Senior Aircraftwoman Kate Aziz
Job role: Personnel (Support)

Joined the RAF: July 2003

Overseas travel: Falkland Islands, Afghanistan, Malta, Sweden, Corsica

Career highlights:

• Graduating from recruit training and seeing my parents at the passing out parade
• My two tours abroad. I enjoyed both of them and would love to do more
• Seeing the northern lights when I was on a dog sledding expedition in Sweden

‘Personnel Support is one of the best trades in the RAF. It’s really people orientated and you can get posted anywhere in the UK. Our role is to take care of the everyday issues, such as pay or welfare support. That in turn means the other personnel can focus on their specific roles.

‘I’ve recently been posted into a new role, which has a very high level of security clearance. My job is to arrange and book travel for senior Officers in support of current operations. They can be sent anywhere in the world, often at short notice, which makes my job very challenging.

‘High ranking Officers could be considered enemy targets, so we often have to keep the details of travel secret for their own safety. I can be dealing with anyone from an RAF Flight Lieutenant right up to an Army Brigadier. I have to be careful what I say outside of work, I can’t really tell my friends and family about my day!

‘My first operational deployment was to Kandahar in Afghanistan where I was Squadron Clerk for the A Wing. I provided admin support for Hercules and Harrier aircraft crews and their ground support teams, about 300 people. I had to travel to Camp Bastion by helicopter every three weeks, which was a bit scary but very exhilarating.

‘There are ups and downs on operations. You work very long hours and I missed my family, but on the positive side I met lots of really interesting people and was filmed for a Channel Five documentary about life in a warzone. That’s what’s so great about the RAF; you see and experience things that you’d never do in any other job.’

Web Chat session with Senior Aircraftwoman Kate Aziz - Wednesday 25 February 2009

Alex: What's life like in the RAF and on Ops? Is there banter between the sections of the RAF/rest of military? And are all the pilots really stuck up poshies? :P

Kate Aziz: Hi Alex, yes there is loads of good banter especially between the other services, all good fun, you just have totake it on the chin. You couldn't ask for a better life really. Life on ops is high tempo but really rewarding. The poshy pilots...pilots come from all walks of life, and are just like other people, the more you get to know them the more you find you have in common, we've all done the basic training at the end of the day.

Alex: Wait, weren't you the girl on warzone? :o

Kate Aziz: hi Alex yes I was, it was a great experience, but I didn't realise how much I'd be on.

aimee: Hi Kate, how often do you move around to different bases?

Kate Aziz: Generally RAF posting for airman are 3-4 years, but you can ask for a move every 18months, and inbetween those you will do detachments aswell. I've been in 5 1/2 years and I've moved three times

luke: how old were you when you joined?

Kate Aziz: hi Luke, I was 17 when I joined. I initally wanted to join when I was 16 but decided to go back to school but half way through a levels I got feed up with school and decided that was the best time to join.the RAF were really supportive of that

Abby: when deciding you want to join the RAF what happens next? once you have been to see your local RAF centre?

Kate Aziz: when you've been to see the RAF centre, speak to the AFCO they will have all the information. You will have medicals, interviews and aptitude tests, but the AFCO will give you all the information, they are great totalk to

ums: hi im in recruitment process got my aptitude test soon,i'm looking forward to join as a personel admin .is ther a number of right questions do i need to get ??

Kate Aziz: Hi Ums I don't know really about the numberof right questions. I had to do a test but I wasn't sure what I have to pass. I did the test and then you are told what trades are right for you

josh cox: when you are on tours, what are the toilets like?

Kate Aziz: Hi Josh, good questions. the toilets in the blocks are like a normal public toilet or one in a house, but you also get thunder boxes, which are portaloo like what you'd get at a festival, they ssmell about the same, that's what's on ops

tiffanycotton1995: hey Kate, is being in the air cadets going to help me get into the RAF when i'm older?

Kate Aziz: hI tiffany, it really helps as it shows you what life is like and you do drills and get lots of knowledge, but you don't need to be in the cadets to do well, but it does help in the early few weeks.

Julia_7: Hey, I'm 15 and am really intrested in joining the RAF at 16 after school, as an engineer. Is there any prefrences at joinging at 16 or later? Is it just a personal thing?

Kate Aziz: For me it was just a personal thing, it was right for me to join at 17, and sometimes it's good to have some life experience before they join up, but as I said it's down to the individual

bryan: Hi kate I went to afco on friday to apply for the RAF regiment how long is the training and whats it like ?

