By Warrant Officer of the Air Force WOFF-AF Ray Woolnough
Volume 48, No. 9, June 01, 2006
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| WOFF-AF Ray Woolnough |
GREETINGS, Airmen and Airwomen of the Air Force.
Another month has gone by and as the name of this column suggests, a lot of it has been spent ‘behind the desk’. There comes a time when one has to catch up with the administration part of this job.
I did however accompany the Chief of Air Force on his visit to RAAF Base Amberley in late April.
I am sure you have read the Chief’s ‘CAF-o-gram’ in which he described his absolute pleasure at visiting an effective base. I too would like to pass on my own thanks to all who made the visit so memorable.
I am sure you will agree that the basics of manners and protocols were not hard to do. In fact, I am sure they made the visit a lot simpler.
Of course one of our military days, Anzac Day, was commemorated. I took the opportunity to march with my father-in-law, Mr Robert Kinnane (retired WOD and Vietnam Veteran), in Canberra.
I noted there were other current Air Force personnel doing the same, marching with their relatives – well done. It is, after all, a very important day.
I would now like to turn to the subject of clothing, something dear to most people’s hearts.
On May 1, I attended my first meeting of the Air Force Non-Operational Clothing Steering Committee.
This committee meets every three months with DMO to discuss the supply, development and quality of all Air Force uniforms and accoutrements (except combat and flying clothing).
It gave me an insight into the problems faced with the supply of uniforms, especially with some contractors having difficulty meeting quality control standards and specifications, in turn leading to delays with the manufacture and delivery of some items.
On top of this, there is a reform program in place to address the manner in which DMO provides clothing and equipment to the ADF.
In the long term, the resultant changes will lead to more enhanced and responsive support.
However, in the short term, the personnel changes and amendments to procedures associated with the reforms may cause some delays with the provision of our uniforms and related equipment.
In closing on this subject, I would like to pay a special compliment to our Air Force representative for clothing matters within DMO, FSGT Kent Saunders.
Kent is the SNCO in charge of RAAF Clothing Hotline, a position which requires him to answer a myriad of queries regarding the supply of our uniforms.
He carries out this demanding task in a most professional, courteous and dedicated manner. Keep up the good work Kent.
It is my intention to attend most, if not all, promotion courses held at RAAF Bases Amberley, Richmond and Wagga.
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the two Corporal Courses, 95 and 96. However, I would like to thank WOFFs Stephen Airey and Simon Hall for stepping in and fulfilling my role with these courses – thank you.
The following is a message from WOFF Cary Thompson (Project Vulcan, Personnel Capability Management – Air Force):
“Project Vulcan has initiated a Warrant Officer Engineer Conference to be conducted in Newcastle on June 28 and 29.
The forum is unique for two reasons; it is the first time WOE’s have had an opportunity to get together with other WOE’s only, and secondly, all RAAF WOE’s and their Navy and Army equivalents have been invited.
The conference hopes to provide a forum for WOE’s to discuss technical and maintenance issues among peers with the focus on providing input and assistance to Project Vulcan and identifying common technical issues throughout ADF aviation.”
This conference is run by technical Warrant Officers for technical Warrant Officers, without the involvement of engineering officers.
In reality the WOE’s are the senior airmen in the hangars, and are therefore much closer to the problems that Project Vulcan is trying to address than the SENGOs.
As your WOFF–AF, I encourage all WOE’s, where possible, to attend this conference and contribute your ideas in an uninhibited forum.
Till next time, keep on smiling.
