Changes to R&R Policy

[KnowitallsknowNothing]

It has just been announced and released on the defence intranet (although I think we all knew it would happen at some point) that the R&R policy has been changed with personnel serving less than 4 months not being entitled to R&R.

The new change will see most of the RAF deployments move from 4 months and 1 day down to 119 days OOA. This new policy change will affect personnel deploying on or after 01 Jan 11 and wont impinge on personnel who are due to go prior to this date according to the announcement.

 

[fed_up_scribbly]

It was only a matter of time before this came in anyway. On a personal level this is no great loss - it took me 3 days to get back from KAF for my R&R during my last trip and 2 days to return due to aircraft serviceability issues leaving me next to no time at home. For all the heartache it caused me and my young lady I wish I'd never bloody bothered to be honest.

 

[muttywhitedog]

The new change will see most of the RAF deployments move from 4 months and 1 day down to 119 days OOA.

What happens if (when!) someone doesnt get to go home on day 120 due to an aircraft unserviceability and therefore does 4 months and 1 day? Will they be credited an extra 7 days R&R leave on top of their POL?

Personally, I would have brought the OOA deployment down to 110 days to avoid the above happening.

 

[tommo9999]

Mutty, they will just produce some policy blah that states the individual "has an expectation" of completing 199 days. Then if they do a bit extra they'll just say tough. I'm guessing.

 

[True Blue Jack]

Once upon a time, we used to deploy people for 4 month tours. The policy came out stating that only tours in excess of 4 months would attract R&R so PMA - as it was then - put "4 months and one day" on the tasking signals. We all got R&R even though more people than not went home a couple of days before the 4 month point. Tommo knows all this because he was drafting at the time.

So, if I understand it correctly, all that has happened is that nominated tour lengths have been revised downwards by 2 days to bring reality in line with the originally intended spirit of the regulations.

The easy way to resolve this is to standardise operational tour lengths at 6 months. Everyone gets R&R, the pre-deployment training burden is reduced because there will only be 2 rotations per year instead of 3, we get longer at home between deployments, etc., etc.

 

[chiprafp]

Tbh I always hated the extra heartache that R&R caused, hard enough saying bye to the family once never mind twice.

 

[Realist78]

Tbh I always hated the extra heartache that R&R caused, hard enough saying bye to the family once never mind twice.

Personally, I was glad to get home and be a sex slave for 5 days!

 

[I`m Ron Burgundy?]

Tbh I always hated the extra heartache that R&R caused, hard enough saying bye to the family once never mind twice.

No-one is forced to take RnR, if you find it too hard to say goodbye twice then don't! The only thing that really annoys me about this is that it's yet something else that has been removed (some people look forward to their RnR) and it's somehow for our benefit - claiming that it's to avoid putting strain on families in terms of disruptions mid-tour is yet more spin; it's to save money maintaining the airbridge.

 

[muttywhitedog]

The easy way to resolve this is to standardise operational tour lengths at 6 months. Everyone gets R&R, the pre-deployment training burden is reduced because there will only be 2 rotations per year instead of 3, we get longer at home between deployments, etc., etc.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all the Army & Navy 6 month NFU deployments are filled by soldiers/sailors that are between postings (or at least every one I have come across has fitted into that category). The same also applies for many of the RAF Officers who deploy for 6 months (my Sqn Cdr has just gone for 6 months but is being replaced next week) safe in the knowledge that there is no pile up of work for their ever-decreasing number of remaining staff to keep on top of.

So, if we are to go to 6 month dets and maintain the same home-base cover like the army and navy, we'd need an extra person to cover every OOA slot that currently results in a gapped post in the Uk.

It aint going to happen.

 

[Realist78]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all the Army & Navy 6 month NFU deployments are filled by soldiers/sailors that are between postings (or at least every one I have come across has fitted into that category). The same also applies for many of the RAF Officers who deploy for 6 months (my Sqn Cdr has just gone for 6 months but is being replaced next week) safe in the knowledge that there is no pile up of work for their ever-decreasing number of remaining staff to keep on top of.

So, if we are to go to 6 month dets and maintain the same home-base cover like the army and navy, we'd need an extra person to cover every OOA slot that currently results in a gapped post in the Uk.

It aint going to happen.

If it was, it would have happened yonks ago.

 

[Dazzy26]

Excuse me in advance if I am wrong, but I deploy soon on what started out as a 4 month OOA, but has turned in to a 6 month one. When I questioned this I was informed that the majority of NFU are being changed to 6 months.
The question of R&R was also raised at the pre-deployment briefs and it was clearly stated by senior officers that it was being done away with for 4 month OOA's. The reason, both because of lack of AT and that fact that it was causing more hassle for individuals who due to delays were only getting back for 2/3 days, whether this is a get out excuse used by higher aurthority who knows?

