The Army

It was always gonna happen.
There was so much changing, tours were drying up, they changed the promotion system, they changed the pension, they stopped the pay rise, they cut back on training exercises
They contracted out a lot of the work (chefs, transport, training) The cook houses became a money making scheme.


One of the main reasons I left was because they changed my pension. I signed up and was offered a pension after my 22 years. 14 years in and they decided to change that. Regardless of the time served the pension wasn’t gonna be given until I was 65.
I was only 9 years away from reaching my pension so being paid less than my civilian counter parts was ok in my mind because I was so close to getting my reward. To then have it taken away from me was insulting.


You maybe able to challenge that soon due to the latest ruling on pensions, btw. Forcing everyone on to the 15 scheme could be classed as unlawful.
 
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One of the main reasons I left was because they changed my pension. I signed up and was offered a pension after my 22 years. 14 years in and they decided to change that. Regardless of the time served the pension wasn’t gonna be given until I was 65.
They expect people to put their life on the line, then to treat them like that. Disgraceful.

I expect that the sickeningly high numbers of ex-Forces personnel who are living rough after discharge is partly a consequence of this pension rip-off.
 
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I think the starting wage is decent for young lads. When you get into JNCO/SNCO range the discrepancy between doing similar jobs gets bigger. In my trade it's tricky to switch because we don't get civil certification so I would have to do a couple of years on the training wage, which isn't doable for most lads and lasses with houses and families. Apparently though the civvies are losing all their grumpy old men to retirement, so they need more slightly younger grumpy men to replace them than they can recruit, which is where I come in ;)
We've got a lad who's currently looking for engineering or computer networking jobs (he's qualified in both). Loads of experience but just keeps getting offered trainee positions or ignored completely. I know quite a few in the RAF that reckon they wouldn't get paid the same in civvy street & he seems to be proving it.

What do you recruit in? (if you don't mind me asking)
 
Are the wages that much less (genuine question as I don't know)? They would have to be significantly less to justify potentially paying out to people in their early 40s.

Are you sure it was 65 too? I would have thought your occupational pension could be taken no later than 60?
I’m not 100% on the age but I’m sure it was 65. I remember reading a stat that most ex squaddies don’t live to that age. So it seemed a sneaky as fuck way for the MOD to cut back.

The wages aren't that much different until you reach Sargent and above. Then the gap just gets bigger and bigger, but by that point the military has/had the carrot of an early pension. So most stayed in to cross the line.

Without sounding arrogant I make way more now than I did in the military and I’m home every night. Plus I have way more freedom
You maybe able to challenge that soon due to the latest ruling on pensions, btw. Forcing everyone on to the 15 scheme could be classed as unlawful.
I remember reading the government banned any appeals against it.
Maybe someone has found a way through
 
We've got a lad who's currently looking for engineering or computer networking jobs (he's qualified in both). Loads of experience but just keeps getting offered trainee positions or ignored completely. I know quite a few in the RAF that reckon they wouldn't get paid the same in civvy street & he seems to be proving it.

What do you recruit in? (if you don't mind me asking)
There’s companies out there that favour ex military.
I got my job solely because of that.
Worst case he’ll take a lower position and take no time at all to shine through and climb the ladder
 
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They’ve already dumbed down the fitness aspect. I got my 47 year old unfit arse off the sofa the other day and had a pop at the timed run, and only missed out by 30 seconds. I reckon I’d pass it if I tried again.
 
They’ve already dumbed down the fitness aspect. I got my 47 year old unfit arse off the sofa the other day and had a pop at the timed run, and only missed out by 30 seconds. I reckon I’d pass it if I tried again.
I passed selection with a 10:30 mile and a half when I was 50. Still doing about that pace now and I'm very nearly 53.
 
Selection? For what?
Didn’t labour chop a 5th from the armed forces?
Reserves mate. I tried when I was 45-ish and I was told I was too old, then in summer 2016 they raised the age to 50 as they weren't getting enough bodies so I signed up. Selection was at Glencorse a few weeks after my 50th.
 
Combat units 40% under strength according to the Guardian

Added to shortage of ships in the Royal Navy
Shortage of strike aircraft in the RAF

Good job the tories are the party you can rely on to maintain military strength.


Love to read the thoughts of the ex military lads who get on here
It`s even worse than that marra, the crabs are to allow wierdos with chin rugs in

RAF to allow beards for the first time
 
Reserves mate. I tried when I was 45-ish and I was told I was too old, then in summer 2016 they raised the age to 50 as they weren't getting enough bodies so I signed up. Selection was at Glencorse a few weeks after my 50th.
For 23? Or am I totally confused by the word selection mate.
 
For 23? Or am I totally confused by the word selection mate.

I dunno what it was like in your day, but the way they did it when Joined was a pre deployment assessment to make sure you weren't wasting everyone's time followed by a weekend 'selection' at Glencorse for medicals / interviews / fitness assessment / signing on. After passing and signing you then move on to 'A' & 'B' training before passing out.

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Selection to join, not SF selection.
Now I understand the confusion.
 
I dunno what it was like in your day, but the way they did it when Joined was a pre deployment assessment to make sure you weren't wasting everyone's time followed by a weekend 'selection' at Glencorse for medicals / interviews / fitness assessment / signing on. After passing and signing you then move on to 'A' & 'B' training before passing out.

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Now I understand the confusion.
I didn’t realise it was 50 now hmmmmmm. How’s it going for you?
 
Only six countries in the world spend more than us on the military.

India and Saudi will be spending more to bring their services up to scratch, arguably China as well.

That only leaves the US, France and Russia.

If we spent more, people would moan, if we spend less, people will moan.
 

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