What's Brize like?

[Big jobby]

The wife has been talking about how she'd like to be down south and closer to her family so I've started wondering what it's like to work at Brize these days.

I'm a Sootie so I'd be interested to know what the maintenance units are doing and how they're structured and, because I'm a realist, how undermanned they are.

If anyone has any info that could be of use to me I'd be very gratefull.:PDT_Xtremez_40:

[dixie05uk]

Brize isn't that bad really. Big Camp. Not much 2nd line. Sootie wise theres the EFDC. Sqn's are o.k. The Vc10's are really old now. 216 and 101 shift patterns aren't bad while 99's is just plain crazy. The idea of a single trade has gone now. Its heavy desk. X500 seems to be most peoples goal. Pubs in Carterton are terrible. A third one is going to be built on the new estate. Quarters are bad. Unless you can get a refurb one. House prices are crazy. Carterton itself is one big building estate. Nice modern house's being built all over. Camp is starting to get ready for the move by the Herc's. So it'll turn into one big building site for the next few years. At some point the 10's and Tri-Stars will be scrapped. :PDT_Xtremez_19:

[Seymour Tw@tt]

Good thing is, they closed Gateway House cos of asbestos! Yay!


:PDT_Xtremez_28:

[zipfish]

Your wife will be crying as you move into your MQ. It's a common Brize phenomenon.

Imagine the worst looking council estate you've ever seen, then picture that it's located in Soviet Russia. Truly awful. People who live at Brize become acustomed to it and perhaps don't think it's too bad. But I think veryone remembers the first jaw-dropping moment they laid eyes on the married patch here.

[welshwizard]

I've been at Brize since feb 2000. The camp is basically ok, not the best I have been to, but then again not the worst. Stating the obvious to start with, its a huge place with quite a few sections being manned 24/7. I think its fair to say that most of the personnel work on the 3 squadrons, although because of the nature of their operations, many are deployed at any one time. I know it probably won't affect you because you are married but in fairness, there has been a big push on sorting out the barrack block accommodation on the unit. There are several super blocks there now that weren't when I arrived and rumour control says there are another three on the way soon. Most of the AMQ's are in a really bad state though. There is a big improvement planned, but its the same old story when it comes to waiting for the cold, hard, cash to become available. Three successive station commanders have 'promised' to sort it out and to be honest, some progress has been made, but on the whole its all going very slowly so far. Maybe with the fat alberts comming, it will all go up a gear or two. There are huge delelopements planned for the rest of the station over the next 5 years. The runway and taxiways have just been re-surfaced and new lighting fitted. There are plans for new aircraft servicing pans, a new air terminal and new aircraft hangars. I just hope the local town center (Carterton) gets the same investment. For such a big base, with so many people wanting to spend their money, Carterton has hardly moved on at all in 7 years. Its a bit of a standing joke to be honest. Most of the guys I work with would rather go out in Witney than Carterton, the 'nightlife' is basic to say the least. Where ever you end up working on camp, I think its fair to say you will either be busy or deployed somewhere.

[Ex-Stacker]

I was posted in Feb 2000 as well. Luckily, I managed to escape for 3 years to Louseymouth, but ended up back here for the wifes career. Carterton has actually gone backwards in 7 years, losing one pub & gaining hundreds of new houses but burger all else.
For your wife, after she gets over the shock of the quarters, jobs are relatively easy to get as there are a few employment agencies in Witney and bloody loads in Swindon. Civvy wages don't generally reflect what you'd expect in relation to the housing market, but they aren't too bad if you know where to look.

Avoid the town pubs like the plague, The Aviator is rough & basic, and The Beehive, which used to be my local, is now as expensive if not more so than many London pubs.

Public transport links are excellent if you're heading via Oxford, but to get to the West/ Southwest can be a bit of a balls ache as you do have to travel via Oxford to get anywhere.

I used to hate this place, but can now put up with the weird locals as you've got to realise that the world ends at Oxford for them!!!!!!

