F e a t u r e s A Day in the Life of
Air Commodore Barbara Cooper Director Personnel and Training Strategy
Barbara Cooper is one of only three females who hold air rank within the RAF. In this article she provides an insight into her role as a 1*
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t’s the price you pay for being a family friend of the Chairman of the RAF’s new Families Federation
– you get asked to do things! Back in February I spoke with Dawn McCafferty to get some ‘family’ input into a short address I was due to give at a graduation of new recruits at RAF Halton. Never one to miss an opportunity, she instantly invited me to write an article for this issue of Envoy, entitled ‘A Day in the Life of ...’
My mind turned to a certain Sunday newspaper that runs a similarly titled article, which I nearly always read, because it features such amazing and interesting people, who seem to cram in at least twice the activities of normal folk into their day. In contrast, I seldom get anywhere near the end of my daily ‘to do’ list (a state that has existed for many years, now I come to think of it – I wonder why I keep making those lists?!)
Anyway, my story: Apart from my family, my passion is the Royal Air Force (which is just as well, as I have been in uniform for nearly 30 years). My current role is Director of Personnel and Training Strategy and I work at HQ AIR Command at RAF High Wycombe. My work is largely about looking to the future (everything from next year to 2020 and beyond) and determining the things that are most likely going to influence our ability to recruit and keep the right number of trained and motivated Servicemen and women in the Royal Air Force.
Naturally, families play a crucial part in this equation – and here I unashamedly make
a plea – one of the main means of gaining the evidence we need to argue our case for funding for ‘people issues’ is gained through the regular surveys issued by the RAF’s small team of occupational psychologists, who work in my department. Although it might seem a little tedious to continually fill in questionnaires, believe me, they are very important – thank you for what you have done in the past and please keep filling them in!
But, to get back to the subject – someone who ‘does strategy’, is one who is largely based around the office, at meetings, brainstorming or writing papers and well, perhaps not very exciting to the casual observer. So I have spared you that and chosen not a typical day, but a very special recent day in my life when I had the huge privilege of being the Reviewing Officer at the graduation of No 376 Recruit Training Course at RAF Halton.
First let me tell you a little about what the 95 graduating airmen and airwomen had achieved in order to be on the parade square. About 8 weeks prior to their initial training, the then potential recruits and their parents, girlfriends/boyfriends and in some cases, husbands and wives visited RAF Halton to see what it was all about – the recruits were issued with boots and were given a good idea of the level of fitness required to join the RAF. It gave everyone an opportunity to have a look around the station, ask questions and make sure they had made the right decision. A few did drop out at that stage, but those that arrived at RAF Halton 8 weeks later to start their basic training did so with greater certainty of their chosen
career, a familiarity of surroundings and their families’ support.
Day one of the 9-week basic course is gentle
– families are encouraged to accompany the recruits for the first part of the day and stay for lunch, before finally bidding farewell. For many, this is the first significant time away from home – a trying time for recruits, but perhaps even more difficult for the parents to come to terms with, as the recruits get on with making new friends and becoming accustomed to all that being a member of the Royal Air Force entails – just getting used to wearing uniform, marching and saluting (sometimes all at the same time) is enough to keep their minds from thinking too much about home.
During the following weeks, recruits learn a great deal about the Royal Air Force and themselves. They learn the importance of teamwork, comradeship, mutual respect, integrity and a whole host of other skills including ironing! One mother at the graduation told me that her son, who hardly knew what an iron was before he went to Halton, came home at Christmas and informed her that her ironing skills weren’t up to scratch! Bless.
Other aspects of the course include General Service Knowledge and General Service Training, including weapons handling. One day is given to a community project and for No 376 course this involved revamping the chimpanzee enclosure at Whipsnade Zoo. The enclosure’s residents and the zoo’s staff were delighted with the results. Cheap labour you might think? Perhaps not, when apart from having a hugely enjoyable day away from the classroom, the recruits recognise how much satisfaction can be gained from helping others and how to work well as a team. A real win-win situation.
The final week of the course is given over to honing marching and parade skills and preparing for the graduation. They have come a long way in just 9 short weeks. It is difficult for the recruits not to grin as the parade commander addresses the male ‘practice’ Reviewing Officer as ‘Ma’am’ in anticipation
6 Summer 2008
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