Before our Wing formalised Fieldcraft delivery with a dedicated WSO, we had a serving Royal Marine as De Facto FCO who was very switched on and really made a difference in how fieldcraft was delivered. Also managed to arrange helicopters for AEF on more than one occasion, and worked incredibly hard in other areas too, such as DofE and AT. Highly valued member of staff.
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In fairness, in terms of the likelihood of being in it for the right reasonsā¦ SIs rank pretty highly.
Not like they need the uniform to feel importantā¦
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SIs are of a huge benefit to the Corps. Iām lucky enough to have a Sqn close to a large RAF Station and as a result have several SIs - there are also two other units who also have them from the same station, so Iām not hogging them - we even had whinges at a Wing meeting earlier in the year that we should share the SIs around! They are going to travel half an hour to a Sqn but theyāre not going to jump in the car and drive four hours to another Sqn, just so we can share them around, but thatās another whinge for another day.
They are volunteers, like the rest of us, and just like us civvies in a part-time blue uniform, you can get some really good one and some utter idiots, who make you wonder how they even got into the RAF, but they do come with a down-side of they are often away, sometimes at short notice and then they get posted. Out of my six, I have none attending the Sqn over the next three months due to exercises, deployments, courses and one has just been posted - so theyāre great when they are down, but I rely on SIs due to so little actual staffing that weāre going to struggle for the next few months.
So back to the original question, can they hold a Volunteer Post? Yes. If they have a day-job that allows them to be the SME for that post, then why not? Weāre too hung up on rank, or at least we are in my current wing - the Post Holder should be the most qualified, experienced person in the Wing and if that is a RAFAC Sgt or an RAF SAC then who cares. If the post wasnāt advertised (often the case in my Wing) then that is an issue with the hierarchy of the Wing - how do they intend to find the best person if they donāt advertise the vacancy, or know their staff well enough to know their areas of expertise?
However, if the Post Holder isnāt doing a good job, for whatever reason - lack of knowledge, experience, time, interest, support - then it shouldnāt matter the rank, RAFAC Sqn Ldr or RAF Cpl, they should move aside - but it is very easy to criticise from the sidelines when you donāt know the barriers they are up against, so maybe open up the lines of communication, give some feedback, ask some questions, maybe they need some help and support to get things going?
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GAI 1026 - lists the allowances. MMA is one of them.
Are they in AP1919?? Who knows!!
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No mention of them either way that I can see regarding establishment/wing/region posts in ACP 20 and the nomination forms. All very geared towards Officers specifically (including references to CFC and OIC Cranwell) , so really weāre already in contravention our own regs by allowing SNCOs and CIs to hold such positions.
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ACP 20 contains a list of established posts and the ranks (where applicable) they should be at.
Iāve yet to see a SNCO/CI Health & Safety Officer
We have one.
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based on that list, in our Wing
I donāt ever recall a Sqn Ldr Sports in our Wing, I canāt remember when it hasnāt been a SNCO
Our current Aviation Officer is a Flt Lt (and OC) and previous was a SNCO, although prior to that was a Sqn Ldr, it was a secondary duty to other hats worn
Our long term WATTO is a Flt Lt and prior to that I believe was a SNCO
I donāt ever recall our MCO being a Sqn Ldr, current is a Flt lt
H&S is also a SNCO
It is an interesting wish listā¦but that is all it can be - a wish list.
Given at least two of our Wing Staff roles are below the rank expected of the office i question why they havenāt be promoted as it would imply they are entitled to itā¦
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The lost on ACP20 is a list that ranks CAN be not s SHOULD be.
on that basis - why include ranks at allā¦???
if they can be Sqn Ldr and they can also be a CI why bother with ranks??
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This is where I think a good case for revising the VA system lies - rank+role. But thatās a different conversation.
Because it tells you as a Wing HQ what your maximum budget is for VA. Yes you donāt have to manage it directly but you need to know what is and isnāt available as a paid post.
If you determine that all of these posts MUST be Filled by the maximum rank allowed then you are effectively determine the structure of a WHQ which might not be fit for purpose due to the number of available volunteers. You would also be excluding valuable members of staff who might be the best person for the job. (Surely the London Wing trio to Coroners Court demonstrated the need for SMEās to be responsible for signing things off?!)
(The system allows for 19 Sqn Ldrās & 3 Flt Ltās, how many Wings have enough staff to fill all of these posts?)
While the ārankā an individual holds should make no difference, but I was told many moons ago that people had to be a specific rank so that whoever they spoke to in the regulars, would know how (in their words) seriously to take them, as many regular Officers, especially, wouldnāt properly āwork withā the cadet staff member if they werenāt of what they considered to be the right rank.
Which effectively ruled out anyone below the rank of Flt Lt or Sqn Ldr (excl WWO) and the WgAdO had to be a Sqn Ldr or as it now CS equivalent for similar reasons. I asked if they were joking and they said no, which is why he said he (at that point Fg Off) was being given a scraper to be the WGLO, so if his spoke to stations and others about flying opportunities as a Sqn Ldr heād have some kudos. This was the beginning of the demise of my respect for the parent organisation.
I would like to point out I am an SAC and Iām the Training Officer at the Sqn I am an SI at, rank donāt play a role, and it annoys me how rank restrictions fully capable individual.
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I would suggest that the āX rank is required for this job so that regulars will take them seriouslyā¦ā thing went out with the Ark.
Certainly in the Army 10 years ago it was just ānormalā for someone at Major rank to talk to a Sgt in a specialist post as equals. ATOās, JTACās, CEās, SF, Search Team Leaders or whateverā¦
If a Sgt rings up a Lt Col at Catterick and says āhello sir, my name is Sgt X, Iām the AT Officer for Y&Z Wing ATC and Iām wondering if you can help me achieve A or Bā¦ā heāll be treated with respect and courtesy.
The Lt Col wonāt ask him to get a Wing Commander to call him instead.
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In some cases itās there for a reason. Certainly for second and third sig responsibilities as well as withdrawal of arms and ammunition. Higher pay = higher acceptance of risk.
What you wonāt find (generally) is a SAC as a Sqn Cdr.
Do you have a copy of that please?
Itād be most helpful for my SIā¦
Send it to me if you get it please. Ping it through FB if you can.
Itās on Sharepoint in you search GAI 1026 or on the modnet on the RAF Publications under GAI 1026
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