourage you to get involved
                                 with as much as you can, there is so much on offer, for example, the Learning Centre
                                 Open day (P7) provided station personnel with information on how they can undertake
                                 additional learning and development. This is but one of the opportunities at Brize.

                                   RAF100 celebrations are in full swing and on the 10 July, the centrepiece of RAF100 will
                                 take place with a centenary service in Westminster Abbey, followed by a parade in The Mall
                                 and a spectacular flypast over Buckingham palace, which RAF Brize Norton will be heavily
                                 contributing to. We will cover Brize’s involvement in a future edition.

                                  It looks like Summer is going to be a real scorcher, so I hope you can find time to enjoy it
                                 and take time out to rest and recover.

                                  Please keep us informed of what you are up to.

                                  Take care and all the very best.

                                                                                                         Sqn Ldr Mark Taylor
                                                                                                                51DN Editor

Flt Lt Dave Coombs   Flt Lt Sarah Margetts                  FS Becky Hall                          Mrs Stacey Evans

                                                                                                                                 5
The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
51 Degrees
      North
     Writing
    Competition

    Winner of the Competition is Squadron Leader Ian Baldwin for his article on a Digital Spring Clean.

6
The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
Handover

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On the 15th May 2018, Wing Commander Simon
Blackwell handed over command of No 10
Squadron to Wing Commander Al Scott.

During Wg Cdr Blackwell’s tenure in the Voyager
Force he has seen the final phase of the aircraft’s
introduction into Service along with an expansion in
the number of trained Voyager crews. He has also had
responsibility for the introduction of the enhanced
cabin capability onto Voyager and the associated VIP
cabin service; a prestigious role for the Voyager Force
which returned to RAF Brize Norton after a 15 year
absence. Wing Commander Blackwell leaves RAF Brize
Norton to become Personal Staff Officer to Deputy
Commander Capability and Air Member for Personnel
and Capability at Air Command.

Wing Commander Al Scott has just completed his
conversion to the Voyager aircraft. Familiar to the
Air Transport and Air to Air Refuelling role his first
assignment to RAF Brize Norton was in the year                         Atlantic; he has undertaken staff assignments at Air Command
2000 and he has never been too far away since. He has flown            in Manning, the Capability area and within HQ No 1 Group. Last
and instructed on the VC10 and Tucano aircraft, participating          year he completed the Advanced Command and Staff course at
in operations and exercises in the USA, Middle East and South          Shrivenham.

           The Learning Centre’s Open Day provides
              Opportunity For Further Education
In April the Learning Centre at RAF Brize Norton
hosted an annual Open Day. This year 16 learning
providers attended ranging from Universities, Local
Colleges and Learning providers. The aim is to provide
service personnel and civil servants with opportunities
to engage in Adult Learning leading to potential career
progression and obtaining professional qualifications.

Numerous discussion’s where held between potential students
and learning providers to understand what courses are available
and how to access MOD funding such as the Standard/ Enhanced
learning Credit schemes for the military and for Civil Servants the
external training budget.
  The Learning Centre has an extensive library of course literature,
so please pop in and discuss with the Learning Centre team.

                                                                                                                                        7
The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
A Bahraini Pilot completes his pre-flight checks.

  Royal Bahraini Air Force
  Personnel Complete Training
  at No. XXIV Squadron
Personnel from the Royal Bahraini
Air Force (RBAF) have been training
at No. XXIV Squadron (also known as
No. 24 Squadron), based at RAF Brize
Norton.
The four Bahraini personnel - two pilots
and two Loadmasters - began their training
at RAF Cranwell, where they spent six
months undergoing their multi-engine
training and then a further three months of
intense theory and practical training at XXIV
Squadron.
  Lieutenant Colonel Alwazzan, RBAF said:
“The training has been hard work but we have
thoroughly enjoyed our time here at RAF Brize
Norton and I look forward to passing the
course.”
  The two pilots completed their final
three-hour training sortie on 9th May 2018
under the watchful eye of Flight Lieutenant
Walker, a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI),
 XXIV Squadron. The RBAF personnel will              The Bahraini Pilots and Loadmaster with XXIV Squadron personnel before their flight on a C-130
  now return to Bahrain to be the first                                                                                                   Hercules.
   trained Pilots for the C-130J Hercules,                                                          with No. 45 Squadron at RAF Cranwell on
                                                      Wing Commander Gareth Burdett, Officer
    ahead of the delivery of their aircraft. The                                                    multi-engine training and culminating here
                                                   Commanding No. XXIV Squadron, said:
      two Loadmasters will continue their                                                           on the AM OCU with their final test in the
                                                   “I’m delighted to be able to celebrate the
        training on the Squadron with the                                                           mighty Hercules. Bahrain is an important
                                                   graduation of Lieutenant Colonel Alwazzan
          aim of completing their training in                                                       and close ally of the UK and XXIV Squadron is
                                                   and Major Alshami of the RBAF from the
             June 2018. Further Bahraini Pilots                                                     proud to be able to support the International
                                                   bespoke Bahraini C-130J Conversion Course,
               will follow in their colleagues’                                                     Defence Training Team. It has been an
                                                   delivered at XXIV Squadron, the Air Mobility
                 footsteps and will undergo                                                         absolute privilege to work with the cream of
                                                   Operational Conversion Unit (AM OCU). It’s
                      their Co-Pilot training                                                       the Bahraini aircrew cadre.”
                                                   been a long and demanding course, starting
                          for approximately 11
                               weeks.                                 All images are MOD Crown Copyright.
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The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
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The Bahraini Pilots and Loadmaster pictured in front of the            Bahraini Pilots are awarded their certificates by Officer Commanding No. XXIV Squadron,
C130J Hercules.                                                        Wing Commander Gareth Burdett, after successfully passing their final flight.

‘‘          Further Bahraini Pilots will follow in their colleagues’ footsteps and will undergo
                                            their Co-Pilot training for approximately 11 weeks.

