F e d e r a t i o n N e w s A Rare Privilege T
he Chairman has been granted the rare privilege of attending the annual Chief of the Air
Staffs’ Conference of Warrant Officers, hosted this year at RAF Halton.
Whilst the main aim was to brief this highly influential audience on the role of the Federation and to promote its evidence-gathering efforts, Dawn was also invited to attend the entire Conference as an observer and even blagged an invitation to the official dinner.
Difficult years ahead
During his address the then Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Sir Glenn Torpy provided a comprehensive and robust overview of the current challenges facing the RAF. Operational, financial and political factors all influence the environment in which the RAF works and CAS predicted difficult years ahead with budgets becoming even tighter.
Commander in Chief Air
Next to speak was Air Chief Marshal Chris Moran, who provided a very thought- provoking insight into the current situation in Afghanistan. He outlined key challenges for the Command and highlighted Future Brize Norton as a particularly challenging project. (see separate article)
AOC 1 Group Air Vice Marshal Bagwell, then took the stage and through a series of fascinating photographs, highlighted to the WOs the fantastic work being undertaken by 1 Group personnel in delivering operational effect on the front-line. Videos of precision weapons minimising the risk of collateral damage to civilians was most impressive – even more so was a fast jet pilot speaking in such effusive terms about the Support Helicopter force!
2 Group
Next up was Group Captain Toner from 2 Group and he briefed the audience on the Strategic Air Bridge and the amazing statistics hidden behind the scenes in terms of numbers of passengers carried and high serviceability levels despite many challenges. He also highlighted the difficulties of sustaining the Air Bridge during the coming years with so much work to be done to expand Brize Norton to absorb its incoming aircraft, personnel and families. The final internal speaker was Chief of Staff Strategic Policy & Plans, Air Vice Marshal Routledge, who had the unenviable task of explaining the financial planning round.
14 Autumn 2009
BFPO Closures in NATO and its Consequences
Chris Taylor, Deputy Chairman, RAF Families Federation reports
I
promised to keep those who contacted us about the Planning Round 09 measure to withdraw the
BFPO support to NATO HQs informed about any progress we might have made. Te work to find replacement mail services must be effective by 30 September 2010 and the savings realised.
Questions
CAS then chaired a Q&A session and subjects including the impact of Catering Retail and Leisure (CRL) contracts, Defence Estates performance, and Out of Area tour lengths.
Our turn A welfare session then followed, with presentations by the RAF Benevolent Fund and our parent charity, the RAF Association. Already running late, it was the RAF Families Federation’s turn and the only thing standing between 100 WOs and their beer, it was a brave woman who delivered a rapid-fire presentation to ensure the WOs got the message about the Federation’s role and the need for the WO cadre to engage with the Federation team.
From the feedback in the bar afterwards, I think they got the message and CAS kindly wrote after the event:
“Your presence was very well received and everyone is supportive of the approach being taken by you and your team. I know that you will be very welcome at future conferences so please take that as an open invitation!”
The evening provided a welcome opportunity to meet the WOs and a chance for the cadre to bid farewell to CAS as this would be his last such Conference. The next day were the Syndicate sessions debating the future of the WO cadre, how to grow the next generation of SNCOs and WOs, and generally putting the world to rights as only the WOs can! It was a most interesting morning and led to some interesting debates, some of which chimed with the evidence being gathered by the Federation as to the values of the current generation and the different family dynamics now in place across the RAF.
I was extremely grateful to be included in the event and the Federation very much look forward to working with the new CASWO, WO Gary Wilcox, during his tenure of office.
Mitigating circumstances We used the information given to us and presented it to the MoD where a Lieutenant Colonel in Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel)’s area is looking at the issues (for the most part raised by those who contacted us) and where possible, looking at how they might be mitigated. That work is ongoing and we understand who a Defence Information Notice will be issued when the work is complete.
The BFPO standpoint The three Families Federations were invited to meet with the Head of BFPO and his staff. The BFPO team did highlight the consequences of BFPO closures as part of the measure; nevertheless, it was still taken and reflects, I suspect, the enormous pressure being brought to bear on defence expenditure. This however, does not make it any more palatable to those losing the service; or indeed, it must be said, within the BFPO organisation itself.
The lack of recognition The BFPO HQ is working hard to resolve the problem of many organisations (from commercial companies, government and local government departments) not recognising BFPO numbers. At the centre of the issue lies the Royal Mail ‘Postal Address File’ and it is in this area that BFPO hope to find some solution. However, the solution is outwith the BFPO’s specific control and no timescale can be put on the outcome. Again, rest assured that the BFPO team are doing their best.
Rescinded Following general discussion on the efficacy and efficiency of placing mail with local services, an element of the measure has been rescinded and the services to BFPO Naples will continue; I am unable at present to attribute this solely to our meeting with BFPO but the subject was discussed at length – a small success nonetheless.
Your part
I am in receipt of an e-mail with a link to a petition to the Government about the BFPO closures, you may wish to petition yourselves and pass on to friends, the website is at:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ SaveBFPO/ The link is a good one and will acknowledge that your vote has been added.
Further action Finally, the Federations have raised this entire issue with the chain of command (it is on the radar of Air Member for Personnel) and it is the intention of the
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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