Separately but we still don’t get any kind of pay slip to indicate what it’s for.
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I noticed theres payslips on defence gateway for VA, but yeh shame nothing for travel claims etc
Speaking as a Wg Cdr…
I slightly agree. For example, when I did my DCCT course, the course was run by a Flt Lt and a number of Fg Offs, yet I was paid as a Sqn Ldr for just doing as I was told.
But: VA is not entirely pay for the activity it’s claimed for; all of us should be (and most of us are) doing a lot more unpaid work for RAFAC and this is really a small thankyou for that, and specifically to note times when we are taking time off work, or at least away from home, and need something to make up for that.
The higher rank you are, the more likely it is that you are taking responsibility at a high level unpaid. I remember having a disagreement with RC(SNI) a few years back, who flatly refused to believe that as a Sqn Ldr CCF Contingent Commander I was a DDH, despite my having the letter to prove it. Most of my work as DDH was unpaid, yet that was a huge responsibility; he, meanwhile, was a full time paid Gp Capt taking on the same responsibility (OK, for a much larger number of people).
I’m not a DDH any longer, and I can see the argument for paying me less when my role in an event is less. But not zero…
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Wg Cdr = £201.17
This is already happening by default if not by intent.
I hold 2 roles that are ranked higher than my actual rank. I’ve held one for 3 years. People take part in activities I’ve planned and get more VA than I do.
Not an issue per se but they’re showing up as an extra pair of hands or as a student so the VA doesn’t reflect the extra work or that of my teams. They do hold other responsibilities elsewhere, fair enough, but if we’re looking at the cost of running a specific activity for cadets it’s a bit back to front!
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Well yes, I didn’t want to mention that…
its on Sharepoint…
They will take from you until you rebel.
And that’s where they’ll draw the line. The longer you wait, the more you lose.
It beggars belief that investing in the volunteers that make it all happen isn’t the last thing to go.
Sure, the Air Cadets without aircraft, annual camps or anything punchier than an air rifle might be a little less high-octane (for those who get it anyway), but the Air Cadets without a happy, basically unpaid and passionate workforce is dead.
Controversial opinion: The cadets aren’t the most important thing. They’re the why. Your volunteers, who get no more than 28 days of pay (less than what many earn in the real world, and only if they’re going above and beyond the weekly graft) are the biggest gift any organisation like this could dream for.
Edit:
Second controversial opinion: If you made RCs a CFAV appointment like the ACF have, and took that capitation rate and put it into WExO-style roles, would that help? Would that be a net gain? I don’t really understand what support you get at various levels, but I get the impression HQ and wing can really make your lives easier, but region seems more difficult for an outsider to pin down.
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I don’t disagree, and there are others that feel similar. The idea of “Service before self” in the organisation has been taken too far; there’s only so much that can be sacrificed.
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It is now being pushed almost to fanaticism effectively making being CFAVs as part of a cult.
& if you don’t volunteer in the way of everyone else or decide to leave, you are Shunned (in the religious punishment sense)
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I met an old boy in the mess who was rabbiting on about how if you don’t live and breath it, giving more than your two nights a week, should you even be in uniform…
T**
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It wouldn’t - ACFs have paid WExOs in the form of CEOs & their CFAVs RC are more figure heads than operational commanders.
Too big myths/fallacies that the organisation collectively needs to accept rather than
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military personnel of a certain rank can manage volunteers due to their prior experience. It’s an apples & oranges situation & whilst they will have the skills to manage infrastructure & military policy. Civilian policy requires a different mindset.
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experienced volunteers can do the job of the paid staff just as well. The mindset between being a volunteer & managing volunteers is completely different.
It is very easy to put in “laylandii volunteers” into paid roles but they will quickly grow too quickly too fast & forget that they are there to enable the volunteers, not to take over.
It is a lot more nuanced & ironically probably the best people to manage it would be MPs/politicians - people who rely on volunteers to deliver their message, act within the local constituency party & keep people generally happy.
I’d argue CAAs are closer to WExOs and the CEOs are closer to your RCs: but there are no direct equivalencies, due to military unit titles (which imply the size of a unit and rank of its commander) are interpreted so differently by each cadet force.
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CAAs don’t have line management or budget expenditure responsibility. It terms of responsibility & pay bracket they are equivalent of the Admin staff at Wg & are expected to doing the humping & dumping of kit for the respective units.
CEOs & WExOs have the budgetary & line management responsibility. From a HR perspective they are the same
The Military rank bit is becoming more & more irrelevant to the cadet forces but the SCC equivalent is ranked the same at Lt Cdr so it’s a good fit.
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I bow to your clearly superior knowledge of the details.
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CACE has just arrived in Central & East!
Though just struck me - with the emphasis on large events having to go through the CACE process does this means things like Wing Training Competitions are now going to be a thing of the past?
I’m sure they will be protected, as some people like a nice day out and to be fawned over and saluted?
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Ah yes but not the paid staff who would rather be a home with out all the pomp (except those who want time off work away from their spouse so will jump at the chance to claim time & half toil to be taken off on the following Monday 
).
It doesn’t matter how tall the poppy grows, to the reaper man we are all the same height.
I remember my first day speaking to the Wg Cdr for my initial interview to starting back as a CI after many a year away from the org. What was my reason for coming back? I have the time and it will get me out of the house. Of course, I’m giving back more than I expected I would be but, back then it was more about me than anything else.
I don’t do anything that requires me to claim va and I like that. No stress and I’m not over-stretching myself to a position where I would be out of pocket with travel and or buying kit. If I can’t do something on Sqn then I will say so. I’ve already seen the messages in our group chat about whether others had received any money in their account and how much they were expecting to what they actually received.
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