Those last four words are redundant.
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I agree. I also think 6 months is too long. Make it 4 months.
Make uniform 6 months, having it as a year is far too long especially as even if you do OIC or SSIC they still make you do the full 12 months.
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Take it back to 3 months, which is where it used to be.
I donât have an issue with you âbeing on probationâ for a year after you go into uniform, I just donât agree that their should be any block on what activities you can do.
Once youâve done AVIP and your ACTO99 stuff you should be able to attend any activity that you want to.
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I think this might be policed differently in different areas⌠as APO I was encouraged to get out and about on activities which seems the complete opposite to policy!
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Iâd echo this⌠For Baby Sgts for example itâs good to get on NCO courses and observe the standards and delivery from the more senior NCOs & WOs which they may not have access to back at unit
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Which is all fine, but that is down to someone locally applying a badly written instruction with some sense.
It is crippling the organisation even pre pandemic. Now we need to make it as easy as possible to get people in.
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This.
Seconded. Itâs how the real world works⌠Train to do your job? Yep. Off you go
The external activity embargo gets me. I totally understand why they should not have a position of responsibility at such an activity during the period, but I see no reason at all why they cannot attend as long as in a non supervisory position and stick with an existing staff member throughout.
How on earth do we expect new staff to gain experience? And if they do not attend an external activity during the probation period, when they complete the period and then do attend, they could be completely green due to having not had the relevant exposure to such an activity.
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Letâs not lose sight of what the regulations actually say thoughâŚ
So if the person is not being given responsibility for cadets and we are not expecting them to act as a fully trained staff member, ie because we are taking them along as an additional body, extra to the directing staff, to gain experience only, then by the letter (and arguably the spirit) of the regulation they are not attending an âexternal activityâ as defined and therefore there is no embargo.
Now, I will grant that some people wonât apply it that way immediately, but that is what it says and some persuasive discussion should solve the problem.
Part of the problem was that Accts would refuse to process claims for those on probation without a waiver attached (apparently).
Locally our staff are told to carry a copy of the approved waiver with them to the activity too.
Mountain / Mole Hill by WHQ
I never had that problem.
Nor did I, but they pushed an announcement out that really kicked off the waiver, I think it was focused on SNCOs though, will dig out when on PC.
At a time when more than ever we need to have a system that encourages people, we have to tell them you canât get fully involved for unless we get someone who has no idea about you etc to say you can, does it really make it look attractive?
The rationale for a probation period needs to be fully explained in simple language, outlining exactly why it is there. Iâve said it before all we need to do is DBS and safeguarding, the rest do it but not make it limiting. I remember when uniformed staff couldnât fart without permission unless theyâd done their initial course and the Corps was really anal about it, a situation where thankfully common sense has been more readily applied. When we consider the line âbe in sole chargeâ. Over 99% of these are benign âbaby-sittingâ situations, so why do you need to be âqualified/trainedâ to do this? On most occasions you are with other groups so if you were uncertain, ask. Really stuck contact a member of staff via ye olde mobile, it ainât that difficult.
As for uniformed staff âlooking like idiotsâ on an RAF station, easily sorted. Do a couple of annual camps as a CI under the guidance of the uniformed staff there and learn the ropes. The basic courses we do, only cover this lightly and IMO better to learn âon the jobâ, than do a course and then be let loose thinking you know it all. My 1st camp as a CI the old WOs in the mess with us, kept all of us on the straight and narrow and âhad a wordâ with regulars who tried it on. This was something Iâve carried on doing at camps with CIs and inexperienced uniform staff and not been backward in âhaving a wordâ on their behalf. I liken being in a Mess to a hotel with residents and special rules, which if you abide by no one gives a toss and if you do mess up, you are advised in a quiet manner and donât get some over zealous regulars needing an ego boost.
Sorry for the bump, but just on the off chance of my recent claims getting bounced for not submitting this âwaiverâ, what is the correct process of obtaining it?
Ask OC who asks OC Wing etc?
Cheers!
Email OC with reasons why you should be given waiver > OC sends to Sector Commander with support and recommendation > Sector Commander sends on to OC Wing with their support and recommendation > OC Wing sends on to RHQ with their support and recommendation > RC/ARC gives their seal of approval (in my case - it was a one sentence email)
Thatâs the process I went through and it may be worth CCâing the activity commander for their input as well.
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And where could this get held up 
That right there sums up everything thatâs wrong with the corps.
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Iâve had claims approved since being an Acting Pilot Officer with no waiver attached.
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speak of the devil and they will arrive⌠I think my claims were just processed and arrived in my account today!
Now I can buy my greens!
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