Carl Austin
Age: 36
Period and place of service: Royal Air Force Firefighter, 9 years
Rank: Corporal
Hometown: Higher Crumpsall, Manchester
I Joined the RAF on the 2nd April 1991 aged 19, I joined the RAF as I had always wanted to be a fireman however Greater Manchester Fire Service were only taking people on who were 21 or over. My brother was in The RAF and I had seen a little of service life, which seemed to be a great way of life - so I thought why not have the best of both worlds. It took me about 2 years from initially applying at 17 to getting accepted. Following successful completion of basic trade training at RAF Swinderby and basic fireman training at RAF Manston, I was posted to RAF Chivenor in July 1991. In Feb 1993 I was awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for my efforts in saving a member of aircrew from the burning wreckage of a crashed Hawk Jet. - On the 30th September 1992 an armed Hawk aircraft crashed on the main runway at RAF Chivenor, one pilot had ejected but the other remained trapped in the burning wreckage. The crew I was with arrived on the scene within a minute of the alarm being sounded. As a member of the immediate rescue team of 2, I completely disregarded my own safety and entered the surrounding cockpit - The aircraft was armed with cannon ammunition and bombs, the cockpit was thick with flame and dense acrid smoke. I had to blow the rear canopy and then climb onto the top of the fuselage to succeed in lifting out the unconscious pilot. Temperatures were in the region of 650° Celsius at the height of the fire and I ran the risk of receiving serious injury and burns - as the ejection seat was still live and could have blown at any time.
Following a 6 month tour in Belize CA and a posting to RAF Henlow, I was posted to RAF Ascension, Whilst at RAF Ascension my professionalism, devotion to duty and the contributions made to the wider aspects of service life were recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours List June 1996 by the award of The Air Officer Commanding In Chief's Commendation. I was posted to RAF Honington June 1996 and then in February 1997 I had been Specially Recommended promotion to Cpl with an overseas posting. At this time I also continued to be involved with the wider aspect of service life particularly as a SSAFA Community Volunteer.
I loved Air force life and I was always passionate with every day that passed - it was everything I expected and more, the only problem I had was not being able to be myself. At the time it was illegal to be gay in the services. I can remember when I joined up at the attestation ceremony I was asked if I had any homosexual tendencies - to which I lied and said "no" even though I knew from the age of 7 I was different.
Whilst in the RAF I tried to live two or three different lives at one point when I was 21 I was living a complete lie and ended up getting engaged to a girl who was also in the service. She fell pregnant but then soon after had a miscarriage - the engagement didn't last too long, I also managed to get my posting out to Belize.
At each unit I served at I knew of other gay people but they wouldn't really talk about their sexuality - I seemed to be the one that knew of everybody, but they all thought that they were the only one. Quite a few came out to me but wouldn't come out to anyone else at the time I think they felt safe with me. At one point I was sort of seeing a lad in Ascension but then rumours started to spread that we were seeing each other, luckily at the time I was flown back to the UK as I had been training for the London Marathon and had raised around £5000 for St Helena and The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, when I went back I had a friend inform me of rumour control and I am not quite sure how it happened but I started seeing a girl - who was the most beautiful looking girl on the island, so that quashed the rumours. We dated the rest of the time I was there and a few months after - even though I knew I had to get out of the situation. When she came back in the November, I told her that it would be best if we split up, I didn't really give her the real reason. It was at this time that I bit the bullet and came out to my family and close friends - it was a very difficult time, my mother didn't want to accept it and it got quite messy.... My brother who was also in the RAF told me that he didn't want to know and that if it ever came out in the RAF I was to promise that I had to swear that he knew nothing of my sexuality.
I also did come out to quite a few of my peers and superiors and they were fine about it - didn't quite understand, but let me be, although it did open up a good platform for questions.
In March 1997 I started to see a lad in Manchester, nothing serious but things just moved on, on the 14th April 1997 he called the RAF Personal Services Flight at RAF Honington and informed them that I was a practicing homosexual. On the 15th April I was interviewed by Officer in Charge and asked whether the allegation was true and just asked again if I was a homosexual.
I decided that the time was now right to be honest with myself, I broke down crying. After a short while and composing myself I confirmed there information was correct and yes- I was gay. I also stated that I understood the implications and that nobody else in the service was involved.
In view of my admission, reaction to the interview and the information given to the contrary I was informed that I would be suspended from duty forthwith pending the application for administrative discharge. Under the extant policy it was recorded that I was "incompatible" to service life. This did upset me, anger me and made me wonder what it was all about - I had received awards and honours in my name, yet I found it ironic that just because of my sexuality, which had no interference with the role I played as an airman whilst serving on any unit had now been cause for question and dismissal.
I did at the time write to Tony Blair, Graham Stringer MP, the House of Commons and the Defence Secretary, all of whom replied informing me that they understood my anger but there hands were tied as it had to go through the European Courts of Human Rights.
After a short time I moved on and worked for ASDA, I did some TV extra work, Modelling and Promotional Work and then joined Greater Manchester Fire Service - I hated the Fire Service so left after 18 months, it just wasn't for me - I think I was expecting service life the way I had known in the RAF. Since then in September 1999 I set up my own promotions company OZ, and it is still going strong and I am looking forward to coming up to 10 years of the business next year.
I learnt so much from the RAF and it has made me the person I am today. Apart from the initial couple of months I have never felt bitter about the way I was treated by the RAF - at the end of the day I lied to them when they asked if I had homosexual tendencies. I would recommend Service Life to anyone. A few years ago I was contacted by the RAF Careers Information Officer to help them improve on how to recruit from the LGB community, it was shortly after this that the RAF played a fantastic part in the Manchester Pride Parade to promote the way that things have moved on - This was a turning point for all those who were either serving or about to serve as it meant that they could now live life without hiding or being assumed of who they really were.
