Trade Desk

[stackerowl]

As we are no longer allowed to contact the desk direct. I got one of my SNCO's to email them on my behalf asking about OOA's as i am now due one. This was over 2 weeks ago and still no reply, how long on average is it before anyone get's an answer??

 

[K9 FORNICATOR]

You must be joking!

You must be joking!

You're 'having a Roman Bath!' Personnel in such positions look down upon us as peasants. I'll wager you'll not receive a reply at all! These of course are the same status as those that can alter your response on your SJAR without permission to hide their own failings.......Rant Off! Deep Breath! Count to 10!
Go to your Chief Scribbly he may help dependant on weather and colour of his underpants!!!!

 

[BJW]

You're 'having a Roman Bath!' Personnel in such positions look down upon us as peasants. I'll wager you'll not receive a reply at all! These of course are the same status as those that can alter your response on your SJAR without permission to hide their own failings.......Rant Off! Deep Breath! Count to 10!
Go to your Chief Scribbly he may help dependant on weather and colour of his underpants!!!!

You are a little out of order K9, though it is regretable that you have clearly had bad experiences with the Desk. I speak to them and e mail them regularly and have never found them to be anything other than helpful and flexible. Yes there are sometimes delays but you have to remember that they are trying to deal with a trade of about 1800 people; they could make on-the-hoof decisions but experience says that to do so will undoubtedly solve todays problem but cause another ten further down the line.

The correct way for an SAC/Cpl to ask about OOA is now supposed to be via the Chf Clk, who has access to the data via his Project APOLLO profile of JPA. If he cannot answer your question then he is supposed to contact Manning on your behalf. In reality your Sqn WO (not your SNCO) could probably get you in answer within a few minutes of being asked.

 

[K9 FORNICATOR]

It is not 'the desk' I have had issues with but the 'department' they fall under. I have had in my illustrious career both good and bad experiences of 'the desk,' of late however with regards to OOA notifications and the dealings of they wouldn't be able to organise a p1ss up in a brewery even if their office relocated to Worthingtons. There are numerous individuals at my locat that have had appalling handling of circumstances which have highlighted obvious serious failings within their empire. Service Complaints aside anyone is allowed the occasional rant. I had mine!

As a footnote 'Chief Scribbly' was my term for Chief Clerk by the way!

 

[pinkster]

It is not 'the desk' I have had issues with but the 'department' they fall under. I have had in my illustrious career both good and bad experiences of 'the desk,' of late however with regards to OOA notifications and the dealings of they wouldn't be able to organise a p1ss up in a brewery even if their office relocated to Worthingtons. There are numerous individuals at my locat that have had appalling handling of circumstances which have highlighted obvious serious failings within their empire. Service Complaints aside anyone is allowed the occasional rant. I had mine!

As a footnote 'Chief Scribbly' was my term for Chief Clerk by the way!

Hoorah, I agree with all you said K9!!!!!!!

 

[K9 FORNICATOR]

Hoorah, I agree with all you said K9!!!!!!!

Thank you pinkster - Just for clarification,

NO MATTER HOW TIGHT ONE TENSES ONE'S COLON, OR FOR HOW LONG, SOMEONE WILL ALWAYS MANAGE TO SNEAK IN AND GRIP YOUR SH!T!

Manning of late!

 

[duffman]

It shouldn't be that long, I generally got an answer in a few days. However the quality/honesty/accuracy of the answer is another matter entirely.

 

[Bucc Boy]

You are a little out of order K9, though it is regretable that you have clearly had bad experiences with the Desk. I speak to them and e mail them regularly and have never found them to be anything other than helpful and flexible. Yes there are sometimes delays but you have to remember that they are trying to deal with a trade of about 1800 people; they could make on-the-hoof decisions but experience says that to do so will undoubtedly solve todays problem but cause another ten further down the line.

The correct way for an SAC/Cpl to ask about OOA is now supposed to be via the Chf Clk, who has access to the data via his Project APOLLO profile of JPA. If he cannot answer your question then he is supposed to contact Manning on your behalf. In reality your Sqn WO (not your SNCO) could probably get you in answer within a few minutes of being asked.

Yes, SIR..... but we are not all armed with your rank and authority. The thread was with respect to us mere mortals not you 'GODS'.

As an ex DF I must back K9F on this one!!

 

[tinks]

Trade Desk

I am putting myself out there for abuse but as one of the CMs for Supply I know that we work in batches (approx once a month) for DWRs/OOAs, so if the E-mail has been received in the first place (which is not an excuse but it does happen!) then it will be actioned when the next lot are done!

