Originally Posted by Chugalug2
..My concern is for the well being of the UK Armed Forces, and the RAF in particular. Your concern, presumably, is for the well being of the members of the Armed Forces, and those of BAFF in particular. I don't think those two concerns are necessarily synonymous...
Indeed not, but neither are they necessarily in conflict.
Your concern "for the well being of the UK Armed Forces, and the RAF in particular" is admirable, but I hope you are not implying that the same concerns are not shared by BAFF members.
It is, of course, quite correct to say that constitutionally BAFF is focussed on the professional and welfare interests of its members.
The formal
constitution (pdf document) of the British Armed Forces Federation in late 2006 was preceded by the so-called
Ten Point Plan, which has no legal force but remains a guide to the founding principles of BAFF, and was
quoted in the recent House of Commons Defence Committee report on Recruitment and Retention in the armed forces:
3. The federation's mission shall be to represent, foster and promote the professional, welfare and other legitimate interests of all members of the federation in their capacity as serving or retired personnel of the fighting services of the UK, and in so doing help to maximise operational efficiency and improve the retention of trained personnel. [my bold]
Your remarks about the chain of command being "bust" are striking.
I have been following the airworthiness debate from the start, and appreciate your contributions.