Reported Pause in RAF White Recruiting To Meet Diversity Targets
. That said, on the last 4 squadrons on which I served, all of the engineers were civilian contractors. There was an OCEng on the station, but he had no real involvement in the engineering of our aircraft - he was more of a contract manager.
I rather think the onset of this problem was the policy of “open” promotion to the higher ranks for all branches. That’s how you end up with a dentist deciding recruitment policy. I am afraid that it is only the aircrew who have experienced the delivery of air power that understand all the factors and people that contribute. Sir Mike said at the time that it wasn’t right that he should be Chief based on aptitude tests taken 30 years previously. No sir, you are Chief because you have 30 years experience of delivering air power at all levels. When did the flying branch loose the confidence to say “ Sorry, but we understand it all better than you”.
Last edited by Timelord; 18th Aug 2022 at 15:10.
Baldeep you do have a spectacularly and hilarious user name as has been mentioned also a nice list of 1970s soubriquets for various job titles. Quite obviously I think you should now be re-enlisted into the RAF and redefine the recruitment policy. This should include aptitude for flying, which I thought was the primary task of the Air Force and similarly aptitude for the various other supportive roles within the force. Ability to fit in the role is primary and non negotiable, Diversity targets are beyond bonkers and plays into adversaries (eg Putin) and their possibly understandable view of the West, particularly the U.K. and USA as on a one way trip to a decadent hell in a handcart. Keep up the political incorrectness, very amusing.
Slightly off on a tangent but resonating with the woke agenda that is indicative of the craziness that is affecting us all. Scotland, that cooler (meteorologically speaking) version of North Korea has just appointed in Dundee a I kid you not, male Period Dignity Officer. On 35k / year courtesy of our long suffering tax payers, the appointee will harangue the populace on dealing with menstruation and associated issues. Not just women of course but men as well. Is there some kind of race on to create the most bizarre, nonsensical and utterly stupid beyond belief woke inspired Alice in Wonderland society or in my old fogeyism am I missing something? Ok tangential to the thread but coming from the same strata of stupidity as diversity targets.
I do wonder who is advising these VSOs on public communications. While it is slightly hilarious watching Baggers dancing on the head of a pin trying to defend this hogwash, the fact that it is going on via twitter is just bonkers and making all concerned look ridiculous. I lose track of who is big mates with whom from way back, but this circling of the wagons around an absurd position is not putting any of them in a good light. After all the denials and spin from the PR types, one can only assume that AVM Byford has had to make her statement today because there is some document, or email, that would have eventually come to light and painted a different picture from the spin.
The practice of using 'unqualified' people to fill roles is one of the cornerstones of RAF structure - really.. How many contracts have been complete disasters because a 'really good pilot who needs broadening' found themselves involved in contract writing? I know so many pilots who were promoted into staff tours that they themselves admitted they were not remotely qualified to carry out successfully...that has always been the RAF way. Promotion has always been more important than competence at your job, hence the fact that the chiselers who get on the staff courses and use clever words have always been promoted above those who were just bloody good at their jobs.
I get that it looks ridiculous for a dentist to be running recruiting, but is it any more so than a pilot running the RAF...National Express is not run by a bus driver. The cause of this intense incompetence is the mistaken belief that anyone can do anything well. Not so. The RAF should silo the branches so people can rise as high as they can but always within their area of expertise, be it 'aircrew', 'medical', engineering' etc. There should be no postings of people outside of their group. Want to run recruitment but you are a dentist? Tough - you are not qualified. Want to run engineering and you are a pilot?...see you later. This will mean fewer Senior Officers of course, so all that wasted money can be spend on kinetic delivery rather that frenetic frivolity.
The RAF Current Inventory shows 479 aircraft as of today. The RAF has 105 Air Commodores in active service as of today (NOT including those in acting rank). That is 1 Air Commodore for every 4.56 aircraft. What a complete and utter joke the RAF has become - it is now a self-serving group of people, sucking up public funds to fuel it's own self-absorbed desire for more promotion and self-congratulation. I could not find the -number of active Group Captains but I am willing to bet there are probably 1 for every 2 aircraft - perhaps even 1 for 1. How the fc*k was that allowed to happen???
Who then leads the RAF if branches are silo'd into their own specialities? Simple - no one person. The heads of each silo form a team and they lead as a collective, with decisions being made together, but 'owned' by the person with the speciality in that particular area.
