2014 WISHLIST

[KPax]

What would your top three wishlist for 2014 be:
New MPA for RAF
Final decision on future base closures
Most importantly some real leadership from the top down.

[sharpend]

You will never get your ideal leadership whilst those at the top of the military are political appointments. Moreover, whilst our political masters have an eye on elections, 'the Grand Global Stage' and politically correct aspects of policy, whilst at the same time having little idea of defence priorities, we will continue to see the demise of the armed forces.

[Jet In Vitro]

An airborne SIGINT capability.
A caravan near Briton.
Cheaper beer.

[Lima Juliet]

An inflation level payrise or at least >2.5%

LJ

[NutLoose]

To continue having a happy contented life, free from illness or disease for both myself and those I love, the rest is just verbage.

[Willard Whyte]

Another year like '13 will do me and the family very nicely thanks.

[1.3VStall]

More beer, bigger women and longer runways.

[Colonal Mustard]

1.) Increase in defence budget
2.) Naval Strike force
3.) further 3 wishes

[gr4techie]

1. The pension I was told I would receive when we signed the dotted line.
2. Inflation level pay rise.
3. Where's the money going to come from? Spend a few BILLION £ less going to a Royal Bank of Scotland director or some corrupt foreign aid policy and redistribute it to where it is really needed.

[Roland Pulfrew]

1. Some senior leadership that stops thinking that cuts (to airfields, aircraft, allowances and personnel) is the answer - it is not. We need more personnel not less; CDS pretty much said so at RUSI before Christmas.
2. An end to PFIs and contractorization in the military - they do not save money in the long run.
3. A realistic increase in pay.

I won't hold my breath on any of them!!

[PARALLEL TRACK]

1. Senior officers that not only listen to the operators but act upon the sound advice
2. A decent pay rise that rewards the hard work being done across the UK military
3. Cease all future studies into AFPS 2025/2035 etc

[VinRouge]

1) stop relapsing into the bad habits that brought about Haddon Cave
2) a period of reset of up to 6 months post afghanistan to allow rest for the guys.
3) A new employment model that recognises aircrew, ops and far more importantly our engineering community salaries are completely out of kilter with the civilian market, and hence why we are haemorrhaging experience currently. It also needs to recognise the admin community cannot continue to have equivalent pay scales with these groups.

[Whenurhappy]

I agree your points, but why your beef about the Admin world? I'm an Adminer (in old money) yet I do a job normally carried out by aircrew and employed as such because of my background and experience, and have spent my fair share of time in hot an dusty places. In your world, should I be paid less (flying pay notwithstanding)?

[Biggus]

Whenurhappy,

If you haven't come across the techie vs admin pay argument/discussion (I'm talking junior ranks here, not officers) then you either aren't in the RAF (which I know not to be true) or you need to spend less time representing HMG at cocktail parties and more time paying attention to what is happening around (or should that be "beneath") you in the RAF.

No doubt the issue, and resentment it causes among the techie trades, isn't a talking point on Shrivenham courses?

[NutLoose]

I always believed that there are two reasons why engineers and aircrew were (or used to be) on a higher pay scale Whenyourhapoy,
Simply because the job carries greater responsibility, the difference being they have to be 100% all the time in their work... Hence the higher rates, additionally they also mirrored their civilian counterparts to prevent retension problems, and let's face it, there are few clerks, drivers, or cooks on anything near the equivalent in the real world, and without recognising that you will end up with a well fed, mobile admin unit that do not fly.

[airborne_artist]

Nutty I always believed that there are two reasons why engineers and aircrew were (or used to be) on a higher pay scale

That reminds me of the time when a regular Staff Sgt RAPC saw my daily rate (TA Cpl sabre-qual'd with para pay) and was horrified I earned more than him.

[Madbob]

1. I wish and pray for a casualty-free exit from AFG.
2. A speedy repatriation for all "second line" personnel left in AFG after 2014.
3. No more cuts to the regular forces and if too late to reverse the decisions already taken, to postpone such cuts until after the reserve recruitment drive is complete and through enough training to be effective as front-line reinforcements.

MB

[Whenurhappy]

Perhaps pay gradients are discussed at Shrivenham on course, but I'm not on a course there (although residing there), so I'd prefer not to comment. Currently between assignments and training up for my next round of tea, Ferrero Roche and medals.

Edited to add that I occur with all the points raised above.