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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| RAF and Army personnel to receive redundancy notices | RAF and Army personnel to receive redundancy notices |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Up to 1,000 RAF and 1,000 Army personnel will be told on Thursday whether they are being made redundant. | Up to 1,000 RAF and 1,000 Army personnel will be told on Thursday whether they are being made redundant. |
| RAF crews supporting operations in Libya are at risk, although nobody in Libya or its airspace or territorial waters will face compulsory redundancy. | RAF crews supporting operations in Libya are at risk, although nobody in Libya or its airspace or territorial waters will face compulsory redundancy. |
| It is the first phase of armed forces job cuts announced in the strategic defence and security review. | It is the first phase of armed forces job cuts announced in the strategic defence and security review. |
| The armed forces are looking to shed 22,000 posts over the next four years - more than half through redundancies. | The armed forces are looking to shed 22,000 posts over the next four years - more than half through redundancies. |
| Front-line staff 'exempt' | Front-line staff 'exempt' |
| Many of the redundancies were likely to be compulsory, the BBC's defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said. | Many of the redundancies were likely to be compulsory, the BBC's defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said. |
| However, the Ministry of Defence has said that non-volunteers would be able to apply for a transfer to areas suffering shortages. | However, the Ministry of Defence has said that non-volunteers would be able to apply for a transfer to areas suffering shortages. |
| Personnel receiving the operational allowance, because they are serving on operations in Libya and Afghanistan, will be exempt from the cuts unless they apply, the MoD says. | Personnel receiving the operational allowance, because they are serving on operations in Libya and Afghanistan, will be exempt from the cuts unless they apply, the MoD says. |
| It also says nobody preparing for or recently returned from operations in Afghanistan will be made redundant unless they have volunteered. | It also says nobody preparing for or recently returned from operations in Afghanistan will be made redundant unless they have volunteered. |
| However, that means that some RAF ground personnel supporting the Libya operation in Italy or the UK could face redundancy. | However, that means that some RAF ground personnel supporting the Libya operation in Italy or the UK could face redundancy. |
| The RAF said in March its jobs losses would include 170 trainee pilots, 200 weapons technicians, 529 ground tradesmen and 121 officers. | The RAF said in March its jobs losses would include 170 trainee pilots, 200 weapons technicians, 529 ground tradesmen and 121 officers. |
| No trained pilots will be made redundant this time round. | No trained pilots will be made redundant this time round. |
| 'Never a painless process' | 'Never a painless process' |
| Those serving in the Royal Navy will find out whose jobs are to go on 30 September. About 1,600 personnel out of a total force of 31,500 are expected to be laid off during the first tranche of cuts. | |
| All three services called for volunteers earlier this year, and some areas had been heavily over-subscribed, our correspondent said. | All three services called for volunteers earlier this year, and some areas had been heavily over-subscribed, our correspondent said. |
| Those who have volunteered for redundancy will be given a six-month notice period to serve, while non-volunteers will be given 12 months. | |
| The government was criticised for the timing of the announcement about RAF job losses in March, which coincided with the first talks on a no-fly zone over Libya. | The government was criticised for the timing of the announcement about RAF job losses in March, which coincided with the first talks on a no-fly zone over Libya. |
| But Defence Secretary Liam Fox said redundancy was "never a painless process" and a timetable needed to be adhered to for the sake of service personnel and their families. | But Defence Secretary Liam Fox said redundancy was "never a painless process" and a timetable needed to be adhered to for the sake of service personnel and their families. |
| "To delay that [process] for political expediency would have been to betray their trust," Mr Fox told the Commons. | "To delay that [process] for political expediency would have been to betray their trust," Mr Fox told the Commons. |
| Are you under threat of redundancy? What is your reaction to the issues raised in this story? Please get in touch using the form below: |