Army or not? Ex-Service help please.
Submitted: Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 20:01
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where2go
Hi there, we have a big question to ponder and was hoping users of this
forum could offer some advice. I know there are many ex-service members on here just from reading posts so here's our dilemma. Partner is seriously considering rejoining army (has completed all testing and enlistment is scheduled for May). we are based in melb. I have a great job however am more than happy to move and will support other half right through. A couple of issues though - my job has the potential to increase substantially in the next six months. Partner is rejoining as he gets no excitment out of any job he has tried since leaving. What we are looking for are suggestions from those of you who have experienced the army and may be able to offer pointers regarding other professions, roles, jobs, employment options that we can
check out rather than army. Possibly to keep us in melb and still provide him with job satisfaction. Otherwise we are off - most likely to
Townsville in under 12 months (and this is the on topic part - we would be able to explore far more of our country from
Townsville than we have done to date). Suggestions/advise please???
Reply By: Off-track - Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 21:45
Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 21:45
Well if you are happy with the move to
Townsville and obviously doesnt mind being away from
home he should seriously consider working out at one of the many mines in the region. Big $$, plenty of vacancies and will still probably be
home more than if in the Army.
If he is a tradesman there is so much work up here it's ridiculous - it's a boom town.
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Reply By: Brian B (Brisbane) - Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 22:07
Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 22:07
Hi,
I have recently pulled the plug after being with the QLD
Ambulance for 30 years and in my experience there are a lot of ex service folk employed by
ambulance, fire and police
services around the country and they generally seem to fit in quite
well into these occupations.
I think some of the reasons are because they are part of organisations that are out there trying to do a good job and help others and that they have a very structured promotional system with incentives to seek out advancement if you wish. All have their own culture and once you join you become a part of that and most of the time that is a good thing. Lots of other things I could ramble on about but IMO these are jobs that seem to be very popular with ex service men and women.
Hope it all works out for you.
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Follow Up By: Peter - Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 22:14
Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 22:14
Yep
Agree with Brian. I served 22 years in the Army and am now employed (until retirement) with the Qld Fire and Rescue Service. Quite a few ex-service personnel in these jobs. I don't regret one day of my life in the service and would do it again. But it's nice now to be around as the grandkids grow up. Also nice to get paid overtime etc. It takes a special type of partner to put up with the Army life (been married 35 years now). It's a great life for the serving person with lots of variety and travel etc. but the other half gets left alone quite a bit and has to be very independent. I can understand both sides and really don't envy the position you're in knowing that you have to make a decision that is going to have huge impact on your relationship. Good luck with it
Peter
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Reply By: Member - Barnesy (SA) - Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 23:04
Monday, Feb 05, 2007 at 23:04
Agree with jobs such as
ambulance paramedic, fire and rescue, police etc. I work as a nurse in an ICU department and when things happen the adrenaline rushes and it's very exciting.
I haven't been in the army but people working in these areas involving the essential
services I think tend to have greater job satisfaction than others in the private sector or in 9-5 jobs. Salaries may be lower but from what i gather he doesn't care too much about that. You have to work as a team.
If you have to rely on your partner (or other team mates) to help you save someones life after a car accident, a child drowning in a swimming
pool or someone after a heart attack, you develop comraderie with your workmates that may be similar to the comraderie that soldiers share. You have to know your job, think fast and act faster.
Barnesy
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Reply By: Member - Karl - Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 09:45
Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 09:45
I just got out after 23 years of Service with the Army and now work for the WA Govt. I don't regret getting out as it was the right time (plus they wanted to post me to
Sydney again and there was noway I was going back there).
The things I miss:
1. My mates,
2. Variety of the job - every day was different, one day working in the office, next day out in the bush or interstate or overseas etc,
3. The pride of wearing the uniform - even I sort of looked good in it.
If he is not happy happy in his current job then there will be problems in the future. It is a decision you both have to make but if he is going to be happy and you don't mind it then I think you have answered your question.
Townsville is a great place to live - spent nearly eight years there in total and after
Perth it is the next place that I would live.
The one thing that I really enjoy now that I am out is that this is the first time in 23 years when I finish at the end of the day and I go
home - I have finished. No weekend work, all long weekends off, holidays when I want etc and no more being on call and not being compensated for it :-))
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Reply By: roblin - Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 14:26
Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 14:26
On the partners bit, maybe I too am getting old (only 42 this year) but I still see this as a term used to refer to same sex relationships (politically correct term I believe!).
OK, I am in the blue suit (RAAF) but will add my bit anyway. Yes, I know we don't go bush a lot, nor do we deploy as much and, yeh, we can look like bus conductors at times BUT it is a life I (and my family) enjoy and I will continue with it provided it doesn't impact my relationship (with my wife!) nor affect my kids' educations. I left the force after just over 13 1/2 years and did some biomedical etch type work and was bored out of my brain. Same thing and place everyday. I think I had just officially discharged when I told my wife about wanting to get back in. I too missed my mates, the cameraderie, structure, etc. Anyway, in all I am now in my 21st year, am doing ajob that I like (and, for the forces, is reasonably
well paid) and intend to stay the last 13 years until retirement - at this stage. The pension projections are good and my wife and I can then do whatever we want at 55 with a good pension coming in every week.
The unfortunate side of things, for the RAAF, I am in a job that moves me every 3 years. Not so good for stability but we are gypsy like anyway and a change of location is like a new job anyway. There are some upsides to the life. I had 10 weeks off last year due to knee operations and was fully paid. There aren't too many jobs that do that unless you are female and are having a baby.
If you want locational stability, may I suggest joining the RAAF as an aircraft tradesman. You are alloted to an airframe type and they are generally in one location only. Or, if you want to stay in one spot and don't mind your other half being away a lot, join the Navy. Two locations -
Sydney or Freemantle - but ..........
