Best of Both Worlds

 My name is Maureen Taylor, and I work at Sulhamstead Training Centre for Thames Valley Police, my role is the Central Training Administrator. I have been with TVP since November 2004, but in May 2004 I joined the Royal Auxilliary Air Force. This had been my dream since my teens when I had first attempted to join, but as a young 17 year old the senior WAAF at my interview felt I was far too young to be away from home! 27 years later and with 2 grown up children (now aged 17 and 21), I heard an advert on the local radio looking for people to join the Auxiliaries in different trades, I applied to be a driver and the rest as they say is history. I completed my recruit course in 2004, and joined 606 squadron auxiliaries as a Motor Transport Driver, in 2005 I completed my first licence (cat C), in 2006 I took my C+E Artic and D coach licences. In March 2007 I went on a Rotors Turning Refuelling course at MOD Stafford, which meant I learnt how to refuel helicopters without them turning off their rotors, which was a bit billowy with the Chinooks! In May 2007 I went to the Falkland Islands for 9 weeks, where I lived in a small village called Fox Bay which had only 19 other occupants, (pic below) our main duty was to refuel the local helicopter, I was also there for the 25 year celebrations and got to meet Prince Edward. I realise that I may get called up to go to either Iraq or Afghanistan and although the thought is scary, it is what I signed up for.

My commitment to the RauxAF is 27 days a year only, that is the minimum, though many of us do more. I try to attend all of the training weekends, my next one (Sept) I am being trained in heli handling where I learn to attach things to the underneath of hovering helicopters, in October we are all going to Salisbury to spend 2 nights in a cow shed, and get to put our September training weekend into practice, which should be fun! Once a year we have to do 15 days continuous service, this year I went to RAF Leuchars and spent 15 days transporting helicopter pilots and crew between their helicopters, accommodation and their office! I also got 2 helicopter rides, in a Merlin and a Chinook, I rode on the ramp in the Merlin, and the picture is below. I am also involved in the recruiting campaign of 606 Squadron, although we are now nearly at maximum capacity.

I will be the first to admit that my “day” job is not as exciting as my part time one, but that is the one that pays the bills, and I do enjoy working for TVP and my role as CTA will hopefully be expanding, I suspect that my work colleagues consider me a bit of a “fruit cake” but I wouldn’t change my life for anything, and while I can keep fit and stay in the RauxAF I will!


Me in the Falkland Islands


Ramp riding on a Merlin