I would suggest though that you do go through your Chf Clk in the first instance as he or she will be able to look at turn round times and the DWR credit list from the Manning/Apollo website to see where you are placed!

Although you can no longer phone in person, the open door is now from 0930-1530 to enable the shineys in HR to help with your queries and ultimately provide a better service overall!

 

[RAF Bird]

Tinks is right mate.. pop down see your chief clk. I went a couple of weeks ago as I knew I was coming up to the top of the list. He made a quick phone call and I'm off for another wee trip to the sand pit.

Good luck hope you get sorted.

 

[BJW]

It is not 'the desk' I have had issues with but the 'department' they fall under. I have had in my illustrious career both good and bad experiences of 'the desk,' of late however with regards to OOA notifications and the dealings of they wouldn't be able to organise a p1ss up in a brewery even if their office relocated to Worthingtons. There are numerous individuals at my locat that have had appalling handling of circumstances which have highlighted obvious serious failings within their empire. Service Complaints aside anyone is allowed the occasional rant. I had mine!

As a footnote 'Chief Scribbly' was my term for Chief Clerk by the way!

And I absolutely support your right to have a rant, equally I should have alluded to your reference to the Chief Scribbly in your post - my oversight. I would still defend the guys on the desk though, in comparison to other trade desks they do a terrific job for us. Just my opinion and everyone has a right to disagree with it.

And yes, in the past I too have been disadvantaged on more than one occasion, but not by any of the current drafters.

 

[Green_garfield]

I've had the same sort of problem.
If I want something from the desk I have to send a email to my Sgt then this gets passed to my FS then it should get passed to a sgt at PSF who does APOLLO ( the chief clerk no longer does this but he does still help i'm told)
but my point is I get no reply either, So when i write this email i have no idea if this gets pasted to the write person and if my Sgt is busy ( like at the moment with SJAR's) I can't get answer about anything. I know my Sgt is busy and i'm not monking about that. Its the fact I only have one person to go to if I want a answer about my career.

I wrote a detailed email asking a few questions I wanted answered from the desk, but when it got to my FS I got sat down and got some answers from my FS which i'm sorry to say was out of date information. So what could I say then "thanks flight but i know your information is out of date and your talking out of your hat, I want my email answered" I think I wouldn't be in the flights good books then and will probably be relucted to help me in the future, So I came away with no more infomation then i started with.

All want is to get posted.

DT_Xtremez_35:
Rant over sorrry but ever since this all started i've been very f*cked off

I heard at leeming you fill in form get your line manger to sign it then it goes off and comes back to you with a written answer.

 

[seventeenandahalf]

I've had the same sort of problem.
If I want something from the desk I have to send a email to my Sgt then this gets passed to my FS then it should get passed to a sgt at PSF who does APOLLO ( the chief clerk no longer does this but he does still help i'm told)
but my point is I get no reply either, So when i write this email i have no idea if this gets pasted to the write person and if my Sgt is busy ( like at the moment with SJAR's) I can't get answer about anything. I know my Sgt is busy and i'm not monking about that. Its the fact I only have one person to go to if I want a answer about my career.

I wrote a detailed email asking a few questions I wanted answered from the desk, but when it got to my FS I got sat down and got some answers from my FS which i'm sorry to say was out of date information. So what could I say then "thanks flight but i know your information is out of date and your talking out of your hat, I want my email answered" I think I wouldn't be in the flights good books then and will probably be relucted to help me in the future, So I came away with no more infomation then i started with.

All want is to get posted.

DT_Xtremez_35:
Rant over sorrry but ever since this all started i've been very f*cked off

I heard at leeming you fill in form get your line manger to sign it then it goes off and comes back to you with a written answer.

From the horses mouth..so to speak!

First off, make sure your assignment preferences on JPA are up to date. You'd be surprised at the amount of people who whine that they want to get posted, and when it's checked where they want to go, they either have No_Move on their choices or are already in their area of choice. (Also it's probably the first thing your Apollo contact will do, so it can save some time)

When you're making your choice ensure it's by county not area, as CM's take no notice of Area's.

Any overseas prefs are also a waste of a choice as all overseas posts are trawled on the Manning website

Once you've done that, head up to your HR section and ask to see your relevant Apollo person. They are there to help.

They can then do a couple of things.
Run the list and see where you are in context to your choices. This may not be up to the minute accurate, but it will give you a fair idea of where you are on the list compared to the other guys and gals out there.
They can then contact the desk directly on your behalf to see what your CM can offer.

