I came to faith in Christ before I joined the RAF, and I firmly believed that God had a plan for my life, and I was praying that God would lead and guide me in discovering His plans for me. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I discovered the reality of that verse during the experience of joining the RAF and just how God would lead and guide me in answer to my prayer.
A Christian friend of mine, David, joined the RAF as a boy entrant. When he came home on leave in 1959, we met up for fellowship and he told me all about the RAF. David knew of my sporting interests and told me about the RAF trade of PTI; he thought that I would meet the entrance standard to be a PTI and suggested that I apply. I decided to try the door and travelled to the RAF Recruiting Office in Bristol in July/August to apply. Having gone through the recruiting office interviews and with my secondary school background they offered me the trade of RAF Policeman and sent me to RAF Cardington for assessment.
Throughout the procedure the only offer was the trade of RAF Police, but I persisted with my interest in becoming a PTI. They duly assessed my physical suitability for the trade of PTI, which I passed, but I lacked the two GCEs required for the trade. I shall never forget the interviews that I had with a Flt Sgt, a WO and finally a Flt Lt, all of whom confirmed that I did not have the two GCEs prerequisite for the trade of PTI. The Flt Lt told me, “You need two GCE’s, or is it three? I will just go and check.”
He came back to tell me that the two GCEs requirement had just been removed, but that there were no vacancies on the next six-monthly course starting in October. He knew that I was unemployed at the time, but I said that I would wait for the following course.
I returned home and within 10 days a large envelope landed on the mat, with a letter to tell me that there was a vacancy on the course in October and to report to RAF Cardington for attestation, kitting out and travel to RAF Bridgnorth, the RAF Recruit Centre, for the two-month basic training course before reporting to the RAF School of Physical Training at RAF St Athan in South Wales for the six-month initial training course. The removal of the two GCEs at the time I applied, together with the vacancy enabling me to join the next PTI initial course, were all clear signs to me of God preparing the way.
*Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/@calvinhanson