It may seem a given that one would get promoted, but I’m sure there’s a least a couple of people in the RAF and wider Military who would happily sit at SAC. Because some would like doing the job without the responsibility. Obviously they wouldn’t get as much money as the chief but still get the enjoyment factor.
This isn’t too far from the truth. Upon my promotion, I had approximately an extra £50 a month take home pay.
When you factor in the fact it’s £50 take home, then compare that to my responsibilities in relation to QR642, the MAM-P, local engineering documentation and the law. It could be argued I am not paid for the level of risk I now hold.
But with that in mind, I was writing technical documentation and negotiating spares packages as an SAC(T), which was far above my pay grade, when I was second line. But this is relative. It’s the armed forces, it is expected to perform above and beyond your current rank/ rate.
This thread has certainly exposed a few hasnt it. 
In what sense?
Not you.
And peoples complete lack of understanding of a career in the forces.
Sometimes i wonder how many on this forum arent even involved in the RAFAC or military at all!
In all fairness, I was pretty clueless until I actually pulled my finger out and decided I wanted a promotion.
The information is out there, but management aren’t forthcoming with it.
Many full timers are still unsure of their career progression pipeline.
How are cadets and other young people expected to learn if they don’t ask questions? Some assumptions come about pretty reasonably when you think about people’s exposure (or lack thereof) to the forces.
Those of us who have been around the block a few times might roll our eyes at the questions at times, but then we realise we only know the answers because we lived it… How are people who haven’t expected to know…?
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Yes, prior to incremental pay 20+ years ago, promotion always meant a whopping pay rise. However, although you don’t get that much on promotion (unless you get promoted really quickly), it does open up the next set of increments - so the ceiling for a Cpl is higher than the ceiling of an SAC (T) - so whilst you do not get that much on actual promotion, your pay will rise year on year incrementally that you wouldn’t have been able to achieve before!
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Not for the first two years now.
You’re deemed as “ineffective” in rank until your second year. So two year pay freeze.
Story of my life.
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Oi, I resemble that remark!
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Sounds like military law is pretty heavy stuff. Sounds like a case of, you made a humble mistake, guess we’re going to bang you up in prison.
Yes, the military is heavy stuff. Can ill afford to not have a robust set of rules in place for the jobs that they do. At the end of the day, as good as the humanitarian side of the forces are, everything the military does is geared towards a violent end goal. The rules are there to enforce discipline, which is needed.
No. Within the engineering sphere at least, there is a flow chart to follow in the aftermath of an incident. If it’s a mistake or error (which are two different things) you’ll find there being a more measured look at your actions. Rule breaking for personal or organisational gain will be looked at differently, as would espionage or negligence. Horses for courses.
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Very much the same in the civil aviation industry, make an error out of ignorance that is due to lack of training or experience (put in a position that you shouldn’t have been in) then that is down to the employer’s responsibility. If it is down to negligence in not speaking up, not following protocols/procedures or malicious action, that is a whole different matter. The concept of the ‘just culture’.
In the Army they have field promotion (even though the last one was like 1820), where if you do something or a series of things that are amazing, you can get promoted on the spot. I know this was used mainly back in mediaeval times when they didn’t have yearly reports.
The point is, does the RAF have a policy for field promotions, but it’s just never used?
I know that Field Promotions were used across all services during WW1 & WW2. I have not heard of them being used since - but I imagine they would be a thing in times of war.
Nonsense.
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In the cadets if you get promoted, you’ll get called up front on parade and get a handshake and a clap. In the RAF is it that big? Or do you just get given the slides when the guy has a spare couple of mins. As in the RAF they don’t have first and last parade to do promotions on.
And I take it some promotions are bigger deals than others, as going from Cpl to Sgt is much less of a deal than going from Air Vice Marshal to Air Marshal.
I was told by phone call, picked up my tapes from stores, walked in on my promotion date one rank up. That’s all.
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New mess though!
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