I work for a world leading Aerospace company and this is how we operate, and it works brilliantly.
I get that it looks ridiculous for a dentist to be running recruiting, but is it any more so than a pilot running the RAF...National Express is not run by a bus driver. The cause of this intense incompetence is the mistaken belief that anyone can do anything well. Not so. The RAF should silo the branches so people can rise as high as they can but always within their area of expertise, be it 'aircrew', 'medical', engineering' etc. There should be no postings of people outside of their group. Want to run recruitment but you are a dentist? Tough - you are not qualified. Want to run engineering and you are a pilot?...see you later. This will mean fewer Senior Officers of course, so all that wasted money can be spend on kinetic delivery rather that frenetic frivolity.
The RAF Current Inventory shows 479 aircraft as of today. The RAF has 105 Air Commodores in active service as of today (NOT including those in acting rank). That is 1 Air Commodore for every 4.56 aircraft. What a complete and utter joke the RAF has become - it is now a self-serving group of people, sucking up public funds to fuel it's own self-absorbed desire for more promotion and self-congratulation. I could not find the -number of active Group Captains but I am willing to bet there are probably 1 for every 2 aircraft - perhaps even 1 for 1. How the fc*k was that allowed to happen???
Who then leads the RAF if branches are silo'd into their own specialities? Simple - no one person. The heads of each silo form a team and they lead as a collective, with decisions being made together, but 'owned' by the person with the speciality in that particular area.
I work for a world leading Aerospace company and this is how we operate, and it works brilliantly.
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Slightly off on a tangent but resonating with the woke agenda that is indicative of the craziness that is affecting us all. Scotland, that cooler (meteorologically speaking) version of North Korea has just appointed in Dundee a I kid you not, male Period Dignity Officer. On 35k / year courtesy of our long suffering tax payers, the appointee will harangue the populace on dealing with menstruation and associated issues. Not just women of course but men as well. Is there some kind of race on to create the most bizarre, nonsensical and utterly stupid beyond belief woke inspired Alice in Wonderland society or in my old fogeyism am I missing something? Ok tangential to the thread but coming from the same strata of stupidity as diversity targets.
Thread Starter
Former Tornado Flight Commander and Valley QFI Tim Davies was invited to appear on BBC tonight but then cancelled when they found a woman instead!
See 9:15 for leaked e-mail from Gp Capt Recruiting & Selection dated 11 Jul 22.
See also edict at 13:32 from way back in 2020: AFCOs are to remove booked Pilot, RPAS, WSO and Int candidates from CBAT (aptitude suite) events within the above dates, unless BAME and Female.
See 9:15 for leaked e-mail from Gp Capt Recruiting & Selection dated 11 Jul 22.
See also edict at 13:32 from way back in 2020: AFCOs are to remove booked Pilot, RPAS, WSO and Int candidates from CBAT (aptitude suite) events within the above dates, unless BAME and Female.
Last edited by RAFEngO74to09; 18th Aug 2022 at 21:01.
Sad to say but in a lot of countries many folks today look at the military as just another “Civil Service” career road to a pension.
“What: Go to War?!, Risk my Life?! That wasn’t in the brochure!”
“What: Go to War?!, Risk my Life?! That wasn’t in the brochure!”
Thread Starter
Exactly. I suspect it was supposed to say "BAME or Female" not "BAME and Female" - but nevertheless, if there were limited slots available in any of those branches, the guys who had their booked aptitude testing slots cancelled could have ended up losing out because the BAMEs / females were already given them - regardless whether the white males would have been better on aptitude testing / merit (for instance they may even have already got a PPL at their own expense).
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'hence the fact that the chiselers who get on the staff courses and use clever words have always been promoted above those who were just bloody good at their jobs'
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
The omission is that most of those who were 'just bloody good at their jobs' decided to get out leaving the over-promoted to create the utter shambles that is today's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. I have hope and faith that the British Army will hold fast against the institutional marxism that now infests every corner of the nation.
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
The omission is that most of those who were 'just bloody good at their jobs' decided to get out leaving the over-promoted to create the utter shambles that is today's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. I have hope and faith that the British Army will hold fast against the institutional marxism that now infests every corner of the nation.
I've been told that a review of recruitment is being led by a civil contractor that can't grasp the fact that the armed services are different to the commercial world.
I believe that this doesn't sit too comfortably across all the services.
I believe that this doesn't sit too comfortably across all the services.