                                                                                                                                                    ’’
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The Magazine of RAF Brize Norton - Issue 5, 2018 - Royal Air Force
Ten Years of the Future
Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) contract
It’s amazing to think that 10 years                because there was nothing in
have passed since AirTanker and                    place - we had to create the
the MoD signed the FSTA contract                   structure of the company, do
that officially began the Voyager                  all the financial modelling and
                                                   consider all the risks of starting
programme. At the end of March
                                                   a new venture.”
we marked its 10 year anniversary,                   The construction of The
a significant milestone of the                     Hub at RAF Brize Norton
programme. Phill Blundell, AirTanker               commenced shortly after
CEO, reflects on the achievements of               the contract was signed,
the past decade and the challenges                 and the business saw a
that lie ahead.                                    quick growth in order to run
                                                   the new organisation. The
At the start of the contract in 2008, the          Hub, two-bay hangar and
company consisted of only a handful of             all associated infrastructure
employees. Since then, the company has             were completed and
grown from strength to strength as the             officially opened in 2011,
business has developed and now has over            almost 3 years to the date of
1100 personnel working in support of               the contract.
the programme. Phill joined AirTanker in             From that point onwards,
2005 during the contract bidding phase.            there have been many
Recollecting the early days of the business,       milestone achievements;
he explained:                                      from the delivery of each of
   “I recall we were named as ‘the team least      the 14 aircraft in the fleet,
likely to fail’ which is perhaps not the most      through to achieving Full
ringing endorsement, but I think we’ve more        Service Date in September
than proved ourselves since then to be the         2016. A specific memory                             VC-10 and Tristar; our role in delivering the
most successful PFI contract.                      of Phill’s was the first flight in the              South Atlantic Airbridge, supporting Quick
   What I remember about those early days is       development programme back in 2010:                 Reaction Alert (QRA) taskings and global
that we were starting from scratch. We ran           “We were on the roof of the office building       operations; and the launch of our first
the bid from an office in Bristol and it was a     at the airport in Getafe and it was such a          ever apprenticeship programme in 2016 -
small team, working long hours and trying to       mixture of feelings: anticipation, nervousness      opening up opportunities for people who
balance the needs of three different parties;      but also great pride in what had been               want to forge a career in our industry.
the Customer, our shareholders and the             achieved to that point. I expected a very              With the fleet now complete and in
lenders.                                           short flight, basically a take-off and landing      full operation, the launch and growth
   It was effectively a start-up operation         and not much else - in the end, the aircraft        of the civil leasing business is another
                                                                               was in the air for      unique aspect of AirTanker’s operations.
                                                                               a couple of hours       A full programme is set for summer 2018,
                                                                               which was a signal      and awareness of what we can offer has
                                                                               that we were on         significantly increased within the leasing
                                                                               track.”                 market. Looking ahead, Phill explains:
                                                                                 There are many           “It is important for us to focus on doing
                                                                               achievements            a good job day-in, day-out for our MOD
                                                                               in which the            customer because that’s why we exist in the
                                                                               whole Voyager           first place. We must continue to strengthen our
                                                                               community can be        relationship with the Voyager Squadron’s and
                                                                               proud: taking sole      innovate in the service we offer. We also need
                                                                               responsibility of       to look beyond the contract – it was written
                                                                               Air-to-Air Refuelling   10 years ago and the world we operate in is
                                                                               two months              changing all the time.”
                                                                               ahead of schedule
                                                                               following the            Please visit our website to find out more
                                                                               retirement of the       about our company: www.airtanker.co.uk

                                       FSTA1-Departing Toulouse -10Jul 09

10
No 10 Squadron Association

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                      Celebrate RAF100

