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Post by baz62 on Apr 2, 2014 17:52:42 GMT 12
Hope it all goes well and look forward to the update!
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haileyg
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 8
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Post by haileyg on Apr 7, 2014 17:46:17 GMT 12
Hi everyone, Thanks again for all the advice! Laura - Hello and thank you for that information! Congratulations and I will see you at the end of the month Hailey
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Post by spongebob206 on Apr 9, 2014 17:25:06 GMT 12
Go Girls......I mean Ladies All the best
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Post by ljtapelu on Apr 12, 2014 21:33:15 GMT 12
Well done Hailey and Laura.
I will also be attending the OASB at the end of the month and just had one question. With the air crew swim test, does it matter which stroke or style is used?
Well done once again.
Lionel
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 13, 2014 10:24:16 GMT 12
It is great to see so many younger members here on the forum who are the future of aviation in NZ, and hopefully of our Air Force. Best of luck to you all, it's great to have you all here.
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haileyg
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 8
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Post by haileyg on Apr 14, 2014 8:45:08 GMT 12
Hi Lionel,
Thank you and well done to you too!
I'm not quite sure, but I have been practicing breast stroke and back sculling for the 150m swim and side stroke for the contact tow.
Hailey
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Post by ljgreenaway on Apr 14, 2014 17:29:19 GMT 12
Hey Lionel,
I had the same questions myself, so I talked to my candidate co-ordinator and he sent me a PDF with the requirements for the test. Basically this is what it contained;
'Starting from either a dive start or in the pool candidates must swim 30 metres continuously using breast stroke or back towing kick (I assume this is the same as back crawl?) Candidates must then continue using any other stroke for the following 120 metres, there is no time limit.'
Remember you will be wearing overall and trainers!! And then it goes on to mention how you must not touch the bottom of the pool or the sides of the pool during the swim and to not use buoyancy aids.
I've been practicing and just doing a breast stroke for the full 150m, it's not timed so I might as well take my time and not wear myself out as there is till the trading water and the rescue tow to complete; Also worth bearing in mind that in the morning we will have the 5km weighted march, which sounds fun!
If you want the PDF regarding the swim test regs either e-mail your candidate co-ordinator or if you can't get hold of it, I could e-mail it to you (you to Hailey G) however i'm not to sure on the legality of forwarding air force docs to other people?
I must say that the candidate co-ordinators are very quick to respond to e-mails and very helpful indeed.
Hope this helps,
Laura
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haileyg
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 8
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Post by haileyg on Apr 15, 2014 8:06:35 GMT 12
Hi Laura, Awesome, thanks for that information! I will email my candidate co-ordinator right now Hailey
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Post by ljgreenaway on May 5, 2014 21:08:39 GMT 12
Hi All
I'm back from the OASB, pleased to say i passed and i am now awaiting the final review board.
Hailey hope all went well for you!
I have been told not to give away to many details about the process, however if anyone has any questions feel free to ask whilst the experience is fresh!
Thanks, Laura
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 5, 2014 21:38:27 GMT 12
Well done Laura.
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Post by haughtney1 on May 6, 2014 0:40:57 GMT 12
Well done Laura, the first step into the big fun world of Her Majesties serviceā¦no matter what happens from now on, the fact that you passed this part of OASB can't be taken away from you, congratulations.
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Post by Radialicious on May 6, 2014 1:01:37 GMT 12
I agree. When I was at a similar stage of selection, I was told that I had "good reason to be hopeful". That indication was very quickly followed by a congratulations from the President of our board through my Flight Commander. If indeed, things go to plan, you are in for an experience that will add volumes to your autobiography and that is even before you strap yourself into an aeroplane. Just the process of induction, recruit and officer training, human factors, survival and parachute training is an amazing journey. The Wings course itself is exactly like all the TV/Movie/Doco programmes combined. I suspect by the time your name is called on day one of the wings course, you'll be fizzing and amping to get on with it. It's an incredibly exciting time with the potential for life changing rewards. Good luck!
P.S. My advice would be to bring a waterproof, shockproof camera from day one. There will be times in the early days when it may not be allowed but it will give you an record of what will be an incredibly cool part of your life.
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Post by harvard1041 on May 6, 2014 1:33:38 GMT 12
Well done there Laura ! - let the fun begin.
Did my Selection Board back in 1980 ( as an Engineering Officer ) and recall it as a good, hard, but slightly daunting, exercise. Some years later did a couple on the Staff side of the desk as DS, and found that it was reasonably logical finding the good keen people the RNZAF needs.
