Focus firmly on issues

Volume 48, No. 16, Sepetember 7, 2006

HERE TO HELP: Back row, WOFFs Simon Hall, Steve Airey, middle row, Tina Cini, Ross Chavass and front row, David Woods and Jean Riches.

GROUP WOFFs, who continue to meet regularly to address matters that affect personnel in their areas of influence, will gather again on November 21 at RAAF Base Richmond to keep pace with the latest issues.

The meeting will coincide with the next quarterly FEGCDR’s conference, where the GPWOFFs meeting will be organised and chaired by Air Command Warrant Officer (ACWOFF) David Woods.

“Personnel are encouraged to use their chain of command and SQNWOFF (senior airmen) to assist whenever they feel necessary,” ACWOFF Woods said.
The aims of the GPWOFFs meetings are to:

 exchange information;
 discuss concerns and to improve processes and make recommendations;
 maintain standardisation and consolidate effort; and
 use the forum for professional development.

“Recent recommendations, made as result of GPWOFF discussions, include the addition of an exercise in drafting Honours and Awards nominations as part of the PMET Communications Skills packages — a recommendation that has been well received and remains a work in progress.

“Another recommendation recently taken into effect is the change to the WOD position titles. In the past, the WOD who supports a commander was known as the CSUWOD (BWOD), 1RTU WOD or 92WG WOD and so on.

“While the WOD possesses particular skills and knowledge associated with discipline, it is only a portion of their role. The other roles performed by the incumbents are broadly personnel and organisational focused.”

Accordingly, position titles across the Air Force had been changed to reflect the wider focus of these positions, ACWOFF Woods said.

“The Base Warrant Officer Disciplinary is now known as the Base Warrant Officer and No. 1 Recruit Training Unit Warrant Officer and so on,” he said.

“The GPWOFF positions are predominantly held by airmen from the Warrant Officer Disciplinary (WOD) mustering, however, their position titles reflect the organisational position and responsibility they hold, for example, Air Combat Group Warrant Officer (ACGWOFF) etc.”

The ACWOFF position is located at HQAC and works directly to ACAUST in a similar capacity as WOFF-AF to CAF. Each FEG has a GPWOFF position that works to the FEGCDR in a similar capacity.
Their duties are primarily personnel focused with an overarching responsibility to support commanders, personnel and the chain of command.

They achieve this by maintaining a senior airmen network within their respective areas that include wing and squadron WOFFs, exchanging information, advising, guiding and mentoring personnel on airmanship.

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