Welcome to Inzpire, Billy!
27 Jun 19
New Joiners
Billy recently joined our Collective Training division as a C2 and Control of the Air subject matter expert after a varied and highly successful military career.
Billy joined the RAF aged 17 as an Aerospace Systems Operator or ‘Scopie’ as they are known, straight from school. His first post took him to northern Scotland at RAF Buchan where he was part of operations team responsible for the 24/7 over watch of the UK skies and liaison with QRA teams.
With the introduction of UCCS, a new C2 system for UKASACS, Billy was posted to RAF Boulmer in 2004 where his first posting within a training section was to commence, a theme that then continued throughout his career.
In 2006 Billy was posted to the brand new CRC at RAF Scampton, initially into Ops before moving again into a training role.
Promoted to Cpl in 2008 he volunteered for a 12 month detachment with the British Army. As a Radar Operator embedded with the Counter – Rockets, Artillery and Mortars (C-RAM) Battery, he was responsible for ensuring the airspace above Basra Airbase was cleared to allow the engagements of RAMs, at the time one the biggest threats to the 1000s of UK troops who were based out of Basra supporting Op TELIC.
Billy applied and was successful in becoming an Aerospace Battle Manager Weapons Controller passing out with promotion to Sgt in 2012. Posted again back to RAF Scampton he began quickly gaining as much experience as possible, Combat Ready followed in quick succession which again allowed him to become an instructor. Following a tour with the USMC in Leatherneck, Afghanistan controlling in the very busy airspace overhead Bastion and the surrounding areas in support of the coalition troops of Op HERRICK.
Upon return again to what was now the merged unit of Number 1 Air Control Centre (1ACC) and CRC Scampton, Billy assumed the role of Deputy Controller Training Officer (DCTO) responsible for the training of all new WCs who were arriving at 1ACC.
2015 saw another deployment, this time to KINGPIN, the unit responsible for the Airspace control and allocation of assets over Iraq and Syria with the rise of ISIS and in support of Op SHADER. Billy was the first ever RAF WC to be qualified in the highly dynamic Northern BMA, closely followed by becoming the lead instructor to all new WCs entering theatre from USAF, USMC and RAAF.
Whilst deployed Billy was offered the opportunity to attend the prestigious Typhoon Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI) course. To be the first ever non-commissioned Typhoon QWI was an aspiration he had held since completed in the WC course in 2012. Although the course was very demanding, Billy qualified along with his 5 course mates in October 2016, closely followed by completing an MSc in Airspace Operations and Tactics.
Having again been posted to 1ACC as the unit QWI, Billy led the unit on an extremely successful deployment to Ex RED FLAG in 2017. He was then approached to return to 29 Squadron in Jan 2018 to become the ABM Instructor on the QWI staff a role he stayed in until his departure from the RAF.
Billy is married to Laura, celebrating their 10th anniversary in August this year and they have two daughters, Evie and Sophia. In his spare time he loves socialising, reading, watching most sports and pretending to be good at golf.
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