Guest Editorial: Col Mike Bullard

Army Personnel Centre (APC) – REME Career Management Update

Scribe - Colonel Mike Bullard MBE, AH CSS APC

Ilast wrote a guest editorial just over a year ago when I updated readers on key changes to the way Career Management (CM) was being done, brought about by APC’s digital transformation programme, as well as the impact from the Army’s People Change Programme – CASTLE. These developments continue at pace and are well covered by the excellent APC ‘CM Monthly Update’ accessed via Defence Connect or SharePoint, which along with MS Web remain the key APC and CM communication channels. Defence Connect:

https://jive.defencegateway.mod.uk/docs/DOC-771647

I strongly commend the CM Monthly Update; it provides timely Updates and Headlines across the full spectrum of CM Officers/Soldiers/Regulars/Reserves - as well as really helpful digital links to policy and dates for important CM forums and events - it remains a must read for all.

With the CM Branches now back in Kentigern House and having settled into efficient and flexible working patterns, in this editorial I will take the opportunity to update you on specific REME Soldier and Officer Career Management developments.

Colonel Mike Bullard MBE

REME Soldier Wing (RSW) Career Management Update

RSW remains the principal CM branch for REME soldiers, with the primary role of managing, appointing, advising and assuring all careers. There are four military and 19 civilian staff within RSW, divided into four sections to career manage the varied CEGs in the REME.

Section A is the single point of contact for managing the training of REME soldiers, ensuring they are loaded onto all necessary career courses. Section B is responsible for CM of all Artificers and Technicians, whilst Section C is dedicated to the VM cohort. Section D provides CM to TSS, Metalsmiths, Armourers, Recovery Mechanics and Artisan WOs. Also, in support of the RSW is the REME Boarding Section, responsible for setting up and coordinating grading board activities; promotions, acting rank reviews, artificer and MTI selection. There has been some significant churn of the RSW staff over the past few years – so these are the key personalities:

RSW Career Management (CM) – Recent Developments

Key personalities

Most recently, after two years of reduced activity, RSW has now opened its doors to external visits into the APC and to conducting unit visits. Face to face communication is fundamental to gaining understanding and maintaining trust, and is key to the way RSW remains engaged with units. If you cannot find the answer you need from Corps Instr E6 or the CoC/RCMO/Adjt, you are invited, and really encouraged, to get in touch with RSW via their shared mailbox (APCMSSldrsCSS-REME-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk). All the RSW Career Managers are on hand to speak to you; gone are the days of service personnel not being allowed to speak to APC – please call and arrange a visit to the APC. For ‘push notifications’ direct to you or if you have any generic questions, RSW also provides advice and notices on the CM REME Soldiers page via APC Defence Connect site and REME Career Management site via Facebook. Please follow these sites. A key aspect of transforming RSW career management has been exploiting the new functionality introduced via Defence Gateway. This provides an excellent means to SO1 RSW Lt Col Fred Oakes Armourer Ashley Paterson enable service personnel to have SO2 / Section A RSW Maj Coward Rec Mech Margaret Gow greater access to CM information whilst also ensuring full transparency. WO RSW WO1 (ASM) Reed TSS & Mtsm Maria Dougan The CM Portal gives you complete access to all your individual CM Art RSW SSgt Thorpe Aviation Tech Andrew Smith & Paul Viola profile information from JPA; Annual Reports, Future Assignment Date, C2 Section B Chris Reid Elec Tech Marion Ferguson Competencies, and any other personal details you may need. AlsoC2 Section C Kelly Patterson Land Artificer Eleanor Taylor included is a list of appointments for C2 Section D Carol-Anne Forrest and David Johnson Aviation Artificer Andrew Smith each rank and CEG in the REME; this is a great planning tool to allow you to look to the future and see what C2 Boarding Section Derek Webster Vehicle Mechanic Laura McIntosh, Paul Vandermotten, Linda Crossan & Max Crumlish opportunities exist. Most recently, the new Digital Transfers tool has also been developed within the CM

Portal, and since its launch circa 80+ opportunities across a number of capbadges, trades and ranks have been advertised on the app. The application process is fully transparent so all professional users and transfer applicants can see the entries, progress and timelines of any actions.

Promotion and Appointment Boarding has also been digitised within RSW. For these new ‘e-boarding’ activities, the Grading App (accessed via LUMS) is used to conduct boarding from anywhere in the world, with board members and observers drawn from across the REME. The Core Operating Model (COM) as specified in the APC Boarding Manual ensures standardisation across all APC CM branches when conduction boards; thus ensuring greater transparency, assurance and a common approach to all boarding activity. Of note, RSW can provide demonstrations of the boarding process to all ranks during their unit visits. It is also worth highlighting that this functionality is completely compatible for use with the Reserves and can be made available for REME Reserve soldier grading boards.

