Originally Posted by
Fortissimo
This is only about pay if disparity in its award across a particular cohort persuades the person with the best combination of intellectual, leadership, managerial and physical gifts to leave. And if that person might in other circumstances have become CAS, that would appear to be an own goal from a Service perspective. It is made much worse if the route chosen for the individual (let's say F35) means their much-delayed arrival on the front line handicaps them in competition with less-capable contemporaries. If you have to hold for long enough, there is no way your age/rank profile will put you into the running for eg squadron or station command, as you will not have the time left to serve for the system to capitalise on its investment in you. Losing out on a job to someone who joined the same day as you but is less capable than you, and who is already £10K plus ahead of you in career earnings, is hardly an incentive to commit to an organisation that manages 'talent' that way.
I can think of one exceptionally gifted person who retired early as a sqn ldr, having realised the 4 years he had spent holding meant he would retire as a wg cdr at best. I was unable to help him, which is still a source of regret.
PS. Cohort is such a good word...
Interested to know what you mean 'less capable' - do you mean in terms of flying ability or all-round leadership ability (I am assuming the latter)? If there is one thing I learned in my 20 plus years in the Service, flying ability does not necessarily equate to leadership ability, which is probably why the AFPRB report highlights that only 19% of RAF personnel agree that the senior leadership (which still tends to be aircrew heavy) understand and represent their interests, which is one of the key roles of a leader. We don't necessarily need F35 pilots at the top, just people who can lead the organisation. Finally, I did hear some work was being done on presenting 'out of zone' candidates to the promotion boards, I presume to address any 'penalty' brought about by extended holds, but not sure if this has actually been adopted??