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RAF : Officer / Pilot Entry
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Wzz
You cannot use natural disasters as your current affairs topics.
BH
BH
You can, I checked with the AFCO, but I know what you're saying - you can only use them if you can say how it has affected other things, e.g. Hurricane Katrina has affected the economy ect.. they asked me about this in my interview, but I didn't specifically mention these myself.
why can't you use natural disasters?
Apparently the amazon is running at an all time low, and thousands of Brazilians are running the risk of starvation and disease as the usual supply line for them (the river) is no longer able to take large boats. This is apparently due to deforestation and the unusual high temperature of the Atlantic ocean (thus the US and central america have got a battering this year from hurricaines and tropical storms)
It says in the OASC booklet that you cannot use natural disasters as a current affair topic. I'd rather go by what OASC say than AFCOs, seeing as most AFCOs don't even know what FCs do. (for example) I wouldn't take their word as gospel. They aren't the ones to pass or fail you.
I'd say that the Irianian nuclear development programme is a more viable topic than the lowering level of the Amazon River.
BH
I'd say that the Irianian nuclear development programme is a more viable topic than the lowering level of the Amazon River.
BH
Yeah, then I'd listen to the OASC booklet. (in which case I've screwed up - again 
) Perhaps you're not meant to list these as one of the topics yourself but they can ask you about them. I wonder why you're not meant to discuss natural disasters though? An event which has killed up to hundreds of thousands of people and detroyed whole cities certainly seems viable to me.
) Perhaps you're not meant to list these as one of the topics yourself but they can ask you about them. I wonder why you're not meant to discuss natural disasters though? An event which has killed up to hundreds of thousands of people and detroyed whole cities certainly seems viable to me.Natural disasters are a little too easy. Face it; if we asked for people to reel off stories from the past year or so, they'd all go for earthquake in Pakistan, Hurricane Katrina, and the Boxing Day Tsunami before anything else.
Now, look at it from an interviewing perspective. What do you discuss? If they bring up Israel, or avian flu, or Zimbabwe, you can get into a decent debate. What do they think? Who's messed up? What would they change? If you're discussing the tsunami, what do you say? Yes, people died, it was bad. Right, next question...
The questions have to be designed to engender debate and to allow the sort of line of questioning that'll move the applicant out of their comfort zone a bit; let them show how much they know, and make sure it's not too easy.
Now, look at it from an interviewing perspective. What do you discuss? If they bring up Israel, or avian flu, or Zimbabwe, you can get into a decent debate. What do they think? Who's messed up? What would they change? If you're discussing the tsunami, what do you say? Yes, people died, it was bad. Right, next question...
The questions have to be designed to engender debate and to allow the sort of line of questioning that'll move the applicant out of their comfort zone a bit; let them show how much they know, and make sure it's not too easy.
Hey all, Been reading this long old thread for months extracting all I can from it! I go to OASC on 30th October for WSO, anyone else heading up then?
Whilst recognising I'm the dumb one... where in the OASC booklet is it? I looked under the generl bits and the interview section but it didn't mention it.
I have a question related to my recent visit to OASC. I'd like to career in the RAF, and I applied for WSOp, FC, Provost and AD(Trg) (I failed the ATC aptitudes) . The forms I got back were quite encouraging, and I had a chat with the bloke at the recruiting office and he thought I had a good chance of getting offered a job (I'll be honest here and say out of the 4, I'm not really that bothered - a career in the RAF is my aim). Then, about a month ago I got a letter saying they were still considering my application, and that they would get back to me after they had had a meeting, sometime in October. Does anyone know what that "means"? I have a slight sinking feeling...I am slightly older than the average bear, and am commensurately further down my current career path (and not enjoying it), also I am aware I am closing in on the upper age limit for beginning WSOp training rapidly (only 5 months until I am 33!). Thanks in advance. 
tricky
tricky
The earthquake in Pakistan (although a natural disaster) has a couple of political points that can be discussed 1 Extremist groups have been going to remote parts of kashmir that have not been given aid by the Pakistani army and administering aid (Is this a bid to win hearts and minds or is it a case of in times of crisis jihads take a back seat) 2 Pakistan have accepted aid fom India in turn allowing Indians to cross into Pakistan administered Kashmir ( Could this lead to a thawing in the tension between the two countries?) 3 The US gave $50 million to the relief effort ( some think that this is in part a thank you from the US for Pakistans continued efforts in the fight against terror. I think that we need to look beyond the initial disaster and look at what goes on in the aftermath of it.
Tricky, there used to be 4 answers you got from OASC, Yes, No, No but come back in XYZ and Competition. I maybe wrong but I get the impression that now there is no yes, only competition. So basically, like a couple of others on this site you're up against the others that have got into competition, everybody's in the same boat there so don't worry too much.
Reggie, I hate to say this mate but you're having the argument about what's suitable for discussion at OASC with a guy who's done a tour as a boarding officer. who do you think is going to be right?
Reggie, I hate to say this mate but you're having the argument about what's suitable for discussion at OASC with a guy who's done a tour as a boarding officer. who do you think is going to be right?
