Countdown to RAF Enlistment!

[mummyflood]

After a 3-month delay (medical waiver needed unexpectedly) all being well, DS1, 17, is enlisting in the RAF on 31 August. and at the same time!!

It is starting to sink in properly now, both for him and us, and I have been thinking about how to keep in touch, etc. Has anyone any tips for things he may appreciate being sent from home? Also it is his 18th Birthday in November, last week of basic training if it all goes to schedule, so depending when his trade training starts we don't know whether he will make it home or not. He has said that 'just money' will be fine - his first goal is to save up for a car, but again, has anyone any good ideas for a young man in the forces??

This is flying by, (excuse the pun!) less than 4 weeks to go, there's gonna be a huge hole round here when he goes!!

He'll probably be fine for money to save for his car- I think they find they have no time to spend anything...except in the bar of course! 18th birthdays are always tricky to buy for. If I were you I would buy him either an experience or something he can keep throughout his life, something special. If he's a trainee officer they get the chance to buy a sword at the end of their training- it could be good timing to celebrate both by giving him something towards it. If buying an experience, maybe think about a track-day.. boys love them and after all a memory is something you can keep forever too.

Good luck to both you and him anyway.

is that new then whizzy? nobody asked me if i wanted to buy a sword! (waits for response before assuming too old and knackered rather than just sexist)

money towards car sounds fab. but i'd hold it for him until he's ready to buy... otherwise it may well fall out of his pocket in the bar...

i bought a new stereo with my first RAF pay.

Thanks guys.

A track day is a great idea, he has been to a few touring car events and loved it, I reckon he would enjoy being 'hands on' as well with something a little more upmarket than my old Fiat which he has been driving around for a month, am I correct in thinking these experiences are open-ended so he could fit it in as and when his leave occurs?

It will be quite a novely for him not having time to spend his wages, he's permanently 'in the red' at home, his first month's wages are already about 50% spoken for with what he owes us!! herbie - he's going in as aircraft maintenance. He has applied for avionics but is now thinking he might prefer mechanical as it's more 'hands on', he has been told it's dependant upon whether he is 'streamed' during trade training - over to him to figure all that out!!

Mechanical is better if he wants to be hands on, but both are challenging. Good presents before he goes:
Kiwi Shoe Polish -not parade gloss the normal stuff glosses better oddly enough.
Lint free duster for the polish
Shoe brushes all in a nice shoe cleaning kit box or bag.
A really heavy old fashioned iron. They're the best for creases. A water sprayer and tell him never to put water inthe iron and to spray the clothes instead. Works wonders and the iron will never let him down spitting calcium or anything.
Green fabric tape (its like rocking horse doodah and its dead useful for labelling green kit)
An ABC stencil kit and a black marker for labelling all his kit.
A torch with a red filter
Bridgedale hiking socks
A blister kit.

Good birthday presents for after he's passed out:
A good quality beret (the issue ones are awful and he'll be wearing it every day).
I agree on a track day- also advanced driving lessons loads of young airmen manage to dink their modified Renault Clios.......

Good luck to him and I hope he really enjoys it. Remind him that there are days when his own personal silent mantra will be 'this too shall pass'. . Oh and tell him to make sure he does not call his corporal Sir...... or for that matter not to call any female officers Sir.......

Thanks Mocking - sorry been away a few days, only just seen your post.

Great list of stuff to take - have got a few of these, he got kit list from the AFCO. But good tip for the iron - can imagine him getting rather peeved at 1am or so if he ends up with limescale on his trousers - he's been pre-warned about being up into the early hours ironing and polishing, etc . And where do you get green fabric tape from, sounds like a good idea? I also like the suggestion of advanced driving lessons - may save him a few pounds on his insurance, he has had quite a shock over the prices he has been looking at, and considering he won't be able to afford a car for quite a while think he's jumping the gun quite a bit (excuse the forces pun!)

Apparently one of the recruits DID call a corporal Sir on the PRTC, and was quickly put right

DH - who may or may not know something of this says:-

Loads of green tape on site available atm - there was a time there was a shortage, but there is loads now
He will may be jumped on for non issue socks
YY to the kiwi - at least 2 tins
yy to heavy iron (not cheap) and spray bottle
yy to stencil kit
ipods and the like are good gifts to take if he doesn't have one already (he MUST lock it away or it will be confiscated)
Good padlocks - 7mm ones - COMBINATION ones not keys

DH also says that most of this is on the kit list anyway, and if you get the kit list right you are doing better than some

Thank you, Norma. Only a day and a half to go now. Had better make sure he has some pennies then, I know he will need at least £4 for his haircut, so extra for things like the tape etc.

When is his birthday in relation to his passing out? If it is in the couple of weeks leading up to the parade they are v v unlikely to get home time then btw. Sorry.

PM me if you want to ask anything else :)

DH also says that Mechanical is much better than "fairy lights" But he may well be biased.

Thanks Norma, have pm'd you.

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