Raf oasc

Hearing differently from members is basing it on anecdotal evidence which isn't always best. You'll always get people who do things differently to the norm, look at the professional aviator spine in the RAF - yes it's possible, but it's not the normal/average/typical route.

What is it really like? Well that depends on too many vague factors we can't decide. Does your desk officer like you? Do you pass everything first time? Do you opt for desk tours to hobknob with senior officers? We can, and have, described what it's typically like, which is by far a more realistic idea.

And again, the difference in officers, it's a vague question. I'm sure you already know that army officers join as officers without a branch, while RAF (and RN) officers join for a particular branch. The difference then in training can be broken down to that army has need for more generic skills, while the RAF allows it's officers to develop theirs during phase 2 training - an officer out of Sandhurst is ready to go, an officer out of Cranwell isn't.

So a Flying officer? Unlikely to do much in the way of direct man-management, especially if a pilot. They might lead teams but they'll be small, under 10, and with an SNCO to help them and under the fairly close supervision of a more experienced officer. Certainly that was true in my case and my branch.

Visited a few bases and an SVA. Lots of different opinions/and sometimes conflicting advice

Hi, this is a little off task, but I have just applied to go in the R.A.F and am preparing for my selection interview and I am struggling to find posts about RAF interviews that were posted recently. I am struggling on the question 'what would be your road map to peace?'
I was wondering if any of you could help me or of anybody else that could. I am new to this student room site, so sorry for the intrusion.
Thanks again.

Hi Grace, welcome to the forum and first of all, best of luck with your application. What are you applying for?

You ask specifically about the selection interview and, if I'm reading it right, looking for a model answer to a specific question. If you want to know about the format of the OASC interview, then fire away, many people on here can give you the up to date gen - my first OASC interview was 1976 and the last in 2002 (while serving!), but I'm pretty sure it hasn't changed much.

If you actually do want model answers, then I'm afraid you're out of luck. The whole point is that they want to see a. what YOU know about an increasingly complex world (World and UK) and b. what YOUR opinions are on a topic that they'll choose.

So you have to have a very good knowledge of current affairs and be able to articulate your thoughts about them. That doesn't mean they expect you to know everything about everything, but you would struggle badly if you hadn't spent a good 6 months immersed in the current news. Being of a certain age, I have a solid understanding of world news, but I have to keep it topped up all the time, or it would be quickly out of date.

When I did OASC in 76, the Cold War was at at its height, and the world was pretty much black and white. Not so now, it's incredibly complex and nuanced. The OASC boarding officers may pose tricky questions as you've indicated, but there are no right or wrong answers, if there were do you not think someone, somewhere would have made it happen. All you can do, is understand who the players are in a geo-political setting, understand their aims and try to work out how they can achieve them. I assume you're talking about the Middle East; I thought I understood it about 15 years ago when I was running a pre OASC workshop for my station, but events have proved me, the USA, the UK , Russia and all other regional states, wrong.

So just get into your current affairs, plan what topics you want to talk about, and brainstorm your ideas with family and friends. The TSR community are also friends, so if you want to bounce ideas off anyone here, feel free.

It's not easy, but the best things aren't. Work hard at it, and you'll succeed, trust me. I did, and I ain't no rocket scientist.

Regards

Ikky

Thankyou for your reply. My interview is on Wednesday of this week and I am applying to be an I.C.T Technician. I have created a model interview myself of possible questions that could be asked. And that particular one about the road map to peace is one question where I don't know where to start! Do you know whether you need to np loads about the history or just key points? And do you have to explain why the overseas bases are located where they are? I struggle with interviews as I am not very confident and I'm always frightened that I might say something completely wrong. I want to get in so much. It's a real ambition. I am only 17 but it's such an exciting opportunity and certainly challenging!
Thanks,
Kind regards
Grace

I had my first interview a few weeks ago and I was never asked about the road map to peace, also I found that the interview wasn't as frightening as I first presumed, the officer interviewing me seemed to try relax me as much as possible. Any other questions on the first interview etc... Feel free to ask and I will try to help to the best of my knowledge

That's quite reassuring then. Thankyou for that.
Were you asked about the history of the R.A.F? Did you need to know a lot? Were you just asked what over seas stations they have or did you have to go in to further detail about them? Also, were there any complicated questions? :L
I am studying hard for it, i just feel as though i need to check up on a couple of things or spot anything that i may have missed!
Thankyou!!
Kind regards,
Grace