RAF JPA Rollout

[Almost_done]

Step onto Soap box,
Gentlemen and ladies please excuse me I may meander, however my intentions are honest and my ethos is Respect of us all serving and in the community, holding dear the Integrity of the RAF, with Service before Self and ensuring my post stays within the Ethos of the RAF spirit. Therefore the AP1 (RISE);
What gets me is the phrase, 'leader' in everything EDS do or advertise, leader in what?
Governmental overspend/insecurity in introducing a new ATC software program?
Governmental overspend/insecurity in introducing a new Passport control system?
Governmental overspend in introducing/insecurity a new DWP program?
Governmental overspend in introducing/insecurity a new CSA system?
Now forgive me if I have missed anything here but what have EDS done for us but, cost the Gov shed loads of money for pants applications. There must be some monetary claw back facility? Or did they write the contracts on good faith?
I hope not as I'll get Cherie BLair (£250 per hair-do) as my Human Rights lawyer once I rotate back to civilian life. as they must have been abused at sometime within my life in the forces!! (some bleeding heart will tell me I am sure)
Wow EDS so good we said it at least 4 times in the BLair Administration, we can't still be brought down the path of its was the previous administrations fault! If so it was BLair and his party as a country we have managed to ensure his place in the annuls of British political history as the longest serving (I use that word with care i.e. who are they serving?) Labour Government.
Normally I don't get angry/upset about politics, but I am now reaching the end of my tether. we are now being left in the possible position of having to go on Det/OPs and pay for it out of our own pocket, only to claim it back, 'if we have all the receipts'. Now someone mentioned on the RAF forums that Admin will not impact on the trades. Oh yes 'Former IT Bloke' party stooge if there was ever one. If you wish to fly in an A/C where the Tech's are worrying about pay etc or the flight crew are as well.
Tell me the functionality of the system outweighs the security/operational benefits/time saving/admin burden.
The persons who commissioned JPA probably had the BEST intentions, however they were so far removed from the coal face they had no real idea of the impact upon the RAF of its introduction. We are now wasting at least 40min per call to JPAC (I have records of this) to find out if a SAC is now Q-OPS, this is untenable, as I need my SAC Q-OPS to complete the servicing of the A/C, they have been paid and given back pay for the Q-OPS rank, but this month it has been taken away as the system does not recognise the legacy F252. FFS what am I meant to do I need these guys to be able to operate as Q-OPS to carry out the A/C servicing, now they are worried as are they Q-OPS or not, are they going to get a pay deduction next month or not? I have phoned the HR section (PSF) the guys there were very stressed but tried to help the best they can, JPAC won't answer the phone.
What option is left to us the ‘customer’ of the AFPAA since the introduction of SAMA we the ‘customer’ have never been so left out of the loop, at least with SAMA PSF still had the KARDEX system to work from. We should not raise our voices against PSF/HR Flt but the personnel who arranged for this system to be brought on blind. Sorry you cannot trial a system with 230 pers on one unit over 3weeks and then say that’s it is good to go for a whole fighting Force, let alone Tri Service.
Looking back at the RAF forums, those with intranet can see it. Former IT Bloke is so far into the company pockets he’s in the hems of the CAS’s trousers, yes he does put up a good fight and I am sure he is able in his field, but his arrogance in dealing with us is untenable with his position.
We now are aware that the system is insecure; this is not tenable, versus, ‘functionality’ as he puts it. How would it be if, we as engineers said we’ll its functional, one trip only’ we’ll worry about security if you come back? Not to worry it’s just your life on the line? Compare that to not to worry it’s just all your personal details available any Hacker with an above average IQ to find? By the way they tend not to join regimented, hierarchical systems as they do not enjoy the structure of the aforementioned systems, therefore they think well outside the box to get into it. Leaving us trailing far behind catching them up, as Former IT Bloke said we are beta testers, however we are not protected by the Data Protection Act as he thinks, as the RLI is not a secure INTRANET as it has direct and uncontrollable links with the INTERNET, especially the JPA home page, if you have an IGS account and click on the Oracle Privacy link on the bottom R/H side of the main page you go straight onto the INTERNET, and packet share there, no mac address, no secure sockets, plain old clear text.
As I said on my original post I am not trying to stir, scare monger or do anything of any other sort I just want to ensure my data s secure according to the Data Protection Act, as if I was to hold a database about persons on my unit and it was unsecured and leaked out onto the public domain I’d be held accountable. I am just wanting parity amongst organisations, and to ensure we are not left as Second Class Citizens.
Step off soap box
If you want to argue for the security side please do and I'll be happy to research alongside you for a feaseable outcome.
P.S. If anyone wants to take my written words from a public forum and use them as the wish as long as they keep them in the context in which they are written please feel free to do so.