34 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2011 News and information for serving personnel Hints, tips and bye to myths
HINTS, tips and myth-busting brought to you by the team at Naval Personnel Team (NPT) Warfare Officers Career Management. Happy New Year from the team
at NPT (X) – we have restricted this article to two distinct areas: ■ Getting in touch with Career Managers, and; ■ Top tips with regard to JPA. Below is some simple guidance
that will make your Career Management easier:
Getting in touch and career interviews ■ When to get in touch. You should make contact with
your Career Manager (CM) with around 12 months left in post. Any earlier than this and we will not be able to gauge your performance to date. Any later, and forward planning time is reduced. ■ How to get in touch. In general it is always best to discuss your plan with your Commanding Officer (CO) or Line Manager before making contact with your CM. For general enquiries and updates, an email is always preferable to a phone call. This will allow CMs time to examine the plan and come up with some options before replying. ■ Why you should get in touch. We are interested if your
Drafty’s corner
preferences change, if you’ve moved house,
if you have
recently got married/divorced, had children etc. These are all factors that we would wish to be made aware of when managing your career. ■ Career Interviews (CI). If you are content with your next assignment and do not require a more in-depth look at your
promotion or transfer prospects then you probably do not need a formal CI. If you do, then a pro-forma will be sent out prior to the interview – please fill in as much as possible and be as honest as possible about your preferences, priorities and aspirations.
Please take some time to look
at the timeline versus age and seniority. We will go through this during an interview and CMs can also let you know how you are scoring on the promotion board if applicable
JPA and admin ■ JPA contact details. Please ensure your contact details as registered on JPA are up to date. In many cases, this is the only
information CMs have in order to contact you, please avoid putting your work address and email address down as the only details. It should be fairly obvious to
your CM which job you are in – far more useful is your civilian email address and an up to date mobile and home number. ■ OJAR.
It is important to ensure your OJAR page 1 is filled in carefully and correctly. Please take your time in completing the ‘comments’ and ‘aspirations’ area in particular
changes at your peril
Can you keep track of all the issues that have had an impact on the Armed Forces Pension Scheme in the past five years, asks Lt Cdr David Marsh, Pensions Secretary of the Armed Forces Pensions Society, and the likely changes that are to be implemented in the next five years?
Here are some of the most important headings:
Changes that are already in place ■ Introduction of the new AFPS05 Pension Scheme and the rules surrounding the opportunity to transfer to the new scheme. ■ Change to the age that
Pension Credit members can receive their portion of pension in respect of a Pension Sharing Order following divorce. ■ Changes to the rules on the
eligibility to receive Resettlement and Life Commutation to those who apply after leaving the Armed Forces.
Changes effective from April 2011 ■ Changes to the rules regarding qualification requirements for the award of an immediate pension for those on AFPS75 who are made redundant, together with a change to the amount of Special Capital Payment payable. ■ A reduction of over 80 per cent in the Annual Allowance a pension can increase by in value in a given year, before an Income Tax liability is due, bringing many more serving personnel into an area of taxation that they would not normally have expected to be part of.
■ The change of prices index used to increase pensions in issue or deferment from the RPI rate to the CPI rate.
Expected changes by 2015 ■ Reduction in the Life Time
Allowance from £1.8m to £1.5m. ■ The introduction of a brand new pension scheme that is not a final salary pension scheme. As you can see, quite a radical shake-up in a world where the mere mention of the word ‘pensions’ is often sufficient to induce deep sleep, or at the very least, a roll of the eyes in a heavenly direction. But ignore these things at your
peril. Over 80 per cent of the UK
population have no form of income in retirement other than their Occupational/Private pensions, and their State Pension (which is also undergoing some major changes in the next five years or so – but I don’t have time to touch on that here), so it is in your interest to know how all of these changes are going to affect you. I have a strong suspicion that
many of the younger readers will think that only the new pension scheme of the future might affect them, but I would be inclined to disagree.
