PN
Maybe so but certainly those in the last decade have not been quite so clearly defined - yes there were criteria to meet in terms of rank/age/seniority but we lost an awful lot of good guys (particularly at SNCO rank) without losing the job itself - so someone was then promoted to fill the gap
. A true redundancy package will only work if we identify the posts that we truly don't need (standing by for flaming) - you could say that by association the person in that post could be classed as "dead wood" ... (assuming PMA don't assign (
) the 'good guys' into these posts). Problem with this though has been highlighted in previous threads and the potential 'shooting in the foot' if we make people redundant who are in these posts because of injuries sustained in the line of duty. Or as a respite tour. And if the economy picks up the trawls for potential redundancies will be released just as the job market recovers making it harder to keep the good guys from volunteering .....
Of course, should there be reductions in numbers it may be done by natural wastage through no extensions to service or by 'encouraging' PVRs by making life awkward (less flying hours, higher FQ rent, reduction in allowances, 12 month OOA tours etc etc).
And wasn't it in '73 when they got rid of that years RAF Staff College course en masse ....
?