Can someone put this out of it's misery?
No chance....
I've waited years to vent my spleen and nows my chance...
Time promotion? Time promotion? What was that.... Oh yes I was on it too - or so I thought.
5 years to get fitters courses that had 250 mechs fighting for 24 places a year.. 3 years as a J/T, now i'm late 20's. Nothing happens. Pop's down to SHQ... Where's my tapes? Hang on a minuite please replies the Admin fella, and pulls out my file.
Admin: Ah.... You know when you extended in May 1986? Well that was post Revised Engagement Scheme.
Me: Ok... so what?
Admin: You lost your rights to time promotion.
Me: So now what?
Admin: When theres a vacancy in the rank of Corporal you will be considered on Merit.
Me: Vacancy??? Vacancy?? (my face turns red as the full horror of the situation hits me) The Airforce is full of DE J/T's who, on that basis if they signed on before April 86 get promoted after 3 years.. I'm screwed 28 years old with 6 years left as a J/T!
Admin: Looks that way.
But I'm not bitter.
(And thanks to whoever at Innsworth picked this up a number of years later, was outraged on my behalf, took it to the powers that be, who reinstated the whole thing, backpaid me to '88 and signed me on to 22. That was one helluva Christmas present
There is a god)
But back to the original point... Given the job that they do, I'm suprised that the REGT never had the rank earlier. The absence of JT probably makes it easier to implement.