**British Armed Forces Discussion Thread**

They can't really lie about pay, you're either on a upper or lower pay band, and your pay increments each year and with promotion etc.
They probably just give you information that may not be 100% up to date, and the way things change so quickly, once you get out to your unit, things may be different to how you expected.
That said, even though not everything is how they explained it, I love what I do, and I'm only just coming to the very end of my training, literally 10 days left, and I'll be getting out to my unit. Then things will get even better :D.
 
lemonkettaz said:
Whats the upper/lower band levels all about?

How long after basic training before you get a pay rise?
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Depending on what trade you end up doing, you'll either be put on the lower pay band, or the higher pay band. Generally technical jobs are put on the higher pay band, which just gives you more money each month, which can end up quite a significant amount.

As for going up levels, you won't go up a level till you've completed either 1 full year, or finished all of your training. In my case, I'm still on the lowest, even though I've been in the Army for 19 months now. Once out of training I'd go up to level 2. But in my case, as I'm on my NCO course at the moment for a promotion, I'll jump straight on to level 7.
 
Ghosteh said:
Pongo/Royal Signals/Comms System Engineer/Pte soon to be LCpl.
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It's so annoying you will be a LCpl so soon. I have been in close to 4 years in the same trade but RAF, I have more experience and knowledge than you at the moment (no offence, but you ARE still in training :p)...and you will be an NCO before me....grrrrr!! :p
 
Andr3w said:
It's so annoying you will be a LCpl so soon. I have been in close to 4 years in the same trade but RAF, I have more experience and knowledge than you at the moment (no offence, but you ARE still in training :p)...and you will be an NCO before me....grrrrr!! :p
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I know lol. Don't worry, there will be plenty of others to show their distaste towards me once I'm in my unit lol.

I'm on my PNCO course at the moment, had a lovely 5 mile stretcher race today, was ******* epic. Then was in the classroom for 8 hours, which was such a mission to keep awake. going to be a good couple of weeks this :D.

Can't wait to get out on tour too, should be deploying November 2011, nice winter tour :D.
 
lemonkettaz said:
Are you still on basic training pay during phase 2? I thought once completing phase2 your LCpl ? or does it not work like that?

Could you be on the lowest pay forever? :)
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In basic training, you're on sub level 1 pay :p. Once you're out of there, you move on to level 1 which now is around £17k a year. Then a year after that, or when ever you get out of phase 2, that's when you'll go up to level 2, and every year after that.

You could well be on the lowest pay band your entire career, depending on what trade you have, but you will always go up an increment level, until you reach level 9, then you're stuck there till you get promoted.
Plus you get your pay rise every April with the new budget.

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/armypayscales.htm

That shows you all the current pay scales :).
 
Ah right cheers. How do you know what trades are higher and lower bands?

How did you get recommended for that course your on?

Can you remember your first week of basic? when they say you'll get an advance of your pay in the first week is that in cash? lol
 
Ghosteh said:
I know lol. Don't worry, there will be plenty of others to show their distaste towards me once I'm in my unit lol.

I'm on my PNCO course at the moment, had a lovely 5 mile stretcher race today, was ******* epic. Then was in the classroom for 8 hours, which was such a mission to keep awake. going to be a good couple of weeks this :D.

Can't wait to get out on tour too, should be deploying November 2011, nice winter tour :D.
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A JNCO and not even deployed before? Bloody hell, get some time under your belt :p

I've done my first tour already and have been informed i'm going to afghan in april 11! Grrr to you! :p
 
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lemonkettaz said:
How long have you left at University? I dropped out of uni after I knew I was medically ok lol

a lot of people say it would be crazy to not get a degree if you nearly there, but I was 2year away maybe 3, i knew deep down I'd rather be elsewhere
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I start my final year in October, so I'll surely stick at it for now.

Can I ask as to what section of the forces you went to?

I've been looking at RAF taking an engineering approach or Army infantry / IT specialist. However my friend who's a RMC told me to just go for a RMC role whether officer or normal.
 
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Ghosteh said:
literally 10 days left, and I'll be getting out to my unit. Then things will get even better :D.
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Training teams tend to keep you motivated past tough times by telling you it will be better when you pass out and join your unit. This isn't really the case initially, you go from a training environment where all recruits are equal to the trained army where you are the new boy, no one has reason to trust you or help you out or cut you any slack, whats more some soldiers may take advantage of you and appear to be your friends but you quickly find out that the £10 you loaned them or the bivvy bag they borrowed is never coming back.

Once you've had chance to prove yourself things settle down a bit and importantly someone newer will come along and you'll learn who you can trust and which soldiers are really your friends.

I'm sorry if this has come over a bit negatively but don't build yourself up for some magical arrival, it might be a very different reality.
 
Stringy said:
Alright lads, let's not let this become a deployment/time-in/rank willy waving competition :p
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If this is a willy waving competition, I'm pretty much waving a maggot of a willy :p.

lemonkettaz said:
Ah right cheers. How do you know what trades are higher and lower bands?

How did you get recommended for that course your on?

Can you remember your first week of basic? when they say you'll get an advance of your pay in the first week is that in cash? lol
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Ask at the AFCO or something, or possibly on the MOD jobs website, it should say there whether or not it's a higher pay band :).

What course? My PNCO? It comes as part of my trade mate, because when we get to unit, we have to conduct first line inspections on detachments(Land Rover communication vehicles) and we need the rank behind us so we can tell Signallers(Privates) the work they need to get done etc. Plus, it's an incentive to get 'cleverer' people in to the Army, doesn't always work from what I've seen so far lol.

And yeah, you'll get a cash in hand payment when in basic for the first few weeks while you're waiting for your bank account payments to be set up, only like £50/week, but it's enough, mostly, just to get bits and pieces. I would say turn up with a bit of cash too, as you're going to need to buy ironing boards etc in your first day or two :p.

I_M_Weasel said:
Training teams tend to keep you motivated past tough times by telling you it will be better when you pass out and join your unit. This isn't really the case initially, you go from a training environment where all recruits are equal to the trained army where you are the new boy, no one has reason to trust you or help you out or cut you any slack, whats more some soldiers may take advantage of you and appear to be your friends but you quickly find out that the £10 you loaned them or the bivvy bag they borrowed is never coming back.

Once you've had chance to prove yourself things settle down a bit and importantly someone newer will come along and you'll learn who you can trust and which soldiers are really your friends.

I'm sorry if this has come over a bit negatively but don't build yourself up for some magical arrival, it might be a very different reality.
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I think it's more I want to get out of the training environment where we currently live under curfews, have to march around camp and other such stuff which grates on you after doing it for over a year and a half. Basically miss being treated like an adult, which I know they can't do at the moment, because they have to deal with loads of kids coming though training(AFC harrogate has just turned up on camp, so loads of 17yo kids running around the place :mad:).
 
Out of curiosity, what sort of expenditure is the norm? Say that you wanted to be a tight ****, what percentage of your pay could you get away with spending? (p.s not my character just wondering).

I can accept the lower pay compared to what I would hope to be pulling in a civilian sector, but would hate for there to be large consistant drains on money.
 
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