Passed-over_Loggie said:
finknottle said:
You obviously have little understanding of Royal Marines and IMO you should have posted your thoughts elsewhere.
I understood that the Royals had their own RM Forum. I've worked in direct contact with Booties and there are none finer, anywhere. They are mentally tough, incredibly brave and self motivated to the borders of foolhardiness. If you want a small craft and outboard motor testing to the limits of its capability in all WX states, give it to the boys at Poole.
I am not detracting from a single thing that the team did, including the AAC lad, as I said. I also cannot argue that the morale lift will be other than a real force multiplier. I was merely sounding a word of caution before people do get carried away. They got away with it and have earned an unreserved BZ but on another occasion with another, now further motivated, group? It could go to a total bloody mess in seconds and we don't have ready replacements to fill the gap, let alone stand the morale change.
The FOD aspect wasn't even a consideration. Any pilot who didn't take such basic precautions would not be a pilot for very long.
And I am sure all concerned were more than aware of the risks!
They took those risks, and for that they should recieve nothing but praise. We live in an age where too many supposed leaders preach caution, cost, assets, process, justification, mitigation, risk assessment, limitation, authorisation. These things are all well and good but when they place restrictions on the ability to lead men they are worthless, if you go through life making decisions based on the repurcussions of failure you will achieve nothing. None of us are in a position to second guess what these guys did, the £100 million pound asset was theirs to use, it was designed, procured and developed into service for the purpose of war not some bean counters' to store away for another day. Their lives are theirs to commit to a risk that they perceived as necessary, they live to fight another day and what's more they are probably better men for it, they will grieve but they will never regret what they did.
And that was a bollocking whether you like it or not! God how I hate the negativity which has permeated throughout the roots of a once proud nation. Rant over.