JPA

So as of yesterday we entered the JPA era - so far so good. But we cannot get on to do anything until 13 Novemeber and then only to check our details, change password and enter memorable data. We cannot actually make any changes until 27 November by which time it will be too late to make any changes which will get into Novembers Pay - so you could be light fro crimbo! The RAF had a real nightmare when they went live are we confodent that we won't find orselves in the same mess in which case it could be a pretty poor christmas for anyone whose pay is really screwed up.

 

Absolutely!

I have 100% confidence in the fool-proof system produced by EDS and implemented by the MOD with great care and thorough planning.

I'm sure that the self-paced training package has been highly effective and has totally prepared all members of the RN for the introduction of JPA.

I forsee no problems whatsoever following JPA implementation, and conclude that the reduction in UPO staff will have no effect at all.

Oh, and in case you were wondering . . . . . :wink:

 

Apply for that Overdraft Extension now, beat the rush.

 

We will see..............

Loads of people in the Royal Air Farce had their pay rotted up for months!!!!!!

 

IMHO that is somewhat of an urban myth. From my experience of working with some 100 or so RAF personnel earlier this year, there were a small number of instances where extra allowances were incorrect, that's all.

Lets face it; this happened all the time when there was some chimp-writer looking after your pay account.

Many of the problems came about because they were not taught how to use it. Having seen it, it's no more difficult to use than any on-line banking system.

Bottom line: I bet We'll still get paid.........

(Looking forward to someone quoting me on this next month when it all goes horribly wrong)

 

Even if on average it does all work out OK, would you like to be one of the insignificant statistics whose pay gets comletly coccked up, especially if you were at sea at the time.

Peter

 

No. But the point I am making is that it will be no different (perhaps less so) to the pay cock-ups that we have lived with before.

JPA is change. OOoooooo! CHANGE! SCarrrrryyyyy!

 

Since leaving the service I have worked for a number of companies large and small, my pay has been moved from one computer system to another many times, and the worst I have ever suffered is a one or two day delay in payment to my bank, and the company has always offered to pay any charges which result from this delay. When some one is prepared to lay down their lifefor the country the last thing they should have top worry about is whether or not the wife and kids will have money to pay the bills, especially when they are in circumstances where finding out there is a problem is not easy. I know there are wlefare organisations, but I would argue they should not be needed for this sort of problem.

Peter

 

In my experience, any faults in the past were caused more by some chimp dabber going on three weeks' leave/course/exped, not telling the UPO/Ship's Office, and then coming in to complain three months later when he could be finally bothered to look at this pay statement and realised he'd been charged food and accom throughout. Not that chimp Writers have never been at fault, but the fault has almost always lain squarely at the feet of the dipstick Dabber/Stoker/WEM/whatever who assumed that Writers' balls were made from crystal rather than flesh. My other personal favourite is the moron who thinks he's entitled to something "because my Chief said so". Said Chief is never, it should be noted, a Chief Writer, so draw your own conclusions as to the competency of someone taking pay advice from a Chief Phot and the case peters out right about there.

However, your point still stands in one respect. Since JPA is a self-service system, the potential for cockup on behalf of the great unwashed masses who have either not bothered doing their JPA training, not able to do their JPA training or too thick to understand their JPA training, is correspondingly massive. Only this time they won't be able to blame it on the Writers, although I'm sure it won't stop them from trying. This is no fault of JPA, it's the fault of the self-service chimps who aren't taking the implications seriously.

JPA is a massive change, and it affects YOU more than it affects any Writer. Start taking it seriously and get that training done wherever it's available. But I'd also advise anyone in receipt of any kind of specialist pay/between drafts/moving home/changing bank accounts to start putting money aside. There are some problems you can't blame on chimps of any persuasion and it would be wise to be prepared.

 

Just remember:

To err is Human

To screw up properly you need a Computer!

I suppose we should all be grateful that they conducted a road test on the RAF which, if the powers that be have been smart enough to learn their lessons, will make the implementation a lot better for us. I will keep my fingers crossed!

 

Q: How many Charge Chiefs does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Change..? CHANGE?!?! :x

 

I have every confidence that something will happen.

Sf

 

I'd heard that with JPA (maybe apart from this month!) that you can claim a reasonable sum in advance and then offset your genuine expense against this advance with any balance being recovered through pay. This suggests that we will all be able to ensure we are not out of pocket for even a second as we can get the cash before we have to spend it! Something tells me that this may be a little too open to abuse to last that long, but it sounds like quite a good plan....could the powers that be have decided to treat us like grown-ups?

 

You've done that one before!

 

See, some people never change

 

Brains is right about the advances and that we are being treated like grown ups at last. As for fraud well, I suppose some people will try it but I remember from the presentation I attended recently that all our claims are subject to a random audit so you may get away with it but you may not. So whilst they may be treating us like grown up Big Brother is still watching!!!!!!

 

It is regretably not somuch treating you as adults, rather they have come to the conclusion that even if the odd guy gets away with a few pounds here and there that will cost them less than the old system so it saves money.

Good luck

Peter

 

So it's not all bad then. I still haven't had anything to read about it. Don't they normally send out booklets or newsletters which explain what's going to be different?

SF

 

SF

Try this link. The training package is ok but as its been written for Percy its a bit bone at times - you also can't dip in and out - so give yourself a few hours!!

www.afpaainfocentre.dii.r.mil.uk


BTW - will be out in your part of the world in the not too distant future - the rules obviously say that there has to be one silverfox in theatre at all times!!

 

Not even gonna rise to that mi old source branch failure. Besides it is sooo last Millenium. We are all Poor mans Warrant Officers now. I have the bit of paper signed by "Hoon the Buffoon" to prove it :wink: