A significant number of personnel (again, engineers in the main) highlighted the increasing lure of employment elsewhere – citing the stability and additional income available either elsewhere or indeed within the ‘Whole Force’ as a contractor.


Another theme was the ‘Single v Married’ differences in allowances and charges (or not) for single accommodation and the question is again asked about the applicability and sustainability of the current allowance system to 21st Century modern lifestyle. This is a common issue for our personnel in a ‘long term relationship’ (of which there are circa 40%) for they also feel disadvantaged by the same policies that are perceieived to favour married personnel.


In broader terms, personnel talk of a dilution of the Service ‘offer’ and, whilst they understand that there is no ‘contract’ per se between the RAF and themselves – many see recent changes as fiscally motivated and a U- turn in respect of the unspoken moral obligation they felt existed between themselves and the Service and its leaders.


Unsurprisingly, career management remained an extremely important theme throughout. Stability and predictability were the 2 most important factors that were mentioned on numerous occasions. It was pleasing to note also that 2/3rds of personnel were employed in an area of choice. Whilst there was some negativity involving promotion prospects in some ranks/trades, personnel were in general content with the treatment and personal input they had in their career management.


10


Image: Two RAF A400M Atlas at RAF Brize Norton. RAF Photographer. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.


www.raf-ff.org.uk


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