*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 *** The Daily Telegraph WOMEN IN THE RAF CAREERS IN DEFENCE *** III The skys the limit Three women who are blazing a trail in the RAF talk to Sarah James about the rise and rise of the Forces female stars FLIGHT LIEUTENANT hit the headlines in 2009 when she became the first female Red Arrows pilot, but other remarkable women have also flown through the glass ceiling in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and they all see a great future for female high flyers. Moore who will be flying Red Three, the plane positioned to the left of Red One, the teams leader believes it was only a matter of time before a female pilot claimed a spot in the RAFs Aerobatic team based at RAF Scampton, near Lincoln. Im lucky enough to have reached the right stage in my career at the right time and Im very proud that its happened to me, says Moore, whose RAF navigator father inspired her to join the Service when she was just 13 years old. Moore, who has over 1,500 hours of flying in her log book, joined the RAF in 1998 after she had finished studying aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London. She has since completed two operational tours in Iraq, where she flew Tornados, and she has also held the position of Hawk aircraft instructor at RAF Valley in Wales. It wasnt until women were KIRSTY MOORE, 32, AIR COMMODORE BARBARA COOPER CBE, 51, career. You feel part of a family, and you are properly looked after and supported throughout your career. It has always been a brilliant choice for women; these days, more so than ever. The flight stuff: Kirsty Moore (above) heads to work with her Red Arrow colleagues first allowed to become fast-jet pilots in 1991 that I knew I had found the career of my dreams. Hopefully, my becoming a Red Arrows pilot might inspire other girls, too, she says. SQUADRON joined the RAF in 1979 and, as such, was in one of the first groups of women to go through officer training at the prestigious RAF College Cranwell. Davies subsequently became the first female Wing Commander Training Officer at the college. She now heads up the RAF Reserves recruiting team at the Inspectorate of Recruiting, also based at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. Women were still something of an oddity in officer training at RAF College Cranwell when I first joined, remembers Davies. These days, women are becoming Group Captains and Air Commodores, but back LEADER JULIE DAVIES, 53, then, they couldnt become pilots and they had to leave if they became pregnant. Davies went on to become a training officer, overseeing officer training and personal and professional development. She left the RAF when she married in 1986, but rejoined in 1989, becoming a Wing Commander in 2001. I was among some of the earliest groups of women to rise through the RAF at a time when women were just beginning to break the glass ceiling, adds Davies. Having said that, Ive never particularly thought of myself as a woman doing this job, Ive just thought of myself as an officer. Ive always felt valued and have never been treated differently. Now, as Squadron Leader in the RAF Reserves, who play a vital role in supporting the RAF as paid volunteers in places such as Afghanistan, Davies job is to raise their profile. Having been in the RAF for so many years, I can honestly say that it has been a rewarding and fulfilling In the Seventies women were still something of an oddity in the service is one of only four women currently at this senior one star rank in the RAF and is the most senior female officer in the RAF and the British Armed Forces. Now Assistant Chief of Staff Manpower and Personnel Capability at the RAFs headquarters in High Wycombe, she has had a stimulating career and believes women are set to go from strength to strength in the RAF. Looking back now at more than 30 years in the RAF, I dont think I would have done anything differently, says Cooper, who was commissioned into the RAF in 1979 as an air-traffic controller. The Service provides terrific experiences and opportunities, and its great for giving young people responsibility early on. Cooper has held a variety of roles in the Personnel Branch since the 1980s, including Staff Officer to the Chief of Air Staff and being in charge of base support at RAF Lyneham. At the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1990, Cooper worked in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), where she was responsible for running the UKs Prisoner of War Information Bureau, liaising with the International Committee of the Red Cross to keep track of detainees held by British armed forces. Im optimistic for the future of women in the RAF, says Cooper. Not only are 96 per cent of all roles open to us, including flying since the 1990s, but senior aircrew appointments are starting to be filled by women. Since it is aircrew that hold the majority of the most senior ranks in the RAF, I anticipate that women will soon be competing for the top jobs that were not previously attainable. I think in about 10 years time, we will see women at two-, three- and four-star levels. The opportunities are there for women to reach the highest levels in the Service.
*** *** *** *** DEFENCE CAREERS IN Wednesday, January 20, 2010 jobs.telegraph.co.uk/ca The Daily Telegraph GETTY Winning ways: building good relations with local populations in conflict zones is likely to become more of a priority as the Government shifts its emphasis towards early intervention and
*** II *** *** WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE INNOVATIVE SME S ABOUT THIS SUPPLEMENT Todays defence sector is synonymous with innovation and challenge. Whether your interest lies in new technology or tours of duty on the front line, career opportunities in this
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 *** The Daily Telegraph WOMEN IN THE RAF CAREERS IN DEFENCE *** III The skys the limit Three women who are blazing a trail in the RAF talk to Sarah James about the rise and rise of the Forces female stars FLIGHT LIEUTENANT hit the headlines
*** IV *** *** WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE OCEANOGRAPHY & HYDROGRAPHY *** The Daily Telegraph Mapping a melting world Changing conditions in the Arctic are opening up new frontiers, says Adam Ramsay, creating extreme challenges for those with the right skills
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 *** The Daily Telegraph TERRITORIAL ARMY CAREERS IN DEFENCE SHARON McDOWELL, 49 Commanding officer of the 201 (N) Field Hospital (Volunteers) at Fenham Barracks, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sharon McDowell is also a matron at Sunderland Royal Hospita
*** VI *** *** WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE ARMY OFFICER TRAINING *** The Daily Telegraph ALAMY Have you got what it takes? The road to Sandhurst is a tough one finds Adam Ramsay, as he takes part in initial selection tests for Army officers It is barely dawn
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 *** The Daily Telegraph APPRENTICESHIPS CAREERS IN DEFENCE *** VII A step in the right direction An apprenticeship in defence can lead to in-depth training and a job with prospects. Graeme Whitcroft looks at companies seeking new recruits If
*** VIII *** *** WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE RESCUE SQUADS *** The Daily Telegraph GETTY, MOD/DEFENCE IMAGES From far left: the flooded high street in Cockermouth in November 2009; RAF Odihams 27 Squadron in Pakistan; HMS Iron Duke A helping hand when disaste