Hope this helps! DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[Green_garfield]

Yeah they are all done as you stated. all done on county and "no move is removed to read "routine"

I was told that if I wanted to go to afghan on my next OOA to put ias one of my pref's and that has come from my chain of comand. but as you say which I've heard before you should do.

I have been told that I can't go to see the APOLLO Sgt as I have to go throught my line manager.

As you seem to be in the know quick question. If for example you put oxford as 1 choice for lets say brize, you change it for a postion thats on the volunteers list then you don't get it so you change it back to oxford are you then at the bottom of the list again? if indeed there even "lists" anymore.

sorry hope that makes sense thanks for your help.

 

[Green_garfield]

On a slightly different note I do hate this new system but the Army do have something in place for this type of thing. they have proper careers managers pre section/battlion. That look after there own guys taking the burden off line managers.

On your squadron you could have a Sgt that you could go to about course's, education, section move, careers advice, posting, deployments.
they could speak your line manager to keep them in the know and then speak to APOLLO on your behalf.

just an idea.DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[tinks]

Yeah they are all done as you stated. all done on county and "no move is removed to read "routine"

I was told that if I wanted to go to afghan on my next OOA to put ias one of my pref's and that has come from my chain of comand. but as you say which I've heard before you should do.

I have been told that I can't go to see the APOLLO Sgt as I have to go throught my line manager.

As you seem to be in the know quick question. If for example you put oxford as 1 choice for lets say brize, you change it for a postion thats on the volunteers list then you don't get it so you change it back to oxford are you then at the bottom of the list again? if indeed there even "lists" anymore.

sorry hope that makes sense thanks for your help.

No it is all done on time in location. However, as seventeenandahalf says its all about your preferences being up to date! The CM works approx 5 months in advance of a vacancy coming up so when the trawl is done for that specific county your choices need to be correct and if they are, then you will feature on the trawl.
The trawl is the list of everyone who has that county down on their preferences and shows in the order of when individuals got to their unit and not when they last updated your preferences!

Remember if it is Brize Norton and not Benson that you want in Oxfordshire make sure that you put a comment on your assignment preferences. The CM is not a mind reader and can only go on what you have on your preferences!

You have done all of the right things if your choices are up to date and reading by counties, so you just need to sit tight until you get to the top of the trawl now!

Hope it all gets sorted out!

 

[Green_garfield]

Thanks tinks.DT_Xtremez_14:

I thought that was the case. I have asked to get a rough guess from the desk about when i could go so i'll see what happens.

All my comments are up to date as well so no worries on that front.

anybody got an idea about the OOA thing I mentioned????DT_Xtremez_35:

 

[BJW]

On a slightly different note I do hate this new system but the Army do have something in place for this type of thing. they have proper careers managers pre section/battlion. That look after there own guys taking the burden off line managers.

On your squadron you could have a Sgt that you could go to about course's, education, section move, careers advice, posting, deployments.
they could speak your line manager to keep them in the know and then speak to APOLLO on your behalf.

just an idea.DT_Xtremez_42:

The Regimental Careers Management Officers (RCMO) that the Army use will gradualy die off as JPA becomes more used and understood. For example at the moment all soldiers still have to raise a Personal Preferences Proforma (PPP) when they are due posting at MCM Div at Glasgow are not yet capable of drawing the info from JPA.

In reality the RCMO only does what any half decent Sqn WO will do, probably less.

 

[tinks]

Thanks tinks.DT_Xtremez_14:

I thought that was the case. I have asked to get a rough guess from the desk about when i could go so i'll see what happens.

All my comments are up to date as well so no worries on that front.

anybody got an idea about the OOA thing I mentioned????DT_Xtremez_35:

It used to be the case that you could volunteer for an OOA out of turn on your assignment preferences by choosing 'Volunteer for Ops' but this is no longer the case.

OOA's are done approx one year in advance, so if you know what the turn round time is for your rank and trade (it is updated on the manning website every month) go through your apollo rep on unit and ask to be considered for a certain location. This is easy enough before you have been nominated, however, once you have an assignment order on record it is a lot more difficult. So get it there before that happens!

The desk can only work to the vacancies that they have at the time and will never please everyone, but we do try!!!!!

 

[Green_garfield]

So is there any point putting afghan as one of my prefs then? DT_Xtremez_35:

Thanks for all the info btw, DT_Xtremez_30:
Its more information than i've gotten out of the powers that be. I get the feeling some of the info I get is best guess rather than Gen info.