What would keep you in?
 

There are many many things wrong with the system, and most have been covered to death on this site, but what would it take to keep you in?

There are those of us who have already left, there are those that have PVR'd, there are those who are too close to our pension point to throw it all away for the sake of another couple of years.

I'm sure that throwing money at the problem, in the guise of better pay and retention incentives would retain a few, but not many.

Is the only solution to let all the disillusioned leave and to replace them all with wide eyed excited new recruits?

There are a few things that would keep me in for a few more years, but what about you?

Well, for starters how about a housing allowance like the US Forces get? They can even use it to pay their mortgages. Then tax free pay when serving our country overseas and ops. Why the hell should we pay tax when serving / fighting for the rights of ever bleeder back home so that they can live their free lives?

How about leadership from the Airships not just firefighting and management? I think Gen Dannat is a very good example, fighting for the rights of his soldiers and warning HMG that we are at breaking point..

How about a procurement system that focused less on UK / EU jobs and gave the front line equipment that is fit for purpose/timely/ and required?

And, when I go on course because the MoD have mandated me to do so, I shouldn't be charged for food etc...They should give us an allowance as with nearly all private sector companies.

And as for taking away the Married Un-accompanied Food charge..yeh, cheers another kick in the b@lls from a government that really does not give a hoot...
:ugh:

How about getting the lump sum at the 38 point even if you decide to stay on or at option points after that. It would go some way towards the mortgage etc. A decent hike in pay after the 38 point to counter the fact that you could be drawing your pension and sitting doing nowt.

Outside of the personal I'd also like to see some honour in the leadership (the big boys). Have some of them stand up to be counted and defend our corner etc etc

Both, I agree, will never happen.

How about spreading the love and giving ground crew some financial bonuses for staying in as well for a change?

It wont be long before there will be no-one left to fix your jolly flying machines.........

This is a great idea. I was chatting with a USN exchange officer yesterday and she told me that they get roughly £750 per month as a housing allowance to spend as they wish, either to rent or pay a mortgage. The money for rent can be paid either to the US armed forces equivalent of DHE or go to(ward) private rental. She said this has had the added benefit of making the US Defence Housing Agency raise its game.

Such an initiative in the UK would cost around £180 mil to operate (12 *750 * 200000). I doubt this is even 0.5% of the defence budget.

I think such a move would have a massive positive effect on morale.

what would keep me in......
 

Nothing.........we are too far into vortex ring and the ground is looming. The only advice I am heeding is that of my Lord and Master..........'if you dont like the journey or the destination (wherever that is) get off my train'.:eek:

They can replace me with some young pup who just wants a job not a vocation before they get disinchanted, and I will go off with Mrs SLC and join my chums adding to my pension without being undervalued and chronically mis-led by my Govt.:ok:

At the risk of covering old ground (Fitness Test twice a year et al), how about a reduction in the amount of nonsense we're all expected to do?

If my job simply involved turning up and flying, with the occasional foray overseas, I'd gladly do it for half the pay (though tax-free while OOA would be a welcome and richly-earned perk for those who spend a large part of their lives deployed). What pi$$es me off is all the nuisance involved with military life - for instance, I've just booked my PME, and it turns out that instead of one appointment (for a routine medical, this is), I need two, on separate days, one for prelims and one to see the doc. The Med Centre claims this is better as each appointment only takes a short chunk out of each day...?! Then there's the Fitness Test(s), re-signing MT Orders, re-signing Security Orders, re-signing SHEF Orders, Stn Cdr's training days, ISS, pressure to do Secondary Duties, etc etc etc backed up by the threat of a b*ll*cking if any of these currencies lapse etc - don't people have enough on their plates already?

And then there are all the rumours about doing away with MQs, the new food charges for cses etc, which make people feel that their livelihoods are being done away with...

And then there's the impression one gets that all those on high are either impotent or incompetent - I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read the thread back in mid-March about a new command, called Air Command, which was apparently due to start on 1 April...someone working at High Wycombe then posted to say that he hadn't heard anything...then sure enough, with less than two weeks to go, the powers that be decided to announce their plan which was indeed due for implementation virtually overnight. Why was this major organisational change made at ridiculously short notice? If the top brass can't even arrange their own business, what hope is there that they'll look after us?

I could go on, but the bottom line (to me) is that money is not really the answer - if the RAF was properly organised and took a sincere interest in the welfare of its people, and those people then felt valued and well-treated, then those people would be much less likely to leave.

I'd agree with Saddam's Love Child. But what on earth ever happened to 'If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined up?'. ;)

Joke
 

Al,

There jokes and theres Jokes- I joined, it has been great but now someone is royally taking the proverbial and it is us and the world that are going to suffer in the long run for it..........I am now un-joining.

Al,

I took a joke for many, many years but when it became a whole pantomime, coincidentally with the end of my engagement, I opted not even to try and stay in for longer.

Been much happier since.

Doc C

What SLC says, only I have just completed un-joining.

MR AdLib for a whole 5 days now and boy does it feel good.

Q. What would keep you in?
 

A. A straitjacket!

Jack

PS Al - I'll respond to your old saw:'If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined up?' with another one: "This is no longer the outfit I joined to serve".

Absolutely nothing now, I'm sorry to say. I've made the decision and nothing will stop me going. Even the decision is liberating, knowing the absolute frustration is over soon. I truly feel sorry for those who will be trapped in the organisational wreckage, due in the near future.

I agree with posts here that there are many things which could be done to improve our lives- and that they won't happen.

So for me, the answer would be cash - pay me £100k per year post 38, AND give me the gratuity I'd get if I left, and then I'll stay.

So I guess I'll be leaving then.

PA Spine and the New Pension scheme :ok:

My PVR was confirmed today. Frankly, a £100k bonus wouldn't keep me in at this point. I feel totally let down by the organisation that I've wanted to be a part of since I was a boy. If it lived up to its promise - excitement, interesting travel, decent future prospects, variety of postings - I'd stay. With Their Airships out for themselves at the expense of the people they're supposed to look after, I'll take Loader's charming advice and get out.

I think dallas knows how I'm feeling. Absolutely bloody overjoyed to be on my way out, gutted that my sole ambition has completely wasted me, and sorry for those I'm leaving behind.

The Devil to ice skate up to me with a holdal full of fifties and the promise that the heirachy will be visiting him at home when the time comes, for the reason of "PURE F*****G INCOMPETANCE".

Sod this for a laugh; I'm off.

I think you'll find they are.........in droves.:ugh:

AIDU you are clearly one of the ones going going south. And I dont mean the Stan or Iraq. Either that or you've been in 2 minutes and are still keen.

Well, if you want to look out for the morale and welfare of your troops there's a good reason for them to go!

For me I have chosen to go before I reach my 30 yr point as I can see only Stick no Carrot.

I'm sorry to leave those behind but.....at some point I must look out for myself and my family.