The change in the index to be used to increase a pension once it is in payment will mean that the average Petty Officer will receive over £200,000 less in pension receipts in his lifetime (assuming he lives to an age of 85 – he is likely to live longer), on the assumption that there is an average difference of just 1 per cent between the RPI and CPI indexes. This year
alone there is a difference of 1.5 per cent!
There is never a better time to get to know your pension scheme better, and the changes which lie ahead, so you will be better prepared to take the correct administrative line – unlike many who buried their head in the sand when offered the chance to change to AFPS05, and now find themselves several thousand pounds out of pocket with no opportunity to change matters. So, do yourself a favour and get ahead of the game. Joining the Forces Pension Society would be a good start. Members have access to
● A Lynx helicopter from HMS Gloucester February 1971
EXTENSIVE floods in Malaysia prompted the Royal Navy to put recent experience in East Pakistan into use again. Monsoons caused extensive flooding in the Temerloh region of Central Pahang. Malaysian authorities were informed by Royal Navy helicopter crews about 3,600 people who had not received food supplies for more than eight days. Wessex helicopters from 847’s Naval Air Squadron were used
as crews flew over four times their usual duty hours in efforts to transport over several tons of food to badly affected areas. Royal Marine manned Gemini RIBs were used to reach more isolated communities where the scale of the flood had been exacerbated by the river’s increased speed.
February 1981
NAVAL fliers plucked nine downed Dutch aviators out of the Atlantic when a Cold War mission went wrong. The aircrew took to life-rafts after their aircraft ditched shadowing the Soviet aircraft carrier Kiev. Two Sea King helicopters were sent from HMS Gannet to pick up the men who had been forced to abandon their aircraft in the Atlantic.
extensive pension expertise which is independent of the Ministry of Defence, you’ll get a full response, ‘warts and all’. You can join via our website at
www.forpen.co.uk, or the Society on 020 7820 9988.
NHS review under way for Forces prosthetics
CONCERN from Service veterans that the NHS may not be able to provide adequate prosthetic services has prompted the launch of a review into NHS services.
Service charities have informed the Department of Health that veterans who have lost limbs on active duty are unsure that the NHS can provide the same standard of prosthetic services as the Defence Medical
Service at Headley Court. As part of their commitment to ensuring the best possible care for those who have served their country, the Government has launched this review, led by Dr Andrew Murrison MP, into the prosthetic services currently on offer, and how these can be strengthened to meet future demands.
In addition, the review will look at the future funding of
high-specification artifical limbs, regional variations, the transition from Forces’ to NHS care, and the role of Service charities. Health minister Simon
Burns said: “Service personnel risk everything in the service of this country, and the NHS must provide the first-class care that these brave men and women rightly deserve and help to improve their health outcomes.”
harder, with 30 knot winds, snow showers and a 30ft swell. Waves continually crashed over the life-rafts. The nine surviving aircrew were winched up, eight by one helicopter and the last by the second Sea King. The bodies of two other crew members were later recovered by an RAF helicopter.
February 1991
NAVAL LYNX along with US forces destroyed Iraqi anti-aircraft batteries in the opening blows of the first Gulf War. The helicopters from ships HMS Cardiff and Gloucester were sent with US units to eliminate the guns on oil platforms off the coast of Kuwait. The operation was completed successfully and resulted in the first prisoners of war being taken, when 12 Iraqis were captured while attempting to defend the batteries.
February 2001
ALTHOUGH the men of 45 Commando would have liked to have been at home for Christmas, celebrations were still held in Kosovo, culminating with a Royal Marines Band charity concert which took place in the centre of Pristina. 45 Cdo were nearing the end of a six-month tour which had seen large amounts of illegally-held weapons being confiscated and a number of smugglers arrested, amid the ever-present threat from ethnic-Albanian extremists.
were spread from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day to ensure that the momentum of ongoing operational commitments was fully maintained.
The Christmas celebrations and handing out gifts to children Poor weather conditions made the rescue all that much Ignore pension
in order to fully inform your CM of your wishes.
