Why a U.K. assignment is 'da bomb

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Ben Davis
  • 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron commander
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  I think we as humans generally enjoy complaining. I'm guilty of it. Let's face it, complaining can be fun. But some folks take it beyond casual fault-finding and move toward persistent negativism. A frequent topic I hear among Americans here is how they dislike living in the United Kingdom. You've heard the complaints: driving, food, weather, darkness, isolation, mission. Yes, the U.K. is different than anywhere else -- good and bad. Since my two-year tour comes to an end in July, I'll share some things I'll miss about serving our nation in the U.K.:

Fish-n-chips - Except for maybe a crispy fried flounder fillet, you just can't beat the traditional British fish and chips. Crunchy, greasy, with tartar or ketchup, fingers or fork, the idea is the same -- yummy. I can't quite explain the accompanying green peas, but they're growing on me, and I suppose they subtract some 'badness' from the fat calories.

Pubs and real ale - Of all things truly British, this has to be one of them. Every town has at least one pub. It's a staple of the social fabric here. The pub experience is hard to describe, as every pub is unique, but suffice to say you'll see history, discuss local events, taste good food and enjoy friendly companionship. And yes, real ale is the stuff served warm, flat and pulled by hand. 

Telling my friends back home I took a day trip to London - No explanation required.

Jet noise - Take an assignment to a quiet Air Force base like Sheppard, Hanscom, Vandenburg or most spots in Washington, D.C. It will become very clear that you're far away from our warfighting missing -- the pointy end of the spear. There is a sense of urgency and purpose when your base is the "First to Fight" as we are at the Liberty Wing.

Pounds - Those coins might actually weigh a pound! If you think about it, currency was one of the great civilizing influences after written language was developed. Currency transformed societies from a barter system to legitimate commerce. To use a currency other than the American dollar gives us all awareness of the true global nature of our planet. That's something we probably won't appreciate until we're back in the continental U.S.

They speak English... sort of - For the rest of their lives, my children will be able to emulate a proper British accent just like the movies. How do you put a price on that? 

Town signs - The finely crafted signs outside every British town beat anything we've got in the states. I don't look forward to seeing the rusted, American version with dozens of emblems of the various clubs and organizations that exist in a town. And why do we use our road signs for shotgun practice, anyway? I digress...

Stansted airport - The gateway to Europe. For $100 you can hit nearly any major European city. Take a Liberty Pass and you don't even burn leave. Just do it! Take a camera.

COLA - My family and I have been overseas for two consecutive assignments. We are addicted to COLA... not the kind you drink, the cost of living allowance we receive. If you ever wondered whether Uncle Sam is paying you to see Europe or save for retirement, look no further.

Everybody else wants to come here - I'll admit I wanted to be stationed in the U.K. ever since I found out they had F-111 aircraft at RAF Upper Heyford. Those jets went away in the early 90s, so I diverted my desire to RAF Lakenheath and F-15s. I actually had orders here in 1996, only to have them canceled. There ought to be just a little bit of pride when you've earned something everybody else wants, even if it's not as good as you expected.

18 hours of daylight in the summer - It is amazing how much you can do when the days are long. That's especially true while traveling. Now I'll bet you're thinking to yourself, "There's only eight hours of daylight in the winter," right? So make the most of it. Watch Survivor without guilt. Study for promotion. Read a book. Go to bed early.

Roundabouts - Try navigating our four-way or two-way stops during lunch hour or after a large gathering at the Liberty Club. The efficiency of the roundabout becomes abundantly clear. We called them "traffic circles" in South Carolina where I grew up. Once you overcome the American "merge aversion," you learn they reduce vehicle queuing by keeping vehicles in motion...an early LEAN event if you will. I wish we had more in the States.

Real football - I'm completely biased. I played soccer most of my life. It's the most played and most watched sport in the world -- by far. All you need is a ball and a flat piece of earth --no shoes, sticks or helmets required. Many argue that British soccer is the finest in the world. Make a point to see a real match in person while you are here. If you think high school football is serious business in Virginia, Ohio or Texas, British football is a whole new category.

Less rain and cold - Contrary to popular belief, this part of the U.K. receives less than half the annual rainfall of eastern U.S. cities such as Atlanta, Cincinnati, Memphis and New York. Look it up! And despite being further north than Maine, we hardly get a winter at all. I've got very little use for snow unless it is on a mountain.

So, I've used a little humor to highlight a part of our human nature -- complaining. I hope you'll look beyond the inconveniences of serving in the U.K. and focus on the positive aspects. Smiling is much better on your complexion. Cheers!