[quote=“Racing Stick” post=13120]
I’m with Baldrick here. I absolutely agree. EVERY member of CFAV should go through the CI route. Moving a CWO or C/FSgt into a Adult Sgt rank is an unnecessary burden on them and the Sqn. Being made a CI promotes a great deal of self discovery; allowing that individual to see the major difference between being a Cadet and an adult member of staff.
My personal opinions? I hope that on either of the boards, the SNCO or Officers; one of the determining factors for passing is having decent common sense. Ensuring that factor is paramount might go some way to preventing any animosity, either perceived or otherwise between Officers and SNCO’s. Ultimately, we are all in the same boat. We all have to pull together to the benefit of the small people that we nurture. There shouldn’t be angst between us. Now, I don’t live a life through rose coloured spectacles and acknowledge that angst will always occur. However, the forces; all of them, have always had a quasi-dictum: The Officers command but the SNCO’s are in charge. Is that right? Maybe. But if it is or isn’t, it matters not. We are, as I mentioned, all part of the same organisation and all doing ostensibly the same job. Yes, we will get good and bad SNCO’s and Officer’s, that’s the nature of the beast I’m afraid. Let’s just all try and work together for the good of the ACO.[/quote]
My bold - This bit doesn’t quite work for the ACO, although I think some staff try and force it to be. There is too few adult staff available and sometimes the officers have to get stuck in. There are several people in the organisation who believe that there are ‘Officer Only’ Jobs and “SNCO Only” jobs and Officer shouldn’t get involved. This is hogwash and leads to situations where some SNCOs try to run the sqn their way and don’t like being challenged. I remember Mitch being very clear at ATF that whilst Officers shouldn’t end up teaching drill, it wasn’t forbidden and it was our job to make sure it was being taught right and get involved if weren’t happy with it.
At the end of the day the operations and responsibility for what happens on a Sqn rests on the CO’s head, not the WO or SNCO. At lot of the new SNCOs need to understand that and the fact that at the end of the day the decision rests with the Officer not them. The officer will often be privy to information that the SNCO hasn’t or can’t be told which affects what decision is made. However, counterpoint that with new officers who need to understand if that they say No all the time they disenfranchise their team and regardless of their opinions everybody deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. That may mean that they have to explain their orders so the SNCOs can understand where they are coming from as the days of just doing exactly what your told, when your told, how your told are long gone especially in a volunteer organisation.
The role of an SNCO should be to warn, to advise and support the officer in the decision making process and should never become a hinderance. But in return for this the Officer should never neglect the SNCO, be it physically or developmentally in terms of training and skills. The Officer also has a DUTY never to put the SNCO in a compromising situation or give them an instruction or task that would leave them exposed morally or legally. It is meant to be a two way street but I feel in some areas it has divided into them and us camps.
There are those out there who simply do not like being told what to do and almost revel in the idea of causing trouble for those above them, and effectively have a chip on their shoulder. Sometimes these people are in low responsibility jobs or have poor relationships with their real life bosses. However this is no excuse to use the ACO to further your own ego by causing stress for others. Over the years it has seamed that more of this insidious attitude of “officers are stupid” has crept in and it feel that sometimes you are dealing more with a militant trade union than volunteers in a military organisation.
Regarding the issue of CI - I couldn’t agree more and actually allows the individual to develop a lot of the skills they will need as a uniform member of staff but wouldn’t have time if they went straight into uniform. It would also allow them to be trained by officers and SNCOs so which ever route they take it would give them a greater insight so its will cause less problems down the line. It would also work out cheaper - how many uniform staff leave at 24/25 once they have finished University and start developing their own life and career?
I will finish on one final note - I know of a WO who takes great delight in boasting that they do not put their hat on so they do not have to salute. A result of this is that enforcement of saluting is very weak and teamwork or the unit is poor. To me the salute is one of the things that binds us together as a team, and if not a mark of subservience. When I am saluted it says to me that the SNCO acknowledges my authority, that I have their support and they are placing their trust in me. Returning the salute, to me, means that I am acknowledging their support and trust and I undertake to look after, not give them unreasonable orders as well as acknowledging the duty of care I have to that individual to give guidance, leadership and take care of their welfare. This simple, unspoken act helps bring a team together and letting it break down (that is becoming too casual) can result in things separating and staff working at cross purposes.
A lot of poor officers do not feel comfortable with the idea of leading from the front and challenging behaviour and that poor leadership results in poor SNCOs not being use to being challenged and causing problems when they are. My father is an ex RAF Chf Tech and quoted to me several times over my life the phrase that if you are unable to follow orders, you will never be able to give orders, something that I try to keep in mind when making my own decisions.
Racing Snake - you got it pretty much bang on. If you aren’t able to lead and take responsibility of cadets/staff without a uniform then being given a rank isn’t going to change things. Much better to learn as a CI rather than undermine yourself as a newbie pilot Officer or Sgt.