If you're into rugby, the majority of the GP is within 1 1/2 hours drive, appaently there's some Poofball teams quite close as well. Concerts/airports are all within easy reach.

The camp itself is, in all honesty, a disgrace as the infrastructure is generally in very poor shape. Stn Cdrs get posted in with all big ideas & promises to improve the camp, but none deliver. There are far too many civvies who run various sections (I was a civvy worker after leaving the RAF, but found a better job) and there are very poor facilities for social gatherings on camp or in Toontown.

[Kernow]

I used to hate this place, but can now put up with the weird locals as you've got to realise that the world ends at Oxford for them!!!!!!

Oi, Mrs K is one of them wierd locals.... Hang on a mo I see what you mean.

Any hoo, having spent approx 9 years in total at Brize I can honestly say the camp itself is pretty good work wise (worked all over the place in that time).

Facilities aren't that great for the family, however that said there is a ten-pin bowling alley which is pretty good, certainly better than 6 or 7 years ago under the old management and the beer is cheaper than downtown or the colonel. There is a swimming pool which the whole family can enjoy. There is numerous clubs etc to get involved in.

The town itself - fondly know as toon town is fairly basic though it is now undergoing some major work to make it slightly interesting - believe it was in 98 when it was voted the worst town in Oxfordshire or maybe even the uk. There are 2 or 3 curry houses and 2 or 3 chinese takeaways, along with a kebab house, fish and chip shop and a very dodgy copy of KFC (think that may have gone now). There is a fairly large Co-op there which ain't too bad. Oh and a couple of pubs which to be fair have always been fairly sh1te.

Witney is only 6 miles down the road and is a whole lot better - gotta say that as that's where the missus is from!

Job wise there is alot around especially with Oxford and Swindon within spitting distance.

Married quarters aren't anything special but they are alot better than some of the bases I've been at. If you can swing it then there are bungalows which are fairly decent.

Can't think of anything else at the mo.

[Weebl]

a very dodgy copy of KFC (think that may have gone now). There is a fairly large Co-op there which ain't too bad. Oh and a couple of pubs which to be fair have always been fairly sh1te.



Chicoland is still open and to be fair does a better pizza than the pizza place and I always wander up there the morning after a heavy session to have some breakfast.

Pub wise the Beedive is ok but expensive and the Aviator is ****e.

The one warning that should be given to anybody posted to Brize is that the quarters are absolutely ****e, especially for the juniors.

[Rikster]

Oi, Mrs K is one of them wierd locals.... Hang on a mo I see what you mean.

Any hoo, having spent approx 9 years in total at Brize I can honestly say the camp itself is pretty good work wise

I'm sorry but saying ANY HOO
is wrong wrong wrong, writing it is even worse!!!

[Kernow]

I'm sorry but saying ANY HOO
is wrong wrong wrong, writing it is even worse!!!

Any Hoo Any Hoo Any Hoo Any Hoo

[Rikster]

See what I mean? It just makes you sound like a Ridiculous yank!!:PDT_Xtremez_19:

[Scaley brat]

See what I mean? It just makes you sound like a Ridiculous yank!!:PDT_Xtremez_19:

Is there any other kind ! :PDT_Xtremez_31:

Any hoo, I think you meant Canadian ey ? :PDT_Xtremez_29:

[Rikster]

Is there any other kind ! :PDT_Xtremez_31:

Any hoo, I think you meant Canadian ey ? :PDT_Xtremez_29:


Hey theres Stoopid yanks too:PDT_Xtremez_28:
hey what d'ya mean canadian hey?

hey?

C hey N hey D hey

[Scaley brat]

Hey theres Stoopid yanks too:PDT_Xtremez_28:
hey what d'ya mean canadian hey?

hey?

C hey N hey D hey

You wanna be a Canadian ? Well take off, eh. Drink beer all day eh ? Buy yourself a brewery eh ? hosehead, once you get there you can have all the free beer and sausages you want you hoser ! :PDT_Xtremez_31: :PDT_Xtremez_30: