Its really not a great financial incentive though, for being in **** accommodation, **** food, working 6/7 days. I mean mine were all a piece of cake. But realistically the hours done is far below minium wage to be dragged away from your family and normality. Damn half yhe time I done less away than I done in the UK. They need to raise incentives if they want to keep people in and going away.
**British Armed Forces Discussion Thread**
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Its really not a great financial incentive though, for being in **** accommodation, **** food, working 6/7 days. I mean mine were all a piece of cake. But realistically the hours done is far below minium wage to be dragged away from your family and normality. Damn half yhe time I done less away than I done in the UK. They need to raise incentives if they want to keep people in and going away.
Soldato
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I’d agree it’s not the most lucrative incentive no, especially the lower levels.
Op allowance is a bit of a con too really, effectively just tax back and they try spin it like here is a bonus for going somewhere “dodgy”.
If you deploy you should get tax free allowances as a minimum… but clearly bean counters will not agree.
As for the food, I’ve generally never eaten so well whilst being away ha for the most part anyways
Op allowance is a bit of a con too really, effectively just tax back and they try spin it like here is a bonus for going somewhere “dodgy”.
If you deploy you should get tax free allowances as a minimum… but clearly bean counters will not agree.
As for the food, I’ve generally never eaten so well whilst being away ha for the most part anyways
I loved the continual deployments. I had a busy career, most of the units I served were high/very high tempo. I spent majority of the last 4 years of my time in bouncing around the world/UK. I despised standard RD's and camp life in general. I was always actively seeking out reasons to get away.
www.forcesnews.com
Looks like they are copping out and going with the General Dynamics company line, blaming it on the crews. Whilst I still feel that it needs to just push on into service. Work towards developing better fixes for it in the background. We have enough capability gaps as it is without another gaping hole. At least get something for all the billions that have been sunk into this.
Army blames Ajax safety incident on armoured vehicle not being operated properly
A senior officer says the incident was not due to wilful ignorance, but when the AFV is operated as designed there are no safety concerns
Was that as a singley or when married with kids? The high tempo turnaround novelty soon wears off when wifey and kids are involved.
I spent a significant amount of time away when the kids were younger, but not when they got older, also the Mrs was threaders being a single parent. Marriage is for life (in some cases), the military as soon as you leave? Don't let the barrier hit you on the ass on the way out.
Associate
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Not all of us spent our whole career putting it up and down you know…
When I read this thread, it just reminds me how sad I was when I couldn't get into the reserves (Signals at Colchester) over ten years ago.
Associate
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I still consider myself incredibly lucky that I got into the RAF with only having to lose a bit of weight to pass the medical.
It’s the one thing you have no control over when it comes to joining up (weight excepted) and if I’d suddenly found out I had something I never knew about that precluded me I’ve no idea what I’d have done.
Soldato
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I remember throwing all my eggs into this basket when going through the application process before getting in. I’d pretty much dropped out of education system and it was Army or bust at that point… I remember the medical feeling really nervous for no other reason than it could just stop there and then if I had something they picked up on.
It’s pretty much made my life what it is and pretty much who I am today as naff as it sounds.
For all its faults, I’d recommend this career to anyone still. I’d never set out to do a full term but looks like I’m heading that way, and it is true what they said that it’s over in a flash and you’d do it all again if you could
It’s pretty much made my life what it is and pretty much who I am today as naff as it sounds.
For all its faults, I’d recommend this career to anyone still. I’d never set out to do a full term but looks like I’m heading that way, and it is true what they said that it’s over in a flash and you’d do it all again if you could
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I left a few months ago after 25 years - absolutely no idea where that went!
I left school after getting abysmal GCSE results. Scuppered my chances of joining the police, they also told me to go away and get some life experience. Coming from a NE coal mining village, i had no idea what to do and tbh, there wasn't that much aside from factory work!
Joined the Army for that life experience > fun, but not for me > during my army time i saw how differently the RAF had it (and treated!) > joined RAF > ended up doing 30+.
Never saw that coming and "pretty much made my life what it is and pretty much who I am today as naff as it sounds" - not naff at all, i 100% agree and have no idea how my life would have turned out if i hadn't signed away my soul.
I'm also from a NE coal mining village (Seghill), also joined the army, also transferred to RAF.
It's that 30+ part I take issue with
I had to google Seghill! I'm no longer in the NE, but i was from a village just outside Bishop Auckland, so you were about an hour from me.I'm also from a NE coal mining village (Seghill), also joined the army, also transferred to RAF.
It's that 30+ part I take issue with
What trade are/were you in the RAF? Anything exciting?
Ah!I had to google Seghill! I'm no longer in the NE, but i was from a village just outside Bishop Auckland, so you were about an hour from me.
What trade are/were you in the RAF? Anything exciting?
I was a DC in 16 Regt RA to start with (Rapier then Sky Sabre) and moved over to MT in the RAF (ASMT at Akrotiri currently). So to answer your question - no
No I jest, in all honestly I do enjoy my job now more than ever, which is something. I expect I'll be out shortly after my 12-year point (next year), and will endeavour to do the same job when I'm out.
Is our office still there? I used to work for NAAFI Financial (which then became Forces Financial, then Forces Mutual), that's how I spent a week staying in the mess at Epi with the new crabs
I bet Jim has gone by now.
Chris Blue Beach
Chris Blue Beach
Is our office still there? I used to work for NAAFI Financial (which then became Forces Financial, then Forces Mutual), that's how I spent a week staying in the mess at Epi with the new crabs
I bet Jim has gone by now.
Chris Blue Beach
The office was still there right outside the supermarket when I went to Aki for 4 months in 2023.
I also rode to Chris Blue Beach every Saturday for Lunch or coffee & cake, beautiful place.
That's it, right next to (what was) the Costcutter at Aki. I spent the week in the mornings moving between the offices sorting out all their IT issues which we'd basically neglected for years, and then the afternoons doing, well, very little. Lots of ice creams at the Four Seasons, I seem to remember.
It was a tough week!
I left there in 2017, time really does fly. It was one of the best jobs I've ever had. I did Germany a few times, initially setting up kit and then for drawdown. That was a bit sad.
It was a tough week!
I left there in 2017, time really does fly. It was one of the best jobs I've ever had. I did Germany a few times, initially setting up kit and then for drawdown. That was a bit sad.
I do like Aki, 3 months in 2010, same again in 2011, lots of overnight stops from 2012 to 2015, 4 months in 2019 and then 4 months in 2023.
Out of all my time away so far, just over 2/3s of it is there! And I've managed to not go to the Falklands once
(I'll get a call tomorrow now I'm sure)Polis always did the best full meze in the village, Chris' Kebabs was over rated.
Ah!
I was a DC in 16 Regt RA to start with (Rapier then Sky Sabre) and moved over to MT in the RAF (ASMT at Akrotiri currently). So to answer your question - no
No I jest, in all honestly I do enjoy my job now more than ever, which is something. I expect I'll be out shortly after my 12-year point (next year), and will endeavour to do the same job when I'm out.
Is there still a mk2 vauxhall astra (red iirc) saloon, still in JRs car park?
Aye still there! Chris blue beach is brilliant. We love a good English breakfast there.Is our office still there? I used to work for NAAFI Financial (which then became Forces Financial, then Forces Mutual), that's how I spent a week staying in the mess at Epi with the new crabs
I can't say I've noticed - though I live in the pads so I don't go in there much. I'll keep an eye out.
Hooked up to a switch to start, everyone used to steal it to do whatever. Finally got abandoned when someone drunk drove it abd ripped off the exhaust. Just curious if ut ever got impounded.