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Constance Messenger is the daughter
of No 10 Squadron’s first RAF
Commanding Officer who was in
charge of the Squadron when the RAF
was formed on 1st April 1918. She was
the Guest of Honour at a recent 10
Squadron Association RAF100 Dinner
held in the Officers’ Mess at RAF Brize
Norton on 11th May. The dinner was
presided over by the Association’s
Chairman, Wing Commander Mike
Westwood OBE, RAF (Retd) with the
Association’s President, former OC10
Group Captain Gerry Bunn CBE, (RAF
Retd) and nearly 100 other diners in
                                                                              OC10 Wg Cdr Simon Blackwell, Constance Messenger and Association
attendance. These included five former                                                                        Chairman Wg Cdr Mike Westwood
Squadron commanding officers from
more recent times and members of the                                                                he trained to be an architect but later also
Association with their guests.                                                                      became a renowned silverware, glass and
                                                                                                    ceramic designer for such well-known
Mrs Messenger, from Windsor, was introduced                                                         names as Mappin & Webb, Brierley Crystal
to those present by former 10 Sqn VC10                                                              and notably for the Wedgwood Company.
captain Richard (Dick) King. Having assisted                                                        In the late 1930s he designed a new
Wg Cdr Ian Macmillan (Retd), a former 10                                                            factory for Wedgwood’s which is still in use
Sqn VC10 navigator and flight commander,                                                            today at Barlaston, Staffs and in the 1950s
in the writing of a Centennial History of the                                                       went on to design engineering hangar
Squadron in 2015, Dick set out last year to                                                         buildings at London Heathrow and the
research the life of 10 Sqn’s first RAF CO,                                                         terminal building at Kai Tak Airport, Hong
completing it for this year’s 100th anniversary                                                     Kong. A brief return during WW2 into the
of the RAF:                                                                                         RAF from 1939 -1942 at the Air Ministry
  Major Keith Day Pearce Murray MC, joined                                                          and Bomber Command HQ was followed
the Royal Flying Corps in June 1915 from                                                            by many business trips overseas; one of
Auckland, New Zealand and served most of                                                            which involved his ship to the USA being
WW1 flying reconnaissance and bombing                                                               torpedoed in the western Atlantic in
missions in France. He was mentioned in                                                             October 1942. Luckily the torpedo did not
despatches four times and awarded the                                                               explode.
                                                    Mrs Constance Messenger proudly wearing her       The printing of an ‘RAF100 Keith Murray’
Military Cross and Belgian Croix de Guerre.        father’s Military Cross and other WW1 medals
After leaving the newly-formed RAF when                                                             commemorative biography booklet was
                                                   at the 10 Squadron Association RAF100 Dinner
10 Squadron was disbanded in early 1919,                                                            sponsored by the Association’s parent
                                                   -11 May 2018
                                                                                                    squadron and a copy was laid at each
                                                                                                    table’s place-setting as a memento for
                                                                                                    those attending the Association’s dinner.
                                                                                                    100 years after Major Murray was OC10, Wg
                                                                                                    Cdr Simon Blackwell now commands the
                                                                                                    Voyager aircraft squadron and was present
                                                                                                    at the dinner to greet his predecessor’s
                                                                                                    daughter who was proudly wearing her
                                                                                                    father’s WW1 medal miniatures.
                                                                                                      Five past OC10s were present at the
                                                                                                    Dinner: Gp Cpt Gerry Bunn, President of the
                                                                                                    10 Sqn Association, Gp Cpt Brian Symes, Wg
                                                                                                    Cdr Mike Smart, Gp Cpt Jamie Osborne and
                                                                                                    Gp Cpt Dan James who shortly takes over
                                                                                                    the role as Station Commander at RAF Brize
                                                                                                    Norton. Shortly to relinquish his command
                                                                                                    of No 10 Squadron, Wg Cdr Simon Blackwell
                                                                                                    introduced his successor, Wg Cdr Alastair
                                                                                                    Scott, to the assembled diners. One of the
 Several WW2 10 Squadron Halifax veterans were also present; Messrs James (Jim) Petre, Peter        proposed after-dinner toasts was to ‘Past,
 (Andy) Andrews, Frank Williamson (the present OC10’s grandfather-in-law), Harry Hodgson,           Present and Future Officers Commanding
 Hugh Reay, and Fred Tiller. Pictured with former OC10 Gp Cpt Jamie Osborne, Association            10 Squadron’.                              11
 Chairman Wg Cdr Mike Westwood and OC10 Wg Cdr Simon Blackwell at the rear
RAF BRIZE NORTON
                                    CELEBRATE RAF100 WITH
                                  NATIONWIDE BUILDING SOCIETY
                              On Wednesday 18th April 2018, to celebrate the Centenary of the
                              RAF, personnel from RAF Brize Norton attended a special event at
                              Nationwide Building Society Headquarters in Swindon, Wiltshire.

The day consisted of various stands and displays
carried out by Regulars and Reservists from the
Station, including the RAF Police Dog Demonstration
Team, No 501 Squadron personnel and a Physical
Training Instructor. At midday, attendees were
treated to an impressive flypast which was
conducted by a C-130J Hercules.
   From 1st April 2018, the Royal Air Force will launch
RAF100, a national campaign to mark its 100th year.
The centenary itself will feature events, activities and
other initiatives running nationwide from April to the
end of September 2018.
   Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, Chief of the
Air Staff RAF, said: “In our 100th year we want to
showcase the vital role the RAF continues to play in
defending the British people and protecting our nation’s
interests. Launched on April 1, the celebrations are a
fitting recognition and thank you to the exceptional
dedication, spirit and achievements of our men and
women. They also encourage us to look to the future:
the greatest legacy of RAF100 will be its ability to inspire
a whole new generation so that together we can help
shape our next century.”
   Nationwide were proud to display their Covenant
and what support they can offer to the Armed Forces                        Nationwide CEO cuts the cake with RAF Brize Norton Station Commander.
community. A former Chief Executive of Nationwide (CEO) was
                                                                             Mr Garner said: “It was fantastic to be able to celebrate the
Leonard Williams DFC, a former RAF WWII Spitfire Pilot and many of
                                                                           centenary of the RAF at Nationwide Building Society. An impressive
its employees today are RAF Veterans.
                                                                           flypast, displays and demonstrations made for a wonderful day.
   Of course, a birthday celebration could not be without a cake,
                                                                           Both organisations have such a strong presence in Wiltshire as local
which was beautifully designed and made by the Nationwide
                                                                           employers and we also share values, which is perhaps why so many
Chefs. An official cutting of the cake took place with the Station
                                                                           ex-military personnel have joined Nationwide. We continue to support
Commander Group Captain Tim Jones, CEO Nationwide Mr Joe
                                                                           ex-service men and women through our Covenant and look forward to
Garner and Nationwide Chairman Mr David Roberts.
                                                                           continuing this in future.”

                      A Physical Training Instructor gives expert advice   Nationwide Employee explains the history of the RAF within Wiltshire to
                     to a Nationwide Employee.                             an MOD Civil Servant and a member of 501 Squadron.
12
                                                      All images are MOD Crown Copyright
Employees of Nationwide speak to a member of the RAF Police Dog
                                                             Display Team.
      About RAF100
        Reflecting on its proud record of serving the Nation, the RAF will
      commemorate the service and sacrifice of those who have gone
      before, thanking its servicemen and women for their dedication
      and inspire the next generation, so that together we can continue
      to help shape our world for the next 100 years and beyond.

       There are several ways you can support RAF100:

        • Visit www.raf.mod.uk/raf100/ to find out more information about
      the campaign as well as a full events calendar, which has numerous
      local, regional and national events to get involved in.

