Absurd &/or Dangerous

[Hippo]

All

As this is a site for passing on info and helping others I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling all about a tasking/request which was either absurd or dangerous or even both. Please include if the task/request came from TL, Client, Principle, "hanger on", the one holding the purse strings Etc. No need to name names but include how you overcame the problem or if you just did the task with your fingers crossed praying to anyone God who would listen.

I am not talking about if you carried a bag or not as I'm sure 95% of us have done that (obviously in the weak hand) due to wanting the cheque and a job the next day or carried as a means of blending in etc.

Looking forward to seeing what other stupid requests have been made to other CPO's.

[mally]

I had a bit of an issue when working away in Afghanistan, when covering nights in the compound. The local power dropped out once in a while through the night making the whole compound pitch black. We were told by the principal we couldn't turn the generator on as they slept in the room next to it and they wouldn't be able to sleep.

So we used to sit in the dark using torches, the compound was big and impossible to cover in the dark

[taylor104]

I had a female on my team in Iraq. On his first trip out with us the ADC asked me to replace the BG, who was a female with a male BG, Obviously he did'nt share these thoughts with the General.
I told him in no uncertain terms that TL and myself decided who went where and to keep his sexist thoughts to himself.

It was the start of a wonderful, working relationship ... NOT!

[Walks99]

I had a bloke who, on one of our exercises on our training course, whisked the principle away at high speed leaving me (TL) at the time and the rest of the team behind. 30 minutes later, numerous mental phone calls to the BG telling the driver to slow down and 3 DS ready to be admitted to hospital with aneurisms we caught up with them.

On seeing him he said –

“We were going to be late so I had to put my foot down”

My initial reply was –

“What the f**k were you thinking?”

To this he replied –

“It’s ok though the principle (a member of the DS trying to make a point!) said it was OK because he didn’t want to be late!”

I changed drivers and left the dressing down till later. I carried on with the Op and got the job finished and the principle back safely and despite the initial FUBAR it was quite a successful training ex. A baptism of fire I’ll not forget too quickly.

When I had a de-briefing from the DS, the picture that was painted of the environment in the car was of absolute mayhem with the driver on the phone and radio pretty much all the way and at one point with the speed hitting close to 100 mph he took his hands off the wheel totally to answer his phone!

I thought the DS would have stopped this when it got to the point of dangerous but being the mad Israeli he was he had other plans.

The driver was given a warning (due to him being a long standing mate of one of the DS) and after another breach of good conduct (telling a security guard to get bent or he’ll run them over!) he was binned off the course. His picture is still on the company web site as if he passed the course and to top it all off he was an ex traffic police officer!

The big thing I took away from this. Planning is OK and essential to any Op, however, your planning is only as good as your principles time keeping (the DS were late on purpose in this case). Keep within the laws even if you’re going to be late and take the hit latter. I can’t remember the saying about keeping your plans flexible but it sprung to mind that night so did my nuts when I thought I would be binned too!

Would anyone insist on doing anythng differantly? i.e give him his bus fare, commit professionnel suicide etc…..

[Taff]

was asked to take clients out for pizza in downtown kabul. Did we do it of course not!!!!

[protegimus22]

To take Mallys story one step further. I heard that even after his TL tried to explain that the team had flown halfway round the world at great expense to the FCO to look after the principal, and that the generator had to be left on. He was told that the team could 'just stand down then'. they obviously did'nt but, we at the embassy did count our blessings that our boss wasnt such hard work and would listen to reason!

[protegimus22]

Hippo , does being toldto wear your beret on the pan count as an absurd or dangerous request. lol

[Hippo]

Taff

Who asked?

[Hippo]

Protegimus22

Wearing my beret on the pan was dangerous to the helicopter or other aircraft in the area as you well know, plus is was against the RAF stringent rules of no headress or other FOD (foreign objects & debris) across the red line. Absurd it was to think that in a photo of that magnitude anyone would be able to tell what capbadge we were wearing and an obvious breach of Airfield Rules and Regulations.

[protegimus22]

Hippo,

I know I know! Just teasing you, as I know it still bugs you even though what you were carrying out the correct procedures!!! lol