Ancient Aviator,
You were not serving in the hierarchy of the Army Air Corps were you? Although conceptually and from an ethos perspective I could not agree more with you. However, the reality is that if you say, 'go' to people whom have dedicated many years fighting (and yes we can use this term now without being accused of being over dramatic) for Queen & Country then 'go' we will.
I have loyalty, I have esprit de corps, I have a strong military ethos, I love my job, I still love the flying (although we are regulating ourselves out of doing it!), and I do not mind the odd desk job.
But how do I look Mrs MM4 and the little MM4's in the eye when they see friends and colleagues earning more than me and having a more stable lifestyle. Sports days, nativity plays etc etc.
I do not think that you fully understand the implications and consequences of your words when you use the passionate language that you do. We are short of experienced operators on the frontline and also short of experienced staff officers to deliver informed and experienced staff work.
You saying, 'go' will result in them going - the 'pull' from the civilian market is very strong despite all of the talk of a recession. Add to that the comfortable cushion of the Forces pension and it is all too easy to 'go'. Bear in mind that the average divorce costs significantly more than any FRI and has unquantifiable emotional costs.
And when these people 'go' to free up some air for you to breathe, then those left have to double their workload, and I even know of one person running 4 desks after they could not be filled. Ultimately, his wife gave him the 'yellow card' and he left, leaving you with even more air to breathe.
So for the sake of a paltry 100k (which is nothing when you compare it to bailing out Northern Rock a second time for 3bn) then if we can retain or incentivise people to endure and work through the current 'stretched' conditions, then I am all for it.
Now you are probably saying that I am bias, because I am about to get my FRI. Nope, I already have mine a number of years ago and it did the job. I was just about to leave with a family that had enough. It has managed to soften to the blow and the hardship for them. Has anything changed, no - I still deploy just as regularly and I have a desk to look forward to next.
But Ancient Aviator they now recognise that the skiing holiday, the reduction in the mortgage payments and the small things like a proper designer dress for the wife have 'bought' them onboard for the rest of my career.
Is it right - I do not know. Did it work - yes. Would anything else have worked - less time away, but that just isn't going to happen for us rotary types. Has it got me for life now - yes. Is my family happy and more accepting of the situation - yes.
If you want my personal opinion, I think that the FRI does work and is at the right amount. Yes there are those that were going to stay anyway, but there is a greater percentage that are either weighing up their options now or will always be looking at the back page of Flight International or the Flight Global web site. The FRI stops that, at least for 5 years, which as discussed above (and certainly in my case) has stopped me looking outside. Come on, the grass does look greener on the outside, and everyone I have spoken to says that it is greener.
The other option is to increase the pay in line with the civilian sector, and it will not take much of review by the AFPRB to discover that the pay and conditions of many of our civilian counterparts are much better off financially and with quality of life.
Sorry, AA I think you may wish to review your retention iniative beyond just saying, 'go' otherwise you may find yourself very quickly at critical mass when everyone does 'go' at a crucial time in a conflict that is desperately requiring aircrew to play their part, both in the air and in the numerous command and staff positions.