The common thread through all of this is that the RAF, indeed you can include the whole public sector of the NHS, Education, MOD, Civil Service, have suffered the effects of salami-slicing for years and years.
The simple truth is that there is always more "bread" to be spread that "butter" available. The RAF needs more "butter" to do its job but the polititians/Treasury decide the priorities for public spending and the MOD is not getting enough. The 2% of GDP limit, is down on the 3.5% or more typically spent in the past and there is no escape from this reality.
The VSO's in all the Armed Forces are struggling to balance their books notwithstanding the reductions brought on by SDSR 15 but the reality is that no amount of shiny kit, is going to make people stay in the job once they are in a position to PVR/leave unless the PEOPLE concerned are........
1. Paid enough viz a viz civillians in similar jobs;
2. Offered pensions that keep pace with what's available outside;
3. Have decent messing/accommodation at rates that are affordable, and where charges do not exceed any annual pay increases;
4. Where opportunities for career advancement/specialist training are not effectively denied/interrupted because of short-notice postings/detachments and under-manning;
5. Where annual leave is considered a luxury and not an entitlement;
6. Where so-called "perks" such as entitlement to boarding school education allowance, rail warrants and home-to-duty travel are cut/abolished.
7. Where on-station medical services are reduced to little more than that provided by a District Nurse.
8. No recognition is made for the "X" factor that shows itself in a myriad of ways.......a wife's inability to follow her chosen career due to following her husband's (or vice versa if talking about a female). Un-accompanied postings that leave a family without the chief gardener, handy-man/woman, chauffeur of children, etc. that often require such services to be bought-in by paying someone else.
Neglect the above and it is easy to see why retention is a problem across the board, not just in the armed forces, but also in the NHS, Prison Service etc. etc.
One simple test. Would you encourage your children to join even the Air Cadets today? My answer would be to steer mine elsewhere.......
MB out.