        • Show your support for RAF100 on social media during the
      celebrations by posting about the anniversary and sharing your
      pictures from events using #RAF100 on the following channels:
          • Facebook: RoyalAirForce
          • Instagram: RoyalAIrForceUK
          • Twitter: @RoyalAirForce                                            Book Keeping - Tax Returns
        • If you choose to, you can also donate to the RAF100 Appeal, the        Management Accounts
      money from which will support tens of thousands of individuals,
      building on the successes of the past centenary and leaving a           matt@intelligentmtd.co.uk | 07738 980622
      legacy for years to come. Get involved and help raise money for the
      appeal here: www.raf100appeal.org/

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                                                                              9 The Tower Centre, Alvescot Road, Caterton
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                                                                                         Open 4pm - 12am 7 days a week

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Nationwide Employees gathered outside Nationwide HQ at 1200 hrs to watch                  ALL OUR FOOD IS FRESH
the flypast by the C-130J Hercules.
                                                                                                                             13
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14
15
Time for a Digital Spring Clean
    OC C4i Sqn
Today online safety feels like an                    or they don’t even know there’s a lock in
overwhelming and complicated                         the first place. Many of us couldn’t easily           Tip: Use online tools such as Facebook
endeavour; it seems like there are                   list all our online accounts, there’s email,        Timeline Cleaner and TweetDeleter to
dangers everywhere you turn. If you                  social media, online shopping, banking,             erase old posts in a few clicks. If you
are not one of the 82.6% (2016) of the               subscription services and a myriad of               want to be extra vigilant set a reminder
UK population who uses the internet,                 others. Not knowing what data we have               and clean up your social media every
expected to rise to 94.85% by 2021, then             out there makes us vulnerable, shared               month. Save photographs to the cloud
you can move on; for the rest of us it’s             passwords, security questions or usernames          eg DropBox, etc. Instagram photos can
time to consider a spring clean of your              are a hacker’s heaven.                              be archived using Instaport.
digital life.

Most hacking is preventable, with 80%                   Tip: Use tools like Deseat.me (Gmail
avoidable by just managing your online                  users) and AccountKiller to find old               In the same way that the internet can
presence. The following 7 steps will                    accounts and delete or unsubscribe.             target customised advertising to users it can
considerably reduce your chances of falling                                                             also be used to change opinion. Many of us
prey to hackers, fraudsters or trolls.                                                                  have heard the term Fake News used, and
                                                     3. Purge Social Media                              think that it is just a bunch of implausible
                                                                                                        stories online. The best advice I can give on
•             1. Password Management                                         We’ve all seen             this matter is to not accept what you read
                                                                           headlines like “Phil         online without investigating further, signing
                                                                           Neville deletes              up to another UK Government Petition
Passwords are a pain, we have 100s to                                      Twitter account after        may seem like a good idea, but ultimately it
remember and it is virtually impossible                                    controversial posts          could lure you in to something that could
to recall them all when needed, so many              about women are unearthed”. It’s not just          expose you to blackmail or worse. ‘Russian
people use the same one for lots of                  exclusive to celebrities or Phil Neville, a        Bots’ troll social media using disinformation
accounts and then make small variations              recent study by Forbes found that 90%              stirring up hatred and lies.
to the original (eg Spurs!967 becomes                of recruiters conduct online research of           4. Be Data Savvy
Spurs!968).                                          potential candidates with 72% choosing
  I am not a gambler, but I would bet                not to hire an individual based on their                                       Allegations
that most service personnel, past and                online presence. A simple check of your                                     that research
present, have used their service number              online identity could save you a lot of                                     firm Cambridge
as a passcode or pin. It is a random list of         embarrassment. Simply search for your                                       Analytica misused
numbers, but used for every account when             name in major search engines and social                                     the data of 50
a pin or passcode is required means that             media, including any other nicknames you                                   million Facebook
once compromised hackers have free reign             may use. If that picture of you passed out         users have hit the headlines recently
to all your accounts or devices.                     in a drunken stupor with a phallic symbol          causing users to wonder how information
                                                     drawn on your forehead from Freshers Week          on the social media network is shared and
                                                     is on the first page of a search, it might be                              with whom.
         Tip: Use password management                wise to delete it.                                                             The big question
         tools like LastPass or DashLane or                                                                                      is what can users
         Keychain to make it easier to manage          In an age where our social media feeds                                    do to regain
         and protect the information with            operate as a kind of public scrapbook, it’s                                 control of their
         encryption. Try to use two-step             time to clean it up. I am sure many of you                                  data? You could
         authentication.                             have cringed when Facebook kindly offers                                    delete all your
                                                     to share your memories; all those past                                      social media
                                                     relationships, long-forgotten stray thoughts       accounts but that won’t stop the problem
                                                     and personal baggage cause you to wonder           because they can still collect data through
2. Kill Old Accounts & Apps                          what was I thinking?                               other websites and apps.
                    Most hacking is                    There is no question that social media can
                    opportunistic, anything from     build detailed and sophisticated profiles on
                    pimply-skinned teens that        users’ likes, dislikes, lifestyles and political
                    are highly skilled at computer                                                        Tip: The best way to stop data
                                                     leanings. Ever wondered why the adverts
                    programming to well-                                                                  collection is to use search engines
                                                     on your social media are based on search
                  paid coders working for an                                                              like DuckDuckGo.com. You can also
                                                     history or websites visited, even searches on
          organized crime outfit. In most cases,                                                          change your web browser to Mozilla
                                                     Amazon. The short answer is that advertisers
            they are all looking for an unlocked                                                          Firefox with Container Extension to
                                                     share information about users with one
              door, an opportunity. The problem                                                           protect personal data.
                                                     another, they gather data from your web
                is that most people don’t know       activity. Unfortunately, some users make it
                    they’ve left a door unlocked,    very easy for firms like Cambridge Analytica
                                                     to collect data by completing online surveys
                                                     or quizzes.
    18
Internet of Things (IoT)                         5. Keep Software Up-to-Date                        Deleting a file will

                                                                                                                               TE
                                                                                                 not remove it from
                                                                           Another area that

