A Guide to Terms and Conditions of Service
PAM (Air) 96c
Revised Apr 15
A GUIDE TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
FOR
INDIVIDUALS SERVING
AS
NON-COMMISSIONED AIRCREW
IN THE
ROYAL AIR FORCE
Issued by - RAF Employment Policy
A Guide to Terms and Conditions of Service for Individuals Serving as Non-Commissioned Aircrew (NCA) in the Royal Air Force
Introduction
1. This document gives information about the Terms and Conditions of entry and service for individuals who join the Royal Air Force (RAF) as Non-Commissioned Aircrew (NCA). The RAF reserves the right to alter the terms and conditions described in this document as a result of changes to Ministry of Defence (MOD) policies and the detailed regulations which govern them. However, you will be notified of any variations prior to enlistment. It is not possible to give all the details you might want to know about NCA service in the RAF in this document: NCA Information Sheets are available from your local Armed Forces Career Office (AFCO). The RAF Careers website at www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment also provides detailed information on all of the roles within the RAF.
2. Members of the RAF who are serving on Regular engagements are liable for service in any part of the world and may, on occasion, be required to spend a significant period of time operating with the Royal Navy and/or the Army. As a consequence you may be required to serve at sea or be deployed in the field.
Young Entrants
3. The RAF has special responsibilities for the welfare of young recruits who enlist below the age of 18. If you are enlisting below the age of 18 the written consent of your parent or guardian is required. If you are over the age of 18, and subject to an Adult Care Order, the written consent of your guardian/care worker is required.
Conditions of Entry
4. You must satisfy the RAF authorities that you remain properly motivated towards the Service and that you continue to meet all the necessary eligibility and suitability requirements. If you are unsure about your continued suitability and eligibility your Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) will offer advice.
Residency
5. As part of the application process you were required to provide details of any time spent outside the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to ensure you met the residency requirement. To ensure you continue to meet the residency requirement, if you intend to spend any time outside of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland between any Offer of Service and Enlistment, you should seek advice and guidance from your nearest AFCO.
Types and Lengths of Service
6. Initial Engagement. All new recruits enter the RAF on the day of enlistment on an initial engagement. Enlistment is the formal procedure whereby a recruit must answer a mandated set of questions and complete a declaration; both of which are pre-conditions of the formal enlistment process. NCA are normally enlisted on a 12 year Notice engagement, followed by 6 years reserve service. RAF Personnel can apply to leave before the end of their initial period of service – paragraphs 28 to 35 contain more information on when and how you may be able to do so. Paragraphs 43 and 44 explain what Reserve service means.
7. Previous Service. Candidates with previous service in any of the UK Regular Armed Forces may be permitted to count their service for the purposes of assessing rank on re-enlistment or re-entry.
8. Further Service. Subject to continued satisfactory service and manning requirements, NCA are considered for various periods of further service at certain points in their career and could serve to age 60. However there are certain criteria, such as physical fitness and continued medical fitness for worldwide service, which must be fulfilled. There are 3 distinct methods of gaining Further Service;
a. Extension of Service. Extensions of service in rank will be available up to a maximum of 4 years at a time prior to attaining an Early Departure Payment (EDP) qualifying point at 20/40 (20 years service and having reached age 40) and up to a maximum of 5 years at a time having reached an EDP qualifying point.
b. Re-engagement. Re-engagement is normally linked to substantive promotion where individuals have been selected by a Promotion Selection Board or by the NCA Re-engagement Board, and offers service to established re-engagement points (20/40, LOS 30, LOS 35) and exceptionally by selection to the Mandated End of Service (MEOS) at age 60.
c. Continuance. Continuance offers Further Service to those who have completed a minimum of 17 years or more reckonable service and are within 3 years of their Engagement Expiry Date.
Rank on Entry
9. Enlistment is in the rank of aircraftman with the status of aircrew cadet. Serving personnel should refer to AP 3376 Vol 1 for detailed guidance on the changes to their terms and conditions of service.
