[quote=“MikeJenvey” post=21070][quote]I don’t think its appropriate to have a WO on a board for Fg Off. It doesn’t happen in our parent service and IMHO it shouldn’t happen in the VRT not least because the WO is not a member of a Reserve Air Force.
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At Cranditz, whilst it wasn’t an over-riding factor, we used to listen very carefully if the sqn SNCOs suggested that Cadet Chaos might need additional trg, they were right 110% of the time! I think that with appropriate safeguards (specify experience criteria, etc), the input from a sage WO could be of value.
Now that is the best idea on this forum for months! That could curtail a few misguided careers? :evil:[/quote]
Which leads us to the situation the american continental army was in at the start of the War of Independance when each regiment was allowed to elect its own officers. This resulted in weak officers more afraid of upsetting their men & becoming unpopular than those able to take the decisions needed. Their are still times within our organisation that you need a ruthless CO who is prepared to make those harsh, unpopular decisions for the longer benefit [e.g. challenging the egos in it for themselves rather than the benefit of the cadets].
The biggest difference between the SNCOs at Cranwell and within the ACO is that the ones at Cranwell have had a long cultural memory of training officers and as you said it isn’t the over-riding factor.
I remember reading an article that was titled as advice to new officers. It stated:
[quote]
Your working relationship with your sergeant is critical and there are a few points you should note to get this relationship off on the right foot. First, he does not want your job - he wants the sergeant major’s. And he will be judged on how you turn out, so your success is important to him. He knows he must guide you initially but wants to get to the point at which you work together as a coherent team, with you leading the platoon or troop and taking care of personnel issues while he administers it. [/quote]
Unfortunately too many of the WOs want the Sqn Cdr Job (but not necessary the responsibility). Unless one of the criteria of promoting a FS to WO or a Sgt to FS is how they have guided & supported a new officer, I do not see how it is fair to have WO on Fg Off Boards. The vast majority of regular WOs are well respected by the officers, not something that occurs regularly in the ATC.
The reason is that if you go down the route of regularly consulting with your ATC WO, in the majority of cases they end up taking the mick (leaving you in the continental Army situation above). Only if they start making things interdependent, & SNCOs are judged on the success of the Officers they mentor will part of the barrier come down.
I suppose one solution would be have the WO boards made up of the Wing Co, a WSO & an experienced Sqn Cdr from another Sector. Not only would this mean the prospective WO would have to be able to work outside the SNCO club it would also help develop Sqn Cdrs for future WSO roles.
They may have been right but not very good at maths