Anyway, what have you got to lose. If he doesn't like it, there are numerous options and whilst you are working those out, you are getting a regular income, subsidised housing, more quals, etc. It is not, however, everybody's cup of tea.
Cheers
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Reply By: Craigww2 - Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 18:40
Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 18:40
I got out after 10 years RAEME with a trade. I am so glad that I am no longer in the Army! I have been out of the service for 7 years now and my younger brother is still in, he is in transport in
Townsville and from what he tells me there is no longer the "Diggers pride" of being in the Army like what there use to. Today they spend more time trying to blend in so no-one knows what they do for a living. Being in
Townsville was what made me get out, after fixing tanks for a living in
Darwin I was posted to
Townsville and was disapointed with the whole miltary (Army) and their attitude there.
Thats my 2c worth.
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Reply By: where2go - Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 21:19
Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 21:19
Thank you to all for your replies. To answer some questions - I used the term partner because defacto is such a horrible sounding word, it seems that the word does not do the relationship justice.
Yes, I am the female half of this partnership and other half is looking for the adrenaline, structure, camraderie etc that has all been mentioned. I think once you've been 'in' it's hard to find something that compares. Skiing (ie. throwing yourself of the side of a mountain) seems to be the only thing that compares for the 'rush' and quick decision making.
All your replies have been though provoking and much appreciated. I am more than happy to go but have my reservations as this will be my first exposure to service life - I only know what I have seen on tv and we all know how accurate that can be.
Emergency
services sound like something to
check out.
Another thing, I think the army
reserves offer apprentiships in conjuntion with working in the
reserves. Anybody know anything about this?
Thanks again.
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Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 00:28
Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 00:28
where2go
The reason I asked is (maybe sexiest) but are you intending on having Kids, if so there goes your job. for a time being, If your man can stay employed I would have to say that is better.
I was told by my parents (mother) get an apprenticeship or go back to school, bad move i got an apprenticeship as a Boilermaker (didn't even know what one was) it worked out OK..
Another man told me he's father told him if you don't get an apprenticeship, get every Licence you can e.g truck, bus, forklift, crane, motor bike, anything..
you will never be out of work..
I found this to be much easyer than going to school..lol ;-)
Richard
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Follow Up By: Kev M (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 06:24
Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 06:24
Since you are in
Melbourne get him to
check out 22 Const Regt, they do construction Trade apprenticeships, they may be able to provide further info. Defence recruiting should be able to give you the contact dteails.
Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 08:10
Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 08:10
where2go
I left the Navy 7 years ago and it has taken me all that time and 5 attempts to find a job that gives me the same satisfaction, responsibility and freedom that the
services offered. The comments above about missing the "adrenaline, structure, camaraderie etc " are pertinent. It takes some time to adjust to life in the big wide world out there. I did almost rejoin a few years ago but I remembered just in time the reasons I left in the first place.
I missed most the sense of giving something back to the community that is part of military life - why they call them the
services. That is why a lot of ex military end up in the emergency
services.
Regards
Pete
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Reply By: Taz & Milka-Queanbeyan - Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 23:30
Tuesday, Feb 06, 2007 at 23:30
There is another option which can provide substantial financial rewards and less of the male cow manure that one finds in the Army.
I served in the Army for about 15 years but now work as a private security contractor in Afghanistan.
I work for a British firm and we defend the US Embassy in Kabul.
My job is actually quite boring 97% of the time but we get paid over AUD$500 per day for being here.
A search on the web will locate companies operating here and in Iraq. The industry appears to be going through a change at the moment and salaries have been reduced across the board but like most things it will probably be cyclic and they should rise again eventually.
Cheers ... Taz
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Reply By: djm67 - Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 17:49
Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 17:49
There are things to miss about it, but I wouldn't ever go back.
It isn't the Army that I joined, as many here would agree, the standards have dropped so low that many aspects of it have become a joke.
A couple of us on this
forum are ex-MP and the things we saw with crime & drugs would make the public cringe if they knew how bad it is.
I have had a few mates re-enlist, none stayed A mate has just re-enlisted for the 3rd time, and this time it took him less than 6 months to realise that he made a big mistake. Now he is stuck in Timor trying to find a job back here so he can get out again.
With the current deployments, count on him being away overseas, there is a policy that if you are away for a 6 month stint, you have to get cleared by a doctor before being deployed again within 12 months, but some units are so under-manned and desperate that they are getting around this by only sending their soldiers away for 4 months, then they can bring them
home and the day after they get
home they are eligible to be deployed away again.
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Follow Up By: Taz & Milka-Queanbeyan - Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 22:06
Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 22:06
Most of the Aussie contractors I work with have many mates that are still serving that they keep in regular cotact with. From what those guys are saying your description of current conditions is very accurate.
The Army only has themselves to blame. If they had spent more time and energy on looking after the experienced people they had then those members wouldn't have left in droves.
I actually feel sorry for the guys serving these days.
Cheers ... Taz
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Follow Up By: Taz & Milka-Queanbeyan - Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 22:22
Wednesday, Feb 07, 2007 at 22:22
Oh.... 1 other major point that surprisingly hasn't been mentioned here.
You mentioned that this would be your first exposure to defence force life if your partner re-enlisted. Has your partner mentioned to you one of the most common sayings used by the military for the last 50 years ?
If the Army wanted you to have a wife they would issue you one.
Defence force life, depending on what job you do, can have a seriously detrimental effect on a relationship.
In one of my old units that had a specialist and very sought after role, 18 out of 30 soldiers over a 3 year period ended up divorced and discharged.
5 years after I discharged they are still trying to get sufficient numbers of appropriately qualified people into that unit.
Cheers ... Taz
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