Option, but you've waived your option. Didn't you know?
 

I've just had a very bemusing chat with that nice man from PMA. After exchanging pleasantries, and asking about my replacement, I enquired as to when he needed to know that I confirm that I wished to exercise my 16/38 option. I was somewhat bemused to hear that I 'had already waived my option' :eek: .
Apparently, it is one of the great new features of JPA. NOW, you have to carefully keep track of the exact date on which you have 365 days to go, not difficult for most of us who are counting every single one, perhaps. Then YOU have to tell them that you wish to exercise your option. How exactly one does this I am unsure, AS THEY HAVE NOT TOLD ANY ONE.:ugh:
I guess that PMA are now so desperate to keep people that they have to continually find creative ways of duping servicemen into serving longer.:{
Has anyone else had this experience? Any ideas on get out clauses, I guess PVR springs to mind? Although having to take a pay cut because they have changed the rules and not told anyone is a bit galling.

I didn't know there was a 16/38 "option"....thought that was it unless offered further service :confused:

Service beyond 16/38 used to be offered about 2 1/2 years before the exit date. Then, if you decided to remain you merely continued and did not have to say a dickie bird. If, OTOH, you decided to go all you had to do was wander into PSF at the appropriate juncture - about 10 weeks - and claim resettlement and terminal. It was the one occasion where you could keep PMA in the dark.

After a number of nail biters they changed the rules and you had to accept or reject the offer. If you did not respond then they assumed you had opted to waive your option and accept the offer.

Don't forget there was the old PC when having got it at 21 or so it was normally your decision as to taking the 38/16 option.
But, there again, I suppose they spent a bit more on training some folks in those days.

What I was expecting was one of those nice letters from PMA, (you know, the ones they always send you before they actually offer you something that you want), explaining that a certain decision point was looming large and that it was now time to select from the following options:
a. Waive this option and stay until the next option point at 22/44.
b. Take the 16/38 option and leave on ??? date.
However, they now seem to assume that unless you instinctively know the current regulations that they have you by the short and curlies. Unlucky!

As a graduate on a PC, I had the option of leaving after 12 years. Promotion meant I gave up the 12 year option. PMA then wrote and said I had to give them 12 months notice if I wished to leave at the 38/16 point.

Although it's no comfort to you MadAxeMan, I put the PMA letter in a safe place.
About 3 years later I referenced it when I told PMA 'I'll be off in 12 months'.

Option Point notification
 

I received a letter at about two years to go, telling me I had to make the decision by 1 year to go, or forgo my option point. There was a tear off slip at the bottom which I returned to PMA acknowledging receipt. At the time, I was quite happy to stay, so thought little of it. When, by one year to go, things had turned very sour, I was dismayed with the thought that I had rejected my option. Only a chance conversation with PMA confirmed that all I had sent back was a confirmation of receipt slip, and not an option response, which I then submitted with much relief.
Did you receive a letter at the 2 year to go point and acknowledge receipt?

Nope! The last letter I got was the one accepting 3 yrs return of service for promotion. To which I replied in the affirmative. It does state:
"... You are, therefore, required to state no later than ?? ??? ?? whether or not you wish to exercise your option..."
If it had said something to the effect of "decide to go by ?? ??? ??, or else you're staying sucker" then I would just dry my eyes a fess up. But as ALL of my mates in similar situations (including myself for previous decisions points, OCU etc) had received a Option A, Option B letter, I expected one this time, but it never arrived. Now it would appear that I am buggered, and I don't want anyone else to get bitten in the arse by the PMA Mafia.

I was forwarded a note on JPA moving the goalposts for the 16/38 point a few months ago. It told me that I had to give notice that I intended to leave NLT 365 days before my IPP. I've started resettlement; does that mean I've given notice? What happens if you don't turn up to work the day after you're 38th birthday? Come to think of it, what happens if you do turn up to work on the day after your 38th birthday? As a Flt Lt would you be on the Career spine still, or PA?

As with all things, they don't exactly publicise these policy changes. Like when they decided you need a receipt for everything, including items for less than a fiver. Some keen knob amends it,keeps schtum then hangs you out to dry at the subsequent audit! Incidentally, you know when you go for a wee in the States and there's a chap in there with a selection of smellies and a paper towel on hand...does he give receipts for his dollar tip? (Man's gotta pee....)

