Superdad Daz bows out after 37 years

Staff Reporter

SENTRY VETERAN WO Darren Screeton was piped out of his post after retiring from the RAF following 37 years’ service.

Friends and colleagues at Waddington lined the route as he left the unit for the last time, adorned in the traditional bowler hat and umbrella.

His wide-ranging career as an avionics technician has seen him repair Tornado F3s on Quick Reaction Alert, deliver the F-35B Lightning II and support operations in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and the Falkland Islands.

But it was in the latter part of his career that he made his mark, helping the Sentry AEW Mk 1 fleet recover from major airworthiness risks that led to a pause in flying on the Force.

Station Commander

Gp Capt Mark Lorriman-

Hughes said: “On Sentry Darren helped address innumerable airworthiness challenges to ensure that the Force was able to achieve then exceed its annual Nato missions target.”

WO Screeton deployed to recover the aircraft on Operation Shader and led the coordination of nearly 30,000 hours of engineering effort to deliver the first operational Sentry mission on Op Shader, for which he won a commendation.

A devoted family man and father of seven children, he also found time to represent the Service in rowing and rugby and raise awareness of cancer by championing the Movember fundraiser.

“Utterly selfless, he has represented the very essence of what it means to serve and, in so doing, represents the very highest standards and traditions of the Royal Air Force,” said Gp Capt Lorriman-Hughes.