Page 24 - RAF Magazine

MODERN DAY 2018

‘THE RAF IS A CHANCE

FOR ME TO MAKE A

DIFFERENCE’

Sergeant Shevonne Bramley, 46, joined the RAF at 18. A Weapons Technician
qualified in bomb disposal, she has been posted everywhere from Iraq to Oman,
raising a family in the process. She talks to Alexa Baracaia about life in the RAF,
from neutralising bomb sites in Kosovo to bobsleighing in Norway...

Tell us a little about your background… difference. Plus the fact that I’m doing a job that is highly
I was born and grew up in Balham. Both my parents were skilled. I didn’t have an affluent childhood but my parents
Jamaican, coming over in 1955 as part of the Windrush always encouraged me to do what I wanted to do and to
generation. achieve all that I could. A lot of my friends left school with
few qualifications and didn’t achieve their full potential, but
How did you come to join the RAF? I wanted more out of life. I didn’t have the qualifications
My brother was in the RAF – he took part in the Falklands to be an Engineering
War, so writing to him brought it home to me. I’ve always Officer and I didn’t want
been interested in engineering and how things work and, to go to university at that
when I was 14, I pestered him to take me to the RAF careers “You’d get a few men stage so I explored other
office. They were really good with me, even though I was way wondering if you engineering opportunities
too young to join, and they took me through all the things I in the RAF. I could
could do. Then I got a job in insurance in Croydon, but I was were up to the have been an Aircraft
bored and wanted something more challenging. One day job, because my Engineer, working on
when I was 18, my sister and I took the day off work and I job is quite the electrical systems
went ahead and booked my test for the RAF. physical. But or in vehicle mechanics
but it was weapons that
Describe your current role as soon as they really interested me so I
I’m a Weapons Technician by trade, but at the moment I realised that I could decided to be a Weapons
work with the Specialist Engagement team which interacts do it, and do it well, Technician.
with young people to raise awareness and highlight the
opportunities the RAF can offer. Having been in the RAF they were fine” Tell us a little about your
for 28 years, I can talk about my experiences. I’m based in journey to becoming
London but travel around the UK as well. qualified…
The process was pretty smooth – it’s quite extensive but
So, what exactly does a weapons technician do? people have to be sure about what they’re getting involved
I work in all kinds of areas and I am trained in a number with. You have to have a medical, and take a fitness test,
of skills; I can service personal weapons, weapons on the and various other things to pass what’s called the airman
aircraft, the ejector seats, which operate using explosives. selection test. I then did my basic training in Lincolnshire
I’m Bomb Disposal qualified, so where weapons fail to where you’re taken from being an everyday person to being
function I am able to go in and deal with those safely, making a member of the RAF, with field training, learning about
sure nobody gets hurt. the Air Force history, first aid, using a personal weapon,
and then you have a big passing out parade that your family
What appealed to you about that role, and about the RAF? attend and it’s really lovely to share this event with them so
Joining the RAF, for me, is about that ability to make a they can see all that you have achieved.

22