We Know it is broken but how can we fix it

[Bitburger]

As we are all aware, the RAF is broken/bust/US.

My question to the goaters is how can we fix it? Some original ideas must be out out there apart from the usual re open RAFG, bin the Red Arrow ideas.

Over to you goaters; how would YOU fix it?

 

[The Masked Geek]

Return to centralised budgets. I've lost count of the times I've had to stay in a hotel at £150+ a night just because MT don't want to give me a hire car at £50 a day.

Reduce the bloated Officer core. Why do we need 1 officer for every 3 airmen; we all know that SNCOs have the required skills to run most things.

Make promotion a real competition rather than a lottery. Use the new training ideas to open up opportunities; you make the grade before you are considered, reducing the amount of dross in the SNCO cadre.

Reduce the amount of imbecils in the contracts area. Why should we pay 3 x the normal price for something just so an officer can get a nice job when he/she leaves.

Return to the old 3 pay band system. Pay people what they are worth rather than having cooks and techies earning the same.

Post people into the jobs they have the skills for rather than posting them where PMA feel like; becoming effective in post after a year and a half is a waste of time.

Reduce the amount of beaurocratic hoops we have to jump through before we can get things done. The quicker something happens, the cheaper it usually is.

Stop buying cheap sh!te that breaks every five minutes and invest in equipment that works for longer and costs less over it's lifetime; i.e. stop going for short term gains and start looking at long-term value.

You want any more?

 

[PVRisthefuture]

Return to centralised budgets. I've lost count of the times I've had to stay in a hotel at £150+ a night just because MT don't want to give me a hire car at £50 a day.

Reduce the bloated Officer core. Why do we need 1 officer for every 3 airmen; we all know that SNCOs have the required skills to run most things.

Make promotion a real competition rather than a lottery. Use the new training ideas to open up opportunities; you make the grade before you are considered, reducing the amount of dross in the SNCO cadre.

Reduce the amount of imbecils in the contracts area. Why should we pay 3 x the normal price for something just so an officer can get a nice job when he/she leaves.

Return to the old 3 pay band system. Pay people what they are worth rather than having cooks and techies earning the same.

Post people into the jobs they have the skills for rather than posting them where PMA feel like; becoming effective in post after a year and a half is a waste of time.

Reduce the amount of beaurocratic hoops we have to jump through before we can get things done. The quicker something happens, the cheaper it usually is.

Stop buying cheap sh!te that breaks every five minutes and invest in equipment that works for longer and costs less over it's lifetime; i.e. stop going for short term gains and start looking at long-term value.

You want any more?

I'll second that.

Seems as though we know what is needed, but management NEVER listen, until it is too late. Make officers accountable for the fcuk ups. Sack them, demote etc. It will save money, changes for changes sakes (unless they really want to stake their career on it). Gambling with our careers, at no risk to their own.

 

[Get Tae]

Once folk have completed their 22 years give them an incentive bonus (that doesn't come off your full time money) to stay in past the first 'get out' point.

Bin JPA allowances and go back to flat rate 'rates' for dets.

Stop charging people for food and accom on dets/courses.

I agree get rid of the hugely bloated officer corp. The work face i.e Sqns have the same number as they always have so there must be millions of them in staff jobs wrecking the RAF (well looks whats happened).

Offer Chf Techs signing on to 55, after all why should techies be at a disadvantage to other lesser trades.

DEFFO BIN PAY 2000!!! Another 'get an officer his big thick white line promotion' idea gone horribly wrong. Pay people on a par to what they would be roughly on in civvy street instead of giving glorified securicor engineering pay.


Deffo make officers in positions of power that come out with and implement those crap ideas be held responsible be it JPA, Pay 2000, contracting or whatever.

Stop getting the pi$$ taken out of the RAF by contractors such as BAe. If I want a house built and the quote is £X then anything over budget is their problem. How come any project (Nimrod MR4A as an example) can go over budget by £X millions and still the tax payer has to carry on paying these feckwits.

That will do for starters...............

 

[Sospan]

Once folk have completed their 22 years give them an incentive bonus (that doesn't come off your full time money) to stay in past the first 'get out' point.

Bin JPA allowances and go back to flat rate 'rates' for dets.

Stop charging people for food and accom on dets/courses.

I agree get rid of the hugely bloated officer corp. The work face i.e Sqns have the same number as they always have so there must be millions of them in staff jobs wrecking the RAF (well looks whats happened).

Offer Chf Techs signing on to 55, after all why should techies be at a disadvantage to other lesser trades.

DEFFO BIN PAY 2000!!! Another 'get an officer his big thick white line promotion' idea gone horribly wrong. Pay people on a par to what they would be roughly on in civvy street instead of giving glorified securicor engineering pay.


Deffo make officers in positions of power that come out with and implement those crap ideas be held responsible be it JPA, Pay 2000, contracting or whatever.

