I have always thought that the Senior Service's way of producing a promotion signal was a great idea, giving people a non-appointer (manning for us crab types) filtered appreciation of where they stood in the great order of things and a chance to make a realistic assessment of their standing amongst their peer group and likely chances of further advancement.
What I find strange therefore is that RAF manning refuse to do the same, citing 'data protection' issues.
Hmmmm...or is this a case of 'knowledge is power'?!