The Unseen RNR

I was reading PAs thread on the FAAs requirements for the air branch and it got me thinking (I know I haven't done the course yet).

The RNR within a RU is a strange entity in naval terms, althought people come and go, there tends to be a core of people within the unit for the duration of the service career. More army than navy in that sense perhaps. We meet people from other units, within branch, on national training weekends and that has its own rewards; it builds new friendships and even increases the friendly'ish' banter between units. If you're lucky you'll get to see some of the people you met at Raleigh/BRNC/pre-JOFB training and spin a few dits about how great you were on Exercise Whatnot last year.

What unseen RNR am I talking about then? Well the MCDs and the Air guys. They come in trained, so no meeting at courses, they don't do many of the same exercises (willing to stand corrected on that one) so we don't bump into them in the bazaars. Apart from one competition, which the air guys are great at, and huge events like RNR100, we never get to meet each other.

I think the experience that these guys have would bring a lot to RUs but I don't know of too many that attend.

Thoughts?

M(R)

 

Ref: RNR(Air Branch) visiting RUs... there is a lot of encouragement from within the Air Branch to get out to other RNR Units, and I know a few friends who have done so (and reported back that it was well worthwhile)... There is regular contingent from the AB that particpates in Ex. Special Reserve, Sailing, Shooting, and Golf (not if one of these is the sport you mention)... Not saying we couldn't do more though?

 

I was refering to dominance of the AB at Bisley for a number years. Well guessed.

R(M)

 

Fair point, missed them out. On the whole though, they tend to join in much the same way as everyone else before being punted down to whatever place they punt them. So you will run into one or two of those maybe.

 

Where the Int types lurk is usually places no other RNR would expect to go. They do a good job for the most part.

 

Don't know what exercises your attending, but I tend to meet up with quite a lot on the exercises I attend. Agree the AB would bring a lot to the RU's and I am aware that there is movement to get them to attend units if they so wish.

 

Sorry but I have to pull you up on this one, HMS Cambria shooting team won the Bisley 2005 competiton. Mind you, the AB did win the Falling plate.

 

Sorry but I have to pull you up on this one, HMS Cambria shooting team won the Bisley 2005 competiton. Mind you, the AB did win the Falling plate.

 

I think you will find the Air Branch are trying to get around the units. The last Midlands and south west Training weekends the range was run by the AB. Unfortunately it is not just trying to get AB personell involved it is also trying to change training units deep entrenched ethos of what we can do to help.