We all know why the organisation likes to temporarily detach newly appointed officers and SNCOs to other units and it could be that from a Wg perspective, that this particular person is actually performing better away from those who were once his former cadet friends; but really, as pretty much everyone has said, this is a communication issue.
I would put everything in writing and start with a formal request to move to my Sqn Cdr, copied to my Wg Staff Officer. Hopefully, any reasons why the move cannot be done would be explained at this stage. If this does not work, then the request goes to the Wg Staff Officer, info Sqn Cdr and Wg Ex O and so on. Ultimately, if the ‘system’ is unable to provide a satisfactory reason why the request cannot be met, the individual can seek some sort of redress. Unfortunately, as an SNCO, the provisions of QRs don’t apply, but I think that HQAC have some method through which disenchanted SNCOs and WOs can do the same thing.
I agree that this person sounds as though they just want to do their bit, but I would caution against throwing teddies anywhere and p’ing off the chain of command, after all, they would still have to work with them whichever Sqn they ultimately end up serving on!
All this talk about annoying the CoC is amusing, as if we have an employer/employee relationship and contractural obligations. We don’t and aren’t contracturally obliged in either direction, we do this on a purely voluntary basis and as such where and when we do what we do is down to us, not anyone else. The ACO has rules and regulations that it tries to dress up as some form of contract. When I look at the contract at work it mentions things like holiday, pension, sickness procedure, sick pay entitlement, pay date each month, hours of working and so on and so on. If we have a document mentioning all of this in the Corps, I’ve never seen it.
Yes as said we all know why they like this temporary move malarky and I have encouraged my own staff to do it, but I ensure that they come back if they so wish.
I did temporary move myself a year or so after becoming a WO to help out a mate, and at the end of the agreed term, I just moved back to my old sqn. It did upset a few Wing types who erroneously thought it was a permanent move, but so what. My mate did ask me to consider staying, but it wasn’t good for me in terms of committing properly. We didn’t fall out over it.
The plus side of this is that it has opened the eyes of a young member of staff, to the sort of people there are in the Corps. I think that there is another lesson here, in that as a senior cadet and doing whatever you may well be revered by Wing, but on transition to uniformed adult staff, in a junior rank you are effectively back to square one and unfortunately some staff see just that and treat you with little respect.
Hi all, I am very grateful for all of your replies. I am quite glad that you all are near enough on the same wave length as me. I will bear them all in mind in my efforts to fix this issue. Thanks again.
My best wishes to you, I hope you manage to sort things out to your satisfaction and that this hasn’t dampened your enthusiasm for the organisation. :). Let us know how things go.
An interesting comment; however, I would suggest that the ACO is part of the RAF and that service runs on MILITARY lines with things callers ORDERS and INSTRUCTIONS rather than relationships and contracts. When someone volunteers, they agree to serve in a uniformed military organisation and accept all that goes with it. They agree to serve at least 12 hours a month and the repercussions of them not doing so can include removal from the organisation for failing to meet their obligations.
A good issue to debate on here would be why are WOs and SNCOs not part of the RAFVR(T) and therefore not subject to QRs and the AFA which would give some form of ‘contract’. People doing what they do ‘when and where they want’ is almost anarchic!
Oh wow, will they poke you with cushions as well? (Monty Python reference for the uninitiated.)
What sort of protection would it bring? Orders and instructions are just that, but even as an officer in the ACO what could they do in all honesty, not a lot. An employment contract brings the employee a degree of protection and the employer some get out clauses. A contract would be interesting to see. I can’t imagine that regulars don’t have a contract, at least outlining pay, hours, sickness, pension, redundancy etc.
Why is it almost anarchic? It’s what we do. We pick the squadron we do things on and then fit what we do around the time we have available, ie jobs, family etc etc. It’s the nature of volunteering.
Poke with a cushion? A bit childish perhaps, but I get what you’re saying. But I believe that we need more discipline of some of our adult staff, not less and the generalisation of letting people do their own thing with no repercussions is the wrong image for an organisation to set. Fact, if you are uniformed staff, you agree to attend for 12 hours a month minimum and dismissal for failing to meet obligations is always an option that maybe we don’t do enough, we seem to be scared of stripping out the dead wood.
As an officer in the Service you do indeed have the ‘protection’ of the AFA and QRs, certain options and avenues are open to you that do not apply to WOs and SNCOs ATC, I commend these publications to you. There is no Regular Contract between individuals and the Service, you have TCOS which apply both ways . You also have a commissioning scroll which tells you what is expected of you.
Your view of the nature of ‘volunteering’ is one and we would indeed be lost without our people who fit the ACO around family and work commitments. But equally, when you volunteer for a military organisation, there are a few other things that come into play that we (ACO adult staff) often chose to ignore.
Because I don’t kow tow and because I recognise that our involvement in the ACO is very much of our choosing, like any voluntary work people do? The fact we wear a uniform has little or nothing to do with it, when you consider that there are people in the organisation who don’t wear a uniform and still manage to do things.
In this the OP has been treated shabbily by the local CoC, something for which they are well-known, especially when it comes to new young staff. Would they get away with it with longer serving staff or some new people who have a few years behind them?
No, because you don’t seem to get what ALL of the implications of being in a military organisation are! Even as a volunteer!
Without doubt the OP has been treated very shabbily, but as I said, it’s a communication issue and that’s something that this organisation could do much better. The discussion has now got on to something different.
Mods, can we lock this as we’re getting off topic! I’ll quite happily discuss TCOSs, whether WOs and SNCOs should be VR(T) and the meaning of military volunteering, but I think it needs a new post!
Hi
Why not ask your current OC for your terms of reference and ask to discuss your current boredom? If you are not being utilised then you will become bored and hacked off. If your current OC does nothing about it ask for a three way meeting including the WSO.
6 months is not actually a huge amount of time for a new Sgt to be in post. Perhaps you WSO might take a different view if you were taking the opportunity to develope yourself at the current Sqn while waiting to return to your old squadron. If you get decent TOR’s then, who knows, maybe you will start to enjoy the current location more.
You could start an email ball rolling to your current OC asking for TOR’s and to discuss your role. You could also contact your Wing Warrant Officer and ask for mentoring and a development plan. Once you have tried both of these things, and you do need to follow a sensible path before escalating anything, contact your WSO (making sure that your current OC is aware and that this is not an attempt to stir things up) to ask for an agreed plan. This might be to stay where you are until certain things have been done, achieved or just a set time period and then for a transfer to your old squadron.
The paperwork route for transfer has already been stated and you can always just start doing that but be prepared for them to not agree in the first instance. I am sure we could all push back and threaten to leave or go NEP but greater respect for you and your situation can be gained by playing the game slightly differently.
Just advice you understand and you must do whatever you feel is best for you.
People getting bored in this and any voluntary roles is pretty much down to them. Needing a TOR or other such document is a facile waste.
There are plenty of things to do and maintain interest. The people I know who get bored in the Corps tend not be those who are active and find the whole of their time is attending the squadron and because someone isn’t telling them do/this/that/the other, they fail to function.
I find it incredible if people are on squadrons where all the roles are taken. If there are things that need to be done just get on with it and don’t wait to be asked.