Does anyone know where on Volunteer Portal that you can submit for extension of service. In the latest update it says you can apply for extension of service, but where?
To submit an extension, the user can click My Service then Service Summary and then click the Request Extension button. A popup window will then be displayed where the user can add a justification for the extension.
Also, happy cake day! 7 years since registering your account 
Not a clue. Happy cake day though!!
Thanks. Was in volunteer portal, in my service, service summary, but hey presto no click request button.
When’s your 65th birthday
Could be too far away to allow it
Oh. I was just going off of what this release note says. There is a screenshot on there showing the button should be on the left hand side underneath where it says total service length. Maybe the button got removed as part of the recent Bader crashing issues? One for @Ben_Wakefield if he’s about 
Past the 65 mark a few years back.
Yes, I think you could be right but hopefully it will be sorted.
It is meant to be intelligent and only show when you are in the window to request a service extension. Let me confirm the exact timeframe for requesting the extension and come back to you. If you’re happy to drop me an email with service number etc I can double check the data for you.
1 Like
My service expires in just over 3 months time 7/9/22. I would expect the timeframe to be a bit longer than that for it to go through the procedure. But my HQ have requested to submit it asap, but with no submit button I can’t do anything.
Extending service is very easy. Individual > OC > Wing > Region > Corps.
It’s as quick as each section is ticked
With no paper forms now things should move in days
1 Like
Did one recently. The workflow is pretty smooth and quick as long as you realise it’s sat in your VP!
Nice system, not sure how long prior to expiry of service it’s available though.
Checked volunteer portal this morning. No submit button for extension of service. Is there a timeframe as you suggested for this to appear as my extension ends 7/9/22. I did message you. Any help would be appreciated
I suspect you will be unable to submit this while there is over 3 months service remaining, so I’d try on 7 Jun, although Ben will be able to confirm directly with the team on this.
What a world we live in where we don’t think 3 months is sufficient for something simple like an extension to be processed.
2 Likes
I agree. As I am now on yearly extensions, my last extension was the paper one and I had to send it in at least 4 months for it to go through the system. Eventually I was suspended for 1 day as it was not sent through to HQ on time hopefully this new system will work quicker as posted above.
It’s also probably about time that we stop requiring yearly extensions simply on age. I would love to see the public sector equality duty assessment on this policy.
4 Likes
My last extension was a short phone call “Do you want to carry on ?”, “Yep”, “OK”, end of call.
The whole system of in essence of US being granted permission to give OUR free time is an anathema and has to stop. One less bit of pointless admin/bureaucracy.
We know if we want to carry on and do this or not and at that time we don’t want to, say so, we don’t need some faceless paper shuffler saying we can. We don’t get paid or any pension, holiday entitlements etc etc, etc. So even if there are a few sitting on the books, doing not a lot, does it matter as there is no cost to the taxpayer, unlike other areas of the Air Cadets.
1 Like
I do wonder in what circumstances extensions would be denied?
Organisation: We need more volunteers.
Also Organisation: We need you to ask us for permission to volunteer.
2 Likes
My extension due 15 Aug. Just been on VP and option to request extension was there, bottom left. Clicked the button, told them I was a good egg. Now says it is waiting for my unit commander to agree - hmm, I am OC so hopefully what it really means is that it is now sitting in OC Wg’s in-box. Will check again in a day or two!
I think I would have more confidence in the system if it showed my actual service history rather than a truncated version - no sign of the first 2 units I was on and only a part of the third. I queried this when VP was first introduced and was told by the support team that my earlier service would be recorded on VP when we went onto JPA. Well, we have, and it hasn’t! Hardly surprised and simply reinforces my thoughts on the whole digital systems package we have in place.