                                                                                                                                    AM
   Clearly the web is not the only place                                                         the device, it just removes
where your personal data is shared, you                                  leaves us open to       the link to the information;
may have heard of the term Internet of                                   hackers are old apps    it’s like going ex-directory, your
Things. The IoT is the network of physical                               and out-of-date         telephone number is not freely
devices, that include cars, home appliances,     software. Delete unused apps and keep           available but the number is still in
fitness trackers and other embedded              your operating system and apps updated. I       use. Don’t worry if you have recently
electronic items that collect and exchange       know it seems obvious but Anti-Virus (AV)       sold or lost your old smartphone - you
data.                                            is a must on Windows systems, the jury          can still wipe data remotely using Find
                                                 is still out on AV on Apple to viruses than     My IPhone or Android Device Manager,
                              These devices      Windows but they are not 100% safe.             even if the phone is switched off. The next
                           have obvious                                                          time the device goes online the data will
                           utility and make         Pretty much every application has privacy    be erased.
                           life much more        settings, most of us accept the default when
                           bearable but they     first creating accounts. There is plenty of     7. De-Clutter Email Inboxes
                           can also provide      advice online about setting privacy settings
useful information to criminals or worse,        and the main vendors change them                                   In my last article, I talked
terrorists. The main threat comes from the       routinely.                                                      about reducing email traffic;
use of location services, setting patterns                                                                       unfortunately it doesn’t
and identifying when individuals are not at                                                                      stop others from flooding
home.                                            6. Back Up & Archive                                           your inboxes with thousands
                                                                                                 of emails you will never read. It seems like
                           It isn’t just the                           If you are like me,       a daunting task to clean up your inbox, but
                         obvious fitness                             you operate on your         they often contain sensitive information,
                         trackers that collect                       smartphone within           like password resets, financial information
                         location details,                           0.5GB of its capacity,      or other documents.
                         your smartphone is                          always having to delete
                                                                    something to download          Tip: Set rules to automatically sort, mark
                         constantly tracking
                                                 something new. Most people tend to back           as read, archive or delete messages to
your location. You can do a simple check,
                                                 up to the cloud but be careful. I am sure         reduce the clutter. Again, there is plenty
if you have an IPhone follow the following
                                                 that cloud storage security has improved          of advice online to clean up inboxes,
steps:
                                                 significantly but in the past some providers      the key is to automate as much as
                                                 had no security and so it is advisable if         possible to reduce the burden.
Settings > Privacy > Location Services >
System Services > Significant Locations.         you store sensitive documents on the
                                                                                                                       General Data Protection
                                                 cloud, put them in to an encrypted folder
                                                                                                                     Regulation (GDPR)
  You will see all the locations you have        to provide additional protection. Finally, if
                                                                                                                     is a new piece of EU
been to recently and how many times              you have old or broken devices that stored
                                                                                                                     legislation that was
you been there, it even gives you a map.         information (USB sticks, old smartphones)
                                                                                                                     pased in 2016 and will
You can switch it off and by going back to       make sure you clean/reset the device
                                                                                                  replace the Data Protection Act 1998 and
Location Services and you can change the         before disposal. If the information is
                                                                                                  brings the data protection rules up to date.
location settings on each individual app.        sensitive eg credit card details you may
                                                                                                  This is the Data Protection Officer’s area of
The same on other types of Smartphone            want to destroy the device or use a secure
                                                                                                  expertise and so I don’t want to step on his
by searching online for managing location        erasure tool like Blancco
                                                                                                  toes, he has already started to publicise this
services on devices.                                                                              widely.

                                                                                                                                            19
The lanyards being worn across Station

                                            RAF Brize Norton –
                                            MENTAL HEALTH
                                            FIRST AID TRAINING
   As the resources that we have            Over the last two and a half years, WO Tony    for the armed forces community.
   become ever more crucial to our          Smith and WO Andy Machell who are both         • Practical skills to spot the triggers and
   day-to-day business, the most            serving members of the RAuxAF, have been       signs of mental health issues.
   valuable resource is our personnel.      enthusiastically training personnel at RAF     • Confidence to step in, reassure and
   Whether they are Service, Reserve,       Brize Norton on Mental Health First Aid. The   support a person in distress.
   MoD employed civilians or                figure trained (as at 30 April 2018) sits at   • Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-
                                            over 350 personnel across the Station.         judgemental listening.
   contractors, they are all valuable to
                                              The two-day course qualifies you as an       • Knowledge to help someone recover their
   our output. Indeed, without them,
                                            Armed Forces Mental Health First Aider.        health by guiding them to further support -
   there is no output. Can we afford not                                                   whether that’s self-help resources, through
   to look after them? The latest figures   Armed Forces Mental Health                     the MOD, the NHS, support charities, or a
   show that the cost to industry of        First Aiders have:                             mix.
   mental health issues is £105 billion     • An in-depth understanding of mental            Recently SERCO have been very keen
   (this works out at about £1200 per       health and the factors that affect wellbeing   to support the course and have kindly
   head of the working population
   - these figures were taken from a
   government paper dated 01 Feb
   17). Year-on-year these costs are
   rising. However, what is the effect of
   having people away for long periods
   of time with mental health issues?
   As our teams become smaller and
   we have to work smarter, with less,
   what extra pressures are building on
   those left in the work place? Placing
   more and more pressure on these
     team members, can we afford
      not to educate them and build
       resilience? The earlier we can
         identify a problem, the shorter
           time it takes to fix.

                                            Mrs Amanda Hill (SERCO) handing over some of the lanyards to WO Andy Machell
    20
provided lanyards for personnel who

                                                                                                                          TE
complete it. These lanyards can be worn
around Station as they have been approved

                                                                                                                               AM
by the Station Commander (Gp Capt Jones)
through the Station Warrant Officer (WO
Frew). The lanyards make personnel, who
are happy to have a conversation about
Mental Health, easily identifiable. Also,
many of them have a Mental Health First
Aid logo as part of their signature block,
so people know that they can contact
them by phone or electronically if they
wish to discuss mental health issues in a
confidential manner.
  The aim of the instructors is to get 700
personnel trained across the Station.
This will represent 10% of the personnel
at RAF Brize Norton; Service, Reserve,
MoD employed civilians and contractors,
showing the Station’s Whole Force
approach to mental health training.

