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6 Months until I leave HM Forces

Monday February 22, 2010 at 8:19am

I plan to write this Blog for the next year of my life, submitting a few Blogs each month. These will be about me leaving the only life I’ve known and loved and moving on to the unknown. I will soon be a civvy and this scares the Sh*t out of me.

An intro, so you know a little about me

I joined the Army as a boy soldier in 1987, which meant I did a year and a half for the Queen. I joined my regiment in the September of 88 as a gunner in The Royal Regiment of Artillery, and have slowly risen to the rank WO2 (TSM).

I completed my first tour of NI at the age of 18, which to be honest is why I joined the Army. First ever patrol saw me blown off my feet by an IED and landing in a bin. The first thing I thought was ‘I hope no one saw me fall in the bin’. Then panic like a headless chicken (for all of 5 secs which seemed like 5mins), until the Troop Sgt started giving orders, which installed calm and order until now.

Panic

I don’t want start running around like a headless chicken when I leave the Army. I also know there’s not going to be any Tp Sgt to give me any orders. As a TSM it’s me who installs order and calm to my soldiers. I love seeing them grow into mature and confident men and women through the experience I have gained. I wish I could find that Tp Sgt so he could give me a few orders on how to be a civvy, he would soon install calm and order once again.

Transition

I hope by writing this Blog for the next year, it will show how to get through this transition. I hope future forces personnel can learn through my experiences, and the advice past service leavers can offer me. I hope their transition process can help my transition from a soldier to a civilian.

» Categories: General

8 Comments

Mike Braden | February 25, 2010, 9:53am

I totally relate to what you are saying but for a different reason. I left the Royal Navy 5 years ago at a similar rank to you. At the time I felt fullyconfident that I would find a job and very soon after joining civvy street did. The bad news is I have just found out that the company I am working for has just lost the contract we are working for on behalf of the government, which means that in 4 months time I will be out of a job. The panic has not set in yet but it is beginning to rise. I think the idea of running this blog is a good idea and I am sure people will benefit from it....

George Geddes | February 25, 2010, 9:41pm

Comrade, You ar dong exactly what I did, leaving it to late, you should have thought about your next adventure over a year ago. Get yorself on as many corses as possible mainly HSE you ait got much time brother and you aint going to like it, civvies havent a scooby about ourlife and most are none existant as team members. Sorry painting a bleak picture the best thing that ever happened to me being a civvie was the Iraq war, it got me back to comradeship and what coul be called soldiering of a kind. Frget about the forces now think about yourself for 6 month and please ( Hurry ) you will see. ...

David Phillips | March 3, 2010, 8:40am

After 32 years in the Royal Navy, which I loved and was very sad to leave, I left almost 4 years ago and am now in my third appointment since leaving, to get promoted and get on you often have to change jobs. Thus loyalty is only to yourself - its a different ethic to the forces but thats the way it is. There are stacks of opportunities available - you just have to find them. Its true that no-one owes you a living - as long as you remember that and apply yourself to the job-hunt you will get the deserved reward. One other thing - stay positive, if you get down it will come out in your CV, at your interview and in everything you do. Servicemen are worth many times as much as their civvy oppos and once you are in a job you will realise that, but dont ram it down their throats because in some things the civvies do know best. Thats my advice, keep at it and be positive - end of transmission .... out!...

Jo Barnsley | March 3, 2010, 9:43am

Have a firm idea of what you will enjoy and want to do full time then develop a passion for that concept - as you sell your interest to do your "thing" then you will naturally sell yourself. Preparation should have begun 18 months ago - I had an idea of what I wanted, engineered a posting to give me the experience in my area of interest and I milked the system for courses - my CV looks like a recruiters dream for my field. You then need to target the type of organisation your interested in working for and to research them, and their competitors, extensively. Job hunting is a job and is worth investing time and effort (and money if you have left it late for courses). Use your ELC, resettlement training and any free training to the full. Lots more to be said - you'll get there if you really want to and as you are a WO2 you will have learnt to recognise what needs doing and then have the confidence to do it. Good luck....

Kev Cummings | March 3, 2010, 8:32pm

Good on you mate. I'm in a similar situation to you although I have about a year to run before I leave. You are turning your concern into a positive and provoking messages from those that have done it. leaving the forces is so personal that everyone has their own advice, I recon that you have to keep your chin up, have patients and remember that the flexible approach you use in the military wll be immensly useful when you get the chance to prove your worth to a prosective employer. good luck to you and I'll be following your blog over the next year or so. regards, Kev...

Geordie Dicko | April 8, 2010, 3:57pm

I left the Army on March 8th this year also as a WO2. Similarly I joined as a boy soldier in 1986 (R SIGS). As yet, after applying for over 50 jobs in the last 3 months I have had; one job offer (without an actual interview!) and an interview. Unfortunately I had to decline both due to the location of the jobs. One thing I will say is, never, never trust a recruitment agency - they lie like the proverbial NAAFI watch. At present I feel like emptying a belt of 200 into every one of their employees. Both of my job offers / interviews were by sending my CV direct to an actual employing company. Anyway mate, good luck and don't get too disheartened. of a recruitment agency. ...

Scouse McD | April 8, 2010, 8:27pm

Guys I am also a Warrant Officer, in my final period(month to be precise) it is a very scary time, but I think the move from Military life to Civ Div has to be met head on, we cannot expect to walk into 40k a year jobs, they are out there but only if you have 22 years experience in that field! The sites I have signed up to are: LInkedIn( very good upper class facebook!) loads of headhunters and very ex forces friendly. Ex Mil recruitment (very positive and run by ex squaddies for ex squaddies!) These are just a couple, there are plenty about. LinkedIn will show you the links. I still have no job lined up yet, but something will turn up. Ground work is key, look at what's in the area you want to settle and pitch your ressetlement around that field. Good Luck all. ...

Buzz | April 12, 2010, 5:55pm

Gents, I like you all am leaving the forces in 3 years. I am keen to take all your advice, i have been WO2 for over 5 years and with 3 left i am going to get the courses required. That is once i decide what i really want to do, i think that is the hardest decision so far? How did you all come to your decision want you wanted to do next? ...

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