Feeling valued in the RAF / Army / Navy
Two abiding memories of leaving the Army; de-kitting at a non-aviation location while in possession of all of my clothing records, (hence suddenly acquiring a large amount of buckshee flying kit), and visting Middle Wallop to hand over my MOD90. The instructor who'd seen me through both grading and Basic Fixed Wing said good bye, and the clerk who took my card said I could have dropped it in the post.
In my final tour I drafted (for drafted read 'wrote so it could be cut and pasted') 4 valedictory letters for guys who were leaving. As such they were very personal, service details, couple of anecdotes, career highs that sort of thing. When mine came I was a bit disappointed, very generic, it rather smacked of a PA opening the valedictory letters folder, printing off the required number of letters and giving them to the 2* with his elevenses, "just the 4 letters today, Sir, shouldn't take long etc". Perhaps I expected too much. Having said that the Sqn Cdr couldn't wait to see the back of me so he was probably "too busy" that day.
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Three abiding memories of leaving the RAF
Getting put on a VC10 VIP as my last act
managing to get it dragged out around the side of base on Sunday morning for a groundrun to re-establish the oils...... ( Only time you can do a run during the God Slot on Sunday was for operational reasons, Staishes orders, so as not to interupt Church ) cleared for brief low power run only... Having the thing up at 100% with the radio turned down so I could hardly here the frantic calls from Ops 
Lift to see OC Ops on Sunday and a promises of great poo.... telling him I am a Civilian Monday and smiling.... 
Handing in some of my uniform as on reserve.. fellow off the section handing his in at the same time, but having no civvies with him, they left him with a shirt, trousers and the shoes he was wearing, walking up the road to where we had parked and him getting accosted by some officer for not wearing a beret, state of his uniform etc, him turning round and telling him to p**s off or similar..
Signing my own clearance chit with 4 or 5 different coloured pens....
Ohh an redressing the AOC, but that's been mentioned already
Getting put on a VC10 VIP as my last act
managing to get it dragged out around the side of base on Sunday morning for a groundrun to re-establish the oils...... ( Only time you can do a run during the God Slot on Sunday was for operational reasons, Staishes orders, so as not to interupt Church ) cleared for brief low power run only... Having the thing up at 100% with the radio turned down so I could hardly here the frantic calls from Ops Lift to see OC Ops on Sunday and a promises of great poo.... telling him I am a Civilian Monday and smiling.... Handing in some of my uniform as on reserve.. fellow off the section handing his in at the same time, but having no civvies with him, they left him with a shirt, trousers and the shoes he was wearing, walking up the road to where we had parked and him getting accosted by some officer for not wearing a beret, state of his uniform etc, him turning round and telling him to p**s off or similar..
Signing my own clearance chit with 4 or 5 different coloured pens....
Ohh an redressing the AOC, but that's been mentioned already
My leaving present was a very nice gratuity, a very nice pension, some great memories and some even greater mates.
When I put my PVR in I was treated as an adult i.e I had thought it through as a professional and knew what I was doing.
Did not feel the need for a cuddle, a chat or anyone to try and talk me out of it.
As to being valued when I was in:
Subsidised housing
Regular paycheck
Generous contract (16 yrs minimum)
Disturbance allowance
Fee medical/dental treatment
Admin support
Paid holidays
Paid sick leave
Free duty travel
Pension
Gratuity
Top quality social life
Travel
Great Training
Great jobs (some sucked but hey ho)
When I put my PVR in I was treated as an adult i.e I had thought it through as a professional and knew what I was doing.
Did not feel the need for a cuddle, a chat or anyone to try and talk me out of it.
As to being valued when I was in:
Subsidised housing
Regular paycheck
Generous contract (16 yrs minimum)
Disturbance allowance
Fee medical/dental treatment
Admin support
Paid holidays
Paid sick leave
Free duty travel
Pension
Gratuity
Top quality social life
Travel
Great Training
Great jobs (some sucked but hey ho)
Join Date: Aug 2007
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There were times when I felt valued and times when I didn't.
For the first:
Based at Leuchars, married local lass in Cupar. Guard of honour (included Wildpig (guys of my age will remember him) and several others). emerged from Guard of Honour, Leuchars pipe and drum band struck up - we hadn't a clue they would be there. We both felt valued.
Local Lass from Cupar died 2 weeks later. Took me 2 weeks to arrange funeral and sort my self out.
Back to work - in tray included two envelopes; one small and brown, one a bit bigger and blue.
