End of FTRS???

[FACWIT]

A memo from the Army's directorate of manning, leaked to the Telegraph, states: "With immediate effect no further offers of employment are to be issued for full-time Reserve Service employment... This also includes extensions to current contracts - with immediate effect no extensions are to be authorised. This restriction is to be maintained until further notice."

Should stir up a hornets nest. Some people will have to get proper jobs now.

 

[tigger_c/s_30]

A memo from the Army's directorate of manning, leaked to the Telegraph, states: "With immediate effect no further offers of employment are to be issued for full-time Reserve Service employment... This also includes extensions to current contracts .

Anyone confirm this I havent seen the article myself, if this is true any thoughts on what effect this might have during the current climate?

 

[FACWIT]

Its in the Electronic Telegraph. I don't know how to do one of those fancy link things yet.

 

[The_grand_dad]

I posted one here guys/girls
http://www.arrse.co.uk/html/modules...start=60&sid=66b7d0df7fbd8df81ea157255cb8a8ca

 

[msr]

http://www.army.mod.uk/ftrs.htm

msr

 

[Bow_Man]

This is probably a cost saving measure. If the gap exists then it will remain gapped to save the cash. MOD is currently a bit strapped.

 

[PartTimePongo]

Maybe they'll consider short tours now?

 

[msr]

PtP,

I have it on good authority that short tours are not only under consideration for the TA, but also for the Regular Army...


msr

 

[FACWIT]

According to the Army Website:

Following a review of FTRS by the Executive Committee of the Army Board(ECAB) on 12 September 2003, very few FTRS(Full Commitment) appointments will be offered for the remainder of this financial year. This severe restriction will be kept under constant review and any changes will be notified as soon as possible. There are much reduced opportunities to serve on FTRS(Limited Commitment) and FTRS (Home Commitment) and details of these appointments are listed below in the How to Apply area of reserve information.

unlucky for all you Gareth Keenan types.

 

[Ventress]

Looks like the Regular Army will be stretched to its limit, I have just demobbed and have seen Regular soldiers in Iraq who have have had three weeks off in 9 months- technical trade- who did Telic 1 and now just finishing Telic 2!

So if the MoD have cut FTRS then the future looks a bit grim for the lads now serving. Tours, Bowman, Training, Leave, more tours- something has got to give I think!

 

[Kermit]

Maybe they'll consider short tours now?

Op tours shouldn't be affected by this decision as they come off a different budget to FTRS, which is basically the Reg Army manning budget as opposed to Operations budget, which is not in the normal running of the MoD. I think Ops are paid for direct by the Treasury because they're are additional requirements. Like if there was some massive health disaster that no-one could predict, the NHS wouldn't have to pay out of its normal operating budget.

On the point of Short Tours, Full tours are always going to be prefferred over short because they are cheaper. Only one pax through RTMC instead of two, that sort of thing.

 

[FACWIT]

The latest results from the CGS briefing team survey thingy says that he is looking into the possibility of 4 month tours in the future. Time span for this to be "looked into" is unknown but I can't see it happening any time soon.

 

[msr]

Maybe they'll consider short tours now?

. Only one pax through RTMC instead of two, that sort of thing.

If you can get the pax to go through Chilwell, which is what I think PtP is on about. 3 month tours would be a great deal easier for TA bods to sell to their employers.


msr

 

[Kermit]

What percentage of blokes who volunteer for Op tours actually have jobs to go back to? Not a lot. The question is, would that percentage rise if tours were shorter? Not signifficantly I would suggest, but its worth a try!

The thing is to get into the mind of the employer. If someone comes up and says 'I want time off to go away on a tour', the initial reaction of many employers would be shock and concern that they were going to be losing an employee. If you ask for anything more than two weeks off its hard enough, so I'm not sure that employers are going to be much more impressed with 4.5 months off for a three month tour instead of 8.5 months off for a 6 month tour.

 

[msr]

What percentage of blokes who volunteer for Op tours actually have jobs to go back to? Not a lot.

Do you have any stats to back this up? I'm just curious as it doesn't square with my experience.

msr

 

[Kermit]

Just personal experience of having seen TA on tours. Very few were returning to their original employer, most were between jobs anyway, which is why they volunteered and a fair few volunteered to extend in theatre specifically because they had nothing to go back to.

If there is anyone from the NELC (National Employers Liason Comittee) or SABRE as I think its now called, on Arrse then please give us some figures! I have heard that they do record stats and the figures aren't that positive, certainly under 50%, but I can't offer anything more than that I'm afraid.

 

[msr]

Kermit,

You may well be right here. Certainly the blokes who went on TELIC all have jobs (and fortunately jobs to come back to).

msr

 

[Kermit]

MSR, thats the difference that compulsory mobilisation makes - the employer has to keep the job open for the soldier. (Voluntary mobilisation has non of those safeguards and so employers don't need to let their employees go). It would have been interesting if anyone tried to sack an employee who had been comp mobilised for Telic. I've not heard of it happening which must mean that RFA 96 has proved itself despite all the criticism of the last few years...

 

[themalky]

The moratorium on FTRS is currently up to mar 31 04. After this, apparantly, FTRS posts will again be available. Being a cynic, this tells me that as Land are out of readies, and manpower being our most expensive (and easy to cut) asset, by stopping FTRS the manpower bill drops! Strange thing that!
Also, some FTRS posts are still being extended, it just depends on who does your shouting for you!!