Manning Gaps?

[The B Word]

I've just seen this incredible advert on the Reserves website. Basically, as I read it we are employing ex SACs to Wg Cdrs on up to 90 days per year to fill manning gaps? Seems they will be known as 'Base Support Group':

Volunteer Ex Regular Reserve (VeRR) Vacancies - Base Support Groups - SAC thru Wg Cdr - Various Units - See Advert - FTRS-PTVR-ADC-VeRR (http://www.raf.mod.uk/ftrs-ptvr-adc-verr/vacancies/volunteer-ex-regular-reserve-verr-vacancies-base-support-groups-sac-thru-wg-cdr-various-units-see-advert/)

But only at RAFs Boulmer, Cranwell, Honington or Lossiemouth - are no other stations eligible?

The B Word

[Rigga]

So for your 90 days per year, you'd like to hand out keys, man the gate or perhaps do the copying or make the tea for the 'professionals'..I don't think so.
(my mistake, tea bars aren't allowed now!)

Even today, an ex-Lossie guy was telling me and a CAA guy that the RAF was so sure that rumours of a better life outside was untrue that they sent a Groupie to check it out. When the Groupie came back he said the rumours were indeed true and that he'd been offered a job too...The guy didn't say if the Groupie took the job or not.

If you left more that 5 years ago then, if you went back, you'd get shock from shortages and conditions.

[Pontius Navigator]

4 months work, 14 days leave? Nice little earner if fed up with gardening?

Ideal for cold winter months :)

[mopardave]

I enquired about FTRS at a northern recruiting office......the Corporal took my details but appeared to be totally disinterested......unlike the army guy. Never heard anything. My daughter was greeted with the same indifference......she wanted to join as an already qualified doctor!
Ah well......non taken!

[SirToppamHat]

Whilst seemingly a logical move to take advantage of an available resource, this is actually a damning indictment of the state of manning in the Service. Local Service Airmen (and women) were around way back when I joined the RAF, so the basic principle is not new. The idea is based on people leaving the Service because they want to stay in a particular area (perhaps they have married locally for example), but who still have specialist skills for which the station is in need - I am sure you can think of people in this position? However, the fact that it has come to this is exposes the inadequacy of the offer against the demands of Service Life.

What we are currently seeing is a situation where there are gaps at almost all officer levels up to and including wg cdr. In order to keep a post in existence which Manning is 'unable' to fill, the relevant department has to demonstrate the ongoing need for it, either by buying-in contractor support (and you can imagine what that costs) or creating a temporary Full Commitment FTRS post for, say, 3 years, hoping that the post wins the lottery and can be filled when the 3-years is up. What is deeply unfair is that such posts may be given to people of a lower rank on the basis of a job application rather than as the result of a prom board. So, the chap or chapess who just missed the cut-off for promotion to sqn ldr may be overtaken by someone far lower in the pecking order but who is prepared to leave (or may have left) the Regular RAF for FTRS (FC), under similar terms.

We tend to think of the inability to recruit as impacting at the lower levels only, but in practice, 'Manning' limits promotions at several levels in order to maintain some form of hierarchy. People who, in years gone by, would have moved onwards and upwards are kept where they are because we still need people at that level.

I'd love to see the stats that prove it isn't true!

[Wander00]

What has happened to tea bars then?

[Melchett01]

These sorts of schemes are rolled out to huge fanfares, touted no doubt as indicators or innovative thinking, a determination to sort manning levels out and various other media-friendly measures. It's just a shame that we don't put quite as much effort in to implementing the simpler, and arguably potentially more successful, schemes of funding the personnel side of the Defence budget appropriately to enable sufficient recruiting, along with stopping the incessant buggering people around so much they want to leave.

Or am I being overly simplistic?

[Rigga]

W00, When ISS took over Catering (and, i believe, from NAAFI too) All Sqn/Section tea swindles on camps were hounded out of action...to enhance the use of commercial facilities (aka to enforce a purchasing monopoly) to ISS on all bases.
Naturally prices rose accordingly.

[Pontius Navigator]

At best I see the 90 days as a convenient between jobs earner. Or as a pocket money job to retirement. Perfect for WIW but do you really expect then to even go the mile?

[minigundiplomat]

These sorts of schemes are rolled out to huge fanfares, touted no doubt as indicators or innovative thinking, a determination to sort manning levels out and various other media-friendly measures. It's just a shame that we don't put quite as much effort in to implementing the simpler, and arguably potentially more successful, schemes of funding the personnel side of the Defence budget appropriately to enable sufficient recruiting, along with stopping the incessant buggering people around so much they want to leave


Melchett - I wouldn't use the term 'innovative'; I suggested such a measure as an option to falling manning levels and experience loss when I did my dissertation in 2010, and always considered it common sense rather than some innovative nirvana.

