Currently an adult sgt, and due to some unforeseen circumstances I’ve been offered the chance to move. I’ll still be working in the usual place (hopefully), but will be commuting 1:40 each way.
I wanted to know if anyone else has done anything similar. Is it realistic to commute that far for parade nights?
I also wanted to know if it’s possible to parade at 2 different sqns on different nights - this would probably make the commute a little easier as I’d only be driving back late once a week.
Asking on here before I make it official. Any feedback would be really helpful!
Yes it’s possible to parade at 2 sqns.
I know a member of staff that does 4 nights (2sqns and in different wings)
You need to get wing ok though.
To travel the best part of 2 hours to go to cadets your really not thinking this through. What time do you need to leave the house, when do you get home? What time do you need to get up for work The next morning? It all adds up.
Sorry but for me 1hr top for going to a sqn.
Some deep and clear thinking required
Max commute of 30 min to a Sqn.
I had to do 45 min due taking on a failing Sqn a few years back for 6 months… that 1.30 was not fun.
Think of your safety after a days work, then driving late at night, tired.
My sector officer had a dilemma and needed more staff elsewhere. I was already travelling 20minutes to Sqn A and was not my closest unit. Sqn B were low on staff, specifically uniformed staff with experience and so I was asked to move firstly as a development opportunity…it would be 25-30 minutes in the opposite direction…but it was a chsnge to the parade nights for me which caused me issues with other compliments I had at the time.
It became clear the real reason I was asked a d so agreed to assist on a 50/50split staying at Sqn A and “Visiting” B
It worked although for consistency was pants and I didn’t enjoy it
You can attend more than 1 unit - you become listed as “supernumerary” on the second unit.
To do so, first speak to your current and potential new OCs to update them and check they’re happy, then you and both of them will need to fill out the relevant sections on a Pers Form 1-11.
Be cautious not to over stretch yourself, but if you think that you can manage by not going home before attending one of units as you work nearby then it’s worth a try. But you shouldn’t be claiming H2D for that Squadron…
As said be very, very cautious as one thing is a dead cert no one else in this organisation would give a monkey’s. In fact it could turn negative if either of the sqns didn’t think you were doing enough with them. They may be all nice things initially, but a few months down the line and not so.
You don’t say if you’re married or in a relationship of some kind as the other half would need to be fully onboard. Remember family first, then, job then ATC. If as it seems the other sqn is 1 hour 40 minutes away, you’d need to leave home by 1730 and if you left at 2130 that’s home c.2315.
It’s also worth considering weekend commitments and the problems that could bring.
I have been on a number of units and actually moving is not as bad as I initially feared.
I would say if you are a newly appointed Sgt, there is sometimes benefit on moving away from your cadet peers to a new unit.
Ultimately you have to think about yourself tho, being on 2 units is hard - who do you primarily commit to, where are your allegiances on competition days etc… I would talk the options through with your OC / WSO / WWO and gauge their opinions too.
As everyones mentioned think about the travelling time. I’m currently doing 45 mins on a good dat and it’s a bit of a ball ache time the Sqns wraps up and the parents remember to pick there kids up I dont leave the Sqn until 10pm getting home close to 11pm. Time I get to bed it’s closer to midnight and I get up at 5am for work the following day.
If I was commuting an hour or more I’d be more of a dribbling mess in the morning
