Boarding school allowance

A hot topic in days gone by with folks for and against subsidised schooling for scaley brats. From memory, back in the early 90's, there was a boarding school in Tring that was popular with certain folks stationed at Halton. As ever there are those who will try to fleece the system maybe even this guy.

Army major general faces court martial for private school fee claims

Major Nick Welch, 57, appeared before Bulford Military court in Wiltshire on Friday where he was charged with fraud.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"Army regulations allow claims of up to £23,480 a year towards private school fees, but Welch is accused of claiming more than double that. He allegedly used the money to send his child to a school within 10 miles from his £800,000 Shillingstone home in Dorset."

 

[Past Engineering]

When I was old enough to start school my dad was moving around all over the place and in the mid 60's decided that he would send me to the new tri-service boarding school that was built on the site of Crown Woods Comprehensive school in Eltham, he also sent my younger sister later on in the hope that it would improve our education, had a great time but no help towards bettering my learning.

I have no idea how much the RAF paid in those days but vaguely remember my mum complaining that we did not have a lot of money left

 

[Talk Wrench]

What checks were made? Who authorised the payments?

When I expense things, there are a series of approvals that have to be met by my management team, HR and the accounting department. Everything and I mean everything, is scrutinised for risk and compliance, eventually being signed off by two, sometimes three signatories dependent upon the level of my claim.

There may be more to this story than first meets the eye although I'm suspecting that the system which allowed his claim to be paid, failed it's own checks and balances. If the gentleman in question took the advantage of knowledge in allowing erroneous payments to be made, that's a different kettle of fish, but someone, somewhere allowed this to happen.

 

[busby1971]

Need to consider the rank thing in the Army, truth to power isn’t the easiest thing to do in that environment, things might have changed since my day but I’m guessing not that much.

If true there’s no excuse, lead by example and all that, I had an MD once argue that his managers can’t have know to check a set of rules before approving a certain edocument, one of those it’s all HRs fault type conversations, I just pointed out the very specific paragraph and tick box that his managers and team members must action before any forms can be submitted.

 

[muttywhitedog]

What checks were made? Who authorised the payments?

I would suspect that in this case, a cursory check was made by his "very scared to say anything" staff officer, and it would be authorised by another "very scared to say anything" RAO. I'd be equally convinced that at no stage was a full check made by a non-commissioned officer.

At that level, not only is honesty and integrity expected to run through your veins, but those who authorised it would be the types who would sell their grandmother's soul for another rung on the greasy ladder of promotion. The staff of very senior officers take arse kissing to a new level.

I speak as an ex-Unit Auditor for the RAF. I used the phrase "With all due respect sir/ma'am, you are confusing your rank with my authority" more than once when it came to expenses. The other party always backed down.

 

[busby1971]

I would suspect that in this case, a cursory check was made by his "very scared to say anything" staff officer, and it would be authorised by another "very scared to say anything" RAO. I'd be equally convinced that at no stage was a full check made by a non-commissioned officer.

At that level, not only is honesty and integrity expected to run through your veins, but those who authorised it would be the types who would sell their grandmother's soul for another rung on the greasy ladder of promotion. The staff of very senior officers take arse kissing to a new level.

I speak as an ex-Unit Auditor for the RAF. I used the phrase "With all due respect sir/ma'am, you are confusing your rank with my authority" more than once when it came to expenses. The other party always backed down.

Problem is for every individual like yourself who do the right thing, therell be many more that crumble.

 

[muttywhitedog]

Problem is for every individual like yourself who do the right thing, therell be many more that crumble.

I know. They were generally the ones who got promoted quickly.

Principles have a price. In my case, it is a lower pension and lump sum than someone who crumbled.

But I look at the reflection of honesty and integrity in the mirror every morning, and that is something money cant buy.

 

[Wobbly_Jon]

There was another similar case a few years ago where a retired Brown Jobbie was caught out. Whilst serving he claimed school fees as per but 'forgot' to mention that following his divorce his ex remarried and his brats moved in with her new bloke therefore he was no longer responsible for the school fees. I seem to remember that he had to repay the money, return his medals, drop the 'retired post nominals etc and faced porridge time as well.