Officer Commissioning and Terms of Service Air Publication 3393 Volume 1 Edition 21 December 2018 Impact Assessment Statement In accordance with MOD procedures, this AP has been equality assessed and a MOD Equality Analysis Template has been completed. This AP will be reviewed in Apr 19. CROWN COPYRIGHT Please note that, when published, this information is protected by Crown Copyright unless the information is clearly identified for re-use, such as under the Open Government Licence (OGL), there is no automatic right of re-use. If the information is not available under for automatic re-use, then you are free to use it for your own personal, private purposes outlined as exceptions to infringement under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Any other form of re-use requires permission in the form of a licence from the MOD, and any request for re-use of the source information must be made to the MOD’s Directorate of Intellectual Property Rights (DIPR). Such a request should be made by emailing [email protected]. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-copyright-licensing-information AP 3393 Vol 1 i Edition 21 Contents Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1 Officer Entry Requirements Section 1 – Conditions of Entry Section 2 – Types of Commission Section 3 – Methods of Commissioning Chapter 2 Entry Schemes Section 1 – Internal Commissioning Scheme (ICS) Section 2 – ICS Minimum Qualifications Section 3 – Warrant Officer Commissioning Schemes Section 4 – CWO – Affiliated Employment Categories, Trades and Branches Section 5 – Branch Officer Commissions (prior to 1 Apr 02) Section 6 – RAF Bursaries Section 7 – Medical Cadetships Chapter 3 Functional and Specialist Branches Section 1 – Branch Overview Section 2 – Functional Branches – Entry Requirements & Progression Section 3 – Specialist Branches – Entry Requirements & Progression Section 4 – Terms of Service of the RAF Medical Services Chapter 4 Training Section 1 – Terms of Service Whilst Under Phase 1 Training Section 2 – Enlistment of Officer Cadets (Airman) and Commissioning of Officer Cadets (Officer) Section 3 – Disposal of Non-productive and Pre-productive Officers Section 4 – Training Return of Service Chapter 5 Rank, Seniority and Promotion Section 1 – Rank and Seniority on Appointment to a Commission in the Functional Branches and Promotion to Flt Lt – For those who Enter Service on or after 1 Apr 13 Section 2 – Standard Time Progression to Flt Lt in the Functional Branches Section 3 – Accelerated Promotion - Legacy Section 4 – Effect of Previous Service on Rank and Seniority on Appointment in Respect of Re-Joiners and Transferees Section 5 – Promotion Section 6 – Acting Rank Chapter 6 Terms of Service Changes Section 1 – Variation of Commission and Transfer Between Branches Section 2 – Extensions and Further Service Section 3 – Return of Service (including Amortisation of Command Appointments) Section 4 – Professional Aviator Spine Section 5 – Specialist Aircrew – Reserved Rights Section 6 – Disposal of Productive Officers who are Permanently Withdrawn from their Duties Section 7 – Chaplains Branch Prior to Jun 01 AP 3393 Vol 1 ii Edition 21 Chapter 7 Exits Section 1 – Exit from Service – General Section 2 – Release/Disposal Authorities and Terms of Service Implications Section 3 – Normal Release from Service Section 4 – Premature Compulsory Release Section 5 – Medical Review and Exits Section 6 – Early Termination AP 3393 Vol 1 iii Edition 21 Abbreviations ACSC Advanced Command and Staff Course MOD Ministry of Defence AEng Air Engineer MOL Merit Order List AEO Air Electronics Officer MS Mainstream AFPS Armed Forces Pension Scheme MSO Medical Support Officer AO75/05/15 Air1975/2005/2015 Operations MWT Minimum Waiting Time AS Aerosystems Nav Navigator AST Advanced Staff Training NCA Non-Commissioned Aircrew BO Branch Officer NCC Non-Commissioned Control(ler) CE Communications - Electronics NERP New Entrant Rates of Pay CFS Central Flying School NRD Normal Retirement Date CID Certificate of Identity OACTU Officer and Aircrew Cadet OfficerTraining and Unit Aircrew Selection Cmn Crewman OASC Centre CS Career Stream OC(A)/OC(O) Officer Cadet (Airman)/(Officer) CTOS Common Terms of Service OCU Operational Conversion Unit CWO Commissioned Warrant Officer OEP Optional Exit Point DIN Defence Instruction and Notice ORD Optional Retirement Date DLS Directorate of Legal Services PAS Professional Aviator Spine DOM Director of Music PC Permanent Commission Defence Technical Undergraduate Professional Military Development DTUS PMD(A) Scheme (Air) EED Engagement Expiry Date PMRAFNS Princess Mary’s RAF Nursing EDP Early Departure Payment Prov ProvostService Branch EDPC Early Departure Payment Commission PVR Premature Voluntary Release Qualified Flying / Helicopter ES Executive Stream QFI / QHI Instructor ET Early Termination (Premature R&S Recruitment & Selection Fg FlyingVoluntary Release ) RAFFT RAF Fitness Test FRI Financial Retention Incentive RAFR RAF Reserve IC Initial Commission RAFVR RAF Volunteer Reserve ICS Internal Commissioning Scheme RAuxAF Royal Auxiliary Air Force Int Intelligence Regt Regiment IOTC Initial Officer Training RoS Return of Service IPP Immediate Pension Point RPAS(P) Remotely Piloted Air Systems IRD Initial Retirement Date SA Specialist(Pilot) Aircrew Intermediate Command and Staff ICSC (A) Course (Air) SFT Selection Fitness Test Specialist Officers Initial Training JMES Joint Medical Employment Standard SOITC Course JOCC / JODP Junior Officers Command Course / SSC Short Service Commission JROC JuniorDevelopment Regiment Period Officer Course STRC Short Term Regular Commission JSP Joint Services Publication TACCO Tactical Co-ordinator KSE Knowledge Skills and Experience TOS Terms of Service L Linguist TCOS Terms and Conditions of Service LOS Length of Service UAS University Air Squadron MB Medical Board VW Voluntary Withdrawal MEOS Mandated End of Service WSO Weapon Systems Officer AP 3393 Vol 1 iv Edition 21 Introduction 1. Air Publication (AP) 3393 Volume 1 is made by the Defence Council under the powers conferred by section 2(3) of the Air Force (Constitution) Act 1917 and has the status of ‘General Regulations’ which are laid before Parliament. The functions conferred on the Air Council by the Air Force (Constitution) Act 1917 were transferred to the Defence Council by virtue of section 1(3) of the Defence (Transfer of Functions) Act 1964. The AP is owned and published by RAF Employment Policy and details the Terms of Service (ToS) for officers serving as members of the regular RAF. This AP does not apply to members of the Reserve Forces, whose ToS are published separately in AP 3392 Vol 7. RAF Recruiting and Selection (R&S) in consultation with Branch and Specialization Advisors are responsible for the content of the relevant sections of Chapter 3. Any other suggestions for amendments are to be sent to SO3 RAF Employment Policy, Hurricane Block, HQ Air Cmd, RAF High Wycombe, HP14 4UE. 2. The Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Act 2018 made provisions for members of the regular forces to serve part-time or subject to geographic restrictions. The Armed Forces (Terms of Service) (Amendments Relating to Flexible Working) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/1166) amended the Royal Air Force Terms of Service Regulations 2007 to provide for Flexible Service (FS) within the RAF. The SI provides the legal basis for service on FS terms, including the eligibility criteria and limitations for airmen of the RAF. JSP 750 (Centrally Determined Terms of Service) sets out the policy and guidance relating to FS. The Conditions of Service (pay, pension/EDP etc) for SP participating in FS will be affected and personnel considering an FS arrangement are strongly recommended to read the guidance contained in the JSP. Major Changes for Edition 21 3. A revised introduction to the AP has been included to make reference to the provisions of FS. Minor ammendments have also been made in the remainder of the AP to highlight specific aspects of ToS that are/are not affected by a FS arrangement, such as the definition of reckonable service and clarifying that time to promotion eligibility is measured in calendar years (ie including the time on FS part-time working arrangements). Further information on FS can be found in JSP 750. 4. A number of minor changes have been made and include: a. Specialist Entrant & Re-Entrant (SERE) Course. Changes have been made throughout the AP to reflect the renaming of the SERE course to the Specialist Officer Initial Training Course (SOITC). b. Engineering Branch Entry Requirements. Adjustments to the Engineering Branch’s prerequisite entry qualifications have been made to reflect the broader spectrum of training available to potential applicants. c. Upper Age Limits. The upper age limits for recruitment have been revised at Chapter 3 Section 2 to reflect the broadening of recruitment for a number of branches. d. Flying Branch Sub-Branches. A revision to the names of the flying branch’s sub- branches and specializations has taken place at Chapter 3, Section 2, in accordance with the associated announcement via IBN 41/18. AP 3393 Vol 1 v Edition 21 e. Re-Joiners Rank. Detail has been added to clarify the point at which personnel who undertake the Transferees and Re-joiners Course (TARC) are appointed to their rank at Chapter 5, Section 4, Paragraph 5421. f. Optional Exit Point (OEP). Clairty has been added regarding the policy for deferment of the 12 year OEP in Chapter 7, Section 3, Paragraph 7311. g. Command