I WAS made redundant in tranche two of the Armed Forces’ redundancy programme – just 87 days short of reaching my 16-year immediate pension point.
As a result, I received a remuneration package worth less than half of that which my former colleagues who served just a few weeks longer received.
Feeling that the impact of redundancy has been disproportionate and that my family and I have been treated unfairly, I used the only means of recourse available to Armed Forces personnel in order to seek redress.
In November 2012, I submitted a service complaint and more than a year later I have yet to receive any form of response; apart from letters from various clerks telling me I will be sent (another) update in 30 days.
Access to a proper and responsive means of recourse should be one of the essential elements of the Armed Forces Covenant, and it seems to be completely absent.
I am aware that many other service complaints have taken as long.
The Service Complaints Commissioner has oversight of my grievance, but has neither the authority nor the resources to do anything.
The whole system is woefully under-resourced and I believe some key staff were made redundant!
The senior management of the Army are paying lip-service to the Armed Forces Covenant: they have consistently failed to deliver this basic requirement to anything resembling an acceptable standard.
It is simply not acceptable to fail to respond and I cannot imagine this would be tolerated in any other part of the public or private sector.
Having lost my livelihood and career, the Army has failed to provide two things which my family and I desperately need: fair treatment and closure.
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