Kate Aziz: Hi Bryan, I'm not sure how long the training is, but look at the section on the website for the regiment, there's a full diary that shows you everything

Gaj: do you regret anything from joining the RAF

Kate Aziz: no I don't have any regets, sometimes I wish I'd made more of my postings, there are so many opportunities to go on courses etc whcih is something I want to do also to go on expeditions. So no regrets there;'s just so much to do

Anna: Hi Kate, I just wanted to ask a few questions about what a *typical* days work for you involves? Is PT part of your typical working day/week or do you have to do it in your own time? Also what made you choose the RAF over the other services? Thanks!

Kate Aziz: H anna, great quesdtion. I go to the gym once a day everyday for an hour or so during my working time, once I finish at 5 the rest of the day os my own, so I go shopping or go out. at the moment where I work it's like a day to day office environment, I work 8-5 and I love it. other offices have different times it deoends on where you get posted, and if you need to work longer hours then you do

aimee: What is the best experience you have had in the RAF so far?

Kate Aziz: Best experience eould be my whole four months in the falklands, because the opportunities are amazing down there, also afghanistan again was just amazing because it's great to go and meet locals etc,

luke: did you always want to do your job at the moment or did you want to do something differnt at first?

Kate Aziz: Hi Luke at first I wanted to join as a weapons technition, but decided it wasn't for me. After doing work experience in an AFCO i felt I was better suited to admin as I enjoy talking to people and having that interaction.

Stewart: I have a family with children ranging from 12 to newborn, howoften would I expect to be moved around? I understand that Op's come first but postings are a worry as I dont want to change their schools to often if possible!

Kate Aziz: Generally posting are 3-5 years depending on your trade. You will get housing for family when you've joined and completed training but the AFCO should help with that

craigj: Hi Kate! what does SAC stand for?

Kate Aziz: SAC Senior air craftmen/woman

ums: How was your training experiences ??

Kate Aziz: I loved training looking back on it, but at the time it was really hard and had it's highs and lows. at the time it was hard becuase it was all new to me and I had never experienced anything like it, but your fellow trainees are all going through the same thing, so you really bond so quickly and really help each other. I did the ironing and another girl sewed my socks cos I couldn't do that and she couldn't iron!

tiffanycotton1995: sorry i didnt really read what you did as a job in the RAF, what exactly is it you do? is it interesting?

Kate Aziz: I am personnel support and I work within PJHQ in Northwood which is the joint headquarters for the whole of the Military

KEV: how did u find the transfer from servilon life to the life in the RAF

Kate Aziz: at first it was a shock to the system, but I got used to it really quickly, cos you get thrown in at the deep end and you have no choice but to adapt to it

tiffanycotton1995: isnt it boring being stuffed up in the office all day, wouldnt you much rather prefer being outside or flying?

Kate Aziz: I'm not stuffed in the office all day! it's not like a 9-5 job unless you want it to be, like I said earlier I go to the gym , I go on training, I go on expeds so it's never dull and never the same thing every day

Thomas90: heya i am thinking about joining the Personel adminstration team, any words of advice

Kate Aziz: I would say, keep an open mind and a sense of humour, it's a really social trade with loads of people interaction. Just be yourself and you'll get on fine

scott baines: Hi Kate, did you worry about anything when you initially went for your medical and aptitude tests, im worrying about the test

Kate Aziz: If you can do suduko and brain training on the DS it really helps, as a lot of it is muscle memory, you can't study for that but practice with these things helps, if you have medical questions go and ask the AFCO

Stewart: What would you say is the most difficult part of your carreer so far?

Kate Aziz: Great question, missing home is hard when you're on ops but there si really good communication. You get mail everyday, 30mins calls a week and free internet access

dani_87: Are you involved in any sports in the RAF?

Kate Aziz: I go to the gym everyday, and I used to be in the netball team. If you want to do sport the opportunities are endless and encouraged, everything from scuba diving to bob slaying!

Jamie: Kate - If you have the qualifications and you are a serving airman, could you apply for a commission at any time? Cheers

Kate Aziz: yes you can, it depends on what branch you want to go into and what qualifications you have, but you can do it

Stewart: What was the worst test for you during training apart from sewing your socks?

Kate Aziz: the worst test was the learning the new soldiering skills as there was so much new information to take in

Matthew: do you get the oppertunity to tell them what type of job you would do like estates, PA etc etc or do thye just post you where they want you?

Kate Aziz: you can request it and they will try and meet you where they can but the RAF requirments come first. I always been lucky and got one of my top three choices, and really enjoyed ebery job I've done

ums: how abt family life ? do you get time to meet them often ??