                                                                                                    WO Tony Smith and WO Andy Machell

             PADRE'S PEACE
Life is a Roller Coaster… however, you can do more than simply
survive each day!
Whatever our age and whatever our            attachment from the end of the hose and        “Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore – he just
background, life is never without            stuck it in the cage. The phone rang and       sits and stares.” It’s not difficult to see why!
                                             she turned to pick it up. She barely said        Life for many of us is so unpredictable and
its complexities, and our decisions
                                             “hello” when ssopp! Chippie got sucked         the events of each day can often leave us
and responsibilities are rarely a                                                           feeling bemused and quite unsure of just
                                             in. The bird owner gasped, put the phone
straightforward choice between               down, turned off the vacuum and opened         what lies ahead for tomorrow. Many live
one thing or another… often there            the bag. There was chippie – still alive but   each day with a sense of foreboding and
is ambiguity and a degree of risk.           stunned.                                       fear. God, through His Son, Jesus Christ,
Life also has the habit of throwing            Since the bird was covered in dust she       has demonstrated to us and for us that
the most unexpected of surprises             grabbed him and raced to the bathroom,         whatever life may bring across our path –
or challenges our way. Let me                turned on the tap, and held chippie under      He loves us… He cares for us… He provides
introduce you to Chippie:                    the running water. Then realizing that         for us… He is with us every step of the way.
                                             Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did      He is certainly worth getting to know!
Chippie the budgie never saw
                                             what any compassionate bird owner would          I always smile when I remember the
it coming. One second he was                                                                slogan once seen on an old church notice
                                             do – she reached for the hair dryer and
peacefully perched in his cage. The          blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie     board. Each day is a special gift from God –
next, he was sucked in, washed up            never knew what hit him.                       That’s why it’s called the present!
and blown over.                                                                               Oh… by the way… Please do spare a
                                               A few days after the trauma, the reporter    thought today for chippie!!
The problems began when Chippie’s            who’d initially written about the event
owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage        contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the                               Padre Geoff Withers
with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the       bird was recovering. “Well,” she replied,                                 Senior Chaplain

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                                                                                                                                        21
RAF Police
    Support
    Civilian
     Police
 Operation in
  Swindon to
 target illegal
    drug use
 Officers from Swindon’s
 Community Policing Teams
 targeted illegal drug supply
 and use in licensed venues
 across Swindon on Friday
 27th April. The operation was
 supported by two RAF Police
 dog handlers from RAF Brize
 Norton where twenty premises
 were visited in Old Town and
 New Town as well as specific
 patrols through public areas
 and the main thoroughfares
 between the venues.                                                                                                              PADD Sonic

Corporal Leanne Hallworth and Corporal         a clear message that people who
Rob Webb, with Passive Alert Drugs Dogs        come to Swindon to enjoy a night
(PADD) Ninja & Sonic, were deployed in         out can do so safely.
to each licensed premises. During the             “We are committed to working
operation 14 people were subject to a          in partnership with licensees and
Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Stop Search; as     partner agencies to take positive
a result of this:                              action against drug use within
                                               licensed premises.
1) One person received a Fixed Penalty            “Use of the Passive Alert Drug Dogs
Notice for possession of cannabis.             like Ninja & Sonic greatly enhances
2) Three people received a Cannabis Street     our ability to target and deal with
Warning.                                       those involved in illegal drug use.
                                                                                        Cpl Leanne Hallworth and Cpl Rob Webb with Swindon’s
3) Three people were found to be in               “In addition to drugs found in        Community Policing Teams
possession of cocaine and are subject to       people’s possession, several others
ongoing police investigation.                  had evidently anticipated the inevitable and         “Supporting policing operations provides
 During the operation the dogs also            discarded drugs before Ninja and Sonic could       the RAF Police specialist Military Working Dog
indicated to a number of self-seal bags that   sniff them out.                                    teams perfect training opportunities and the
had been discarded by unknown people in           “We will be making this a regular tactic to     prospect to develop our interoperability with
 various venues. These items were seized       drive drugs from our streets and the night time Wiltshire Police further while contributing to
  and are suspected to contain cocaine;        economy.”                                          the safety of both the civilian and military
   investigation relating to these finds are      Flight Lieutenant Matthew Jones, Officer
    also ongoing.                                                                                 communities.”
                                               Commanding Police & Security Flight RAF              Dave Broome, Pubwatch Chairman, said:
        Police Constable Paul Bezzant,
                                               Brize Norton, said:                                “We welcome this initiative from the police
        Swindon Town Centre Community
                                                  “The RAF Police, notably RAF Brize Norton,      and welcome the drugs dogs into our venues;
          Coordinator for Wiltshire Police,
                                               has a long-standing relationship with              we look forward to continually working with
            said: “One of the main aims of
                                               Wiltshire Police through events such as the        the police to make our venues as safe for our
               this operation was to send
                                               Royal International Air Tattoo.                    customers as they can be.”

