I have just had my 'days away' given to me for the new "improved" LSA to start alongside JPA. I've been given 351 days for my 21 years service so far. Clearly C**p! Asked why? Apparently only goes back to 1999. So all service and time away from my loved ones doesn't count before then? I'm really not usually one to worry too much about my lot in the RAF as it was my decision to join in the first place. However, almost on a daily basis, I am losing faith with the system as it slowly but surely attempts to screw every last penny out of me it can, or make some new rule designed to take any good times out of my life by introducing more rules and regs, (See other threads). On a conservative estimate I have spent 1500 days away in my time so far, which would put me in the level 5 bracket of the new LSA system, on £14 a day. Instead I am on the bottom rung at £5.?/ a day. By the way I'm on the middle rate of LSSA - £8.70 at the moment, so I'm dropping down!!! Now, whilst I am spending 50% of my time apart from my family (current lot), not by choice, I am being told to move on to actuals, keep my receipts and spend a number of hours self administrating when I return from my 3-week absences (average) and take a cut in seperation allowance. Throw into the that the complete ineptitide of our DPA in providing us with viable/operational kit to use (that might compensate for the shyt we are contending with administratively), the stupid amount of PCism, the complete lack of realistic career opportunties on an equal basis as we draw down in size (again) and the complete lack of senior leadership in the RAF ("if you don't like it leave" attitude is currently what I hear). Bottom line, the RAF is now 'just a job'. It is not the worthy way of life it was when I joined. I know things change and we have to adapt, that has always been the way, but things are getting out of hand now. What is there to be happy about as we align ourselves with civvi street but still have all the bad bits of being in the military to contend with? By the way, I've heard that civil servants are on actuals but are not capped. Is that true? If so, how does that work then? Happy to align with all government agencies, but to screw the very men you put in the firing line, is that moral? Then there is travel. On any one trip, I can be travelling with men of the same rank from different orgs, where some are in Business, some are in Traveller Plus/Prem Econ and some are in Economy. Is that right or fair? I am starting to think that the only way is out.... probably what 'they' want anyway. Just makes me really sad that it has come to this when all I really ever wanted was to be part of a great institution, as it once was. Overall, nice to feel valued.
Nuff said, rant over.
P.S. By the way, happy to accept and apologise if anything I have said above is factually incorrect!