JNCOs are asked for a draft and that's the last they see of the report.
Been there done it. I've drafted appraisals which have borne no resemblance to the finished product, and then have not been advised on where my efforts were lacking.
Appraisals are, by their very nature, subjective and that will never change. There is no 'perfect' system for promotion - we all know people who (we think) have risen above their level of competence and we know good guys who have been overlooked time and again. By and large though, the system works. If it didn't then we could not achieve our core business day-in, day-out as we do.
Re-introducing promotion exams may go some way to sorting the wheat from the chaff but there are plenty of good tradesmen who fall to pieces in exams. The relief on some people's faces when they were told recently the CCS tick-test no longer exists was incredible to see. The same with interviews; some people are able to give a convincing interview, others are not.
Perhaps a combination of all 3 methods may be the way ahead but with an ever tighter defence budget would you rather spend the money on implementing a system that will still be less than perfect or do you want the aircraft spares we are so desperately short of?
One of the many advantages SJARs have over Fs6000 is that subordinate and personal development are much more relevant to our primary duty than joining a committee just to fill the secondary duties box. The responsibility we NCOs have for the airmen placed under our charge will now be properly recognised and, taken seriously, should reap benefits on the shop floor within a couple or 3 years.
DT_Xtremez_09: