The last time HQAC tried to be inclusive, we found out that the decision had been made and no matter what we said it made no difference.
The “value volunteer” thing on Sharepoint is far too dogmatic, with chapter and verse being trotted out, rather than properly engaging.
if we felt more engaged ie in a more inclusive environment, maybe this idea wouldn’t even be suggested. If people feel they aren’t involved in the decision making process, then people start to feel aggrieved and when that happens out here, away from the bubble, people take industrial action. Hence why any business worth its salt involves it workforce, so as to avoid these problems. HQAC, Regions and even Wings it seems aren’t bothered about upsetting CFAV, probably as they know we won’t take any sort of action, as it would affect the cadets. But if there was a work to rule, say and those in uniform only did 12 hours a month and CIs said sod it for any more than squadron nights it would be interesting, but altogether more relaxing.
It could if they realised and got onboard we weren’t and or didn’t really regard ourselves as being ‘military’ anymore. I don’t really know very many who see their militaryness as being foremost for being in uniform as staff and see the uniform as a necessary evil, just because that’s what’s needed to have some sort of standing as being a CI means being largely ignored by the senior types with loads of braid.
I’m not sure that given recent happenings that it could be nothing but confrontational. I don’t see conciliation and arbitration in the skillset of HQAC management.
They have been lucky in some ways that the attitude of if you don’t like it tough hasn’t been the undoing of the organisation, given that people aren’t tripping over themselves to join the club.
This is testament to the resilience of people who volunteer to continually shrug off the BS that emanates down the chain and just do what they are in the ATC to do.
It is however a poor management that continually takes this for granted and they could come unstuck. We might be all smiles when they visit, but it’s with fingers crossed.
Just out of interest. How would the organisation cope without the public £££££££ that the militarisation and governance by the RAF brings. By all means press for us to be more civilian but it might come at a cost!
Did they or just that officers were no longer VR(T)? WO/SNCOs were always ATC and RAFAC remains part of 22 Gp, funded (and lime it or not, commanded/lead) by the RAF.
No they were trying to reinforce the point for all and use it as a stick to beat any notion of grandeur out of some, and sense of affiliation and belonging out of the rest.
The problem here is, that you’re as close-minded as you accuse them of being. You say it could only be confrontational, well if you were involved I think it would be and none of us would get any further forward.
If a group were to form with the intention of trying to beat HQAC with its own stick and throw nothing but accusations, malice, and complaints their direction then there’s no hope of them opening up, accepting it, and any positive effects being felt at any level.
If, however, it was a true mediator then it gives a valid conduit for information exchange and could probably intercept some of the pants chat that gets thrown their way. It gives a third person voice and removes the emotional investment from complaints and suggestions that so often mar and discredit any opinions put forth. Likewise it would give a “people’s voice” to any information or changes coming down the hill should there need to be any clarification or justification.
If you try, the worst that can happen is you end up where you started, but you might succeed. If you don’t try, you’ve only got one outcome.
Properly sold, I think it’s a premise that could be agreeable to both sides.
Given the way things have been handled / done by HQAC, initially there would be mud-slinging on both sides, until some common ground to move forward on had been established. But it would need a clinb down from on high not us going uo.
The point made above re retention off RAF management mindset has to be watered down and a final and total acceptance that we are not employed and are here purely as volunteers to see teenagers have a group to join and do things and not to give people getting a second wind place to continue playing officer and subordinate. There was a comment about WW2 boot camp mentality. Try and run a squadron on a loose basis and you soon find people especially the not so old complaining. I used to get quite uppity if things weren’t done quite so, but as I’ve got older, I’ve come to feel it doesn’t really add anything if you bang on about it. It seems the bigger the barcode the more “do you know who I am” mentality you get, CFAV or RAF retd. Plus those wearing single crowns or coats of arms.
The role of HQAC should only be to provide us with easily accessible activities and the means to deliver them, not be some overarching and over bearing management structure that it seems to have developed into in the last 8/9 years. We don’t need petty disciplinary etc processes. The reason we have all this ancillary stuff, is due to the fact they aren’t able to provide with the things we need, so to justify people and salaries we have all the other things.
As a union rep ive always gone into anything with management from the point of wanting to work with them not against them.That said sometimes you have to get down and dirty to match some of the quite frankly atrocious behaviour towards others by management.A previous HR director at my current employer was a good example of that.The way she spoke to people especially union reps was well out of order.
I agree with bob. It’s HQAC that are telling us we are not in the Military.
The Military funding is what makes the Cadet Forces different from the Scouts, et al. The Military benefit from the Cadet Forces as does the country in general. Not sure if it is now, but at one point all of the Red Arrows were ex Cadets. The Defence Secretary has just made a big press release about increased funding in the cadets, so he thinks that it is important and will remain.
We had governance from the RAF/MoD and they brought in the CFC and stated that it was not Military, this has consequences as they are many exemptions for the MoD which only apply to the Military. Hence why some of the FTS are staying VR(T).
Before you say I am a Walt wannabe, trying to be something I’m not, I am an Officer in the Air Cadets, nothing more, nothing less.
I have been posting here because I feel we need more support which isn’t currently coming from the Chain of Command!
