**British Armed Forces Discussion Thread**
- Thread starter bakes0310
- Start date
22yrs for immediate pension for up to WO and 18yrs for officers.
All you would get as a non-commissioned rank is a £10k lump sum and deferred pension - throwing away about £30k lump sum and £10k per year immediate pension (leaving at Cpl after 22yrs). So staying in for full 22yrs and leaving with £30k lump sum £10k per year pension, lives to 80yrs old (so 40yrs of Pension) throwing away about £430k without taking into account the uplift from index linked.
But if you're moving to something much better then may be worth it.
http://www.mod-pc.co.uk/
Can you not stick it out for another 3.5yrs? The last 2yrs of that would be resettlement, you cannot deploy within your last 12 months and with all your leave you would be out in 2.8yrs - unless of course it is medically discharged and you have no other options.
If you want to pm me your details i can have a look for you and perhaps put you in contact with some SME's who can help - it is a huge decision to leave the forces so close to your IP point.
All you would get as a non-commissioned rank is a £10k lump sum and deferred pension - throwing away about £30k lump sum and £10k per year immediate pension (leaving at Cpl after 22yrs). So staying in for full 22yrs and leaving with £30k lump sum £10k per year pension, lives to 80yrs old (so 40yrs of Pension) throwing away about £430k without taking into account the uplift from index linked.
But if you're moving to something much better then may be worth it.
http://www.mod-pc.co.uk/
Can you not stick it out for another 3.5yrs? The last 2yrs of that would be resettlement, you cannot deploy within your last 12 months and with all your leave you would be out in 2.8yrs - unless of course it is medically discharged and you have no other options.
If you want to pm me your details i can have a look for you and perhaps put you in contact with some SME's who can help - it is a huge decision to leave the forces so close to your IP point.
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It is, at least that was my experience. They seem to make it as hard as possible to do anything worthwhile, and the CTP courses basically consist of them telling you that you're all awesome and any employer will snap you up (neither of which is actually true).
I left after 13 years knowing exactly what I was going to be moving on to so didn't have the worry and doubt caused by being out of a job that many have, so it wasn't that bad. I've seen plenty of people struggle though, especially those coming out after 22 or more. SNCOs leaving after 30 seemed to find things especially difficult, having interviewed a couple since, they all seem to struggle to "let go". Then you have the WOs leaving at 55 on a 25k pension who don't really care and end up working in low pay civil service jobs or on golf courses (not jealous).
My advice would be to concentrate on building connections in your chosen field, and if you don't have a chosen field, find one (or two). Don't worry too much about formal qualification aside from those that are considered mandatory for what you want to do (if any).
And for the love of god, don't use any TLAs in interviews and talk about things other that what you did in the forces.
Work for BAE Systems in the Typhoon availability service at Coningsby, in the engineering support side of things (part of the Typhoon project team, so airworthiness/technical advice etc.).
Interviewed for my No2 which was an tech support/critical asset management engineer role. Of the 4 CVs that made it through HR (all ex RAF aircraft techs) the best belonged to the younger lads, and it was also the young lads (SAC/Cpl) who interviewed the best. Also hear the same thing from the logistics side guys as well who tended to recruit a lot of ex RAF people as well.
Interviewed for my No2 which was an tech support/critical asset management engineer role. Of the 4 CVs that made it through HR (all ex RAF aircraft techs) the best belonged to the younger lads, and it was also the young lads (SAC/Cpl) who interviewed the best. Also hear the same thing from the logistics side guys as well who tended to recruit a lot of ex RAF people as well.
Ha! Small world, i just spent the whole week at Coningsby as part of the ACPV.
My world is Security (Information Assurance mainly) so not really of use to you unfortunately by the sounds of it!
I'm just about to finish my degree in Security and Intelligence which covers quite a bit of Digital Forensics and Ethical Hacking stuff, so if anything comes up, please keep me in mind - i'm looking for a decent opportunity to jump ship and as i live 10mins from Coningsby, your place would be quite handy!
My world is Security (Information Assurance mainly) so not really of use to you unfortunately by the sounds of it!
I'm just about to finish my degree in Security and Intelligence which covers quite a bit of Digital Forensics and Ethical Hacking stuff, so if anything comes up, please keep me in mind - i'm looking for a decent opportunity to jump ship and as i live 10mins from Coningsby, your place would be quite handy!