Big one contained a handwritten note from ACM Sir David Evans (then C-in-C Strike) "So sorry to hear .. etc. If I or my staff can help you in any way please do not hesitate to let me know". STC in those days was about twice the size of the RAF as it is to day and I was only a Flt Lt (engineer) and not a pilot. I felt valued.
Small brown one contained a MOD F4a (Small memo) and my cheque to NONPAS for the hire of the wedding swords. Memo from HQSTC, NONPAS clk (Corpopral) read "There's nothing I can say Sir, but I don't think we need the enclosed cheque" I felt valued.
I still have all three bits of paper and I don't see any difference in importance between the ACM and the Cpl.
For the second:
I received a "Blue Letter" from C-in-C HQSTC, some time later, congratulating me on my promotion. I hadn't been promoted, it was a cock-up. I didn't feel valued.
I was promoted later.
SOS
For the first:
Based at Leuchars, married local lass in Cupar. Guard of honour (included Wildpig (guys of my age will remember him) and several others). emerged from Guard of Honour, Leuchars pipe and drum band struck up - we hadn't a clue they would be there. We both felt valued.
Local Lass from Cupar died 2 weeks later. Took me 2 weeks to arrange funeral and sort my self out.
Back to work - in tray included two envelopes; one small and brown, one a bit bigger and blue.
Big one contained a handwritten note from ACM Sir David Evans (then C-in-C Strike) "So sorry to hear .. etc. If I or my staff can help you in any way please do not hesitate to let me know". STC in those days was about twice the size of the RAF as it is to day and I was only a Flt Lt (engineer) and not a pilot. I felt valued.
Small brown one contained a MOD F4a (Small memo) and my cheque to NONPAS for the hire of the wedding swords. Memo from HQSTC, NONPAS clk (Corpopral) read "There's nothing I can say Sir, but I don't think we need the enclosed cheque" I felt valued.
I still have all three bits of paper and I don't see any difference in importance between the ACM and the Cpl.
For the second:
I received a "Blue Letter" from C-in-C HQSTC, some time later, congratulating me on my promotion. I hadn't been promoted, it was a cock-up. I didn't feel valued.
I was promoted later.
SOS
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Valued?
I cannot believe that I am in the minority. When promoted for the first time (on my own merits and not time based), I received no less than 4 letters. One from PMA congratulating me and informing me that my promotion would be promulgated, in due course, in the London Gazette, one from the Chief Engineer, One from my Stn Cdr and the last from my PTL. The second occasion, PMA again, COS Spt, my 2*, my 1* and my OF5, all with congratulations. As far as my 2 campaign medals (HERRICK and TELIC) are concerned, I was given the choice of "walk away with it now" or a presentation parade by Harry Staish with my family present. Now't wrong with that! 
As an Air Defender it might surprise you that I should have had 5 gong presentation parades - I only had one (NATO FRY), the Afghan OSM, Iraqi GSM, UNPROFOR and QGJM all turned up in my Pigeon Hole with an ealstic band around them. Feel valued? - nope.
PVR'd recently. The one star did not drop to one knee and beg me to stay - nor would I have wanted him to. He did tell me that "I had made the right decision", though! One of the biggest reasons why I PVR'd was because I felt undervalued by the Service and Govt - not any particular person, just the subsequent "death by a thousand cuts" to pension, allowances, pay freezes, changes to CEA, JPA and not having the ability to help my own people (who also feel undervalued).
So I sorted myself out some employment on my own terms that I would enjoy, would fit with the family and I wouldn't give a stuff if I felt valued or not.
LJ
PVR'd recently. The one star did not drop to one knee and beg me to stay - nor would I have wanted him to. He did tell me that "I had made the right decision", though! One of the biggest reasons why I PVR'd was because I felt undervalued by the Service and Govt - not any particular person, just the subsequent "death by a thousand cuts" to pension, allowances, pay freezes, changes to CEA, JPA and not having the ability to help my own people (who also feel undervalued).
So I sorted myself out some employment on my own terms that I would enjoy, would fit with the family and I wouldn't give a stuff if I felt valued or not.
LJ
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Served 10 months in Salalah, during the war (1974). Awarded 1964 pattern GSM with Dhofar Clasp. It arrived in the post, of course, because it was a "campaign medal" - not a meritorious award - anyone who was there would have got it.
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Wyler
Totally agreed with all you say, 'when we were in'.
Generous contract (16 years min) can be struck off the list.
