Anyone seen the actual content of the announcement above? The link just goes to a page not found…
Is this just not what was always on the books - 12 months in which to pass SSIC?
Isn’t the title something to do with VA?
It is:
Volunteer Allowance - Appointment - 12 Months Probationary Period for Sgt (ATC) or Sgt Aircrew (ATC)
However, even navigating to the announcements folder manually, the relevant doc isn’t there so someone has moved or removed it.
If I was to guess, they are changing eligibility for VA either for the 1st 12 months or prior to SSIC.
I’d best get those claims in quick then 
It’s back up. It basically states that probationary Sgts cannot take part in any external activity without special permission and therefore cannot apply for any volunteer allowance. If they do without getting special permission from HQAC (with a full justification of why they must attend) it will be rejected.
hasn’t that always been the case?
is this more a reminder than change in policy?
from what I have seen, a “baby”/“Acting”/Probationary Sgt or Plt Off (call them what you will) have made it on to camps and courses based on photos i see on Social Media.
I get why the policy is in place, but if there is a willing volunteer and they offer something are we really to turn them away because they haven’t been to Cranwell?
I though the only ‘ban’ was on attending annual camps?
Is the policy the same for officer cadets? If not, why not?
So correct me if in wrong…as a wing we struggle to get SNCOs to support wing courses…now we encourage the baby ones coming through the system to help…now theres no incentive for them to help for the first year?
Interesting. I always thought (did it not actually used to be the case) that the prohibition on attending camps was until OIC/SSIC had been attended. I don’t rememeber a reference to a 12-month probationary period being part of a restriction.
That’s exactly what I thought
HQAC seem to be tightening a lot of things just now. For instance the cheapest form of travel is to be taken even if it is considerably a lot longer.
I can see why they are on a probationary period and why a baby Sgt wouldn’t be allowed to go to camp until they had completed SSIC but stopping them from doing all activities would push them away from the organisation especially if they had just done 6 months probation to then do another 12 months probation as a Sgt.
The question is what are classed as approved activities and are you allowed to take apart in activities after completing SSIC even if you are still within that 12 month probation period window.
What happens if there is a newly appointed Sgt running a squadron still within this 12 month probationary window, Does this mean he can’t take his cadets to activities. For this scenario to happen it would mean there is not a lot of staff members in the squadron to start with to take cadets to activities which them would mean the cadets miss out on a lot of opportunities.
So… Why would a CI able to attend any event they like bother going into uniform just to be barred from events ?
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hasn’t this always been the case though…certainly for camps having seen some white tabs on camps
My region has announced that they are going to allow probationary SNCO’s to attend activities as long as they fill in a form to the regional commandant. This is valid as a blanket authorisation for 12 months.
Although sensible, it’s a shame this is not national policy and another region decision going over the head of HQAC.
Sensible? how on earth is this policy of banning probationary SNCO’s from any event sensible?
It’s not. I think it’s a terrible idea. My region have decided though that they are ignoring hqac and letting probationary sergeants attend if they fill in a form allowing them to attend activities for 12 months. Which is better.
What I dislike is the continuation of regions being allowed to ignore rules and do what they want, which means some people in other regions inevitably miss out. Instead of ignoring the rule, RCs should be lobbying HQAC to get it changed for everyone.
Ok, so it IS a reminder about the exact details in ACP 20 PI301.
Having checked PI301, the 12 month probation runs regardless of when you attend SSIC, and during that time you can only attend external events with special dispensation from HQAC.
What gets me, is how can they claim in the IBN that there are insurance implications?
CI - attend and be insured
Pro.Sgt - Can’t attend for 12 months and magically uninsured
Sgt - Attend and be insured
I say again, why would any CI bother to go into uniform just to be confined to home for 12 months?
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The insurance thing is rubbish. As mentioned, my region are giving block authorisation to probationary SNCOs without additional permission for single activities.
It actually states that explicitly!