I’m resigning in the next few days due to HQAC and all other levels of the chain of commands incompetence to fully and fairly investigate my complaints of bullying.
This organisation lies about its zero tolerance policy towards bullying, it can’t afford to lose the staff carrying out the bullying and therefore ignores their actions that would otherwise be called into question.
To save myself from going on a rant, you’re not the only one going through what you said in your OP, hopefully knowing this will help with your sanity through your process of complaints etc. I know I questioned mine a lot after the CoC constantly ignored and tried to twist my complaint.
Anyway, enough said, hope all goes well for you mate and the bullying stops for you
Sorry, last post was meant to be in reply to this. Keep your chin up. From my experience if it doesn’t get better I would advise walking away. The organisation isn’t worth your time if they treat you in the way you have described.
You don’t know how much that does help to know I’m not the only one. It’s just sad in years to come all the stuff I reported and in return got crop for will come to light in public and people will say if only we knew
I take it you’ve taken the issues all the way up the CoC?
In the grand scheme of things a deterioration of your health is a big sign. The organisation won’t help you in this process as I’m sure you’re already aware.
I took a large amount of time off and it’s helped solidify my views of resignation. Take some time to properly weigh up the pros and cons of staying vs leaving. If you’re already taking leave, it tells me which way I think you should go with the benefit of my experience. Your situation will have been vastly different to mine however, so you need to make that decision.
Keep your chin up though, some people in this organisation aren’t worth getting upset over.
I sat at a regional event and heard 4 sqn ldrs from different wings discuss how they hated certain staff and were going to “do them” and “make sure them and their Sqns couldn’t do anything” I reported it but given our regions ability to sweep away bullying of staff and cadets by regional staff… I should of known better that’s when I went see you later
Very similar to my situation. I remember joining as a cadet years ago and viewing this organisation as one with strong values and knows right from wrong.
Unfortunately that was all destroyed when you realise the CoC don’t stand by anything we seem to teach the young new recruits that come through basic training every year…
If these complaints are in any way refering to the issue of safeguarding, cadets and cover ups then the route to take is to the local safeguarding board with the local authority or the MoD one. Because, if the matter hits the fan you don’t want to caught in the fall out, in particular if you hold a professional qualification.
The one man’s bullying is another man’s banter overlooks the fact that bullying is about the perception of the bullied, not the rationalisation of the bully.
Good point @Cat , do you think there’s a point at which something cannot be considered bullying? For example, what happens if a Cadet receives an official reprimand from their CO and somehow perceives that as an act of bullying?
Yes, it’s an interesting subject. I’m going to print out some copies of all this stuff later ready for my eventual interview. What do you tend to do in situations that require a formal reprimand?
Not really. There is a line between banter and bullying.
It all depends on context and who you are talking to and how well you know them. I have some civvie mates who I keep banter to a minimum and have light humour with, and I have some work mates and lads in the Forces who I have the most horrendous banter with that any civvie would be horrified to hear.
That being said, if I say something that someone doesn’t agree with or thinks is too far, I have no problems accepting that, as long as they come to me like an adult, and apologising and now knowing where the line is with said person. I have a good mate who’s a devout Christian and I kerb my banter with him, because he doesn’t like it. No problems, we are both adults.
Offense and banter is subjective and it depends who, what, where, when and how.
That being said “oh it’s just banter” is no excuse for bullying.
Where I found a problem was the local schools had been telling the kids if someone did something to them they didn’t like they were to scream “stop bullying me” until an adult came.
I had 3 girls join all friends and one told the other she was stupid… all of a sudden I heard thIs scream, I ran quickly over to find they had all been carrying on and calling each other names. When i said if someone calls you names the first thing you should say is “don’t call me that I don’t like it” then if it continues report it as bullying they just looked horrified. I also told them that I didn’t want them calling names to each other and if I heard anymore I would be taking action against all 3.
Imagine the surprise when wing forwarded me an email from the school guidance teacher claiming, I didn’t take bullying seriously and I was encouraging bullying in the unit!!
Not really, it’s just understanding who the relevant “man” in this context is. What could be taken by one recipient as banter could be taken by another as bullying; and it’s up to the perpetrator to work out which one it’ll be before doing it.
I have seen numerous examples of ‘pressure’ down from the top and in an hierarchical organisation where issuing a command can give short term relief, it is a good person who is prepared to put in the effort to avoid the temptation.
In a world where the lines are far more distinct than they ever were, the room for subjectivity recedes
I find Made in Chelsea Offensive, others do not. Therefore I choose not to watch it. I don’t complain about others enjoying it and demand its removed from the telly.
And what about when the Army posted a picture on Twitter of a squaddie cammed out in the jungle and the left wing hipster brigade knee jerked and spat their organic vegan granola everywhere and demanded it removed, and some rubbish about blackface. The Army caved, crimped like a wet lettuce, showed weakness and removed it over knee jerk reactions from people finding “offence” rather than having some spine and providing facts and standing by their post.
