Webmaster Welcome

Welcome to the fourth issue of the ALSFITT Newsletter on the web! The first, second & third of the web based newsletters have been a great success. I've had lots of comments about the first 3 newsletters, and I have received lots more pictures, clipping & articles as well as being promised lots of stories for future additions. Well, although this is not an official site I do request that your articles be kept on the clean side as I don't want this site banned from being viewed on intranet computers. So send me your articles and I will add them to this newsletter.

The idea of the newsletter is to bring news to all fellow ALSFITTs, SEW & Fabric Workers past and present. It can detail the things that are happening at your place of work and/or the social antics of your comrades around the various units. It could also detail the successes people have made since their release to the outside. Truth and accuracy should never stand in the way of a good funny yarn! I'm hoping the publishing of the newsletter on the web will be a great morale booster and hope all members look forward to its regular release.

Webmaster ALERT!
For security reasons this webpage has had all current events and news removed. From now on there will only be historical news and information in the web-based newsletters.

P.S. The webmaster reserves the right to edit articles of an extremely sensitive nature.

Past and/or present members, I need you to send me your articles (stories, pictures and/or graphics) if you want this newsletter to survive on the web. Any good stories will be included in the stories section of the site. Any pictures will be added to the pictures section of the site. Any information about past or present members will be amended in the member's lists area of the site. Any items for sale will be included in the products section of the site. Also if members wish to advertise their businesses I will add a link of your site in the links area of the site.

Let us know what you think and encourage everyone to check out this newsletter, it has great potential. I will try to correlate all the info I receive and keep everyone informed on the whereabouts of all ALSFITTs, SEWs & Fabric Workers past and present serving in the RAAF, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or anywhere else they may be.

The ALSFITT WEB WORM is the replacement for 'Dear Coly'. The worm is likely to pop up any where any time. If you have anything that you think the worm should know about, please tell the . All things the worm sees or hears will go in this section. Things that the worm has seen or heard recently are:

• I recently heard that Peter Rozvaczy has rejoined!,
• I received this note last week. My last day at work for me. I hope everyone enjoys their life in the RAAF. I know I will enjoy life as a CIVI. Hope to see you all in the future.
  Signed Mr Darren 'ZAPPA' Czapracski, and
• I recently received this little snippet.

  Hello Mr Web Worm,
  I was happy to see today an ex ALSFITT now working for Raytheon still eating well and still observing his BMI even though he is no longer a part of the RAAF. His breakfast menu consisted of:
  * 'No Cholesterol' Chips (Large) and 'fat free' Gravy,
  * Large Milkshake (Triple Choc),
  * 2 x Mars Bars, and
  * A pie with 'Cholesterol free' sauce.
  Yes mum, he is looking after himself! Maybe he was sharing with his mates, they did look a little transparent and need some fattening up.
  Regards
  Webbymaster's

Well another year has zipped by and life at ARDU is on track, we are eighteen months into the contract already and everyone here is still happy little vegemites. As most of you know, we have a new $600K section with a state of the art spark free Immersion suit room. It does make life easier having a purpose built facility to work within.

We currently maintain flying clothing for 35 test pilots that fly anything from Iroquois and Blackhawk helicopters to PC-9, F-18, F-111 and B200 aircraft depending on the task.

ALS are involved with a few projects going on at the present time including; Pete off to Woomera for Smart Bomb and ASRAAM trials and Brian is going to sea for a month on the HMAS Kanimbla for First of Class (FOC) flight trials with the Blackhawk. Next year will be FOC trials with a Chinook. I hear you say no trips for Webby, we'll I'm letting the guys do the easy one's first. Actually Brian and Pete were tearing each other apart to see who would go to sea; you guessed it both are ex pussers. Actually Pete was in the RN (Real Navy).

Know any of these members?

This is a photo of a parachute and PSP COURSE we were on at East Sale prior to the PC9's entry into the RAAF. This course was conducted from 01 Aug 88 until 12 Aug 88. On completion of the course we were walking along the tarmac when we heard an almighty bang, turned out to be a successful ejection from a Macchi aircraft. I wonder if any other ALSFITTS can remember this event.
Bob Cowell

That's Robert 'Bob' Armstrong front left & Wayne 'Boom Gate' Crouch rear right.