Stop getting the pi$$ taken out of the RAF by contractors such as BAe. If I want a house built and the quote is £X then anything over budget is their problem. How come any project (Nimrod MR4A as an example) can go over budget by £X millions and still the tax payer has to carry on paying these feckwits.

That will do for starters...............

I will second most of that except the Chiefs to 55. I think they should look at Fast track our best SNCO for commission and let FS/WO be Flight Commanders.

 

[T55]

I agree with the majority of the previous comments.

WE know how to fix it but when will we be listened to?

It all seems like simple common sense to me!

 

[True Blue Jack]

I will second most of that except the Chiefs to 55. I think they should look at Fast track our best SNCO for commission and let FS/WO be Flight Commanders.

Who will do the FS's job then?

 

[Sospan]

Who will do the FS's job then?

Empower the people below them, I don't mean in every section but there are lots and lots of Flt Lt's in jobs that a FS with 30 years experience would be far better doing.

 

[True Blue Jack]

Empower the people below them, I don't mean in every section but there are lots and lots of Flt Lt's in jobs that a FS with 30 years experience would be far better doing.

Empowerment. To me that is a way of paying a cpl to do a sgt's job. We have enough trouble in the joint arena as it is without trying to say that a FS is equivalent to a Capt. Also, where do future airships cut their teeth if not in a job where they can be guided by said 30-year FS?

(I'm not saying you're wrong, btw, just that there are wider implications that need to be considered first).

Most (but by no means all) of the answers given on this thread so far make good sense but come up against a couple of brick walls, not the least of which is money.

However, if money were no object then the first thing I would ask for is 10,000 more personnel, across the trade spectrum.

 

[gemarriott]

Empower the people below them, I don't mean in every section but there are lots and lots of Flt Lt's in jobs that a FS with 30 years experience would be far better doing.

Hmmn? perhaps a FS could do them on top of his current duties opening an opportunity to lower the wage bill.


Dear MP,

It has come to my attention that...................................DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[Sospan]

Empowerment. To me that is a way of paying a cpl to do a sgt's job. We have enough trouble in the joint arena as it is without trying to say that a FS is equivalent to a Capt. Also, where do future airships cut their teeth if not in a job where they can be guided by said 30-year FS?

(I'm not saying you're wrong, btw, just that there are wider implications that need to be considered first).

I wasnt saying that a FS should be on a par with a Capt, but what I have noticed is there are lots of Officer posts that could easily be done by a compitant SNCO, everybody thinks the ratio between Officers and Airman is unbalanced. Lets see if I get a good bite on this one =)
I also think Joint Admin is the way forward, I see no value in RAF Clerks in the JPA era.

 

[Ex-Bay]

Return to centralised budgets. I've lost count of the times I've had to stay in a hotel at £150+ a night just because MT don't want to give me a hire car at £50 a day.

Reduce the bloated Officer core. Why do we need 1 officer for every 3 airmen; we all know that SNCOs have the required skills to run most things.

Make promotion a real competition rather than a lottery. Use the new training ideas to open up opportunities; you make the grade before you are considered, reducing the amount of dross in the SNCO cadre.

Reduce the amount of imbeciles in the contracts area. Why should we pay 3 x the normal price for something just so an officer can get a nice job when he/she leaves.

Return to the old 3 pay band system. Pay people what they are worth rather than having cooks and techies earning the same.

Post people into the jobs they have the skills for rather than posting them where PMA feel like; becoming effective in post after a year and a half is a waste of time.

Reduce the amount of beaurocratic hoops we have to jump through before we can get things done. The quicker something happens, the cheaper it usually is.

Stop buying cheap sh!te that breaks every five minutes and invest in equipment that works for longer and costs less over it's lifetime; i.e. stop going for short term gains and start looking at long-term value.

You want any more?

When issuing a contract to supply, STICK TO IT, and don't suddenly think of something else later on prior to delivery of the first. (I've seen this and it is why many contracts over-run over budget). Let the first aircraft, item or whatever, be delivered per spec.

Cut down on the number of stages between requirement/desire and provision.

Pay a good rate for a good job. (Even skilled Chefs get decent pay).

Train people to DO A JOB, not fanny about until they've got thoroughly peeved and left with damn-all.

Make officers who make real blunders suffer for it. Was anyone around when V-bocks were changed from 'pair' to 'each' ? The silly bint (?) who blundered is reputed to have stayed in, unmolested, unposted & unbollocked.

Have a comprehensive, illustrated, Stores Book and keep it up to date. RS, Farnell & airlines, do it, why not the RAF?

A bit of sense in the budgetary department would go a long way. They have auditors to audit accounts held by clerks who . . . . . . It's a run-around. Make it simpler, and use fewer staff.

Stop asking if 'a parade' would come to attention and order it. Less on H&S in drill/basic training and more on self-reliance and pride. I could expand on this but not now.

Spend less on PR, but more of waving the flag.

