Promotions in the time of Covid (Staff)

Hi,

I’m just wondering if anyone has any clarity, or views (please state which when responding) about uniformed staff promotions.

I understand appointments are being done virtually but what is happening with staff promotions where the matrix is impossible to achieve due to Covid (camp attendance etc.).

I’m guessing staff will either stay at their current ranks or it may temporarily be just a time served thing with the expectation that they’ll do what is needed to achieve it when they can? Obviously a risk that they won’t!

Saying that, I feel the current matrix could be due a review anyway. I’m thinking specifically for Officer, I haven’t seen the SNCO one but sensible for both to be regularly reviewed anyway.

I am pretty sure that elements of the matrix can be waived locally if desired.

One of my friends was able to get his Fg Off earlier this year despite having only done a single blues camp as an officer.

I think as long as you were on track prior to lockdown, there’s no reason you should be held back.

I know at least 1 Pilot Officer who has been promoted without the Camp aspect on their matrix, it was waived as it was impossible to achieve.

Anyone know if there is truth to the rumour that the officer matrix is going to greatly increase the time for promotion from plt off to Fg off?

My thoughts are this would be a good thing.
Say min 4 years.

That would tie in with Sgt to FS, though when you look at the parent service the jump in responsibility from Plt Off to Flg Off is significantly less than Sgt to FS.

I think time served ranks are more flawed than rank to role.

Rank to role in my opinion:

Squadron officer - Plt Off
Squadron oc / junior wing staff - Fg Off
Senior wing staff - Flt lt
Dept wing commander - sqn ldr
Wing commander - Wg Cdr

Shouldn’t matter about time served, if your doing the role you should be ranked for it as ultimately you have the same responsibility… it only really matters from a VA perspective, but I think it would at least give some consistency across squadrons.

At the moment you’ve got flt lt sat as OC’s that do less than some Plt Off that are OC’s and a major wing role…

It also takes away any complaints of bias - the minute you do a role you get the rank, the minute you drop off doing that role you revert to other ranks.

I’ve only ever seen wing commanders and squadron leaders shift up and down on a rank to role basis.

Might also curtail people chasing roles for rank if this was the case, not that I know many people that do this.

I know of a Sgt in a northern wing whos promotion was rejected due to not attending a camp. They worked booked on one then a family member became gravely ill and then another one which was cancelled due to Covid… I felt that was unfair.

3 Likes

I’m just waiting on my Contingent Commander to come back from furlough and sign off my Flg Off promotion which is still time served in the CCF for some reason.

Time served between plt off and Fg off serves a purpose as it denotes experience.

Flt lt and above should be based on appointment and therefore (ideally) capability.

1 Like

Except it doesn’t really, almost all of the people we Commission have been CI’s of SNCO’s previously.

2 Likes

Yes, that sounds very mean on face value. Unless something else was the real reason, and that was just an excuse

A single blues camp is the minimum requirement for promotion to Fg Off, well that and an AT/Greens weekend.

MB

My bad - he had done a blues camp, but not a greens camp.

SNCO Promotion Matrix
Officer Promotion Matrix

For me the matrix’s are a guide to use as a benchmark, with mitigating circumstances where elements have not been met etc.

I think the Fg Off is very hard to complete in 2 years, as that’s OIC in year 1 and a Blue camp in Year 2, especially when some WHQs require a waiver to be in place for the first 12 months for all off sqn activity.

I struggle with those who are saying they were planning to do a Summer 2020 camp, which suggests to me they were only doing it for the purpose of promotion as they’d not done one in the previous 3 years. But ultimately if they are worthy of the promotion, I’d happily make the recommendation.

For a lot of staff, the last 12 months have effectively been NEP, but will count as time served for their promotions, just because some is eligible for promotion by time served doesn’t mean they should be promoted. We don’t promote all cadets to Cpl once they have done 2 years, so why should we do the same for staff?

I appreciate you said about the parent service here, but really for our purposes, is there a difference between Plt Off and Flg Off (VA amounts aside and for camps etc you are slightly more senior). I’ve not experienced it. Genuine curiousity here!

I know of someone that was a Flt Lt and an OC who moved Sqns where they were no longer an OC and they got bumped down to Fg Off.

Can you not do a blues camp as an Acting Pilot Officer? I certainly was intending to do a Blues camp as one before Covid binned it.

Some may have had extentuating circumstances where they couldn’t previously attend but I guess you’d hope OCs would be having discussions with their staff around this.

Your supposed to get permission from HQAC if you haven’t done your course.

They don’t want you living in the mess if you haven’t been taught how to be an officer yet. I think that’s an inflated opinion of how much you learn at ATF tbh.

4 Likes

Makes sense and I agree but prior to going to OIC one is meant to go to their parent station and visit the mess and read the rules. Also, agree about OIC lacking in detailed guidance about how to actually act like an officer so you don’t embarrass anyone. I know an officer who saluted the cleaner or similar at camp once!

Joining instructions for OIC state you should have visited the mess of your parent station to understand how it works before you arrive at Cranwell… So how does that work?

Edit: posted at same time as Giggling_fish

Completely agree that that’s irrelevant to what you actually learn at OIC though, staff have zero input there and you’re 100% relying on anyone on the course who’s ex-regular.

Maybe fine 50 years ago when there was a station on every street. Has anyone actually done this without being at an event?

I wonder how “just having a nose” would go down if asked why you were there…