Why do we have extensions of service?
Is it purely because that’s how the military operates and our lords and masters can’t think differently?
Why can’t we just start and keep going until such time as we decide it’s time to stop? This what we are all used to in our day jobs, unless you retire, mess up really badly, are made redundant or decide to look for pastures new. I’ve never been asked to ‘sign on’ for another determined period at work.
It seems to be a pointless piece of admin for the sake of admin.
I think it can be a good thing although needs to be more streamlined. When I got my extension of service I needed to list all my qualifications and also activities I attended, ?? Isn’t this not on Bader???
From the part of by having staff reapply every 5 years it is a good reviewing mechanism to highlight those who are not pulling their weight or doing anything. I remember a local sqn to me had a Fg Off in his time (5 years)he never attended anything unless it was at his sqn on a parade night other than IOT, and even then it was a struggle to get him involved. I only met him as I needed to go and have their CO sign something for me before that I didn’t know he existed. The CO put in the recommendation that his extension not be renewed due to lack of comitment, and it was agreed so he was “sacked”. If we done away with this mechanism how many hoops would she have to go through to get shot of him and replaced by a member of staff who wanted to be there??
I have missed out lots of the main issues in the background to this guy but hopefully you get my point.
So we have a stage whereby we can review people and dump those who are a bigger pain in the ass than they are of value to the organisation? It also lets us tidy the books of those who have drifted away and lost interest but haven’t had the common courtesy to formally resign.
Why? Is yours coming up?
No mine’s 4 year’s off.
But as I say at work, where you are paid there is no requirement to ‘sign on’ every x years, yet here we are in a volunteer, hobby organisation and we have to just to play as it seems at being in the forces as that’s the only model they know. I could understand it if we were contracted and salaried, but we aren’t so I can’t see why it has to be this way. I don’t know any other youth organisation (ACF maybe) that operates like this, they’re only too happy to have people want to help.
I know a lot of people who get their’s through and decide no more but that’s their decision, and I know COs who look at it at as a way of getting rid of people, shouldn’t that discussion be happening beforehand? A lot of these COs (mostly younger ones) it’s about making a statement and creating a vision of themselves, but IMO it’s arrogant, rude and poor man management. If you see people’s interest waning then you have a chat with them, to see what’s happening. In my experience it’s not a cadet related thing, but something in their real lives (annoyingly interfering with ATC things) be that job, family etc then I make allowances for that and give them the time to sort themselves out if they want. There are those who have become disillusioned with the Corps and I’ve seen too many of them in the last 10-15 years, but they invariably go NEP and leave that way.
An employer has its claws into you and is able to control its workforce and demand things from you. Don’t turn up when you are meant to and you’ll be held to account. Don’t pull your weight and questions will be asked. If anything, you are under constant review, plus many companies will have an annual formal review for their personnel too.
The volunteer “workforce” lacks that tight integration and, despite required minimum attendance at activities for uniformed personnel, can easily gather deadwood. that is not as big a deal as it is for an employer but it is still something that needs to be kept under some sort of control.
I think a 5-yearly review is quite reasonable!
As said above its an easy way to get rid of deadwood, particularly those who don’t turn up and can’t be arsed to resign.
As an OC I’ve never failed to extended a member of staff who turns up when they say they will. (Be that once a week or once a year!). But for those who just vanish it’s a simple way to get rid of them. It also coincides with the DBS renewal so that they go hand in hand.
So in the eyes of respondents thus far the only reason to have extensions is to get rid of people.
This does look very much like poor man management and complete disrespect for individuals. The sort of practices suggested would not be tolerated in the real world, so why almost extolled in a hobby volunteer organisation.
At work if you’re not performing then you are likely to get invited for a chat, which can have a host of outcomes, so why not in the Corps? But in the instance of the Corps remembering that we do this in our own time.
People talk about squadrons being a family, but don’t families talk to each other? I tell the people at the sqn when I’m experiencing difficulties that might mean I’m not around and they do the same. Maybe the position taken by some COs mean people don’t talk to them as they feel they will be judged as not being ‘up to scratch’ and treated poorly.
I’d call it a house keeping function, especially when you first take over a Squadron where you may not know all of the staff. If they never turn up or respond to emails then the 5 yearly check which coincides with their DBS renewal gives you an easy way to get them off the books.
I’ve had staff tell me they are leaving but never put in the resignation paperwork, the easiest way to deal with that (for CI’s) is to just not renew them.
I don’t see what the issue is with signing a piece of paper every 5 years when they have to do their DBS anyway.
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I agree. This isn’t a normal place of employment where you just stop their wages if they fail to show up and then sack them.
Ok then Teflon how would you suggest we get rid of the example I gave??
A Fg Off
CO is sick to the back teeth trying to help encourage him to be a part of the sqn doesn’t do anything, no teaching, admin, interaction with cadets other than to “Lord over” them or tell them what they are doing wrong. His WSO also had numerous meetings and discussions with him as did OC wing.
He attended the sqn every night and sat in the office mostl drinking tea or complaining how the world was against him, which he claimed constituted his 12hours per month and that was all he was required to do.
Now please use the tools and mechanisms that we have in place now to get rid of this volunteer, without staff having to attend any additional courses or employment of HR specialists that “real world” have at their disposal.
In case you are wondering if I made this up or not the Fg Off is a lawyer had business cards made up rapidly on commission with his rank on it and when they got shot he changed them to RAF VRT retired on them 