I was Fisgard Squadron - Sherval 993,
they have done away with tiff's now - all engineers / wafu's / war fairies go in as technicians, so no more stokers either
so tiff or stoker is now an engineering technician, they only put you forward to do an equivalent of the tiffs course after something like 12yrs, they had a problem with everyone getting their HND / Foundation degree then buggering off after the 8 year minimum.
so a POMEA is now a POET and a CPOMEA is a CPOET, the old charge chief MEA changed to WO2MEA then to a WO2ET
there is also some crossover between the branches, for example an ET who works with hydraulics will now look after the ME stuff like steering gear and stabilisers - but also the Hydraulics on the 4.5 gun and some of the Wafu crap
and meanwhile the profusion of splits on board means that the lads are too busy chasing rats wrens when they should be working
it would break your heart if you walked round Pompey Dockyard, Wrens in comfortable cardigans with branch badges on pushing prams to the creche so they can go and sit at all the cushy desk jobs that used to be saved as a treat for hard working jack coming back from a nine monther - now he just gets told, sorry shag you've pulled a back to back.
oh dear this is turning into a rant...
I wont even mention the 120 wrens employed from the commonwealth, their visa's are only active while they are in the Navy - if they leave they go home. Of the 120, within 3 years 112 had babies in the UK and left the mob - uk baby = stay in blighty
there is a silver lining though
seeing as the RN tried to set fire to me in an engine room by making us run with plant in a dangerous condition the second sealord did kindly buy me a 4 bedroom farmhouse in Lincolnshire by way of apology (after 4 years of legal wrangling)
The Dog is home....
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my new business
