Serving Personnel


The overriding theme amongst the serving respondents, and by far the most number of comments received, concerned the current perceived lack of ‘useable manpower’. Of particular concern to line managers was the number and availability of suitably qualified and experienced personnel (SQEP) – this was particularly noticeable amongst the technical/STEM - aligned trades. ‘Hard Gapping’ of posts was prevalent and the added ‘Soft Gaps’ of personnel on recovery, training courses, unestablished commitments, other service distractions and the emotive issue of being medically downgraded, meant that for many the effective strength of sections and flights was well below the establishment. Many respondents reported they were working harder and longer than even just 12 months ago. Many highlighted the conundrum for the chain of command that, as personnel worked harder and harder, the more people were being ‘broken’.


Of the serving respondents, 92% felt that they had met their commitment to the RAF in the last year but only 35% believed the RAF had fulfilled its commitment to them. With the Service being so operationally focussed there was also frustration with the amount of perceived ‘red tape’ and bureaucracy when stepping away from front line operations. Contractorisation of outputs also came in for criticism – with many saying that the RAF was being let down by some contractors and badly written contracts.


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