Specialisations
10. General. Once you are fully trained (i.e. you have achieved Combat Ready status) you will hold substantive Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) rank and have the potential for employment across a wide choice of aircraft roles, within the following Weapon Systems Operator (WSOp) specialisations:
a. Electronic Warfare (EW) and Acoustics (Aco). EW and Aco sensor operators are employed on Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft including the E-3D Sentry, Sentinel R1, Shadow R1, RC-135 Rivet Joint and the MQ9 Reaper, Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS). On these aircraft, you would be responsible for the operation and management of the latest computer-controlled sensor systems. The interpretation of the information gained from these systems is the responsibility of the operator. Dependant on aircraft type this could include: Radar, electro-optics, laser designation systems, electronic emission detection and classification systems, and aircraft self-defence systems. You could also be expected to operate and manage air-ground communications equipment, including long and short-range radios and data-links. EW and Aco assets are responsible for providing commanders at all levels with the accurate information they require in order to make informed decisions and enable decisive action. In particular, they have evolved into providing a significant ‘overwatch’ role in support of friendly ground forces. Additionally, WSOps will closely assist in the safe operation of the aircraft and utilise their airmanship and situational awareness skills in the wider support of the mission.
b. Crewman (Cmn). Cmn are employed on Fixed Wing (FW) and Rotary Wing (RW) platforms. As a FW Cmn you would be employed on large multi-engine aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster, A400M Atlus, A330-200 Voyager and the BAe146QC in the Combat Support Air Transport (CSAT) role. Your responsibilities on FW aircraft may include the supervision of aircraft loading, effective weight and balance clearance for flight, assisting in emergency drills, fuel management, air-ground communications, checking tactical airdrop loads, operation of aircraft defence systems and the supervision of cabin services for passengers. WSOps are also employed on Voyager as Mission Support Operators (MSO) in the Air to Air Refuelling (AAR) role. RW aircraft include Puma, Chinook and Griffin, operating in the Support Helicopter (SH) roles. As a SH RW Crewman your responsibilities will include the operation of aircraft defence systems, assisting in navigating, emergency drills, fuel management, air-ground communications, aircraft servicing, voice marshalling, performance calculations, supervision of troops and air to ground gunnery. Despite the transfer of Search and Rescue (SAR) responsibilities away from the military there will continue to be a small SAR requirement on the Griffin helicopter. On SAR helicopters, the WSOps perform as radar/winch operator or winchmen, and are trained to a high standard in medical care.
c. Linguist (L). Linguists are employed on the Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint with responsibility for the operation and management of specialist airborne communication reconnaissance equipment. The Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint is the UK’s electronic reconnaissance aircraft with a capability to monitor electronic emissions across a broad spectrum. The role of RC-135 is to provide electronic combat support to military commanders at all levels. The RC-135 has a large crew complement which would include a number of linguists and WSOp (ISTAR).
11. When you join the RAF as a NCA WSOp, you will complete a generic training phase before being streamed into the ISTAR or Crewman specialisation according to aptitude, ability and the prevailing Service requirement. You may be expected to remain in that specialisation for the duration of your remaining service. However, there should be opportunities to switch between platforms given the nature of the generic skills of a WSOp. WSOps (L) are specifically selected for this role according to their aptitude for language training. In certain circumstances, there may be opportunities to apply to transfer to an alternative WSOp specialisation. A general career plan is at Annex A.
Training
12. NCA Recruits are required to undertake the following training:
a. A recruit training course for a minimum of 10 weeks held at RAF Halton near Aylesbury for entrants who have not previously served in the Armed Forces.
b. A 10-week NCA Initial Training Course (NCAITC) at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire for those who have not previously qualified as aircrew.
c. A generic WSOp flying training course of 13 weeks for those who have not previously qualified as aircrew. This course is designed to give you an understanding of aircraft systems, electrical theory, basic survival skills and communications procedures. Upon successful completion, NCA trainees will be streamed into their specialization training.
d. A specialist flying training course(s) which vary from 19 weeks to 18 months depending upon the specialization the RAF has allocated you to.
e. Operational Conversion Unit training to a particular aircraft type and role, lasting approximately 6 months.
f. Combat ready training takes place on a front line unit as ‘On the Job’ training and can last approximately 9 months.
g. NCA Recruits who are withdrawn from flying training may, dependant on suitability, eligibility and availability, be given additional aircrew training or be considered for a re-muster to a ground trade. If there are no vacancies or you are not suitable, or eligible, you will be discharged from the Service.
