RAF Officer Experiences During IOT

Just thought this may be of interest to those looking at joining the RAF as an officer...

I've started a twitter account @RAF_ABM where I'll tweet my first hand experiences of IOT at Cranwell and also during my branch training at Boulmer as an Aerospace Battle Manager.

I know when I was in the application process, I craved any first hand experiences I could find, but unfortunately most of the stuff out there is from a few years back now and is out-dated.

So if you're looking to find out what it's really like during training to become an officer in the RAF and/or are interested in the Aerospace Battle Management branch, then please feel free to follow my journey... @RAF_ABM

Reply 1

username158373

I'm following! What is your start date?

Reply 2

Tommmo

I can see no way in which your fellow cadets will give you banter for this... :tongue:

Reply 3

Drewski

Original post by Tommmo

I can see no way in which your fellow cadets will give you banter for this... :tongue:

Or, more to the point, that your DS won't decide that it's counter productive and should not be continued. Persec and all that.

Reply 4

AV Tech

Original post by Drewski

Or, more to the point, that your DS won't decide that it's counter productive and should not be continued. Persec and all that.

There has been many times cadets have done this with the support of the DS

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 5

Drewski

Original post by AirPower

Hence why keeping it as anonymous as possible ;-)

That'll last about 5 minutes.
When I was on IOT I was 1 of 150 and they still 'knew' me from here and one other forum. You'll be 1 of about 30. I'll be astonished if you keep it a secret the whole time!

Reply 6

ProStacker

Given I know a few of the DS, I'll be taking the proverbial from a distance.

Reply 7

Fritz Bollinger

I think the main issue is by calling it @RAF_ABM (whether you want it to be unofficial or not), and by tweeting about RAF experiences and work, you'd be putting yourself firmly within the auspices of RAF social media, and there are rules, regulation and guidelines which must be followed in the publishing of defence related material on content via social media.

How do I know? I run an RAF Sqn account on twitter. :smile:

I have to admit, on IOT, I personally think you'd be better just getting on with it, rather than wondering if what you're about to post on twitter is relevant/appropriate/suitable content etc, unless you were to get it officially sanctioned.

(sorry to sound like the fun police, but IOT is far easier if you don't cause yourself unnecessary faff and/or embarrassment)

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

Wzz

Original post by Drewski

Or, more to the point, that your DS won't decide that it's counter productive and should not be continued. Persec and all that.

You've become terribly negative during my hiatus from here! Have you read the RAF's online engagement guidelines? Like Fritz says, plenty of us run official or unofficial social media things nowadays, and there's a set of guidelines explaining what you can and can't do.

Anything with the potential to show things in a good light is generally jumped on very happily. By announcing it, the OP's taking responsibility for it, so he's going to have to be careful what he says, but that goes with common sense anyway.

I'd be surprised if nowadays, a DS member attempted to curtail a cadet's private or even semi-private activity like this. There's nothing in the rules to stop a cadet writing a blog, or tweeting about IOT, or doing whatever they like for 10 minutes before bed of an evening.

Reply 9

ProStacker

Original post by Wzz

There's nothing in the rules to stop a cadet writing a blog, or tweeting about IOT, or doing whatever they like for 10 minutes before bed of an evening.

Other than have them running ragged from ******** to breakfast time of course.

There is a big difference between what someone with a few years behind them and someone in training will self police. What a Cadet might find acceptable may get them a short, sharp chat without coffee. If they post something unguarded, the other Cadets will, quite rightly, take the proverbial.

Allowed? Probably. Advised? Probably not. Just get through the course, it is the only prize.

Reply 10

Laurren21

Original post by AirPower

Have you deleted this account?
Thanks

Reply 11

username158373

Original post by Laurren21

Have you deleted this account?
Thanks

Yeah it looks like it Lauren, it was working about a week ago.

Reply 12

Laurren21

Original post by ChrisLincoln

Yeah it looks like it Lauren, it was working about a week ago.

That's a shame.
Was it helpful?

Reply 13

username158373

Original post by Laurren21

That's a shame.
Was it helpful?

It was interesting, though i wouldn't say helpful if you are currently in the application process. A good insight on what he's doing day to day and how he was feeling, mainly shock at 5am starts, kit cleaning and exercising with the regiment on the hottest week of the year a bit back. However you'll already have a good idea of what happens at IOT it's just nice to see a live human going through it with updates!

Reply 14

Laurren21

Original post by ChrisLincoln

However you'll already have a good idea of what happens at IOT it's just nice to see a live human going through it with updates!

That's just it Chris! Would have been nice to see more than just the promo material.

Reply 15

Drewski

Original post by Laurren21

That's just it Chris! Would have been nice to see more than just the promo material.

Then look through this forum. There are many first-hand accounts from people who've gone through IOT over the past couple of years. Yes you might argue that elements of IOT have changed since they were written, but the vast majority of the course has not.