Project Sirius - Divisive or what?
Those still serving will have received (I hope) a briefing on Project Sirius which, inter alia, established a Main Stream and an Executive Stream for each branch (excluding medics, chaplains etc). In essence if you are selected for ACSC you are elevated to the Executive Stream and do shorter, career enhancing tours, whereas the Main Stream do 3-5 year tours, for 'stability and continuity'.
Although I will be leaving shortly (and thus beyond this malarky), I do have some concerns about Project Sirius. Will the Main Stream (which thins out at Wg Cdr) be essentially looked upon as the Mong Branch, whereas the Executive Branch will be the Chisellers? Will it also mean that Mong, sorry, I mean Main Stream officers become increasingly inelligible for CEA, for example? I suppose one could argue, would they need it? What about overseas NATO appointments? These are generally not regarded as career-enhancing so will Mongs be sent abroad for longer tours and thus our best and brightest do not get the international exposure? What about very average Sqn Ldrs and Wg Cdrs (and believe me, shock! horror! they do exist) stuck in jobs for too long and doing too much damage. There are also probity issues of some personnel in procument related posts (especially where money is involved) spending (geddit?) too long in post.
Will the knives be out amongst the Sqn Ldrs to ensure they are selected for ACSC and therefore possible promotion to Gp Capt? What will it do to espirit de corps amoungst our more junior officers?
I can't help but think that this is a Staff College solution to a problem that doesn't really exist; instead it will create a degree of career apartheid that isn't very helpful in a shrinking service.
Thoughts?