22                              For more information contact: Name: Julie Brown, RAFP PRO, RAF Honington
                                Bury St Edmunds Suffolk Email: julie.brown787@mod.gov.uk Tel: 01359 237440
Challenge yourself to a challenge event
If you’re thinking of ways to kick-start   in the RAF’s Centenary year.
a new fitness drive or what sort of
challenge you would like to set yourself   The Snowdon Triple Challenge in
for 2018, the RAF Association is here to   August is an exciting multi-activity
help. We have many events to choose        event and not for the faint-hearted.
from to keep fit and raise money for a     You will take on the landscape of the
worthwhile cause.                          national park by foot, bike and kayak.
                                           With steep climbs and gruelling hills.
The Wolf Run combines a 10km               The sense of achievement you feel at
race with natural and man-made             the end will be worth the pain!
obstacles set in the beautiful Midlands
countryside. It is the ultimate test of    For a more gentle pursuit, but
teamwork, as you work together to get      nonetheless challenging you could take
over, under and through each of the        part in the Charity Walk for Peace. The
obstacles. Wolf Runs are held quarterly,   walk is five miles long and starts and
so whether you want to run in the          ends at the Savill Court Hotel, Windsor.
sunshine or prefer the freezing cold,      So put on your walking shoes and raise
there will be a run to suit you.           some money with thousands of others
                                           with a trek through the picturesque
If you prefer to get your exercise on      Windsor Great Park.
your bike, then the Rutland Border
Epique for the RAF Centenary is for        To kick-start your 2018 go to
you. A classic bike ride around the        rafa.org.uk/challenges to sign up. Or
beautiful Rutland Water, this is a fun,    call 0800 018 2361, you can also email
but challenging ride aiming to raise a     jules@rafa.org.uk.
total of £10,000 for the RAF Association

                                                                    10% Discount for RAF
                                                                                        T & C’s apply, valid ID required

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                                                                           Darboe and Baily Ltd trading as Tremain Veterinary Group

                                                                                                                                      23
The RAF Falcons performing their

FALCONS’
                                       famous canopy stack for thousands
                                         of motor sport enthusiasts. Credit:
                                               Thruxton Motorsport Centre

FOCUS
 RAF FALCONSPERFORM
 AT BRITISH TOURING
 CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
 On Sunday 20th May 2018, the RAF
 Falcons Parachute Display Team
 performed a stunning display at the
 British Touring Car Championship
 (BTCC) at Thruxton Motorsport
 Centre, Hampshire.

24
The RAF Falcons decorate the skies above Thruxton circuit. Credit: MOD Crown Copyright

                                                                                                                                            TE
                                                                                                                                                 AM
         T
               he sunny blue skies gave the perfect backdrop for the Team
               to complete a magnificent high show, as they disembarked
               their Dornier 228 aircraft at 10,000ft above Thruxton Circuit
         and performed their famous canopy stack in front of thousands of
         motor sport enthusiasts.

           The BTCC is one of the most loved, famous motor racing
         championships in the world. Only Formula One and America’s
         NASCAR stock car series have longer histories – since its inception
         in 1958 it has attracted and captivated millions of fans around the
         world.

           Mr Lorne Mitchener, Skid Pan and 4x4 Manager, said: “A fantastic
         display, everyone was suitably impressed and we have had great
         feedback from our guests ’11 out of 10’. They would be most welcome at
         any of our events.”

           This event is one of many exciting venues the Team will perform
         at; the Team have a total of 60 displays planned for this season and
         they are all very excited about each one of them. There is a real buzz
         around the Team, particularly as they will be celebrating the RAF’s
         100th birthday throughout this year.

           Corporal Mark Bishoprick, Survival Equipment Fitter, said: “This is
         my first year on the Team and I’m looking forward to being part of some
         great displays at different locations throughout the UK. It is a privilege
         to be part of this well-known elite team and represent the RAF in front of
         the great British public, especially in 2018 as we celebrate RAF100.”

           The Team have two more displays planned for May and then a
         further 18 displays scheduled in June, including joining in with the
         Armed Forces Day celebrations in Wales on 30 June 2018.
                                                                                         The RAF Falcons performing at the British Touring Car Championships at
                                                                                                                  Thruxton. Credit: Thruxton Motorsport Centre
RAF Brize Norton inspires
                   students during a Blue Skies visit
On Wednesday 9th May, when the Blue Skies                             Squadron to visit a C-17 Globemaster. The students were given a
programme visited RAF Brize Norton, students                          45 minute-long tour of the aircraft and were given details of the
from Carterton Community College were given the                       role of the aircraft including it’s Aeromedical role. The other group
opportunity to learn what makes a good presentation                   were given tasks to test their problem solving and survival skills.
and to practice their survival skills.                                Both groups were then given an hour’s preparation time before
                                                                      using their newly acquired skills to deliver a group presentation. The
The visitors were split into two groups; one went to visit the SERE   students really enjoyed the experience and it was great for us to see
section to learn about survival skills and the other went to No. 99   their confidence grow throughout the day.

26
C
                                  JET – Jon Egging Trust

                                                                                                                        H
                                                                                                                           AR
                                   A Children’s Charity

                                                                                                                                IT
                                                                                                                                   Y
The beginning:                                                     JET Blue Skies Programme:
                                                                   The Blue Skies programme challenges and equips young
On 20th August 2011, Flt Lt Jon Egging lost his life               people to overcome the obstacles that have been getting in
whilst completing a display at the Bournemouth Air                 the way of them succeeding and being the best they can be. The
Festival. He was coming to the end of his first year with          programme is structured into three levels – Teamwork, Leadership
the world-famous Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team ‘The               and Employability.
Red Arrows’ flying in the position of Red 4. Jon was an              Blue Skies is about opportunities and vision: inspiring young
inspirational person and the Jon Egging Trust (JET),               people to believe in themselves, challenging them to set goals and
founded by his wife Dr Emma Egging in 2012, realises               equipping them with the skills and attitude to achieve them. The
his dream of inspiring young people through his love               programme works with 13 – 16 year olds for four months a year
                                                                   over three years. The children increase in confidence and develop
of aviation, teamwork and leadership, helping them to
                                                                   communication and teamwork skills during the first year. These
overcome adversity, identify their strengths and work              skills are built on during the next two years as the children develop
towards their ambitions.                                           their self-belief, tenacity and trust.