My email deferring my decision is safe...though I really ought to print it out, just in case the Fujitsu monkey has a bad day!

Don't think so. You can do all 35 days worth of resettlement, then decide to stay, and get another 35 days worth next time around. Moreover, rejecting the RFI2 does not count either. (And I have done both of those.)
It would seem that one has to actually send an unsolicited letter (or Gen App I guess) to PMA, BEFORE the 365 days-to-go point. Although watching them prove that you did not send one would make for an interesting day in court. If they send an 'Options' letter (which they can prove that you received) and you choose to not reply, that is one thing, but I'm not sure that their "say nothing and you stay in" policy is legal, especially when they have not told you that that is the case, so I may have fight on my hands.
BTW, a mate of mine has recently been 'chased' by his deskie for a 22/44 option, so it looks like the policy is not being universally administered. :=
Imagine my surprise!:rolleyes:

Deliverance: Correct. For Flt Lts your 16/38 points is your IPP (immediate pension point) until either: you get promoted, or you accept assimilation (which normally includes transfer to PAS).

The point here is that they (PMA) seem to assume that when they did the frontal lobotomy and gave you the Scraper that you would not contemplate leaving at 38, and just press on in the vein hope of getting the Wg Cdr big bucks. Thus, they no longer bother to ASK if you want to stay or go, they just assume that you're staying.

In the current climate, that is one hell of an assumption.

Reference AP3393 Chapter 1 Paras 0110 and 0116.

RAF J letter 15/06.

ALL officers with optional exit points or retirment dates are required to give 12 months notice; PMA will regard ALL options not exercise at the 12 month point as forfeit.

Because of JPA, 14 month reminder letters will not be sent.

This change is effective immediately and retrospectively to 20 Mar 06.

Officers are personally responsible for timing their own options,

And, it would appear, for managing their own careers, their own pay and allowances, keeping copies of all of their own paperwork, and receipts etc etc.

For Flt Lts - your 16/38 point is NOT your retirment date unless you ensure your letter arrives at PMA before your 37th birthday. Mine will be delivered by registered mail in the next few weeks.

:ugh:

D IFF, without sounding really terse, I would have thought that ANYONE in ANY profession should MANAGE his/her OWN career. The idea that PMA manage your plans, whilst 'nice' are somewhat outdated, and yet again a figment of the '50s (ie Last Century).
If anyone does not fully understand his/her terms of reference, entitlement to pay / allowances, keeping copies of all correspondence and notes of conversations etc....... They too are 'stuck in the '50s.
I agree that perhaps you shouldn't really have to, but as many on this forum et al will attest, such practise is a must. The registered mail bit too, is a must!

Nitpicking AP3393, but how can you retrospectively stop sending letters out? Did they ask for them back?

L J R

You did sound really terse.

I thought the 'M' on PMA stood for 'Management'?

PMA can assume all they like about your intentions - 'PMA will regard ALL options not exercised at the 12 month point as forfeit' - if you weren't made clearly aware of such a policy by a letter addressed to you in person (and duly acknowledged) then it is wholly unreasonable for them to make such an assumption.

Whilst serving PVR-porridge at Binnsworth, I discovered that applications to extend (in those days) had to be made on a signed letter, countersigned by the individual's CO. A colleague had been told by a DeskO that such an extension had been approved; however, when the individual concerned had a change of mind and tried to leave, the DeskO announced that the only way was now by financially punitive PVR. So I told my colleague to demand to see the copy of the relevant letter - and that if none existed, then the DeskO had had no reason to make such an assumption.....

In fact no such letter had ever been written.

Is man management in the RAF really in such an utterly $hit state these days?

PMA Mantra:

" We're not happy until you're not happy"

So it would appear so Beags!:E

This was the change introduced about 25 years ago but more accurately than I could recall. Simply put, it means they would like to know one way or the other as opposed to a positive one way and silent assent the other.

I was never told by PMA that I could delay my 38/16 decision for a year or so, although I understand that many people do just this. Great, I thought; I'll just delay my 44 option, but apparently this can't be done - it only applies to 38/16; is this true??