Station Duty Officer vs. Command Duty Officer, RAF in the 60s

[CZ_RAF]

Hi all,

would be someone so kind and could explain me difference between Station Duty Officer (which is clear and known to me) and Command Duty Officer?
What was his duty? He was at the moment replacing the CO?

TIA

Pavel

[Resmoroh]

Pavel, Hi,
I don’t know – never having worked in a Command environment – but done it at a much lower level!!.
But I suspect that the CDO (possibly at Wg Cdr level? – or even Gp Capt?) did a 24-hr shift, and was responsible during that time (particularly at night) for receiving all sorts of information and it was he who decided whether, or not, to get SASO/Air Commodore Ops (even the AOC/AOC-in-C?) out of bed in the middle of the night?!!!
I suspect (having worked on the edges of this sort of thing) that a number of RAF careers have been (a) accelerated, or (b) consigned to oblivion, as result of a tour of duty in this post. Ho Ho!
HTH
PeterDavies

[Lyffe]

Pavel,

Could you explain the context - why you are asking the question? Google suggests Command Duty Officer is a US Navy term and can apply to a rank as junior as Petty Officer; explanation at (http://navyadministration.tpub.com/1...s/12966_90.htm ).

Brian

[CZ_RAF]

Well Brian,

I have a reminiscence of one RAF F/Lt saying that while he was a Station Duty Officer he had a good talk with a G/Cpt who was a Command Duty Officer...
It was at the SRATS in Uxbridge in early 60s.

Pavel

[Lyffe]

Would SRATS be Short Range Aircraft Tracking System?

That apart the context seems a bit vague; the impression I get is that the Flt Lt was the Duty Officer at RAF station Uxbridge and he was talking to the G/Cpt on duty at SRATCC Uxbridge (see your Jan 1914 thread at http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...Control-Centre)

I notice that SRATCC is not recorded as being at RAF station Uxbridge by RAFweb (http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-U.htm#Uxbridge) so was it a separate entity?

Just throwing thoughts into the melting pot.

Brian

[Oldduffer]

For Command Duty Officer, read Duty Staff Officer.

The Duty Staff Officer would be generally responsible for out of hours matters which came to the notice of the command. In general, surprising little of real importance would come their way but they would have clear general instructions on which to rely and if there was an anticipated problem, they would be briefed before taking on the duty.

I have spent many nights and weekends as a Command Duty Staff Officer and so has my wife. Sometimes the time would pass with no activity and at others it would be very busy. However, it must be remembered that at operational units there would probably be a duty operations officer with a small cell of people on shift 24 hours a day.

Frankly, its no big deal and generally requires the application of common sense to matters which arise.

Colin Cummings

[Resmoroh]

When I, as a Reserve Officer AND Duty Officer I had to signal Wing HQ Det that I was “Unavoidably delayed” aboard HMS “X” during Op FALLACY this was – I can tell you – not received with paens of praise at Wing HQ Det. OC Wing was, subsequently, somewhat acid in his remarks. But, as he could not affect my career prospects, this went by-the-by. But I still do think that this might have been one of the many reasons why I never became (a) Chief of Air Staff, or (b) Director General of the Met Office!
HTH
PeterDavies

[CZ_RAF]

Hi all, many thanks for all comments and ideas.

Brian: yes it make sense, Southern Region Air Traffic Control Centre was not exactly at RAF Uxbridge but in Hillingdon House in fact.
Colin: many thanks, your explanation is what I was expecting this post would be.

Pavel

[Richard]

Slightly O/T, but related. I saw something written by a wartime B.C. Flight Commander that referenced being 'on duty'. What might that entail - perhaps the equivalent of the Army's 'duty field officer' (basically in loco parentis for the CO)?

Richard