Senior officer cull

[tommo9999]

Actually, I am very surprised that you of all people would not welcome the opportunity to manage SNCOs careers more effectively. I am also surprised that someone of your background and experience would not be able to influence how Zeus operates.

But it is NOT allowing careers to be managed - it is still a bums on seats game. When the "Career Management" system for SNCOs is changed, because between 4 & 8% of SNCOs were unhappy with it, then guess what - yes there will be lots of unhappy people!! I stand by my comments, it is a load of cr@p and not fit for purpose.

 

[Climebear]

Not too many years ago the fabled "Rank Pyramid" began rapidly turning into the "Rank Taper" or "Rank Cleopatras Needle" so this alleged Cull is long overdue. The only problem I have is that it is too ****in little, too fookin late and not fookin soon enough. If they have accepted that there are too many of them then get them gone with the same amount of notice everyone else gets 6 or 12 months.

Just for fun (and it's pretty quiet in the office), I've been doing some playing with the DASA Statistics for the RAF Trained Strength. Unfortunately, I could only get them to give stats using the NATO OR/OF codes so some ranks are combined and I think that the numbers are rounded to the nearest 10; but, it was intersting looking at the ratios between ranks.

OR1-3 (LAC-L/Cpl) to OR4 (Cpl) is a ratio of 1.6-1
OR4 (Cpl) to OR6 (Sgt) is a ratio of 1.3-1
OR6(Sgt) to OR7 (Chf Tech and FS) is a ratio of 2.0-1
OR7 (Chf Tech and FS) to OR9 (WO) is a ratio of 2.8-1

OF1-2 (Plt Off - Flt Lt) to OF3 (Sqn Ldr) is a ratio of 1.7-1.
OF3 (Sqn Ldr) to OF4 (Wg Cdr) is a ratio of 2.1-1
OF4 (Wg Cdr) to OF5 (Gp Capt) is a ratio of 3.7-1
OF5 (Gp Capt) to OF6(Air Cdre) is a ratio of 3.6-1
OF6 (Air Cdre) to OF7(AVM) is a ratio of 4.5-1
OF7 (AVM) to OF8 (Air Mshl) is a ratio of 2.0-1

DASA only recorded OF9 as a whole defence figure; however, IIRC (and that's a big if) there are 3 Air Chf Mshls currently serving which would give a Air Mshl to Air Chf Mshl ratio of 3.3-1.

Of course, this falls into the 'lies, damn lies, and statistics' category; but I thought that it would be worth a look - if only to feed this thread's debate.

 

[True Blue Jack]

But it is NOT allowing careers to be managed - it is still a bums on seats game. When the "Career Management" system for SNCOs is changed, because between 4 & 8% of SNCOs were unhappy with it, then guess what - yes there will be lots of unhappy people!! I stand by my comments, it is a load of cr@p and not fit for purpose.

So we agree. The old system was rubbish. Zeus was an attempt to improve matters but it is failing. So what do we do about it? Who should own the problem of managing SNCOs careers?

 

[tommo9999]

So we agree. The old system was rubbish. Zeus was an attempt to improve matters but it is failing. So what do we do about it? Who should own the problem of managing SNCOs careers?

I'm not so sure the old system was "rubbish" - there were certainly some unhappy people, but that will always be the case when we have Units located where people do not want to live. Were that many people genuinely unhappy with the old system? I'm not convinced, and to make such significant change based on the results of a survey is frankly bonkers. Am I surprised? No.

 

[Humble Scribe]

So we agree. The old system was rubbish. Zeus was an attempt to improve matters but it is failing. So what do we do about it? Who should own the problem of managing SNCOs careers?

Interesting question and one that will be close to my heart quite soon (although still way Off Topic). I'm sure that SNCO's would love the opportunity to manage their own careers but that is impractical. So get the Trade Sponsors more involved with putting the right person in the right job and dare I say it, let each trade career manage themselves rather than non specialists. It can only go one of two waysDT_Xtremez_42:

 

[vim_fuego]

I am genuinely suprised and shocked...

I was never at any point in my career as a SNCO aware that my career was being managed in any way, shape or form!

I thought I was there to fill/hide the gaps up to and incuding the rank of S/L and to ensure that any SO3 I worked with didn't have to make a single decision that may affect their next journey up the greasy pole...

 

[metimmee]

So we agree. The old system was rubbish. Zeus was an attempt to improve matters but it is failing. So what do we do about it? Who should own the problem of managing SNCOs careers?

How is Zeus failing? When it started I did wonder if the RAF had the will, or the resources to keep the churn going to make it work.

 

[duffman]

For those not in admin, I take zeus is managed in the same way and is very similar to apollo?

 

[CC]

For those not in admin, I take zeus is managed in the same way and is very similar to apollo?

Not exactly. Zeus dictates that SNCOs should move every 3-5 yrs and to specific jobs so, in theory, proper Career management.

 

[Tin basher]

I am genuinely suprised and shocked...I was never at any point in my career as a SNCO aware that my career was being managed in any way, shape or form!...

Off TopicThat's two of us then Vim, moved to satisfy the needs of the adminers or the needs of the service certainly, but a managed move for my personal career betterment not ever to my knowledge.Off Topic

 

[Harry B'Stard]

Off TopicThat's two of us then Vim, moved to satisfy the needs of the adminers or the needs of the service certainly, but a managed move for my personal career betterment not ever to my knowledge.Off Topic

Well, you know where I stand on this particular comment TB! DT_Xtremez_30:

HTB

 

[Noidea]

To get back on topic, surprised that no one has commented on climebears observations.