Fair enough, I was just trying to play devils solicitor. As people say its all about having a good knowledge of current affairs
trickydicky
I have a question related to my recent visit to OASC. I'd like to career in the RAF, and I applied for WSOp, FC, Provost and AD(Trg) (I failed the ATC aptitudes) . The forms I got back were quite encouraging, and I had a chat with the bloke at the recruiting office and he thought I had a good chance of getting offered a job (I'll be honest here and say out of the 4, I'm not really that bothered - a career in the RAF is my aim). Then, about a month ago I got a letter saying they were still considering my application, and that they would get back to me after they had had a meeting, sometime in October. Does anyone know what that "means"? I have a slight sinking feeling...I am slightly older than the average bear, and am commensurately further down my current career path (and not enjoying it), also I am aware I am closing in on the upper age limit for beginning WSOp training rapidly (only 5 months until I am 33!). Thanks in advance.
tricky
tricky
Almost everyone that is going through OASC at the minute is having their application held until a later board review. You have boards about every couple of months and this is where they look over all the applicants from those last couple of months and decide who they want and who they don't. Now though, they have decided that if you have a certain score, (no idea what, probably 3+ or below) that you will automatically be put up for review in the next board. This is so that they can keep you hanging on for a bit while seeing if there is anyone better suited for the job you are applying for.
It wouldn't do any harm to phone OASC and remind them of your age if yo are worried, but I wouldn't see it as being a problem.
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reggie_boy
The earthquake in Pakistan (although a natural disaster) has a couple of political points that can be discussed 1 Extremist groups have been going to remote parts of kashmir that have not been given aid by the Pakistani army and administering aid (Is this a bid to win hearts and minds or is it a case of in times of crisis jihads take a back seat) 2 Pakistan have accepted aid fom India in turn allowing Indians to cross into Pakistan administered Kashmir ( Could this lead to a thawing in the tension between the two countries?) 3 The US gave $50 million to the relief effort ( some think that this is in part a thank you from the US for Pakistans continued efforts in the fight against terror. I think that we need to look beyond the initial disaster and look at what goes on in the aftermath of it.
Well the OASC booklet says no natural disasters, OASC says no natural disasters. Wzz who used to be a boarding officer says no natural disasters.
Funnily enough, I don't think I will talk about them. However what you want to say in your interview is your perrogative.
The political points that you are talking about are much deeper rooted than the earthquakes, and that is what I would be inclined to talk about along with Indian and Pakistani aircraft aquisitions from the UK and USA and joint training.
I think Im just using the earthquake in my head to give me a start point (if you know what I mean ???) I will have to try not to mention the quake. Thanks
You don't necessarily have to avoid it entirely but for instance if a boarding officer says to you, "Can you name a few current news stories that have been happening around the world" rather than saying the earthquake, say the relations between India and Pakistan and just mention that the earthquake might have affected this.
Thanks Blackhawk will do
Thanks for the prompt replies. I was extremely surprised to still be there at the end! I didn't do so well on the aptitude tests hence have been given weak accepts for WSOp/FC, but the Cpl at the Recruiting Office said he though I might be offered Provost instead. Mum always said I'd make a good policeman...Thanks once again and good luck to anyone else who's waiting to hear in the near future too.Wzz
Natural disasters are a little too easy. Face it; if we asked for people to reel off stories from the past year or so, they'd all go for earthquake in Pakistan, Hurricane Katrina, and the Boxing Day Tsunami before anything else.
Now, look at it from an interviewing perspective. What do you discuss? If they bring up Israel, or avian flu, or Zimbabwe, you can get into a decent debate. What do they think? Who's messed up? What would they change? If you're discussing the tsunami, what do you say? Yes, people died, it was bad. Right, next question...
The questions have to be designed to engender debate and to allow the sort of line of questioning that'll move the applicant out of their comfort zone a bit; let them show how much they know, and make sure it's not too easy.
Now, look at it from an interviewing perspective. What do you discuss? If they bring up Israel, or avian flu, or Zimbabwe, you can get into a decent debate. What do they think? Who's messed up? What would they change? If you're discussing the tsunami, what do you say? Yes, people died, it was bad. Right, next question...
The questions have to be designed to engender debate and to allow the sort of line of questioning that'll move the applicant out of their comfort zone a bit; let them show how much they know, and make sure it's not too easy.
I would say hurricane Katrina's kinda worth discussing as America is a major ally, thousands died, the relief effor involved, the economy was affected and it also leads on to discussing climate change and the fact that America should open their eyes to it.
But yeah, I do agree that you can get into better discussions about other topics. In fact, Zimbabwe was one of mine and it proved an excellent topic for the interview. I suppose you can also get your opinions into these ones as well which I shouldn't think they would diversify much over natural disasters!
Well clarified
I'm guessing we should be steering away from military topics in the interviews as we would quickly get out of our depths..?
(Oh and I realise this is in reference to a very very old post on this thread, but Wyton isn't that bad a station Wzz, some of us get quite attached to it over the years!!)
(Oh and I realise this is in reference to a very very old post on this thread, but Wyton isn't that bad a station Wzz, some of us get quite attached to it over the years!!)
I think there are a whole lot of wider issues with Katrina surely these are all world current affairs issues? Maybe not talk about the natural disaters themselves but their impact ie Katrina on world oil prices or the US govts lack of response, who messed up Bush or the state Govenor, what implications are there for the US's wider capability for response to terrorism attacks, did bush take his eye off the ball when he was prewarned of the implications of a hurricane on n.Orleans with an 'obsession' with sadaam.
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