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Reported Pause in RAF White Recruiting To Meet Diversity Targets

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Reported Pause in RAF White Recruiting To Meet Diversity Targets

Old 16th Aug 2022, 16:30
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Reported Pause in RAF White Recruiting To Meet Diversity Targets

"EXCLUSIVE: The RAF has effectively paused making job offers to white male recruits in favour of women & ethnic minorities to meet "impossible" diversity targets, sources claim. The head of
@RoyalAirForce recruitment has resigned in protest, they said.

The defence sources accused
@ChiefofAirStaff Sir Mike Wigston, the head of the RAF, of appearing willing to compromise UK security at a time of growing threats from Russia and China in pursuit of albeit important goals such as improving diversity and inclusion.

One of the defence sources noted how General Sir Patrick Sanders, the head of the
@BritishArmy , has likened today's security challenges to those in the build-up to the Second World War, warning that the UK is facing its "1937 moment".

Then you look at the head of the RAF and he's prepared to break the operational requirement of the air force just to meet diversity [targets]," the source said. “I think he needs to be hauled up by the Ministry of Defence and told: This is the defence agenda, get on it."


An RAF spokesperson disputed the allegations. “There is no pause in @RoyalAirForce recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements," the spokesperson said.

“Royal Air Force commanders will not shy away from the challenges we face building a service that attracts and recruits talent from every part of the UK workforce,” the spokesperson said.

“As with the Royal Navy and British Army, we are doing everything we can to encourage recruiting from under-represented groups and ensure we have a diverse workforce."

“The Royal Air Force has a well-earned reputation for operational excellence that is founded on the quality of all our people. We will always seek to recruit the best talent available to us,” the spokesperson said.

But another of the defence sources insisted that there has been an "effective pause" on making an offer of employment to white male recruits.

Also responding to questions from
@SkyNews , a @DefenceHQ spokesperson said: "Operational effectiveness is of paramount importance and no one is lowering the standards to join the Royal Air Force.

“The RAF recruits for many professions and, like the rest of the armed forces, is determined to be a force that reflects the society it serves to protect."


RAF 'pauses job offers for white men' to meet 'impossible' diversity targets | UK News | Sky News
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 16:34
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Diversity Targets

I don’t normally comment on such things but I can’t help it on this occasion.

I have a very cunning plan for how the RAF could meet its diversity targets within 12 months. If all the white males PVR immediately the RAF will be made up purely of the desired demographics within a year. I’ve done my bit already. Only about another 20-25000 to go. Problem solved.

BV
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 16:43
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All the gentlemen declaring themselves to be ladies would also crack it.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 16:53
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Do the diversity targets include LGBTQI folks?
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 16:59
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Originally Posted by Bob Viking
I don’t normally comment on such things but I can’t help it on this occasion.

I have a very cunning plan for how the RAF could meet its diversity targets within 12 months. If all the white males PVR immediately the RAF will be made up purely of the desired demographics within a year. I’ve done my bit already. Only about another 20-25000 to go. Problem solved.

BV
Would probably do it. I was somewhat surprised to see the RAF is a little more than half the size it was when I left in ‘99. Even then it was down by 35k bodies from when I joined in ‘84.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 16:59
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Looks like Air Commodore Jo Lincoln has deleted a Twitter post from a few days ago where she stated how proud she was to be working with her recruiting & community engagement team which had the usual cast of rainbow charachters in all the photos - except any white males - which attracted some pithy responses from retired officers!
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:02
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If there is truth to this rumour, maybe the RAF needs to remind itself that they should actually just recruit the best candidates for the job, irrespective of creed, colour, race, gender or anything else.

The country needs the best service people it can get and not bow down to any other agenda.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:03
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Someone has reported the non-white target for 2022 was 14% rising to 16% in 2023.

I expect the next step will be using ethnicity as a lever in determining any future mandatory redundancies - like happened with age bands by branch during the big cuts following DCS.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:11
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ST,

I believe the vast majority of the serving RAF would agree with that. Unfortunately a vocal minority think otherwise.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:15
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I joined in 1965 and left in 1993.
1965 -132k
1993 - 81k

2016 - 33k

Interesting FOO link >>> https://assets.publishing.service.go...2017-04440.pdf

I have always subscribed to the best man/woman for the job.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:35
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Surely that opens the RAF up to being sued by applicants on the grounds of racial prejudice or discrimination, it’s a two way door.

What discrimination is

Discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly for any of these reasons:These are called 'protected characteristics' under the law (the Equality Act 2010). Discrimination based on any of these protected characteristics is usually against the law.
https://www.acas.org.uk/discrimination-and-the-law
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:40
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The Commonwealth war cemeteries of Northern Europe and beyond are filled with our glorious war dead.
The vast majority white and most definitely male.
The RAF had better explain that one to them.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:52
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We need the best 7-year holding pilots we can get, not a quota. We can't have anything but the best. Holding.

CG
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:54
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Originally Posted by ShyTorque
If there is truth to this rumour, maybe the RAF needs to remind itself that they should actually just recruit the best candidates for the job, irrespective of creed, colour, race, gender or anything else.

The country needs the best service people it can get and not bow down to any other agenda.
Spot on. Who or what you are or perceive to be is irrelevant once you put on the uniform. You become part of something much bigger than yourself. If people of any colour, creed, race or gender wish to join, they can as long as they are medically fit and qualified for the role they want.

The defence sources accused @ChiefofAirStaffSir Mike Wigston, the head of the RAF, of appearing willing to compromise UK security at a time of growing threats from Russia and China in pursuit of albeit important goals such as improving diversity and inclusion.

When is he going to do the honourable thing and go? You might think he would have at least done something about pilot training, or maybe the crumbling infrastructure? Perhaps minorities don’t want to join because their prospective Mess is falling down and has no hot water?
I cannot comprehend how he got the job over the other candidate, a more accomplished leader I have yet to meet.

It is soul destroying seeing the service being slowly turned into a laughing stock.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 17:59
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
Surely that opens the RAF up to being sued by applicants on the grounds of racial prejudice or discrimination, it’s a two way door.
Provided that the service can prove they were "positively discriminating" in order to benefit minority groups, I don't think that they can be sued.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 18:04
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Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09
Looks like Air Commodore Jo Lincoln has deleted a Twitter post from a few days ago where she stated how proud she was to be working with her recruiting & community engagement team which had the usual cast of rainbow charachters in all the photos - except any white males - which attracted some pithy responses from retired officers!
She is the Boss of the Gp Capt who has handed in their resignation.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 18:05
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Wigston has to go before he does any more damage.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 18:27
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Here is a thought……

All white…..

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-commanders/

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/non-executive-directors/


I am sorry, but you need to be recruiting the best, not second rate to simply fill some woke agenda.

.
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 18:44
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WTF......is this all about!!

Non-executive directors of the RAF............seriously !!!!

I must have been living under too big a rock for the past several decades....I'm clearly too old for this modern world
Its the bloody armed services not some fluffy corporate civvy company
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Old 16th Aug 2022, 18:48
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
Surely that opens the RAF up to being sued by applicants on the grounds of racial prejudice or discrimination, it’s a two way door.



https://www.acas.org.uk/discrimination-and-the-law
Exactly my first thoughts.

Touchy subject, but this is a whole new level.
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