PAYD
Gents, for once I am not slagging off the officer corps. However from the tone of the posts here most of you are from the commisioned class. Let me assure you if you think you have it bad in your dining room's check out the lad's. Just returned from Halton where the WO & Sgts dining room resembles a "Happy Eater" complete with tills. As a "phase 3" trainee I was entitled to the core menu FOC. However by the time the food police had served me it was hardly worth the wait! I am not a big eater at the moment due to a training regime but I had to bring loads of fruit from home as it is not on the core menu. The JNCO's on our course were treated like children in the mess and to cap it all, although they were in one of the new super blocks, the kitchens were locked! How's that for choice. Peg's burger van is still there but now she works for ESS (however she hasn't put her prices up Hoorah!) and the "butty van" is also run by ESS, wheres the choice! The problem is, the PAYD as we have it now is not what people wanted, they wanted money back for not eating. So why not put in leave passes as "not required for duty" at weekends and let PSF (or JPA) work out how much you get back. Bottom line, no one sat the whingers down and pointed out the reason they were fed so well (when they were there) was because not everyone went to every meal, therefore the chefs were able to use their £2.50 (ish) a day to give an excellent service for the money. If you want to see the proof go the Brize Nortons airmens mess, as I did recently, and see the superb service and excellent food the service caterers give.