Originally Posted by Just This Once...
How do I make an official complaint?
I guess it depends on your rank. You will want to get your complaint in writing to the Station Commander, and whilst that may seem straightforward, putting it in the internal mail marked 'Personal for Station Commander' may put noses out of joint in your chain of command, so it may be worthwhile starting lower down but making sure that whoever you deal with knows that you want to complain to your Station/Unit Commander.
In putting together your complaint, you must be as dispassionate as possible. Gather the facts and explain what the impact of these are on you. State what steps you have taken so far and why these have been unsuccessful. Finally, explain what you want the Staish to do about it. You might try something along the lines of:
Sir
I wish to make a formal complaint about the impact that the introduction of the JPA System has had on me. The details of my grievances are as follows:a. I have not been paid according to entitlement for 3 months. Up until 30 Jun 06, I am owed £375.80 basic pay, £175.00 in flying pay.
b. I have been charged for food and accommodation since 1 Apr 06, despite the fact that I have not lived in Service accommodation of any type since 2002, with the exception of the 3 weeks I spent aboard HMS Ocean in 2003. These deductions total £587.20 between 1 Apr 06 and 30 Jun 06.
c. I have been informed by the Human Resources staff that my Next of Kin Details are incorrect. However, I have been unable to access the system personally because there is no PC in my workplace.
2. In total, I calculate that I am owed £1138. Repeated attempts to contact the JPAC and JPA Helpdesk have been unsuccessful because they always promise to call me back but cannot be specific about time, and all their attempts to contact me have occurred when I have been airborne.
3. Whilst the amount I am owed may seem small, the impact this has had on me and my family have been significant. I have even had to cancel my son's planned dental treatment. I am now at the limit of a recently agreed overdraft facility, and concerned that my personal indebtedness may make me a target for Hostile Intelligence Services. The advice I have received from the Citizens Advice Bureau is that I contact my Member of Parliament. However, I do not wish to take this course of action until all other options have been exhausted.
4. I would be grateful if you could take up my case formally with the appropriate authorities so that I may concentrate fully on preparing for my forthcoming detachment to Iraq.
I Have the Honour to Be, Sir
Your Obedient Servant,
J O BLOGGS
Flight Lieutenant
I suspect that will get his/her attention.
Sorry if it wasn't a serious question, but hopefully this will benefit someone. Going straight to your MP or the RAF News will have little impact if you haven't tried this first. Of course you can always ask for an interview with the AOC during the next AFI (has anyone ever done that I wonder??)
STH