What we do:                                                        RAF Brize Norton JET:
The Jon Egging Trust supports young people who find themselves       JET has 7 regional bases, one of which is in Oxfordshire. In 2016
in difficult circumstances. We help them to overcome adversity     RAF Brize Norton set up a Blue Skies affiliation with Carterton
and achieve their full potential. We deliver accredited learning   Community College (CCC) and since this time the programme has
programmes to develop young people’s life and work skills by       been growing. We are concurrently running a Blue Skies 1 and 2
providing access to inspirational role models and life-changing    programme and selfless volunteers from across the station have
opportunities linked to aviation, engineering and science.         been helping with the organisation and implementation of the
  The Jon Egging Trust raises aspirations, confidence and self-    visits.
esteem, helping young people to re-engage with education and         RAF Brize Norton JET has a tiered organisation system run an OIC
make informed choices about their futures.                         JET, Sqn Ldr Jakubowski. 3 Jet Mentors help provide guidance to 6
  JET currently runs two youth programmes: Blue Skies and          groups. Each group comprises around 6 people with 2 leaders and
Inspirational Outreach.                                            is responsible for the organisation of 2-3 visits over the JET term.
                                                                   2018 visits have ranged from Low Ropes to Orienteering to A400M
                                                                   simulator rides to TMW Medical scenarios. They are all designed by
                                                                   the teams to meet the Blue Skies training objectives but principally,
                                                                   to ensure the children have fun.

                                                                     In 2018 we had over 60 volunteers from across the station ranging
                                                                   from LAC to Flt Lt. Whether you want to be a lead or just a member
                                                                   of the team, you will find RAF Brize Norton JET will reward and
                                                                   develop you. The next JET term starts in Jan 19 and we will be
                                                                   searching for volunteers from Oct 18. If you wish to participate next
                                                                   year please get in touch.

                                                                   To find more about JET please visit:
                                                                   Our Stn MOSS page: RAF Brize Norton > Youth Activities > JET
                                                                   National Website:www.joneggingtrust.org.uk
                                                                                                               Sqn Ldr Jakubowski
                                                                                                                              OIC JET
                                                                                                 Julius.jakubowski360@mod.gov.uk
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For those of you who are lucky enough to                                    world record along the way.
have been at RAF Brize Norton for a while,                                        When the RAF ceased operation of its fleet of VC10s,
or if you are a reader from the local                                            it took the fortuitous decision to award the contract
                                                                                   for their disposal to GJD Services at Bruntingthorpe.
community, you will be hard pressed to
                                                                                    Managing Director, Gary Spoors, himself an
forget the ear-splitting roar as one of                                             ex-RAF engineer and VC10 enthusiast, made the
the most iconic products of the British                                             momentous decision to save as many of them as
aviation industry leapt free of the runway                                         possible. Various marks of RAF VC10 in differing
and rocketed up through the Oxfordshire                                           states of completion can be found around the UK
                                                                              and beyond, thanks to his commitment to keep them
skies. Last year Brize Norton celebrated
                                                                           intact for future generations to see, hear and feel.
its 80th anniversary and this year the RAF                              One of those can be found at Bruntingthorpe Proving
is celebrating its centenary. To put this remarkable            Ground in Leicestershire. ZD241, the last remaining K4 variant
 aircraft’s history into context, it operated from Runway       which served with 101 Squadron, is being lovingly maintained
   08/26 (as it was at the time) for over half of the           by the VC10 Preservation Group; a team consisting of members
                                                                from various backgrounds, both civilian and military, aircrew
    Station’s existence - and almost half of the RAF’s. We
                                                                and groundcrew, some of whom still serve at Brize Norton. The
      are of course talking about the VC10.                     group are just about to achieve a long-sought after milestone of
                                                                becoming a registered charity to raise the vital funds required to
         10 Squadron took delivery of its first VC10 in 1966,   keep the aircraft in a serviceable and operational condition.
         and from then until 2013 both 10 and 101 Squadron        At various events throughout the year, the public can get up close
            successfully operated the aircraft, supporting      to the aircraft, get on board, speak to the team and feel the bodily
               operations worldwide whilst breaking the odd
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reverberations as the four Rolls-Royce Conway engines are taken to       equipment, and an endless list of other necessities, the group face
take-off power, metres away from the crowd line. In addition, the        a significant annual bill. To help with this, the group have produced
group has just acquired the relevant permissions and insurance           an impressive range of VC10 merchandise which is sold through the
cover to allow them to carry fare-paying passengers on fast-taxi         online shop and at the numerous paid events held throughout the
demonstrations – a truly unique experience. As part of the Cold War      year.
Jets Open Days, ZD241 represents the pinnacle of RAF AT and AAR            You can help support the VC10 Preservation Group in a number
operations, standing engines and tail above other historical aircraft    of ways: by purchasing from the online shop, by liking and sharing
such as Nimrod, Comet, Victor, Buccaneer, Lightning and Canberra.        the group’s posts on their numerous social media outlets to raise
  As well as displaying the aircraft to enthusiasts and specialist       awareness, and by sharing your memories and adding to the
photographers, the group also plan to use the aircraft and               aircraft’s history record. The best way though, is to go and meet
the associated maintenance, for STEM purposes to promote                 the team, see the aircraft up-close, and reacquaint yourself with
engineering as a career option, and engage with local schools and        the sounds, smells and feeling of an iconic Brize Norton aircraft at
colleges to facilitate access to a unique and exciting training asset.   take-off power almost within touching distance. For those with a
  To keep such a historical aircraft in a fully operational condition,   desire to get their hands dirty, experienced volunteers are always
an exorbitant amount of maintenance is required. Having recovered        welcome to assist with the upkeep of one of Britain’s finest design
a lot of spares from the aircraft that were scrapped, GJD have           marvels.
provided the team with a comprehensive package of components.              For more information, or to order from the shop, please visit the
However, to utilise these components a lot of consumable items           group’s website: www.vc10preservationgroup.org, or follow us on
that are not reusable are required, such as seals and locking devices.   Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram – just search ZD241. We
These all need acquiring on an as-required basis; and along with         look forward to seeing you!
fuel and lubricants, insurances, maintenance of ground support

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