Every effort will be made to assist you to settle into the RAF and to promote and encourage your development. Our intention is to make you an effective, efficient and contented member of the RAF and then to equip you for the transition to civilian life at the end of your Service.
13. Training Return of Service (Trg RoS). All new NCA recruits, either from civil life or the Ground Trades, are required to give 6 years productive RoS from the date of completion of OCU training. Some types of additional training undertaken during the course of your career may incur a further Trg RoS period. A Trg RoS is defined as ‘a period of time that an individual who has undertaken a course of training shall be required to serve in order to give a reasonable return on the investment made by the MOD’.
Personal Development Opportunities
14. General. The RAF, as far as practicable, supports all personnel who wish to undertake further development opportunities, by providing access to courses of study, financial assistance and other practical support. Service personnel have the opportunity to enrol on courses and work towards qualifications through local colleges or by distance learning, and special arrangements exist for study with the Open University. In addition, most stations have a Learning Centre, which will provide additional learning opportunities for RAF personnel.
15. Adventure Training (AT). There are two adventurous training (AT) schemes available to RAF personnel: the RAF Adventurous Training Scheme (RAFAT) which covers expeditions worldwide and the Joint Service Adventurous Training Scheme (JSAT) which encompasses AT qualification courses and expeditions which are open to personnel from all three Services. Further opportunities exist within RAF Force Development Training which often uses the medium of AT. The RAF has several AT Force Development Training Centres around the UK and Germany and also runs an AT related ‘Eagles Scheme’ which offers various personal development training exercises which are held globally.
Promotion
16. On successful completion of the NCAITC, cadets are granted the acting (unpaid) rank of sergeant. Your flying badge will normally be awarded on successful completion of the flying training course (at para 12d above) along with the acting paid rank of sergeant, albeit in a pay band lower than substantive sergeants of the same trade. After 18 months further satisfactory service, the successful completion of an Operational Conversion Unit and the attainment of Combat Ready status, promotion to the substantive rank of sgt will be confirmed. NCA of particular ability can be recommended for substantive promotion after a shorter period. All subsequent promotions are merit based. The performance and potential of Service Personnel is reported upon in the form of an annual Appraisal Report. This report forms the basis for assessing suitability for promotion. An annual Promotion Selection Board considers sergeants and flight sergeants who have completed 5 years service in their current rank, have achieved Above-Average in the Air status and who have a positive promotion recommendation for promotion to the next rank.
Commissioned Service
17. NCA may apply, or be recommended for, commissioning in any of the officer branches for which they are eligible. NCA may be considered for commissioned service provided that they have completed a satisfactory period of NCA service and that they can be released from flying duties, subject to the manning needs of the Service. Applications from NCA for commissions in the flying branch (as Pilot, Weapons Systems Officer and Remotely Piloted Air Systems (Pilot)) can be made providing that they have completed a 3-year productive tour of duty as aircrew.
Pay and Allowances
18. General. Full details of rates of pay, which are reviewed annually, are given at www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment. The MOD operates an incremental pay structure with 2 pay ranges (Higher and Lower). Each pay range has an identical number of incremental steps at each rank. On initial entry into the RAF, recruits will be paid the New Entrant Rate of Pay (NERP) for 26 weeks service.
19. Commitment Bonuses. A bonus is payable to NCA personnel on completion of 10 years service from the date of enlistment, provided they have not given notice to leave the Service at this date. The payment is subject to a commitment to serve for at least a further 2 years. JSP 754 Tri-Service Regulations for Pay and Charges refers. Further details can be obtained from your AFCO.