Force Development Squadron

[Anita Bush]

Just heard from a mate in the SW - they had a very interesting chat about new Force Development Sqn being formed on the Station (under Admin Wg of course)

Sanctioned by the AFB and soon to come to a stn near you (if not already there):

Lots of tree hugging including customer care courses for blunties
More drill - to instil a sense of belonging
Table top leadership exercises
Turn up to work in cabbage kit days (1 per month)
Admin Wg issueing "well done" certificates
More Stn Exercises
Battle of Britain Week (I thought that was considered not PC to mention the War)
etc

Anyone else got any more morale boosting bright ideas?

[Trumpet_trousers]

..........f*ck me, as if we didn't already have enough b*llsh*t to contend with.......whatever next?

[The Swinging Monkey]

Oh God, please tell me this is a joke????

Tree hugging, customer care? the scribblies can't even spell it, let alone do it!

More drill?
That should please the Regiment then

Tabletop leadership exercises
That will be good for the so-called leaders then!

Cabbage Kit?
Great, more Rock $hit!

Well Done certs by admin wg?
Who the f*ck would want to win one of those?

Station exercises
Thats good, it will give us something to do if and when we ever get a day off eh?

Battle of Britain Week
Good for the soul, and to show us just how much worse things have got in the past 40 odd years!

I just can't believe this, Anita, please put us out of our misery and tell us that this is a spoof?? Pleeeeeeaaaaase

Kind regards
The Swinging Monkey
ps I expect that someone will get a promotion out of this, let me think...I'll bet its a bl$$dy Scribbly or a Rock or probably both!!

[PPRuNeUser0172]

Unfortunately it is most definitely true.

[Archimedes]

Mmmm. Don't things like courses on tree-hugging and producing certificates cost money (the former potentially costing a small fortune if validated by an outside body)?

And if they do, what exactly do they contribute to effects based operations (you know the thing - fewer platforms needed since technology requires smaller numbers of platforms to achieve effect, etc, blah, etc)?

If achieving an increased rate of PVR is the desired effect (I doubt Mr Hoon has a strategic endstate beyond regime survival) then it's spot on. If not, then... Oh dear.

[Lionel Lion]

Noooooo you're all wrong if this is true(?) then its great...

We can have airman/officer/civilian of the month/year etc

Collect goldstars on a badge, presented by OC A

I'd love some more tabletop exercise (ok it was on the snooker table in York House with a Lincoln bird)

Drill........god I'll c:mad: m in my pants.

Ohh this is all so exciting:8 Sign me up till 55 pleeeaasseee

[The Swinging Monkey]

Lionel Old Chap,

Have you submitted yourself for drug testing yet????

This must be a spoof, either that or I'm a Chimp!

Kind regards
The Swinging Monkey!!!!!!

[WASALOADIE]

Force developement training already happening at a secret RAF base in Shropshire. Gets all the execs and course members hugging each other. Usually results in retiring to the bar.

[JessTheDog]

We are obviously not happy so we are to be *made* happy whether we like it or not! I have heard similar rumblings and have noted committments in the forward diary and some section name changes that bear this one out.

This country is turning into Airstrip One, with the attendant thought crimes! Or East Germany! Unfortunately, as a uniformed service, we are going to be in the front line of all the bullsh!t the government comes up with. I am so glad I will not be around in uniform to see this happen....hopefully!

This will only cause friction at unit level between those being forced down this route and their bosses. Watch for increased sickies (the sick parade has gone out of the window at most units because of a shortage of med-staff and one-day self-certifications are routine), increased PVR rates, a reluctance to take on secondary duties, more courts-martial (if they are allowed) and general signs of indiscipline and discontent on a RAF-wide basis.

...next think our kids will be asked to join the "Blair Youth" and if they don\'t, it\'ll reflect badly on our OJARs and we\'ll need to undergo "re-education" and public "self criticism"!

[soddim]

I have not heard anything less likely to improve the fighting ability of the RAF since a certain stn cdr of Wattisham put on free beer and, whilst it was being enjoyed, proceeded to tell a junior officer who needed a haircut to get one - well, to be fair, he first told one of his sen offs to tell him but he refused.

[polyglory]

Now it really is becoming an Air Farce:(

[Trumpet_trousers]

Lionel Lion is right.......

Let's have more badges/certificates etc. across the board. We could even have more medals awarded too, then we might start to catch up with/look more like our American cousins, and hence bring us even more into line with the Dubya/Bliar 'special relationship.'

Why stop there? Let's go back to the good 'ol days of painting kerbstones around the camp....we could even start to paint the sidewalls of the aircraft tyres, and pick out the writing on them with tyre pens, ooh...dunno...let's say white or even nice silver or gold colours?

Oh, and let's ask workshops to produce a nice sign for the new OIC of this scheme........OC Cake and A*se, anyone??:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[JessTheDog]

I recall where I heard of this type of event actually happening....a certain large stn near the western end of the M40, where big aircraft fly out of, and which has a Gateway.

Any gen, anyone???

What about the Red Arrows as a team-building icon? Go on, merge this with the other thread!!!!:E

[QuidProQuo]

But this whole concept is being driven by aircrew - ie. the men at the top. From what I have seen you can do Force Development one of 2 ways:

a. Adopt the tree hugging, let's pretend we are doing lots of good things type approach

or

b. Accept that as a military force we train in peace for war and that fundemental to warfighting is leadership. Ensure that the skills you are teaching people are relevant to doing the job and Force Development seems OK.

What Force Development should be about is honing our military and leadership skills. Some of this can be achieved through exercises and TACEVAL, some through team building exercises (ranging from IOT type rope stuff to a walk in the country to an exped) and some through individual development. In all, alot of it seems to go back to the basics of leadership - task, team and individual. Not rocket science.

The problem seems to be that Force Development does not appear to have been briefed well and the only bits that have been seen are tree hugging bits. But if you have done SLT or about to do CT, that's Force Development, as is going to the Early Learning Centre on station to do a self study computer course.

But I draw the line at under water basket weaving!

[Toddington Ted]

Yes its true. Force Development Sqns will be popping up at your RAF Stn over the next few weeks or months, if one doesn't exist already, as they are required to be in place by 1 Oct 04. Whilst I can see arguments for and against their introduction, much of what they do will formalise activities already ongoing and they form part of the ongoing plan to try and make the RAF less "cold war" and more "expedition war". FD Sqns offering customer care for blunties is a new one I must admit I hadn't heard about!:8

[JessTheDog]

This *could* have been a good thing and *might* even turn out OK. High-powered executives pay to run around playing paintball and things like that - we have armories with blank firing attachments and rifles that can be used to much greater effect. We have well-trained PEd staff that could take us out hillwalking, abseiling, orienteering or kayaking or whatever. Normally, it is getting the time to do these things that is the problem. So, this sort of thing should (in theory) be embraced!

However, I have a looming sense of dread that the fcuk-around factor will inexorably rise to the surface like a large steaming....well, you get the idea, particularly after the post mentioning more drill! We may have to endure the pine pole and lashing type b@llocks exercises like in officer training! I suffered greatly on these types of leadership exercises because I just could not get excited about making a tripod and being seen to "lead". Best part of IOT was graduating and thinking "no more drill or pine poles, real world here I come" - how misguided I was!

Maybe the airships are wallowing in nostalgia and thinking "aahhh, Cranwell taught me to lead, lets have some more of that..." Nooooo!!!!!:{

[whowhenwhy]

Don't know about anywhere else, but down our way they've just take the old Trg & Dev Sqn and called it FDS instead.

Jess, as far as your P Ed Staff are concerned, can you get a day off to go hill walking, abseiling or any of the other things you suggest? If so think yourself lucky and keep your head down or the thought police will get you!

[whowhenwhy]

Sorry Jess, just re-read your last post and missed the all important word "could" silly me and damn that alcohol clouding my brain!:ok:

[BEagle]

Well, overstretch is now official! "MoD slammed on troop overstretch" was reported this morning - so these wonderful morale-improving gestures will just rub yet more salt into the wound....
See http://www.epolitix.com/EN/News/200407/76278d97-04f4-4f73-b4da-2ee39bd56cf2.htm for more information.

But no doubt Teflon Tone and BuffHoon will smarm their way out of this one.....yet again!

Bruce George's blunt, clearly spoken manner is a welcome change in the sea of spin and half truth more normally typical of this government.

[Whipping Boy's SATCO]

Do those of us who wear a suit in London get a chance to play? If not, I demand a refund.

[Ali Barber]

It will probably give a big tick in the box for Investors in People certification!

[JessTheDog]

I've done a bit of digging and this appears to be some good stuff mixed in with a complete load of cobblers! High ropes and expeds, tick VG! Dodgy briefs on leadership "styles" and RAF history, with a bit of drill and cabbage days, load of horse$#!t!

There is a Cranwell-hosted website on leadership with a quote that states effectively "there are innumerable leadership styles" and a brief that then tries to nail down a RAF approach. I thought my pine pole days were over!

An interesting comparison would be between leaders.... Dowding didn't "play the game" and went against the tide....he was right and proven so by history, but still got stuffed. Monty was an excellent leader but backstabber par excellence, and ended up an inadequate CIGS. Bomber Harris masterminded the strategic bombing of Germany with 50,000 lost in Bomber Command....no "Lord Harris" as there was always something unsavoury about bombing civilians, despite the sacrifices. Col Collins stole the limelight in Telic with an inspiring speech....and was stabbed in the back! Message from history....play the game and you will get ahead! Rock the boat, or become untrendy and you'd better watch your back!

[BEagle]

"Rock the boat, or become untrendy and you'd better watch your back!"

Even if history proves that you were correct to have done so!



































Allegedly....

[whowhenwhy]

Sorry, I thought it was already a well established fact that if you want to get on then generally speaking you say yes and try hard not to disagree and say unacceptable things. Well unacceptable to the boss, by which of course I mean CinC Home Command!

[BEagle]

Yes, turds-on-the-tongue has always been the hallmark of a true crawler!

[Pontius Navigator]

In the NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, in one of the squadrons, catering or some such, they had an air person of the month photo. Lots of ideas were, of course, pure American.

There were about 12 or more framed air person of the month photos. Every single one was of the same, non-ugly, USAF non-male, officer.

Who says continentals don't have a sense of humour and can't take the piss?

At Waddo in the mid-60s the photo section provided a blown up photo each month for a special display in the bombing office. Here the lucky recipient had his photograph carefully framed in a highly polished oval mahogany frame. To see who had won, you had to lift the lid.

Bum of the Month was eventually won outright by . . . {the name escapes me}

[Anita Bush]

I think that some (not a lot) of what their Airships are trying to achieve with this scheme is good. I.e. develop leadership skills in those that have had no formal training (ala IOT AAITC etc) However, it comes as no surprise that there is no extra funding for this scheme and it seems that it is making ‘jobs for the boys’ to justify their existence.

It reminds me of the NHS a few years ago. Good corporate speak, lots of courses available to improve your customer care skills. More managers to justify their ‘in house’ training schemes. But due to the cost; less services, nurses, cleaners etc.

Did that result in a better service for patients and staff? Did the staff feel more fulfilled? Or did they end up working longer, harder and getting more pi$$ed off?
Sound familiar?
Answers on the back of a P45

By the way – part of this scheme will be the inclusion of the fitness and the swimming test.
Does anybody know of anyone who has failed the swimming test having passed it in previous years? Do people genuinely forget how to swim from one year to the next?!!!
:confused: :confused:

[JessTheDog]

This will give my overmanned Flt something to do in their idle hours and me something to write up when I've nothing better to do, which is most of the time.....:* I'm joking!!!

Incidentally, the 6-week OOA trg package mentioned on this thread (or another) is in place at one unit, for those going to the hot place at the hot time. Good idea but, the instruction says something along the lines of "this should, where possible, be carried out in working hours". Hmm, wonder what will happen when there is not enough time in the working day...will we ditch some tasks to make time for this?? I think not....particularly, as the ex programme ranges from 1hrs weekly to 8hrs weekly progressivley. Also, the trg employs some sort of electronic monitor to ensure "exercise compliance". Next we'll be doung physical jerks in front of the television screen a la 1984!!

[Lionel Lion]

Jessthedog

Next we'll be doing physical jerks in front of the television screen

:D

[tokentotty]

I can confirm that Force Development Sqns are indeed a farce. Definitely a jobs for the boys initiative. Basically it seems that here the TDF, PEd and Regiment Flts are doing exactly what they always did but there's an extra Sqn Ldr post now. Nothing new happening. Oh well, maybe we won't all have to hug too many crew room cheese plants after all.

[allan907]

Jess - Did I train you at Cranditz???? (83 - 85)

[JessTheDog]

Jess - Did I train you at Cranditz???? (83 - 85)

I did not have that honour! You must be thinking of another mutt.

[TheWelshOne]

Now which base is it where the OIC Childcare Centre has taken on the role as OC FDS as well - quite appropriate really!


or was it other way round ??

[DuckDodgers]

What a joke indeed. Having just returned from a 16 Air Assault Bgde Ex, i have been told i have to attend this new arrivals package, a weeks worth, with FDS!! Regiment and AdminO job creation scheme! 2 years, 9 months and 1 day to go!

[buoy15]

This is interesting
Will the stn which achieves FDS status receive an accreditation certificate to put on the wall alongside the others?

Investors In People (IIP)
Equal Opportunities (EO)
Diversity Management (DIM)
Selected To Undertake Personell Individual Development (STUPID)
Accredited Resource Systems Evaluator (A*SE)
Supporter Of Devolved Developement In Training (SODDIT)
Nominated Training Utilities Co-ordinator (Anagram)

So it goes on!!

Military jet noise - the sound of freedom