Requiring a Gp Capts permission to authorise travel costs for internal UK air fares was a good example of the exact opposite of empowerment. Often several forms had to be filled in, I believe Lossie even created its own unique system, and be signed off by various people before finally landing on the main mans desk. All of which took time, and mean that the Easyjet flight that would have cost £40 last week now costs £80 because the flight is tomorrow. Indeed a colleage of mine was once due to leave the base at 1200, and only finally got approval to go at 1000 the same morning!! Madness.
Ooh! Luxury. In Main Building I think that 2* approval is needed for flights. And don't even think of biscuits and tea or coffee for visitors...
...and completely at odds with the concept of Mission Command.
In a previous tour in overseas, I had to return every few months for a medical check-up at Frimley PArk (half-way between Heathrow and Gatwick). The appointments would be made 3 months beforehand and I would then commence the life-sapping process of getting approvals for flights. ESG would pass it to some Army chap at some random German barracks who would then go 'Oh - MEDEVAC' and book me on a C-17 to...Birmingham. I would then point out that Birmingham was no where near Frimley Park, to which he'd respond 'Get your QM to get a driver and car'. I'd then point out - again - that there were 6 of us here and we didn't have section vehicles nor drivers to get me to the overseas APOE and certainly didn't have the connectivity to dick some unit to drive me from B'ham to Frimley Park. And so it would go on, and as in the quote (above) my flight would be approved a day or two beforehand, BA, and a rental car at the other end - but no subsistence allowance payable! So I was expected to be there and back in a day - given that I had to fast 12 hours beforehand.