In addition this is the first thing a promotion board will read and sets the tone of the report. ■ Developed Vetting (DVs). If you are sent Developed
Vetting Forms you must make them your number one priority. Fill them in quickly, accurately and completely. Photocopy every page and send them by recorded, next day delivery to the address provided. Incorrect or incomplete forms will hamper the issuing of your DV which is essential for many assignments. ■ Voluntary Outfl ow (VO). Please call and inform your CM before submitting Voluntary Outflow (VO or PVR in old money) for two reasons: often one or more of the deciding factors is a perception rather than reality
and secondly it allows the CM greater time to find a relief for you, particularly if you request a reduced notice period. ■ RNFT. You must be in date for RNFT on the Common Reporting Date (CRD) if you are to be read for promotion (go forward to the board). Once selected you must be in date on the promotion date. In essence you should be in date for RNFT at all times! It is your responsibility to ensure you are in date (or that a medical/operational waiver is registered) and that JPA reflects this (2010DIN01-024 refers). Note, if you are serving on exchange abroad, it is your responsibility to get in touch with HMS Temeraire to secure an exemption if applicable. ■ Outstanding Leave. While it is acknowledged
that the operational tempo of many units precludes some individuals from taking their Annual Leave Allowance (ALA), it is becoming increasingly common for the Career Managers to see excessive ALA balances, often from individuals who have completed consecutive shore assignments.
The additional pressures this places on some already very taut plots often have consequences for several individuals. Frustratingly, it is often simply because an individual has not recorded their leave within JPA – please take your ALA where possible and ensure it is recorded in JPA. If you have any questions regarding the above, then of course do not hesitate to contact your friendly neighbourhood Career Manager.
THE TIME OF YOUR LIVES 197119811991
2001 LIVES
We fl ick back through the pages of Navy News to see which stories were drawing attention in past decades...
Honours
Appointments to the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath As Companions
Rear Admiral Amjad Mazhar Hussain
Love Rear Admiral Robert Thomas
Appointments to the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
As Knight Commander Vice Admiral Richard Jeffery Ibbotson DSC As Commanders Cdre Michael Peter Mansergh Cdre Christopher Michael
Howard Steel As Offi cers
Cdr James Stephen Donnelly Cdre David John Evans Cdr David John Faulks Cdr Stuart Brian Furness Capt Anthony Paul Holberry Capt Timothy Frederick Wilkins Martin Cdr Andrew Carnegie Stewart As Members
Lt Cdr Stephen Edward Adamson
Bell Lt Cdr Reginald Paul William
Lt Cdr Andrew Patrick Clarke Capt Robert Nigel Ginn Royal Marines
Maj Mark John Hardie Royal Marines
Jenks
Lt Cdr Richard Simon Harrison
Lt Cdr Anthony William Jervis
WO2 John Stuart Jones Royal Marines
Lt Cdr Paul Nimmons Lt Cdr Jack Rickard CPO(Diver) William Sharp WO1 Ronald Sinclair Royal Marines
Lt Cdr Rachel Smallwood C/Sgt Laird Webster Royal Marines
Cross Speller
Associate of the Royal Red CPO NN Louise Stephanie
Assignments
Rear Admiral Ian Corder to be Commander Operations and Rear Admiral Submarines as Head of Fighting Arm on March 8 2011.
Squadron, 1 Assault Group Royal Marines, as offi cer commanding from April 26 2011.
Competition
Stafford; David Axford, Haslemere, Surrey; Sid Myers, Plymouth, Devon; Mr N Anderson, Southsea, Hants; Mrs A Yates, Wednesfi eld, Wolverhampton.
appeared in our December 2010 issue. Five copies to be given away. Winning answer: Francis Ford Coppola Winners are: Paul Yates, Eccleshall,
Apocalypse Now competition that Maj Paul Renshaw to 10 Training
WO1 Alistair McGill QGM Royal Marines
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