Falklands 6 month stints....

[The Logineer]

On the plus side though, given the time i have left in I would have done two four monthers, but most likely it will be one six monther.
Thats two months less i need to do there.
Winner.

 

[E E E E E E E E AR]

IBN 23/14 - Introduction of a Standard Deployed Tour Length of 6 Months for Individual Augmentees

Now been published and is up on Airspace. Has all the awful details.

What did that survey say about service morale again?!

 

[4everAD]

It's another "It's good enough for the Army so it's good enough for the RAF" Bearing in mind the only places we're likely to be going to go to are the FI or the Middle East it could be worse, however the thought of 6 months down south is enough to make me shiver in lots of ways.

As an aside I know it was no secret, but why are these major IBNs always released on a Friday afternoon? Call me an old cynic but bury the bad news etc...

 

[ScoobTech]

More like all out of areas are now under JFC, and they have now decided to align all services on the same tour length (this is if I was a betting man).

 

[norfolkred1]

Falklands could have been made an 18 months accompanied tour like Saxa and Benbec. What a place to be brought up as a young child. Did my 2 tours on a Mountain site and the solitude was an a pain but hey if you can't take a joke, you know the rest

 

[muttywhitedog]

Wasn't this one of those "Its all bollox" and "It'll never happen" mantra spouted by manning?

The reality is that 6 months OOA + PET + POL + ILA means that a section will now be without someone for around 10 months out of the 12 months in which they are deployed - but will, no doubt, still have to write an SJAR on them!

What's the betting that R&R will only be available for those doing 7 month tours soon....

 

[4everAD]

Wasn't this one of those "Its all bollox" and "It'll never happen" mantra spouted by manning?

The reality is that 6 months OOA + PET + POL + ILA means that a section will now be without someone for around 10 months out of the 12 months in which they are deployed - but will, no doubt, still have to write an SJAR on them!

What's the betting that R&R will only be available for those doing 7 month tours soon....

I raised the sjar point with a 2* (amp or the like) who visited here recently, was told that in those circumstances you would just defer the sjar until you hit the point where you'd seen them for 6 months. Could it mean people missing the prom board though if the dates fall badly?

 

[Climebear]

Wasn't this one of those "Its all bollox" and "It'll never happen" mantra spouted by manning?

The reality is that 6 months OOA + PET + POL + ILA means that a section will now be without someone for around 10 months out of the 12 months in which they are deployed - but will, no doubt, still have to write an SJAR on them!

What's the betting that R&R will only be available for those doing 7 month tours soon....

No it's been known about since 2012; when the RAF were told to do it. It was published in the Autumn 2013 edition of the RAF Personnel Bulletin the IBN merely adds more detail of when some (but not all) of the current 4-month tours will change to 6-months (ie for those posted into appointments on or after 1 Jan 2015).

6 month tours are not new. Currently about 30% of posts on deployed ops and FI are for 6 months or more. My section on my last tour had 2 RAF Sgt posts and one RAF WO post all on 6 month tours.

 

[Climebear]

More like all out of areas are now under JFC, and they have now decided to align all services on the same tour length (this is if I was a betting man).

I'd take that bet.

Read the IBN. The change was directed by MOD. JFC have kept a significant number of posts in FI as 4-month tours.

 

[X POL Smellie]

Falklands 6 Month Stints

Falklands 6 Month Stints

I doubt if the atmosphere will be the same as it was back in 83 on the SAS (Soup And Sandwiches) Det. It used to turn into 6 Months then with the Cruise Down from ASI, but we did get the R&R during the tour by hook or by crook.

 

[muttywhitedog]

Could it mean people missing the prom board though if the dates fall badly?

Very much so.

Cpl X goes OOA on 17 Feb for 6 months, returning 17 Aug. His next SJAR is due 1 Sep. It couldn't be done before he left as it was less than 6 months since his previous one, and he's done 6 weeks of PET, meaning he hasn't been seen at work since December, and with his POL & ILA, Cpl X doesn't actually return to work until 1 Nov. His previous RO, Sgt Y, is leaving the service at the end of Dec, and Sgt Y's replacement doesn't arrive until 28 days before the discharge date (1 Dec). Cpl X's 2RO has also changed in the 10 months that he has been away from the section.

Sgt Y's replacement & the new 2RO can only write the report 6 months from the date of posting - 1 June. Cpl X's board sits in April.

This will start to happen more and more - there is a simple way round it and that is to scrap OOA NSARs and make them do a full SJAR instead.

 

[Climebear]

Quite a few people have already been doing 6-month tours for a good few years now. So this is hardly a new issue.

 

[Downsizer]

It's still an erosion of the the TCOS the vast majority of us signed up with....

 

[RAF Bird]

Quite a few people have already been doing 6-month tours for a good few years now. So this is hardly a new issue.

Hardly a new issue doesn't make it a lesser pill to swallow. I sat in the Mess at my unit recently when the CASWO asked the room for a show of hands who would like IA 6 month tours and not one person said yes. He asked how many would rather 4 but more often and everyone put their hands up. But then we are all but a number so I suppose what the majority think doesnt matter.

 

[Climebear]

Hardly a new issue doesn't make it a lesser pill to swallow. I sat in the Mess at my unit recently when the CASWO asked the room for a show of hands who would like IA 6 month tours and not one person said yes. He asked how many would rather 4 but more often and everyone put their hands up. But then we are all but a number so I suppose what the majority think doesnt matter.

The issue I was referring to was the one that Mutty raised about SJARs not the whole concept.

As for democracy, it's great; but, it did result in the Government that has told the Service to implement this.

 

[E E E E E E E E AR]

He asked how many would rather 4 but more often and everyone put their hands up.

I think we'll be looking at 6 monthers, but just as often as 4. Twisted socks and the like still won't go on tour, leaving the burden on the rest ... as has always been the case.

The RAF don't work in the same way as the Army / Navy when it comes to (most) deployments, so this "If it's good enough for them ..." is for the birds.

 

[I look like Bruce Willis]

AP1 people. We're here to defend democracy not practice it.

 

[Climebear]

AP1 people. We're here to defend democracy not practice it.

I'm glad that it wasn't you who wrote the IBN. Somehow, I'm guessing that you wouldn't have bothered about delaying the introduction until after HERRICK to minimise the impact as much as possible.

 

[Flybynight]

AP1 people. We're here to defend democracy not practice it.

Let's start with sticking you in Colchester for six months...

 

[I look like Bruce Willis]

I'm glad that it wasn't you who wrote the IBN. Somehow, I'm guessing that you wouldn't have bothered about delaying the introduction until after HERRICK to minimise the impact as much as possible.

With an attitude like that I sincerely hope you are not a commissioned offiser.