Review of Continuance

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

There was a Manning Announcement a couple of months ago, all a bit NuLabour non-commital business speak, something like:-

'In order to meet the exciting challenges ahead...blah blah blah...adjust the skills balance...blah blah...some personnel may be released under the terms of their contracts...a ministerial announcement is expected shortly'

(ie. 6 months notice)

This filtered down to us with the addition that individual cases may be argued at Station level.

Some of us, confident of being irreplaceable had the question:- 'Will the individual cases be argued at Station level after the six months notice letter, or will the notice letter be put on hold' (This was never answered)

It sounds like today, quite a few guys on the logistics side, got their letters. And some more, who had been accepted, got it cancelled. (And presumably they are no longer accepting applications)

Any more gossip out there?

I for one, have tentatively opened several brown envelopes to discover that my Polio is out of date, and my hearing test.

[Diablo Rouge]

I heard very recently; but pre contempary Govt, that the ranks of Air Commodore & Wg Cdr were being targeted for severe cutbacks that would subsequently effect future Grp Capt & Sqn Ldr promotions. I suspect that 'New Govt' will not change the perception of 'lean requirements' at these levels. The stats will tell all soon enough. The fiqure of 22 Air Commodore 'retirements' was mentioned though one person in the same audience had just heard of the establishment of a 'new' Air Commodore post, so perhaps there is a degree of smoke and mirrors involved in the reshuffle of stars.

Manning Announcements are out of date before they hit the streets these days.

[Lima Juliet]

"Group Captain G J Bruce MBE to be promoted Acting Air Commodore and to be Assistant Chief of Staff Media & Communications, Headquarters Air Command, on 1 April 2010. This is a new 1-star appointment."

This is from the Senior Appts announced on the 31 Mar 10!!!

I've heard of trimming down the side of the whole promotion pyramid. Hence less than 30 on this year's Sqn Ldr to Wg Cdr Board and less than 70 on the Flt Lt to Sqn Ldr Board - for the Flying Branch its normally 60ish and 120ish respectively! I also hear that we have too many of the wrong branch in the wrong jobs - I believe, if my rumour source is correct, if you're a "warfighter" then you should be safe.

By the way I believe that Air Cdres are easy to shift as they can be given a "blue letter" to go at any time and just get a pension. Wg Cdrs are a different matter as they get redundancy and pension - which for a 45yr old AFPS75 member is about £150k tax free and a pension of £24k per year (a lot of wonga). Plus that takes into account the new redundancy rules thrust upon us recently - it is interesting that the Civil Service just had their revised redundancy rules under "NuLabour" overturned in Court as "unlawful".

See here BBC News - Union wins civil service redundancy pay challenge (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8672150.stm)

Interesting to see if we'll follow suit.

LJ

[Herc-u-lease]

i was unaware of the "you're being let go" approach, but something of note for any future redundancy is the change of the redundancy rules - i commented here a while ago. The DIN dated in 2008 now requires commissioned types to have 16+ years for immediate pension plus retirement package (old AFPS 75 rules was 12 years reckonable).

assuming we're to lose 20-25% of people, that's a broad sweep across many ranks and branches (even if we do target some 1* and SO1 posts).

P45 anyone?

[Sloppy Link]

Leon,
My understanding is up to OF5 you are promoted and then OF6 to OF9 (we no longer have OF10) are appointed. Ergo, no appointment to go to, no job, no redundancy.

[Blighter Pilot]

More brown enevelopes hitting the streets today - including a few aircrew posts!

[Diablo Rouge]

no appointment to go to, no job, no redundancy.

I would imagine that is would only be valid on a disestablished post. ie Sacking to make way for another person = illegal. The lawyers will be having an open season.

That said if TOS does mean that Air Cdres are easily removed and Wg Cdrs not, could account for why I have heard that 9 of 22 proposed Air Cdres already have the news but no Wg Cdrs as yet.

[charliegolf]

Humour me: what's continuance, in the service context? Ta.

CG

[Easy Street]

The point about "enforced retirement" of Air Ranks is true and applies across all 3 services. I know of an Army colonel who recently turned down his promotion to brigadier, as he feared serving a short tour as a 1* and then being unceremoniously booted out. Obviously a career-stopping move, but financially sensible - it would be a brave man who gambled that he was worthy of retention at those levels! Staying on the CEA gravy train is probably a strong motivation for officers of that age as well.

[VinRouge]

Wouldnt he have retired on nigh on Colonels pay anyway if he took his 1* job and then was made redundant?

[KonfusedofKinloss]

CG

At our age matey, it means serving past age 55!!

[Wander00]

If it's to do with age, does it have any connection with "incontinuance"?

Already got my coat on

[Diablo Rouge]

I think its great. ....cause by the time I get to 55 the pendulum will have swung again and they will be desperate for experienced folk to stay. Cost em though :}

[Climebear]

CG

The term continuance is generally given to short extensions of Service for (mainly for airmen) beyond normal conditions of service ie: a cpl beyond 22 years or a sgt or chf tech beyond 30 years.

The catch with them is that part of the terms and conditions of service for the continuance is that the Service can give 6-months notice (as can the recipient). It would appear from posts on e-goat that the RAF has decided to exercise this right fairly widely.

[Grabbers]

I sincerely hope the RAF chooses to exercise this option with a couple of oxygen thieves I have the misfortune to share a working environment with. Useless ba****ds to a man.





*star

[Grabbers]

Well, there can be common sense decisions to come from HQ AIR. One waste of rations gone, one to go! Bye bye.:ok: