IN THE WORKPLACE
THEDEPARTMENT that is A1 OPS
by Gp Capt Clive Montellier DACOS A1
In the current ever-changing operational environment, the RAF needs to support not just our personnel but also their families in order that we, as an organisation, can meet the demands placed upon us to deploy in the most effective and efficient manner; A1 Ops at HQ Air Command plays a very important role in this process.
W
e have recently seen operations all but come to an end for UK forces in Iraq and the Balkans
but our footprint in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and the Falkland Islands has remained at approximately 2,400. In addition, we still provide small numbers of personnel to EU and UN missions around the World, most notably in Africa; however, this ‘steady state’ was rapidly altered overnight by the requirement to instigate immediate air operations over Libya in March of this year, which has seen over 900 additional personnel deploying to operate from Italy and Cyprus.
With such a short notice commitment, many people were detached for a period of up to three months with only a few days’ notice. The burden placed upon families cannot be overstated and we know that, whilst any separation is always difficult, given a sufficient period of notice families can prepare for this time apart; however, when the notice is only a matter of days, it can be very difficult and the support the Service provides to families at Station level becomes ever more important.
As our deployed operational footprint now approaches 3,500 people, our personnel will inevitably deploy more frequently as the RAF gets smaller. Therefore, the need to prepare all our personnel and their families for the challenges faced before, during and after operations is an increasingly important part of the deployment process. It is here that A1 Ops plays an integral role and has been driving a number of new and ongoing initiatives.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
Most significant has been the introduction over the year of the A1 Ops Website (available on the RLI and now via Airspace:
https://airspace.raf.mod.uk/ airspaceLogon), which contains a wealth of information about the deployed locations and what needs to be done during a Service person’s preparation period. Easy access to such information provides the reassurance to the deploying individual that he or she is completing his preparation process correctly and will arrive in theatre fully prepared – physically and mentally – for the deployment.
As well as guidance on what needs to be done before arriving in theatre, there is also information about things that need to be considered in helping the family prepare for the period of separation. Included in this are checklists as well as links to the RAF Community Support website, which provides further very useful information. Also, we provide information and support to unit HR staffs to ensure that they support both the individual and the family to prepare, including advice on how the individual’s line management can provide welfare support to the family left at home.
Whilst deployed, it is paramount that the Service provides basic welfare needs to ensure that we can maintain not only the morale of the individual deployed but also his or her family at home. The most obvious of these are telephone and email connectivity to allow communications home, but the provision of diversions in the form of leisure facilities, TV, radio and other forms of entertainment are equally important and necessary to maintain morale. A1 Ops’ role is to represent the RAF and to drive forward improvements and new initiatives; while this
will be difficult in an era of ever-tightening budgets, new technology provides us great opportunities in the future to deliver more for the same (or less).
The role of A1 Ops does not finish when an individual leaves theatre. For all those returning from Afghanistan, a period of approximately 24 hours is spent within the British Forces Territories at Cyprus undergoing Decompression. In addition to the opportunity to relax from the pressures of operations, the day also includes a couple of very important sessions focused on preparing the individual for the return home.
The reaction and feedback from personnel who have attended Decompression is very positive and people feel that the process is very beneficial both in the long and short term in providing a short period to pause and reflect on experiences and begin to think about returning home – in the words of one airman, “Yes, it would have been nice to get home in one jump, but I’d have got off the plane tired, dirty and grumpy. Now when I meet the family in the arrivals area, I’ll be feeling fresh, clean and a bit more relaxed for our first hours together”.
Having just returned from a six month operational tour in Afghanistan, I know the importance of support before, during and after operations, not only to ensure that the Service person’s experience is both personally and professionally fulfilling, but crucially to sustain the family, who in turn provide the rock on which individual morale is found for many. I can assure you that we continue to value the importance of individual and family welfare and morale, and whatever support is required we will do our best to ensure that it is delivered.
Envoy Winter 2011 35
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