Corps Instr E6 – Regular Soldiers Career Management has been updated and was released in Mar 22. You are encouraged to read it as there have been a number of significant changes, which include providing greater accessibility to all members of the Corps. Hyperlinked Army-level policy and contents allows you to accurately navigate and find the information you require faster; whether it be general or specific CM information relating to REME soldiers. RSW has also introduced useful editable forms that can be used by units

CM Portal Grading

App. Most will be aware that lockdown and remote working forced some welloverdue changes to the way Boards are conducted in the APC. The accelerated introduction of the CM Portal on MODNet removed the need to pass AR Books around a Board Room during Promotion and Appointment Boards. Whilst there have been teething problems along the way, the CM Portal Grading App is now well established and all Promotion and other Grading Boards (LAD / SUC / Unit Command / ASB etc) have been successfully conducted on the CM Portal over the last 1218 months. The Grading App allows board members to navigate extremely quickly through an officers’ AR profile, helping them immediately find and focus on specific evidence – it is therefore so important that ARs are written to ensure the appropriate evidence stands out where it should, be it in the 2RO potential paragraph, Head of Arm Insert or the individual’s aspirations etc.

CM Portal Appointing App. The CM Portal Appointing App is now also being used and the Summer No.4 Board (Lt Cols) has just been conducted using it. Officers running for E2 Appointments on the Board did not write a PPP in the normal way and send it to their Career Manager for checking and staffing, instead they logged onto the CM Portal (through Defence Gateway) and using the MyProfile section explained to the Board what their domestic circumstances are and what it is they want from their careers and specifically from that Board. Then, by linking to the Jobs List which they are given access to by being declared a Runner to that Board, they chose their preferences against the appointments advertised on the Jobs List, using the normal nomenclature (WL/WM etc).

So, whilst the processes that underpin Career Management haven’t changed, the nature by which we conduct our business has. I suspect this will continue to evolve as the relationship between service personnel, employers and CMs (the CM Triumvirate) matures in light of CM digital transformation and the empowerment of our soldiers and officers.

E1 Mini-Board. Other key changes include the formalising of the E1 Mini-Board process for staff appointments at every level, again conducted electronically. E1 Boards have always been conducted to assist with making selections for E1 Appointments, but now they’re established on a more formal basis in compliance with the APC Boarding Manual’s Core Operating Model – ensuring complete fairness, transparency and assurance.

LAD Command Board. Of particular note has been the move of and service personnel. Please take a look at the updated Corps Instruction.

Objectives Based Reporting (OBR). Due to evidence of inflated reporting, grading and recommendations across the Army, OBR is a directed change to recalibrate the correct delivery of OJARs and SJARs in line with JSP757. The OBR is to start with all Warrant Officers in reporting year 22/23 with the aim to roll it out across all ranks for reporting year 23/24. Essentially, Reporting Officers are to support their subjects in defining and capturing evidence that supports accurate report writing. Objectives set at the start of a report period must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound), appropriate, agreed, and reflected on during the MPAR. They should be the basis for the evidence in the performance paragraph of the SJAR. This should not be a dramatic change for most as from a RSW perspective the standard of REME soldiers SJARs remains high, but this is a directed change that will ensure greater compliance and parity in grading across all capbadges and formations.

Looking forward, the next RSW external unit visits this year are Colchester (3-7 Oct), and Catterick (14-18 Nov). Please try and attend if you are in the area and want the most up-to-date CM advice; including face-to-face engagement with your Career Managers. Finally, if you ever get the opportunity to visit RSW in Glasgow, please take it; you will not only help your own understanding and delivery of CM, but you will also help RSW and the CoC in establishing trust in the system.

REME Officer Wing Career Management Update

SO1 REME offrs Lt Col Brian Burke MBE the LAD Command Board from March annually to SO1(LE) September/October to select officers for Lt Col Bryan Houston appointments the following year; this change is being implemented now, so two LAD Boards are being convened this year. The first Board took place in March and selected officers for LAD Command Appointments this year; the next Board sits in October and will select officers for LAD Command Appointments next year. Thereafter, the Board will be conducted annually in the Autumn and will usually coincide with the REME Arms Selection Board (ASB) that comprises of the Subunit Command Board, Senior Soldier Entry Commissions and Conversions of Commission. Corps Instructions – Engineering Competence. Engineering Competence remains a vital consideration for REME Officer Boards when making selections for command at all levels in the Corps and also for some critical REME Staff Appointments. Corps Instructions will soon be updated, in line with direction from Col REME, to formalise this requirement. Key appointments will be identified where the level of engineering competence (C Eng / I Eng / Eng O) is prescribed and selections at E1 Appointment Boards will be made accordingly. Clearly, having the required engineering competence needed for appointments provides more opportunities to run for the jobs you want. Closing Comments. As I retire in September having completed 34 years regular service, I reflect on the changes happening in the CM space right now – not least the important digital transformation and the development of the Army Talent Management System (ATMS), which has the potential to significantly transform the nature of the CM business. I am convinced that this is all good change which will in the fullness of time benefit both the Army and its people. Skills and competencies will increasingly be the new currency that ensure a fulfilling career and I believe the REME with its CEG trade structure, comprehensive education/training programme and professional accreditation is ideally placed to engage, inform and exploit future opportunities. As mentioned previously, the APC is open for business, so please get yourself up to Glasgow and visit the REME CM Branch, which

incidentally has now moved to the back-right corner of the 4th

Floor in Kentigern House. We want to provide you with the best service we possibly can. On behalf of all REME CM Branch thank you once again and Arte et Marte.

SO2a Maj James Hill

SO2b Maj Ian Hodgkiss Ann Marie Rush Maureen Connell Gemma Breen SO2c Maj Alex Gilfillan