How is a subjective narrative fair ?
It is perfectly fair. As long as your ROs can string a coherent sentence together in order to write a cogent and well argued appraisal. And as long as all the ROs across the system play by the same rules.
If however, you are stuck with a RO who's talents lie somewhere other than written comms, or if your RO gives you a 'fair' appraisal when all the ROs are playing the system, then what on paper should be a scrupulously fair system with checks and balances becomes more akin to running the Grand National.
As for FRIs and retention bonuses, I really think they need to reconsider who they go to and broaden the scope. If the powers that be really expect people to believe that all Branches & Trades have a vital role to play in generating operational capability - and now we have contractorised as much as we have, I don't see how they can argue against that for those roles that are left in a 'blue suit' - then they need to start working out how to retain skilled and experienced people across the spectrum, not just for a very few. It's airpower vs aeroplanes and as much as I hate to say it, airpower is increasingly becoming more and more about things other than fast pointy things and bombs on foreheads and that needs to be recognised with retention payments if mission critical gaps are appearing as people walk.
Or, as I suspect will happen, they will just try to bluff it out on the grounds that the economy is still fragile and another recession is likely in the next couple of years which may stem the haemorrhage