Will do. Although don't think we have much it that arena, beyond the usual IT guys and the aircraft engineering support system support. Most A6 stuff is still MOD or other MOD contracts. Also a total recruitment ban at the moment as the MoD is after a 20% reduction is the price of the contract for next year. Look like some of the executive cadre will be out the door soon as well.
This is my biggest gripe, and why I kind of feel sorry for guys who've done quite a bit of time, especially joining up young and staying in a long time. Their lack of experience in Civvy street really shows when they're looking at getting out, thinking they'll be able to walk into any civvy job, think the courses they did in the MoD will make them hugely attractive to potential employers. And not realising how institutionalised they are after their time served.
And all the transition courses seem to say you'll be the most employable person ever, as soon as you apply for a job, you'll get it.
Can't wait to start mine in however many months... want to avoid it if I can!
Associate
Rubbish.
I re-traded to IS Operator in the R Sigs in 2000. I went from HQ to HQ for 14 years (avoid the campaign sig regt's and you'll be fine). I left earlier this year and got the first job I went for. I then decided to go into contracting and got the first contracting job I applied for.
If you're savvy whilst serving you'll be able to spot the postings that will gain you experience. Then it's just a case of getting out and using your skills/experience to find a job.
The work is out there. Go for a job in a major HQ. It's not the most exciting time whilst serving but it's by far the best place to set yourself up for when you leave.
Networking whilst serving is where it's at. Most, if not all, the jobs are found by people you know/have worked with.
I wouldn't say it's rubbish at all.
There is no IS trade anymore, there hasn't been for several years now. If you're one of the ones who re-traded when the trade came about, you're probably one of the lucky ones who managed to get promoted quickly up to FofS(IS) level. I'm not saying you didn't deserve it, but my experience with FofS(IS)'s isn't that great when it has come to technical aspects. I get on great with them at a personal level, but when it comes to trade ability, they don't stand out particularly well.
And it was all well and good saying avoid CSR's, but when you're out of training, it's hard no to. Not sure how that'll change with HERRICK closing down, time will tell I guess.
There are good postings out there, don't get me wrong, I'm in an awesome one at the moment, but you do have to know the right people.
As for networking whilst in, it can be a good, but I think networking with people outside the military is the best option, with contractors and what not. I certainly won't be looking to make effort to work with any ex-royal signals personnel in the future. If I end up working with some, fine, but I wouldn't actively seek to.
Associate
I didn't go for FofS(IS) as I wanted to get a job when I got out the army
My top tip is get your vetting as high as you can and keep it. It is a big plus when getting out as there's loads of jobs out there requiring it.
My top tip is get your vetting as high as you can and keep it. It is a big plus when getting out as there's loads of jobs out there requiring it.
I didn't go for FofS(IS) as I wanted to get a job when I got out the army
My top tip is get your vetting as high as you can and keep it. It is a big plus when getting out as there's loads of jobs out there requiring it.
I think more FofS(IS)'s need to realise that
.What did you end up going for?
And I agree about the vetting, very handy thing to have!
Associate
I think more FofS(IS)'s need to realise that
What did you end up going for?
And I agree about the vetting, very handy thing to have!
I left in December and started a job for 6 months. I officially left in March. I then started a contracting job in May and have been doing that ever since.
The money is good but I'll probably move on to another contract when a better one comes up.
I just resigned myself to the fact I wouldn't get promoted for my last 7 years if I didn't go FofS(IS) (IS Supervisor at the time) and carried on in trade. If I'd have went IS Sup then I'd probably have left with lots of useful skills in Windows NT4 and Exchange 5.5
I left in December and started a job for 6 months. I officially left in March. I then started a contracting job in May and have been doing that ever since.
The money is good but I'll probably move on to another contract when a better one comes up.
I just resigned myself to the fact I wouldn't get promoted for my last 7 years if I didn't go FofS(IS) (IS Supervisor at the time) and carried on in trade. If I'd have went IS Sup then I'd probably have left with lots of useful skills in Windows NT4 and Exchange 5.5
Fair one. I'm going to be double-hatting for a while, getting my feet under the table with the company I'm moving too while also working MoD. Looking forward to new challengers.
How many years had you completed by the time you were out?
And pretty much sums up things, being so far behind the curve when it comes to deployed systems throughout the MoD.
Associate
I did the full 22 years.
Be sure to tell the tax man if you're earning two wages. Will save a bit of pain in the long run.
Be sure to tell the tax man if you're earning two wages. Will save a bit of pain in the long run.
Tax man is being informed this week, as well as getting a financial advisor to help with taxes and what not.
Thanks for the heads up though.
Soldato
Why?