dervish, thank you for your kind words. In return might I suggest that all who care about the future of the Royal Air Force; of its personnel, aircraft, and systems, should "go for it". Technology has given us all a voice that can be heard around the world. All that is required is the will to make your voice heard.
Two's in, The picture you paint of an obdurate and defiant MOD cannot be doubted. All the more reason to challenge it then, from within and without. The Royal Air Force is particularly vulnerable to its baleful influence by the very nature of its formation, designed from inception to directly adhere to central policy. In my day that was ameliorated by the powers of subordinate commanders, ie the SO's (and the occasional 1 star), who directly commanded personnel behind the station gates; the unit, squadron, wing, and station commanders.
I had a boss who challenged and won against the might of NAAFI HQ, in ensuring that a private contractor provided the 24Hr service to his personnel (air and ground crew) that NAAFI refused to on financial grounds. He was supported by the Station Commander who agreed that the operational effectiveness of the Squadron surmounted the historic NAAFI trading monopoly on MOD land. The arrangement continued until that Station closed. I offer this anecdote merely as an example of how those who commanded personnel (ie the real commanders!) had the discretionary powers to do so. The contract was simplicity itself, you owed your loyalty to your boss, he owed a duty of care to you. I could bore with many instances of how I was the personal recipient of the latter but suffice to say when it worked it worked well. Of course there were exceptions, commanders who should never have been in charge of a whelk stall let alone RAF personnel, but such is life.
I understand that these days much of that power has been removed upwards, into the bureaucracy that exists outside of those gates; to Group, Command, and thence to the MOD. None of those institutions command, they direct, and with the leaden hand that has brought about the likes of the IDA. I don't doubt that many who strive in that pyramid do their best and are mindful that there are human beings at the other end of whatever directive they are publishing, but the personal touch, the caring initiative of your own boss, is now replaced by policy document XX/A19 or whatever.
Reinstate the original powers of subordinate commanders (the only real commanders of personnel in the RAF) and thus raise morale and hence fighting efficiency. It might not be tidy, it might even be more expensive initially, but in the end it will save many fold in operational effectiveness (well it did with the NAAFI spat anyway!).
Last edited by Chugalug2; 28th Dec 2020 at 09:07.