Things like honesty, hard-work, and willingness to learn ... come across from those selected and most of those selected did well, either in their chosen RNZAF course, or outside. Either way it's a great experience, lots of good people, lots of fun times.
Two best days; Day you Join & Day you Leave.
All the best with the Wings Course
Cheers Hvd1041
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Post by Radialicious on May 6, 2014 1:37:58 GMT 12
With reference to the above, on day one of my Wings Course, if someone had handed me a newspaper, it probably would have caught fire... We were truly fizzing at the bung. It's a true, no-shit day that celebrates where you have just come from and spells out all that is possible in the years to follow. It was just over 14 years since I was fresh fish on a Wings course but by Jeez, that and the year before are bloody good memories.
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Post by phil82 on May 7, 2014 3:37:32 GMT 12
Not the same, I know, for non-pilots at Wigram, but I observed one course while attending my own OTC, and Pilot training then, and no doubt now, was incredibly tough. I had been around two air forces as an airman for almost ten years when I went from Lac to P/O,so I had seen far more of how the air force operated than those candidates, but they certainly gained my respect for the amount of work they put in, and some of them were also attending Canterbury Uni at the same time. It was very hard work indeed.
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Post by baronbeeza on May 7, 2014 10:25:05 GMT 12
No 2 Officers' Mess at Wigram was a mess with a difference. It would have been unique in so many ways. While some guys may have made it home for a number of years for many others their stay there may have just been months or weeks.
If you can think back to the breakfast table in the Dambusters raid, and the BoB movie had a similar scene, the empty place settings. For the guys at 2 Mess that was just a harsh fact of life, there was a continual stream of new faces arriving and then every so often a graduation party and some of your mates progressed onto the next Base. The cruel part was that while this was going on there was also just the disappearances, the guy you sat next to for lunch yesterday was no longer about, never did see him again.
We had the photo albums though, many of them in the ante room and they had faces, some instantly recognisable while others were just a fleeting memory. There were the course photos as well. By now most had been modified with the felt pen and hats were now adorning many of the guys. There will be a photo of one Nav intake, six guys all sitting there as proud as..... but now all wearing black civvie hats. None made it through.
It must be a test of mettle for those that were studying and trying their best to get through their own particular courses. Work hard, play hard comes to mind.
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haileyg
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 8
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Post by haileyg on May 11, 2014 14:48:45 GMT 12
Hi All I'm back from the OASB, pleased to say i passed and i am now awaiting the final review board. Hailey hope all went well for you! I have been told not to give away to many details about the process, however if anyone has any questions feel free to ask whilst the experience is fresh! Thanks, Laura Hi Laura, Awesome, congratulations!! Hope everything goes well for you at the final review board. Unfortunately I did not get through but I will try again in a year. All the best! Hailey
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Post by 11SQNLDR on May 11, 2014 17:08:49 GMT 12
Great attitude Hailey - learn & reflect from this attempt and give it heaps next year
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Post by baronbeeza on May 11, 2014 17:49:37 GMT 12
I was talking to one of the RAF guys many years back. He was chopped off his Wings course here and it would have been one of the last of the Harvards jobs. A few years later he was doing his OE with his gf/wife and saw a RAF advert. Realising he was still within age he and his lady talked it through and decided he should have another crack at it.
He had just finished a tour on Jaguars when I knew him but I am sure he also mentioned he had graduated with the sword on his course. He did add that he thought he may have just needed the little extra maturity and confidence but he also found it much easier second time round. His photo will be in one of those albums from 2 Mess, complete with bowler hat..
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Post by ljgreenaway on May 11, 2014 18:13:53 GMT 12
Hi All I'm back from the OASB, pleased to say i passed and i am now awaiting the final review board. Hailey hope all went well for you! I have been told not to give away to many details about the process, however if anyone has any questions feel free to ask whilst the experience is fresh! Thanks, Laura Hi Laura, Awesome, congratulations!! Hope everything goes well for you at the final review board. Unfortunately I did not get through but I will try again in a year. All the best! Hailey Hailey, Gutted to hear that, there were heaps of people that were on their second attempt, even some on a third. Dont give up you have a unique insight for next time I'm still waiting to hear from the review board and so far it's been the longest wait of my life! Thanks everyone for their kind words. I'm actually applying to join as an Air Warfare Officer! just got to get through the review board, yet I'm unsure as to how many vacancies are available at the moment. We shall see, meanwhile ill be busy waiting! Laura.
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