Reach for the Ceiling (Not Sky)

[jockbartel]

Why do so many, many, Flt Lts never get promoted to Sqn Ldr?

Is it because they have reached their ceiling of competence, they might have been good Fg Offs but poor Flt Lts?

Is the selection process at Cranditz flawed, allowing so many no-hopers to pass through the system?

What effect do these officers have on the morale and career prospects of the non-coms who they 'command' ?

Discuss!

[Kitbag]

Perhaps they clean their vehicles before returning them to MT?

[Hummingfrog]

If you don't know the answer then you aren't in the RAF:E

HF

[Kitbag]

HF
and if you are in the RAF what is the answer?

[Pontius Navigator]

Its pyramid shaped Sir.

[handyman]

I think you'll find it's the same in the FAA and the Army has NCOs which solves the problem for them!

Handyman

[Grum Peace Odd]

Why so many, many, university graduates never get to be run a multi-billion, international company?

Is it because they have reached their ceiling of competence, they might have been good local students but poor workers?

Is the selection process at universities flawed, allowing so many no-hopers to pass through the system?

What effect do these graduates have on the morale and career prospects of the workers who they 'command' ?

or...

Why do so many, many, polical activists never get be Prime Minister?

or...

Why do so many, many, reporters never get promoted to editor?

or...

Get the idea yet?

[Kitsune]

Perhaps if we had the same system as the Septics, where if you didn't get to bird colonel from major (or the obvious equivalents in the RAF) within a certain time period you get the flick.....there would be less dead wood in procurement et al........:yuk:

[Tourist]

Not true in the FAA.
Not easy to get Lt Cdr.
The vast majority leave as Lts

[Pontius Navigator]

Kitsu don't think it hasn't been tried.

In the 50s we had Direct Commision with service to 42. Retiring at 42 was unpopluar as you were seen as 'over the hill' and that 40 years ago.

Then we had Direct Entry Commission with a 38/16 to get around the over-the-hill recruiting problem. They were on the Supplementary List.

In the late 60s people were jumping and we were short of aircrew so we introduced Spec Aircrew up to 55.

At the same time the chosen few went to Cranditz for 3 years and got a thorough in depth grounding in the ethos etc of the RAF. They were appointed, on graduation, to the General List and service to 55. If you did not get sqn ldr after 6 years as a flt lt your pay increments had stopped. Those that didn't get promoted had often done something spectacular like falling out with the AOC when they were ADC.

The central core of the pyamid was pretty slim.

Then, as a result of the Hodgkinson report we introduced the single list. This increased the number of sqn ldrs by 300 per year, stopped the twice yearly release of promotions, and introduced overborne sqn ldrs. His other recommendation, free RAF News for all, was not adopted.

The problem then became one of full career employment of this vastly increased senior officer class and a general debasement of the rank.

If we then said OK, you didn't make wg cdr by 42 so OUT, we go back to square one. The really good guys will stay and see the stars. The OK guys will jump ship knowing they can make it in industry. The remainer get promoted as the numbers have gone down and we are short of bodies!

[FJJP]

In this rapidly shrinking Air Force, there aren't enough career posts for senior officers - hence the need, for example, to put fast jet wg cdrs into heavy Sqn Cdr posts.

Pyramid it is, then. But I'll bet the proportions in there overall scheme of things are not much different to the state 40 years ago - it looks different, because of the sheer numbers then...

[Pontius Navigator]

40 years ago they were hidden in Bomber, Fighter, Coastal, Transport, Flying Training, RAFG, NEAF, FEAF, MEAF, various AHQ, 1 Gp, 3 Gp, 10 Gp, 11 Gp, 12 Gp, 23 Gp, 25 Gp, 38 Gp, 46 Gp, 224 Gp not to mention Signals Command, Maintenance Command and so on.

Many of the posts disappeared into agencies, centres, etc.

There was a story in the RAFA mag about a chap at Flying Training Command setting pass standards for the u/t aircrew. Now it is virtually an in-house affair. The school sets the papers, marks them and then declares a pass/fail. The old Central Exam Board, who did not know the stude from Adam, would mark the papers with absolute impartiality.

So, too many sqn ldrs still? I think not as many posts either disappeared or are gapped.