YOU AND THE RAF
• Whether the professional welfare, educational or medical evidence supports the case (the evidence must be up to date)
• Whether local/alternate mechanisms have been exhausted/considered
• How the granting of PT will alleviate SISD (if PT is unlikely to resolve the issue then a recommendation for Compassionate Discharge will be considered)
• The unit recommendation
The award of PT will normally be for an initial period of 6-12 months but may be extended exceptionally to cover 3 years (if granted, this will usually be in increments following further requests for extensions).
If the CAT feels that the circumstances may persist beyond the period of PT awarded, and there is little chance of significant improvement, the application will be approved but a Long Term Warning will be issued. A Long Term Warning is issued to advise the individual that if they are unable to fulfil their full range of Service commitments on expiration of the period of PT, then
they may want to consider applying for a Compassionate Discharge. If a case is rejected then the Serviceperson may appeal, but they must provide additional compelling evidence that was not known to the CAT at the time the original application was boarded.
Dispelling a Common Misconception PT is not about the individual Serviceperson in isolation. The strength of any case will lie in the needs of their spouse/civil partner, dependants or wider family who may be suffering Serious Illness or Severe Distress (SISD) and how the demands of the Service impact on the Serviceperson’s ability to support his or her family.
The Service provides extensive support to the individual Serviceperson and there are alternate mechanisms already in place to address SISD for them, such as local welfare arrangements and medical geographical assignments. The first port-of-call in such circumstances is line management, Unit medical and/or welfare staff.
What are the Implications of PT? Promotion – an individual in receipt of PT will be boarded for promotion in exactly the same
manner as their contemporaries. If selected by a Promotion Selection Board, an additional Board will sit to consider what action is required.
Individual Movement – PT is granted for a set period, after which the Serviceperson will be expected to fulfil their Service commitments. If they are assigned to a Unit where they cannot be absorbed into the establishment they will be subject to a further assignment on the expiration of their PT.
A final plea!
Please consider the impact on others and don’t leave it until the last minute to request help. The granting of PT inevitably affects another Serviceperson; for example, if an operational deployment is cancelled at short notice, the Serviceperson in theatre may have to stay longer, or a replacement nominated at short notice. The sooner a problem is raised, the more time there is to get the right specialist input and ensure the case gets proper consideration.
And, if you are granted PT, do keep in touch with your Unit Personnel and welfare staff who can continue to provide support. Don’t forget if your circumstances change, for the better or worse, to let them know.
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www.tkscable.com www.raf-ff.org.uk Envoy Winter 2011 37
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