Remember the Shy Guy

Well some people have given their thoughts as to who this SHY GUY may be it's.

• Is it the same ex-ALSFITT who dressed up as a nurse at an open day in AMB, just to entertain the public?
• Is it the same ex-ALSFITT who subscribes to RAAF news and has STRIKE home delivered (enough copies to cover his lawn)?
• Is it the same ex-ALSFITT who stops cricket balls by breaking his fingers?
• Is it the same ex-ALSFITT who's poor TUMMY made him POO POO before he was ready on a trip to NEW GUINEA?

I'm just not sure if I know who it is! Any one else wanna have a guess? I'm sure his name will ring a bell or two with some one.

Received this joke from a buddy member

PROMOTIONS
A retired RAAF Officer was a keen duck hunter and often used hunting dogs when out for a shoot. He heard about a kennel which was run by an ex-RAAFie and which trained hunting dogs, he thought he would give them a try. He rang and was told that the only dog they had left was AC Bowser, he asked why AC and was told that all the dogs were given a rank depending on the level of their training and would cost $10 for the week-end. As it was a long week-end he decided to give AC Bowser a try, the dog turned out to be a hopeless retriever, but the old man developed a strong friendship with the dog and vowed to use him next time he went hunting. Two months later he rang and requested AC Bowser and was told that CPL Bowser was available and would cost $40, the old man was delighted to hear of the dogs promotion and took him out for the week-end. The dog was very good at all aspects, pointing, retrieving etc, and the old man was pleased with his efforts. It was 6 months before the old man was able to hunting again, he rang the kennel and asked for CPL Bowser, and was overwhelmed to hear that he was now FSGT Bowser and would cost $100. He took FSGT Bowser out and the dog proved to be a master at all aspects of the hunt. A month went by and the old bloke couldn't stop thinking about the dog, he called the kennel and offered to buy the dog for $500, he was shocked to hear that he could have him for $10, "Is this the same dog you have had since he was an AC and has progressed to FSGT?" the bloke asked, "What happened?". The kennel owner stated "Well, he got so good we promoted him to WOFF, now he just sits on his arse and barks all day"

I want your stories

We need stories to keep this newsletter afloat They can be a section, base or personal story I don't care. Any news is good news. They can be from past members as well. Tell us all how you are going since you got out. Submit a story!

I have been asked to search around and seek out all the ALSFITT Reservists. Once I get the names I will add a page within the site with all their names and hopefully E-Mail contacts as well. By having a list of Reservists and their contact, it will make it easier for anyone looking for someone to do some relief manning. So if you are a serving Reservists, or know of a serving Reservists, please contact the webmaster with the details.

This segment is designed to keep you informed of where your fellow trade members are now. This can either be 'retired members' or 'serving members'. If you know the whereabouts of your fellow members, drop me a line and I will include them in here.

The following member recently made contact:

• A note from Greg Bayne,
  Just a quick note to say g'day and advise of my new contact details. I am currently serving at 21 Squadron (City of Melbourne Squadron) Life support section since transfer from the PAF WEF 13 Aug 2000. 21 Squadron unlike the majority of other reserve squadrons in the RAAF has no aircraft (Your instant thoughts are WOW what a great job for an ALSFITT) wrong! 6 Macchi's maybe on their way soon. The fact that there are no aircraft to support requires the Squadron to deploy around the country to support PAF positions. For this reason the majority of the squadron are operationally deployable. Life support do however support RAAF Museum. When I am not reserving I am running my very productive Red Baron Upholstery Business and enjoying the laid back life on the Murray river (More days sunshine than the Gold coast). Any way enough of that. Please add my contact details to the Reserve database and ALSFITT database.
  Regards
  Greg
  Red Baron Upholstery
  Yarrawonga (No where near bloody Melbourne)
  Phone 03 57442166
  Fax 03 57431869
  E-Mail: