Option, but you've waived your option. Didn't you know?
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I understood that the delay was to accommodate late promotions to Sqn Ldr so that the full 3 years could be served in order to secure the increased pension, but still leave you with an option. So if promoted at 36, with an original option at 38, PMA would on a case by case basis, extend your option point to 39/17. It was offered to me because of the combination of a) needing me to take up a Sqn Ldr post at that time but b) not needing me after that, being an ME GD(N)! There would be no reason for PMA to make that offer at 44 unless you were offered Wg Cdr aged about 43 I guess.
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L J R,
Terse yes, but I think that you may have missed the point. How the hell is one expected to manage ones own career when THEY keep changing the rules and regs, then don't tell anyone about those changes. Thus, unless one is a PMA desk officer or one is able to guess what the last, or next, change is, then one is screwed.
I see one of 2 simple solutions:
Get JPA
to do something useful, and automatically send an email to ones workflow, with the options laid out, like the letters of old.
Give us a written contract, one that we all have a copy of, and have to sign.
It is astonishing in these days of litigation that they get away with not having one, maybe it is because then they could not change the rules without one knowing.
Terse yes, but I think that you may have missed the point. How the hell is one expected to manage ones own career when THEY keep changing the rules and regs, then don't tell anyone about those changes. Thus, unless one is a PMA desk officer or one is able to guess what the last, or next, change is, then one is screwed.
I see one of 2 simple solutions:
Get JPA
to do something useful, and automatically send an email to ones workflow, with the options laid out, like the letters of old.Give us a written contract, one that we all have a copy of, and have to sign.
It is astonishing in these days of litigation that they get away with not having one, maybe it is because then they could not change the rules without one knowing.
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As I was told by my then deskie when I asked about the final straw that broke this camels back (why I had not been consulted, a la the Nov 03 Officers Career Management Policy, before being posted ) "there is no such thing as Officers' Career Management"! Wish I had that on tape. And yep they got promoted out of that slot.
Everyday something reminds me why it's time to go - and what I've noticed is that those things are normally PMA/JPA inspired.
Everyday something reminds me why it's time to go - and what I've noticed is that those things are normally PMA/JPA inspired.
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Free at last - I think!
After an interview with my boss, and much toing and froing between him and the deskie, I think that I have escaped with my ORD intact. However, I suspect that this is only the case because of the conversations that I had with the previous deskie about my decision to leave a little while ago. 
I still think that this policy is fraught with problems.
Assumption is the mother of all funk ups.
So, advice to all who have a 16/38 (ORD) point (mainly promotees) keep a very keen eye on the calendar, and make sure that the deskie knows that you wish to leave in plenty of time. Moreover, fax it or keep a copy, and send it recorded. Maybe one day JPA will allow this feature, but I would not hold me breath.
I still think that this policy is fraught with problems.
Assumption is the mother of all funk ups.So, advice to all who have a 16/38 (ORD) point (mainly promotees) keep a very keen eye on the calendar, and make sure that the deskie knows that you wish to leave in plenty of time. Moreover, fax it or keep a copy, and send it recorded. Maybe one day JPA will allow this feature, but I would not hold me breath.
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Having just left, and needing to enquire about my pension et al, I have spent fruitless hours trying to get information out of the JPAC only to be told ...
I popped back into work a couple of weeks ago and found that none of them knew what I was talking about. Seems that the JPA message is non-existant!
You haven't input your memorable information ...
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3.14
Snap, just had exactly the same responce from JPAC ! However, with new found civvie determination finally got them to 'fess up the info I wanted (with 5-10 days wait naturally).
Did you also know that JPAC are only meant to handle 1 question per call. If you have a follow up or pay related request its back to the end of the line for you....
C130JB
Snap, just had exactly the same responce from JPAC ! However, with new found civvie determination finally got them to 'fess up the info I wanted (with 5-10 days wait naturally).
Did you also know that JPAC are only meant to handle 1 question per call. If you have a follow up or pay related request its back to the end of the line for you....
C130JB
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Goodness me, and I thought I couldn't stand human resources in my firm.
For once, it sounds as though you lot are crying out for (slightly) incompetent HR who at least tell us the ground rules...
For once, it sounds as though you lot are crying out for (slightly) incompetent HR who at least tell us the ground rules...
The memorable info is there in JPA.
It is used to identify yourself if calling the JPAC, for password resets, or if they want to know who you are.
We were told to input our memorable info when we got the bit of paper with our user name and initial password on from station HR people, around a year or so ago.
It is used to identify yourself if calling the JPAC, for password resets, or if they want to know who you are.
We were told to input our memorable info when we got the bit of paper with our user name and initial password on from station HR people, around a year or so ago.
And the good news is PMA has ceased to be. It, like TGDA, is an ex-agency.
Apparently all manning is now done by a bloke called ACOS Manning Is this another "joint" title/ Do the army already have an ACOS Manning and therefore we have to have one too?
Apparently all manning is now done by a bloke called ACOS Manning
Is this another "joint" title/ Do the army already have an ACOS Manning and therefore we have to have one too?
Join Date: Oct 2002
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ZH875: The memorable info is there in JPA.
It is used to identify yourself if calling the JPAC, for password resets, or if they want to know who you are.
We were told to input our memorable info when we got the bit of paper with our user name and initial password on from station HR people, around a year or so ago.
It is used to identify yourself if calling the JPAC, for password resets, or if they want to know who you are.