Kate Aziz: I go home at least once a month maybe more if there are borthdays etc I am still really close with all my civi friends and my family come and visit so it works both ways

george: hi im considering my career options, why did you choose the RAF over the other military organisations?

Kate Aziz: I did think about the army and navy, but I felt that the RAF would offer me better opportunities for me especially as a female, as in travel, sport expeds the actual jobs that were available appealed to me more plus I loved top gun so it's all tom cruise's fault

catherine: Helllooo, im just about to finish my second year in 6th form, and i cant wait to start applying, what would you say are the best bits about the RAF....your opinion??

Kate Aziz: look at the answer above. Also the people, they are lovely for instance I bumped into a person from my street at home and I live in a tiny village. It's really freindly and like belonging to a big family, cheesy I know but it's true. I've made friends for life. I am still friends with the girl who sewed my socks. I am also still fiends with a girl that I trained with and although we have different trades we done everything together, same posting sameops etc so we're really good friends

aimee: Do you have any specific goals for the future?

Kate Aziz: I'd like to learn a language, get promoted, get to do some more adventurous training, skiing and bungee jumping. I would to go to Afgahistan again and go to a diffreent area and do more travel. Job wise I would like to work at the mod in london and do a VIP job

josh cox: hey,,, what are the living quarters like and can you go snowboarding etc and sports like that?? many thanks

Kate Aziz: The quarters vary, but they are putting lots of funding into it, and all the new accomm is amazing and you couldn't ask for anything better. I mentioned sports earlier so have a look. I am an administrator and I've done loads of sports and different things

paul: how long was it between you passing out from the initial training at halton to your first posting overseas?

Kate Aziz: hi Paul. It really depends on your trade, FOr me it wa 18months before I went over seas and then anothet 18months in between that one and another, but it depends as I said. you can volunteer which speeds things up, which is what I did, if you wanna go you will go.

chrissie: what are your plans once you finish your service?

Kate Aziz: I'm not sure, I'm so loving what I'm doing at the minute why change, I really love my life. I have an amazing social life, the work is varied, I do different things everyday, today I'm here, i've been filmed, so many times I just stop and think how did I get here, it's amazing. I wouldn't change a thing. I've got another 4 years minimun, they I can choose to stay on longer

Christopher: Do you have to be very good at a sport to do it in the RAF or is everyone able to participate?

Kate Aziz: You have to physically fit to go throught the training, on the website it tells you how fit you have to be. Aslong as you're fit you don't have to play sport if you don't want to it's up to yuo, but the sport has a social aspect, I have loads of friends at the gym.

Scott: In Afghanistan, how did you find working in the heat with all the uniform and kit?

Kate Aziz: It's sifficult but you do acclimatise quickly as long as you get plently of water down you. Itrained more before I went out there, so still once a day but I made it more intense, and that really helps. the body armour and helmet where strange at first but you get used to it and it becomes a second skin. you have to wear the kit all the time

LadyLaw: how did your family react when you said you wanted to join the RAF? were they supportive?

Kate Aziz: my family were really supportive as they know it's a good life, none of my family are exmilitary they didn't know if I'd go through with it. It was the instructors, and the people are there for you and become your mentors.You get through it together. My parents were really pleased and cried on my pass out day. is that you mum?

Kris: A 30min phone call a week isnt that long really. If you want longer is it possible to buy phone cards when on ops?

Kate Aziz: it's not long and you can buy extra mins, but with the internet and blue mail it's enough, it doesn't sound long but it's emough and if you don't use it, it rolls over. I would ring my parent and facebooked my firends. I really felt it was long enough.

aimee: Do you live on or off base?

Kate Aziz: I live on base, I pay £50 a month rent and I buy my own food but the service chefs are brilliant. they must watch master chef.the money you can safe, is most of it. because everything that goes into the bank is your own,you can really manage my money,.I spend all of my money on clothes, so I don't have any savings but I look great!

bryony: when are the RAF recruiting?

Kate Aziz: right now!!! go to the RAF careers website it tells you everything but now now now

bryan: Hi kate have there been any scary moments during tours

Kate Aziz: yes a few, but your surrounded by people whi have been there and done who help and your training is so drilled into to you, it takes over and you know what to do.so although there were moments I felt quite safe.

Kate Aziz: It's been great talking to you, I wish I could answer more questions, good luck and thanks for all the great questions

Views expressed during the web chats are those of individuals and do not necessarily reflect RAF policy.