The RAF at 100 (with Ewan And Colin McGregor)

[mrclark303]

Thanks for that Badger. After 23 years in the RAF I’ve seen a lot of change. Yes technology has come on leaps and bounds but the biggest change has to be in the personnel and the way we are treated. The changes aren’t obvious but they are there, pensions changed, pay changed, promotions limited and all done behind closed doors. My trade is a very small one with about 700 engineers. Since the New Employment Model was anounced in 2016 we have lost over 100 Armourers a year (By that I mean PVR, Premature Voluntary Redundancy). Most aren’t concerned with the loss of pay due to being placed in a lower pay band, it’s more the RAFs thought process and how it’s been dealt with since. I think the 100 year experiment is coming to a sad end. The RAF as a Force second to none is coming to an end, having spent many months with the USAF and US Navy (I’m currently with the USN) I see a force much better equipped and taken care of than our own. The one thing that’s keeping our armed forces strong is the pride but that is disappearing quickly and it appears to be what the RAF desired long term.

It makes you wonder what's left to cut or reorganise in the name of "efficiency" .... Otherwise known as Savage cuts..

At least we now seem to have a Defence Secratery who fights for his department.

To be fair, there's nothing left to cut without officially admitting we are closed for business with regard to serious force projection.

The problem is, most of the general public have little idea (or indeed care) what the armed forces are equipped with or how they are treated as individuals.

Yet other government departments like the NHS have 100 billion (and climbing) spent on them annually and refuse any attempt to modernise or change in any way, resulting in at least 3 billion waisted every year, probably much, much more...

[bigduke6]

John, even the reserves are getting cut back although they still need more............. The REME reserves have took a hammering, last year when attached to the Royal Irish I couldn't believe how run down the spares are, not a spare nut and bolt ion site, all to do with a computer programme we use all spares ordered now for the job in hand....... even the Army has given up on some paperwork, (except for when signing kit out)

We lost a lot of good lads who had years under there belt, only problem was when they closed the door on the LAD's at the other Regiments we were way top heavy in senior ranks as a Field Company......... more SSgt's & WO2's you could shake a stick at. Don't get me wrong there are few who needed to go.......

With another cold war looming we are on the bones of our arse...

[Paul S.]

John, even the reserves are getting cut back although they still need more............. The REME reserves have took a hammering, last year when attached to the Royal Irish I couldn't believe how run down the spares are, not a spare nut and bolt ion site, all to do with a computer programme we use all spares ordered now for the job in hand....... even the Army has given up on some paperwork, (except for when signing kit out)

We lost a lot of good lads who had years under there belt, only problem was when they closed the door on the LAD's at the other Regiments we were way top heavy in senior ranks as a Field Company......... more SSgt's & WO2's you could shake a stick at. Don't get me wrong there are few who needed to go.......

With another cold war looming we are on the bones of our arse...

With that said, one could say the historical shadow of 1934 looms over today's forces.