We were told to input our memorable info when we got the bit of paper with our user name and initial password on from station HR people, around a year or so ago.
Perhaps your unit passed on the wise words ...
My post was not really to complain, only to warn others to have their memorable info on the system before they leave and can deal only with the JPAC.
The memorable info has a load of pitfalls when you get around to entering it.
When I tried to do it the only question it wanted an answer to was "Place of Birth" and the answer had to have at least 8 letters and no space. Great, if like me, you were born in Glasgow (7 letters). The other gotcha is that it will happily take a 7 letter answer without complaining at you but if you subsequently call JPAC you'll find that the memorable info doesn't appear on their screen because it isn't valid.
When I tried to do it the only question it wanted an answer to was "Place of Birth" and the answer had to have at least 8 letters and no space. Great, if like me, you were born in Glasgow (7 letters). The other gotcha is that it will happily take a 7 letter answer without complaining at you but if you subsequently call JPAC you'll find that the memorable info doesn't appear on their screen because it isn't valid.
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So if your memorable data is held on JPA(rse), how do you access it if you both live absolutely nowhere near any service establishment and are out ? Or have I missed that you could access it from the WWW ?
C130JB
C130JB
Just to get this straight, please correct any errors:
If you are promoted from Flt Lt to Sqn Ldr before age 35, then your 38 point becomes an option - so you have to give 12 months notice to exercise it? Promotees after 35 would have this option reset to give 3 years return as a Sqn Ldr.
If you are still a Flt Lt then you leave the service at your 38 point, as you would have to sign-on for further service. Offers of assimilation/PAS have to be accepted with 12 months to run to the 38 point. If you are offered further service (ie assimilation) surely it cannot be enforced without positive acceptance?
If you are promoted from Flt Lt to Sqn Ldr before age 35, then your 38 point becomes an option - so you have to give 12 months notice to exercise it? Promotees after 35 would have this option reset to give 3 years return as a Sqn Ldr.
If you are still a Flt Lt then you leave the service at your 38 point, as you would have to sign-on for further service. Offers of assimilation/PAS have to be accepted with 12 months to run to the 38 point. If you are offered further service (ie assimilation) surely it cannot be enforced without positive acceptance?
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BP,
Absolutely spot on.
All,
Not only are there significant problems with access to JPA from the outside world, Internet access is unlikely due to the arcane ITSy (JSP440) rules.
But even from here in MPN, where I have been trying to get on for 2 weeks or more, it is a real issue.
Great idea, hopeless implementation: now that sounds familiar.
Absolutely spot on.
All,
Not only are there significant problems with access to JPA from the outside world, Internet access is unlikely due to the arcane ITSy (JSP440) rules.
But even from here in MPN, where I have been trying to get on for 2 weeks or more, it is a real issue.
Great idea, hopeless implementation: now that sounds familiar.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
I understood that the delay was to accommodate late promotions to Sqn Ldr so that the full 3 years could be served in order to secure the increased pension, but still leave you with an option. So if promoted at 36, with an original option at 38, PMA would on a case by case basis, extend your option point to 39/17. It was offered to me because of the combination of a) needing me to take up a Sqn Ldr post at that time but b) not needing me after that, being an ME GD(N)! There would be no reason for PMA to make that offer at 44 unless you were offered Wg Cdr aged about 43 I guess.
I had a chat with my Desk Officer about the sort of jobs I was after if I was to stay in. None were currently available, so she agreed to delay mt option a year. I rang a year later to ask about the jobs - and the new Desk Officer didn't know what I was talking about... So I put in my option - and left on my 45 birthday...
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Not only are there significant problems with access to JPA from the outside world, Internet access is unlikely due to the arcane ITSy (JSP440) rules.
In the words of "Should or Stay or Should I Go?" by popular beat combo "The Clash", Mr J Strummer clearly states his dilemma:
"If I go, there will be trouble"
But he then continues to offer the projected results of the alternative COA available.
"And if I stay, it will be double"
If the selection of the correct COA is based on a the mathematically analysed on the basis of trouble caused by staying divided by trouble caused by going, the clear outcome is a 2 to 1 ratio in favour of staying.
However, Mr J Strummer was clearly not dealing with an assimilation offer by RAF PMA, where empircial evidence shows that the results of the dilemma are clearly skewed in favour of selecting the "going" option.
"If I go, there will be trouble"
But he then continues to offer the projected results of the alternative COA available.
"And if I stay, it will be double"
If the selection of the correct COA is based on a the mathematically analysed on the basis of trouble caused by staying divided by trouble caused by going, the clear outcome is a 2 to 1 ratio in favour of staying.
However, Mr J Strummer was clearly not dealing with an assimilation offer by RAF PMA, where empircial evidence shows that the results of the dilemma are clearly skewed in favour of selecting the "going" option.
Champagne anyone...?
Mr J Strummer also said
Career Opportunities, Clash, 1977
A true genius indeed........
I hate the army an' I hate the RAF
I don't wanna go fighting in the tropical heat
I don't wanna go fighting in the tropical heat
A true genius indeed........
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StopStart,
That does not sound quite right to me. Surely you have to accept Assimilation / PAS, not just have an offer to by tied in for life.
Then again, with the underhanded way that PMA are operating these days, who can tell?
... if offered PA you have to stay. Forever. That's what I was told.....
Then again, with the underhanded way that PMA are operating these days, who can tell?