[Wander00]

Rigga - progress then - NOT. I remember inspecting accounts of tea bars at St Athan that were individually VAT registered they were so large

[Pontius Navigator]

I bet tea swindles still exist as well, principally as they provide an as required service probably over longer hours than Sqn coffee bars with 'fixed' break times.

[MPN11]

Hmmm ... no appointments in my former Rank/Branch at those locations, so I won't be applying.

Probably an inconvenient commute for an older person anyway :)

[downsizer]

When ISS took over Catering (and, i believe, from NAAFI too) All Sqn/Section tea swindles on camps were hounded out of action...to enhance the use of commercial facilities (aka to enforce a purchasing monopoly) to ISS on all bases.

No they weren't.

[Union Jack]

"As these positions are ‘rank’ ranged, personnel must either have been, or currently be an SAC thru to Wg Cdr and have served in the Regular or Reserve Air Forces."

:ugh::=

[116i]

No they weren't.
They did at Marham, they had all the hobs in the kitchens disconnected and George Formans were banned too!!

[116i]

"As these positions are ‘rank’ ranged, personnel must either have been, or currently be an SAC thru to Wg Cdr and have served in the Regular or Reserve Air Forces."

:ugh::=
They're trying to be cool, innit?

[Pontius Navigator]

MPN11, I bet there would be another small problem - your uniform?

[MPN11]

MPN11, I bet there would be another small problem - your uniform?
Hmmm .. close, but not close enough as far as No. 1 and No. 5 goes.

Cruel but fairly accurate. :)

[Basil]

What's the age limit? :p

[Melchett01]

What's the age limit? :p

Do you have a pulse?

[Pontius Navigator]

MPN, I have just two items remaining, a woolly pully and a used pair of gloves. Sold my last pair for £15.

[Avtur]

They can't even get the document right:

There is no closing date for applications; stn boards will routinely assess and process applications throughout the year.

Closing date: The closing date for applications is: 31/03/2018

[MPN11]

MPN, I have just two items remaining, a woolly pully and a used pair of gloves. Sold my last pair for £15.
RAF Officers Greatcoat, excellent condition. NOT going on eBay to be worn by Walts ;)

Also assorted SD Hats of various vintage, some well-faded old-pattern DPM, OG lightweight trousers [with shrunken waistbands], Gloves [black NI + Officers brown leather + those old 'combat gloves' with the leather fingers. Offers in excess of £437 considered.

I'm keeping my green wettie trousers, as they're useful when power-washing ;)

[Tengah Type]

" The concept envisages individuals with previous service registering with the unit and being held on the books pending an opportunity."

"VeRR terms allow up to 90 paid days per year."

I do not have access to AP 3392 so I do not know if being at the stations beck and call, to be paid " up to" 90 days a year is
worth it. How will it affect other employment activities?

I suppose it is to cover such things as " Pregnant persons leave " which I understand is the correct term these days.:rolleyes:

[The B Word]

I'm thinking this is effectively a 'zero hours' contract? I wondered how the tabloids will report it?

[Pontius Navigator]

MPN, Gloves NI, aka Paddy Wackers. Gloves, combat, aka Cold/Wet, worked exactly as advertised, very cold when they got wet. One part of my DPM went to Zenezual and the other to Italy. My No 5 to a museum at Manston.

[Pontius Navigator]

Wonder why only 4 stations.

I do know someone, retired from Shrivenham to north of Scotland and commutes to Shrivenham as a consultant including expenses.

[salad-dodger]

I wonder if anyone who has posted on this thread is either serving or even close to being in the frame to take up this option. The most prolific poster (as usual) certainly isn't. I am, but have no interest in rejoining whatsoever.

Yet another thread hijacked by the usual miserable old.......

S-D

[116i]

I wonder if anyone who has posted on this thread is either serving or even close to being in the frame to take up this option. The most prolific poster (as usual) certainly isn't. I am, but have no interest in rejoining whatsoever.

Yet another thread hijacked by the usual miserable old.......

S-D
I'm considering it. It depends if it positively affects my pension. Having PVR'd 3 months before my 12 year point, if this time of 'volunteering' counts towards my pension, then I'm in!

[finningleyprince]

I'm considering it. It depends if it positively affects my pension. Having PVR'd 3 months before my 12 year point, if this time of 'volunteering' counts towards my pension, then I'm in!
No. If there's any pension benefit it will be accrual to the PEN15 scheme, which will eventually pay out when you retire. Apples and pairs I'm afraid.

[Pontius Navigator]

S-D, accepted. Must admit, had I been available and recently retired, and of course close enough, then it could be attractive.

The real issue is availability. Virtually anyone who has not fully retired would not really be available from employment for 4 months in the year. Unless of course they were otherwise unable to find employment.