Support the ATC/ CCF better and get enthusiastic volunteers who WANT to do the job.

Reduce the number of Senior Officers.

DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[NotAnIDOYet]

Compulsory redundancy for techies that can't get over the fact that other people are paid the same as them! If life is so peachy in civvy street then I can fill out the forms for you if you like.

Everyone in the forces is of value, a Private soldier earns far less than anyone regular on here and we are all quite happy to be guarded by them in the hot and sandy places!

Complete rationalisation of the officer corps, give the senior WOs more bite and responsibility. Only offer promotion past LOS30 if there is an operational reason.

Oh and give us some decent kit!

Make decisions and stick to them. How much money has been wasted over the past few years reopening bases because someone thinks it is a good idea rather than the financial sense (Scampton anyone?)

Trade Sponsors all to be Warrant Officers who may see a project through to completion rather than the 2 year officer trying to make a name for himself.

Realise that we cannot necessarily transfer working practices from the outside world. The Armed Forces do not produce any product, don't make a profit and will cost the country money whatever we do.

Stop keeping people in who cannot deploy (me included!), med discharge exists for a reason and it costs us more to keep in and cover for those who are downgraded. Get rid of us and replace us with able bodied individuals.

Stop selling off married quarters, or use the money to build new ones. Compulsory purchase all housing back from Annington at what they paid the MOD.

 

[Ex-Bay]

I forgot one:

Stop pretending that the RAF can be organised like a large company (ISO and all that), and get back to it being a military SERVICE.

DT_Xtremez_28:

 

[8:15fromOdium]

Reduce the number of Senior Officers.

Bring back a rank structure that looks like a pyramid all the way up.

We already have the names right:

Sqn Ldrs in charge of Sqns
Wg Cdrs running stations (EAWs)
Group Captains in charge of Groups etc etc.

Get rid of the outdated and anachronistic commissioning process, it should just be part of General Service & Command / Staff training. If you're good you get through it more quickly. Oh and 360 degree reporting, that should put a stop to all the Toxic leaders we have out there at the moment.

 

[rest have risen above me]

Pay a good rate for a good job. (Even skilled Chefs get decent pay). Ours should be cheap then...lol (sorry caterers it was a huge target)


Have a comprehensive, illustrated, Stores Book and keep it up to date. RS, Farnell & airlines, do it, why not the RAF? That is the best idea I've heard in a long while

DT_Xtremez_30:

................

 

[3wheeledtechie]

Recruit the vast majority of pilots & navs as airman aircrew, as per other aircrew branches. They can do IMLC with the rest.

Bring all aircraft engineering artificer training into line and make it tri-service, only allowing the very best entry.

Allow substansive Cpls eligible for promotion to apply for GE/crew chief posts. Promote them to Sgt on completion of course.

Bring back a DE entry scheme. Allow AMMs to compete for places on these courses after a minimum time in rank.

Bin Pay 2000. Three pay bands across the services as before: technical, semi-technical, other roles.

Bin C/T rank. Make FS equivalent to WO2, or FS equivalent to SSgt, introduce WO2.

Reduce officer corps to a sustainable size. (ratio 1:12). Get rid of glut of senior officer posts. Stop paying Air Commodores et al for life.

Ensure GD pilots have solid and proven man management skills before allowing them to become GD pilots - i.e. fit for command. Otherwise selection board for spec aircrew or out.

Give them responsibilities for managing support for deployed personnel and their families whilst they are at a junior level. Judge on performance, also to be graded by deployed person on return.

Trade sponsors to be WOs - 5 year post, reviewed at 3 yr point.

Have a policy of buying proven off the shelf kit. If it needs modifying to a certain spec before entry into service, properly cost this.

Refuse to pay suppliers a penny more when they fail to meet delivery, quality or cost agreements. Hire the best contract lawyers.

Do not allow RAF personnel to be managed (or abused) by civilian suppliers or contractors.

 

[LeeVanCleef]

Give us a few of our Sqn's back...= less time away on ops for the over worked Harrier and Tonka manpower.

Re-open the diamond that was RAF Coltishall

 

[Joe_90]

Seriously look at the requirement for LOS30 for all SNCOs, should it only be offered to C/T and above? This would speed up promotion as some SNCOs are blatantly promoted past ability or usefulness to the Service. I know it's not a popular thing to say, but if you have a 5 year Cpl up against a 12 year Cpl for the same slot are you actually getting 7 years more experience?

If Pay 2000 is to stay look at how someone can be on the top level in their pay band yet not have the Seniority for promotion. Perhaps the scales have to be widened or accept that it was designed for Army careers and give us something we can use in the RAF.

 

[Bitburger]

Give us a few of our Sqn's back...= less time away on ops for the over worked Harrier and Tonka manpower.

Re-open the diamond that was RAF Coltishall

Typical fast jet attitude only they do the work, I think you will find The Herc, Rotory and Nimrod Guys and Gals are doing a damn site more time away.