Radschool

Newsletter

Vol 9

Page 7

Frognall.

It looks like the RAAF is determined to sell off everything as Frognall was put up for sale late last year. We didn’t hear whether or not it did sell, but we believe the asking price was near to $6M. Most real Radio Techs never got to see inside as it was the domain of the Brat, but we did get to see some photos of the inside, and from what could see we can’t understand what the Appies who were stationed there had to gripe about. It looked pretty good to us, and when you think that these photos were taken only a few months ago, and the place would have obviously deteriorated over time since the Bratts ran amuck in the hallowed halls all those year ago, we would have loved to have seen it back then.

From what we hear, this (above) was a typical Appy’s lounge/study room. We are led to believe that each Appy had a lounge/study area, a bathroom (left) and a separate bedroom all to themselves.

And Allan George tried to tell us it was tough……..

Vet Affairs

We’ve been asked by Tammy Johnston of Vet Affairs to include the following in our next newsletter—so here it is. We hope it helps some-one.

“The Veterans' Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme (VVRS) opens career doors more than 20 years on. When Brian Dedman left the Navy 24 years ago he easily secured work in the mining industry. But last year, changing family circumstances saw him looking for a new position and this time he had some reservations about finding work. "I'd spent a long time working for the same company where people get to know your abilities. So, while I'd achieved promotions, I was out of practice with job seeking processes such as writing applications," he said. Brian found the help he needed through the VVRS.

The scheme assists Australian veterans with their post-service careers and is administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), with vocational programs run by CRS Australia. CRS assessed Brian's experience for various jobs, helped him write resumes and applications and coached him for interviews. With this assistance, Brian was able to obtain a job as a maintenance scheduler. Brian is just one of hundreds of veterans who have benefited from the help of the VVRS.

While the program focuses predominantly on employment and retraining issues, the VVRS has proved to be a boon to the quality of life, motivation and self-confidence of many participants. Central to the support provided by the VVRS are measures to help veterans deal with employment issues and prepare for new work cultures. The scheme assists veterans who:  

- are looking for work;     

- want to keep working, but believe their jobs are in jeopardy;     

- are on a DVA pension but want to find paid work;    

- are leaving the Australian Defence Forces.

In addition to access to training and vocational skills, financial assistance may be available for training, books and materials. Advice on ways to increase paid work hours, manage difficult work situations or negotiate new working conditions is also available.

Veterans seek assistance through the VVRS for a wide variety of reasons. Some are daunted by technological change and seek computer training while others seek vocational assessments to clarify possible work or retraining options which are more suited to their health and physical abilities. In today's competitive labour market, compelling arguments exist for updating skills and investing in ways to tap into new work opportunities—the VVRS can help. VVRS has assisted veterans to gain a diverse range of jobs including air traffic controller (one would assume that some prior experience would be necessary??), executive officer, warehouse manager, project manager and cook.

The scheme is voluntary with no penalties for non-completion of a program. Details on the VVRS are available via the Veterans' Affairs Network on: 1800 113 304 or the Department of Veterans' Affairs website - www.dva.gov.au .”

Some of the revellers at the Brisbane reunion in March 2001.

Frank Alley.

We recently heard from Frank Alley, who many will remember as “Sir” at Radschool back in 1965/66/67. Frank, circled below, was an instructor at Laverton for 3 years before he “remustered’ to engineering branch at ARDU.  Blokes on 41RTC will fondly remember Frank as the dedicated instructor who spent 1 month in that stinking-hot little “Kingstrand” hut explaining the ins and outs of that electronic marvel, the APS31 radar. Only trouble was, the RAAF had recently mothballed the old 11 Sqn Neppies, and along with them the APS31, so no-one actually got to work on one, but at least at Radschool there were tons of bits for the blokes to play with.

Frank finished his time in the RAAF (4 years) at ARDU as a radio officer, playing around with and flight testing all sorts of toys, sometimes pretty hairy stuff he says, but mostly boring, and eventually he left the RAAF, moved to Sydney, went back to Uni and studied Physics and Chemistry with an emphasis on electronics. He then returned to the teaching game in the private school system for a number of years and by chance had a trip to China, and as they say, liked it so much he stayed on. He’s been in the PRC now for 3 years, and is currently the director of studies at Holmes Colleges (6 campuses) in Shanghai. He says it keeps him pretty busy and he now rarely comes back to Aust and is gradually feeling more at home in China. He remarried while up there and is now the proud dad of a 9 month old boy.

Frank asked us to try and locate Ray Tame who was on the first course he took at Radschool—which we did—and we found Ray living on beautiful Bribie Island (Qld). Ray’s father in law was (back in Radschool days) a Grp Cptn in the RAF, and back then was out in Aust visiting Ray and young bride. Seems there was a “Do” on at the Officers’ Mess, and Ray, not having a supply of green pills, couldn’t accompany dad in law, so you guessed it—Frank was asked to accompany D-I-L to the Mess. Things ya gotta do as an Instructor.

Frank’s joined the Radschool Association, and we have his email address. If you want to get in touch drop us a line and we’ll forward it on. He recently made one of his infrequent trips to Australia, and a couple of blokes we know met up with him for one or six at one of Brisbane’s finest, and from what we here he’s doing just fine and loving it.