Canning the pre-wings studes was a shocking loyalty reversal. Even back in the '90s during the 'Hold Generation' when kids could take 5 or 6 years to get to a squadron, there was never a hint that young men and women who had spent years working towards a goal would be laid off.
Don't care if you're an LAC or a Plt Off, the ground has been laid for legal contracts to be set in place.
I've already advised Monty Junior to avoid BritMil. As they used to say in NI, 'You play ball with us, and we'll shove the bat up your arse.'.
Sad all round.
Totally agreed with all you say, 'when we were in'.
Generous contract (16 years min) can be struck off the list.
Canning the pre-wings studes was a shocking loyalty reversal. Even back in the '90s during the 'Hold Generation' when kids could take 5 or 6 years to get to a squadron, there was never a hint that young men and women who had spent years working towards a goal would be laid off.
Don't care if you're an LAC or a Plt Off, the ground has been laid for legal contracts to be set in place.
I've already advised Monty Junior to avoid BritMil. As they used to say in NI, 'You play ball with us, and we'll shove the bat up your arse.'.
Sad all round.
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Benefits
Wyler
Unless I have guessed wrong, you have omitted the fact that you spent a number of your years in eco-friendly working conditions, before underground housing became all the rage!
Unless I have guessed wrong, you have omitted the fact that you spent a number of your years in eco-friendly working conditions, before underground housing became all the rage!
Canook.
Absolutely nothing about my personal living conditions could ever be called eco friendly
Monty.
I agree and I see students being cast out within sight of the finish line every week. No re-selection, straight to civvy street. It is most definitely not fair. However, those who do make it across the line still, IMHO, get a pretty good deal.
Absolutely nothing about my personal living conditions could ever be called eco friendly
Monty.
I agree and I see students being cast out within sight of the finish line every week. No re-selection, straight to civvy street. It is most definitely not fair. However, those who do make it across the line still, IMHO, get a pretty good deal.
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When I were a lad...
I'm surprised no-one mentioned the sentiment common through my career, especially in comparison with the whole American VA style of thing:
"They kick your arse and give you bus-fare"
If somebody did already mention it and I missed it, I plead KOKOS.
Anyway, after living here in the colonies for over 12 years now, knowing many US vets, I am still struck by the fact that in the US, you may leave the Service, but the Service doesn't leave you.
But the pension keeps me in beer and fags.
*gallic shrug*
"They kick your arse and give you bus-fare"
If somebody did already mention it and I missed it, I plead KOKOS.
Anyway, after living here in the colonies for over 12 years now, knowing many US vets, I am still struck by the fact that in the US, you may leave the Service, but the Service doesn't leave you.
But the pension keeps me in beer and fags.
*gallic shrug*
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Having been in for a sprightly 21 yrs and spent the first 3.5 yrs in old RAFG, where a full on 30 minute speech was granted for folks leaving the unit (with no comfort breaks I might add!) at Dinner Nights, it saddens me that next week I am giving a piece on an Army colleague with 37 yrs service and having been told 2 days ago to sort it out, I cannot give him the sort of thing I would have wished for.
I absolutely agree with previous sentiments that it is 9 -5 and off you go. Oh and expect a bill if you dont have all of your kit sorted. If you have the misfortune of leaving when posted in somewhere like shabbywood (fortunately not!) you would be lucky to have a coffee bought for you in Ash Neighbourhood at 1000hrs after how ever many years you have served.
I believe it is incumbent on those from the dark ages (like me already!) who are still around to try and ensure that guys who have done the time get at least an effort from others to ensure they leave the show with some decorum. Or am I a dinosaur??
I absolutely agree with previous sentiments that it is 9 -5 and off you go. Oh and expect a bill if you dont have all of your kit sorted. If you have the misfortune of leaving when posted in somewhere like shabbywood (fortunately not!) you would be lucky to have a coffee bought for you in Ash Neighbourhood at 1000hrs after how ever many years you have served.
I believe it is incumbent on those from the dark ages (like me already!) who are still around to try and ensure that guys who have done the time get at least an effort from others to ensure they leave the show with some decorum. Or am I a dinosaur??
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Canning the pre-wings studes was a shocking loyalty reversal.
I would never recommend a military career to anybody now. Enticing the best of Britain's youth into the Service, then callously casting them aside is simply wrong. They should have been kept, and the waste taken from the top end. Indeed many, like me, would have been happy to go. It is a young man's game after all.
