'Commitment Bonus' of £15,000 for the military

[No Vote Joe]

Maybe it has, but lets face it, £1800 doesn't even pay for a half decent holiday for Mr+Mrs+2 kids in Benidorm these days.

Half baked and nowhere near enough in my opinion. More soundbites for the press.

[SRENNAPS]

I'm pleased to say my 100% record remains intact. Over the last 30 years I have missed every financial bonus retention incentive that has been offered.

Same here.

However, I would suggest that you, like me, did not need one.

I stayed in for 29 years because I enjoyed it. Job satisfaction was everything and family quality of life was superb.

Financial bonus retention incentives are a short sighted answer to a problem that exists now. For many years more money was on offer for jobs in civvy street and that will always be the case. However, most stayed in because they enjoyed the life associated with the RAF. If you have to beg somebody to stay in by paying them a retention bonus then something has sadly gone very wrong.

I do not know what the answer is in this modern materialistic world we live in (I do have a few old fashioned ideas), but simply offering more money is not the solution. You cannot buy loyalty, commitment, dedication and love.

[samuraimatt]

I stayed in for 29 years because I enjoyed it. Job satisfaction was everything and family quality of life was superb.

Financial bonus retention incentives are a short sighted answer to a problem that exists now. For many years more money was on offer for jobs in civvy street and that will always be the case. However, most stayed in because they enjoyed the life associated with the RAF. If you have to beg somebody to stay in by paying them a retention bonus then something has sadly gone very wrong.

It is good to actually see someone telling the truth for once. As for your last sentence, whilst I agree that things are not right, many civillian firms pay incentives to keep employees on their books so isn't this just the same thng? Would you turn the money down?

[Irish Tempest]

Why do I bother...

Can someone please explain, why the did I work hard at school, graft my way through 3rd level education and then pass out from Orificer Skule, work through a plethora of service training, courses operational tours... and now over 10 yrs downwind - I am getting seen off another PR chasing incentive ???

It seems that if you do the FTC tick in the box that is you screwed by any future offers of this crass type of retention measure. Whichever pin striped dork in MOD MB advised the PM that this would sort out his problems needs a serious w/e away, with one night being spent in a S/R/SNCO Mess and another evening in a Wardroom/Officers Mess... wheelchair anyone?

Seriously p#ssed....

[abbotyobs]

Commitment Bonus announcement soonish for Officer types, anyone?

[RigPig]

formertonkaplum wrote;
"And surley they have forgotten the other Cadre of people they are struggling to retain, Experienced JNCO / SNCO's!

It is these who are getting fed up with lies, reductions and less resources and jumping ship. What retention incentive are they getting? "

It is called the pension trap. You can have some money when you leave. If you leave to soon you dont get it.

[Rigga]

I see that the poor officer classes clearly do not approve of this idea of Gordon buying more time from "OR's". I would say to look to your own payslips before you criticise any Junior Rank's commitment.
The disapproval you feel is exactly what OR's felt when the officer class was "bought" by previous governments using FRI's and none were offered to them.
However, the use of LEAN and continuous manning, support and cost cuts during these times have ensured the day when there would be a shortage of OR's for officers to command.

Awaiting the incoming ......

[Melchett01]

I think 'theprior' has summed it up far more eloquently than I did in my initial question about who is looking after those in the middle if the middle are looking after the bottom and the top are looking after themselves.

I see that the poor officer classes clearly do not approve of this idea of Gordon buying more time from "OR's". I would say to look to your own payslips before you criticise any Junior Rank's commitment.

I thought we already 'bought more time' from the ORs in the form of the 4 and 7 yr signing on payments? The point that you are missing here Rigga is that this is being pushed as a commitment bonus. As 'theprior' suggested, by giving 'commitment' bonuses to certain groups, it creates disquiet and more than a little annoyance amongst those who don't get them - the implication being that they are not commited and don't deserve a 'commitment' bonus. Which is clearly not the case - at any level or trade in the RAF.

[True Blue Jack]

Originally Posted by Melchett01

I thought we already 'bought more time' from the ORs in the form of the 4 and 7 yr signing on payments? The point that you are missing here Rigga is that this is being pushed as a commitment bonus. As 'theprior' suggested, by giving 'commitment' bonuses to certain groups, it creates disquiet and more than a little annoyance amongst those who don't get them - the implication being that they are not commited and don't deserve a 'commitment' bonus. Which is clearly not the case - at any level or trade in the RAF.

I agree completely and this happened when we in the lower echelons saw the aircrew getting FRI payments of a magnitude which would have had a significant impact on the quality of our lives.

I got my RI bonuses (£3K and £2.5K) at the 4.5 and 7.5 year points and I was happy to receive them. However, I would still be in the RAF today if I hadn't because at those stages in my career I considered myself to be in for the long haul. This new bonus is once again targeted at the wrong section of our population.

[Sospan]

"This new bonus is once again targeted at the wrong section of our population."

Have they announced the details then ?

[True Blue Jack]

Originally Posted by Sospan

Have they announced the details then ?

The same as everybody else, I know what's been published in the news and on the MoD website, vis:

Originally Posted by MoD

All those personnel below Officer level passing the four year service point will have access to the new Commitment Bonus scheme from next year. The longer they serve the higher the payment will be. The scheme is designed to reward past service and to encourage further retention in the critical four to eight year period, where we face the greatest retention challenge.

It seems fairly self-explanatory to me. If you are an officer or have completed more than 8 years' service the government doesn't see a need to give you a reason to stay.