 

[True Blue Jack]

MWD, you're smarter than this. A 4-month tour plus pre-deployment training, pre-deployment leave (if you're that lucky) and POL means you will be away from your permanent unit for 6-7 months. Make it a 6-month tour and you will be away from your permanent unit for 8-10 months because the PDT remains the same but you get 6 or 7 days additional POL.

Even a 4 month tour mid-assignment has a massive impact on the permanent unit but unless you want all airmen to have fixed tour lengths there is no simple way to change this. However, over time, longer operational tour lengths means a slower rotation and greater stability at the home unit. I'm sure your staff wouldn't complain at seeing their deployment preparation workload reduced by one-third, either.

 

[Joe_90]

I actually look forward to my RnR and tend to need it after working 6 or 7 day weeks for a couple of months. In Basra apart from my RnR I had 3 days off and even volunteered to be armed guard with the fuel convoy for a day off just sitting in the big mobile bomb, sorry tanker, hoping no-one attacked us. If we hadn't had RnR our Warrant at the time would still have had us in every day and I would have come home even more burnt out than I was. Commanders on the ground are really going to have to watch their guys now to make sure they aren't putting them under too much strain, remember 2 weeks after they get back they are expected to go back to work and carry on producing.
As for guys just cutting tours short instead of taking RnR I've never heard of it being allowed, maybe 15 years ago but certainly not in the last 10 when I've been going on desert tours that attract it.

I would also prefer to see 2 month tours and go away twice as often as in my experience these are the least disruptive for my family, but that'll never happen.

 

[wally375]

This is going to affect the council tax rebate that can be claimed isn't it? Oh well, at least the proper dets have the operational allowance!

 

[Joe_90]

What are the proper dets then wally? Are they all the ones that you get sent on by your "career manager" without any choice or just a select few in certain parts of an OP?DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[I`m Ron Burgundy?]

This is going to affect the council tax rebate that can be claimed isn't it? Oh well, at least the proper dets have the operational allowance!

That's another thing - the Op Bonus was only brought in to compensate for the tax paid by service personnel while serving out of the country after it became apparent that other nations refund their forces' tax in the same situation - but cleverly the government stated this was only for operations...why? you pay the same amount of tax wherever you go OOA. Answer = money, again. More for them, less for you. I've even heard people angrily stating that people doing time in the Falklands don't deserve it!

 

[wally375]

What are the proper dets then wally? Are they all the ones that you get sent on by your "career manager" without any choice or just a select few in certain parts of an OP?DT_Xtremez_42:

It was just a question. By proper I'm looking at some of the hostile hot places we can be sent rather than the holiday dets. If there is going to be a change to policy it normally affects pay and allowances.

 

[SgtScribbly]

They could have changed all our OOAs to 6 monthers so I dont mind the sound of this change. I would much rather an (almost) 4 monther with no RandR to a 6 monther with.

 

[muttywhitedog]

Even a 4 month tour mid-assignment has a massive impact on the permanent unit but unless you want all airmen to have fixed tour lengths there is no simple way to change this. However, over time, longer operational tour lengths means a slower rotation and greater stability at the home unit. I'm sure your staff wouldn't complain at seeing their deployment preparation workload reduced by one-third, either.

I'm firmly in the "4 month is enough" side thanks. I see no value in turning them into 6 months (9 with leave/PDT & POL), as we are stretched enough as it is at my place. The turnround times wouldnt be so bad if more did their share. I estimate that the TRT in my rank would almost treble if everyone who conveniently manages to appear on a promotion board also took their turn at an OOA.

6 month dets would only really work for us if airmen had fixed tour lengths like the army, navy and RAF Officers have. Clearly that will not happen - just think what uproar there would be at your place for example if some of the TG17 based there had to leave Lincolnshire after a 6 month OOA because someone else had come in to replace them!!!!

 

[wally375]

I'm firmly in the "4 month is enough" side thanks. I see no value in turning them into 6 months (9 with leave/PDT & POL), as we are stretched enough as it is at my place.

6 month dets would only really work for us if airmen had fixed tour lengths like the army, navy and RAF Officers have. Clearly that will not happen - just think what uproar there would be at your place for example if some of the TG17 based there had to leave Lincolnshire after a 6 month OOA because someone else had come in to replace them!!!!

Fair enoughDT_Xtremez_26: