Very miffed to say the least

Quote your skills and don't mention the forces, it's neither here nor there unless you're also ex-forces and that, I think is why ex-forces used to get on so well. There were so many of 'em back in the day they were employing each other in civvy street. At Philips Communications Systems where I met a lot, almost everyone over 40 was ex forces. Stands to reason that once in a position of power, they'd recognise and feel comfortable working with other ex forces and so give them the jobs if there was a choice. The brotherhood and all that.
The downside of the chaps I worked with was they were used to being mothered and told what to do. Without that they didn't do anything!
They were to a man very good at drinking though, so the forces - all 3 of them - do teach you something.
People are people as they say.

 

I think you're imagining that mate. Honestly.

 

Can't disagree with any of that.

 

What you're doing though Para is labelling yourself with your past. It's a big deal for you and knowing a few other ex-forces chaps over the years I do understand why, but all the experiences you and they have had mean diddly squat to anyone who hasn't lived that life and TBH it's irrelevent experience other than the profesional part of it.
Another negative I remember about the radio engineers I worked with is they had little conception of budget constraints, or getting on with the job! It's a different world.

 

The special treatment steve speaks of i do expect

I expect to be given the job over the same person with the same skills but from a civvy background because of a few reasons

I will never be late
I wont chuck a sickie after a bank holiday ******* up
When im told to carry out a task i will do it even if i think its below me or outside of my job description
I will always turn up for work appropriatly dressed even if i have to pay out of my own pocket for it
Im flexible in whats wanted and the hours that are expected from me
I can work as part of a team or im equelly happy work alone for days on end
Adverse weather conditions im happy to work with as long as im allowed some kit with me to deal with those conditions


I actually understand that im not owed anything in this life

That was a bit of a rant but it felt good
I may add more of my good points to this later but i dont think it would make a good cv

 

Civvy street, slap it together and if it works, sell it
Forces, polish every nut and bolt, paint the stones white and don't ask why.

 

Para - you need to read this back to yourself because that comes across as the same sort of 'tar with same brush' generalisation stuff but from the opposite end!

 

Now you see what you don't seem to understand it that you have just dissed everyone who hasn't been in the forces. We are not a bunch of scruffy layabouts who won't do as they're asked, turn up late, throw sickies, can't work in a team and expect something for nothing. etc etc. This thing works both ways old bean. Making the asumptions you have about the rest of us is highly insulting.

 

Beat me to it... with a more succinct reply.

 

The thing is steve im not labbeling myself with the past

The past or my past is what made me who i am today
Joined the forces at just gone sixteen and had to leave once i was a married man with a family

What you encounter and the way you act on your path through life makes you who you are
I just thought i was on a respectable path and im upset that i may have to hide that to prosper for the familys sake

I still stand my ground that in not nuts though its the world thats gone nuts

 

Para, I don't know you from Adam FACT
However you have shown us your amazing attention to detail FACT
You have served in the F0rces FACT
You have Good Work Ethics FACT
You need to highlight your skills on your CV FACT
Pls don't rant Paul its a bit late FACT
Keep up your posts I love them FACT

 

Dont ask why just do it is one of the best skills ive ever leaned lol

I have spent a week of my forces career painting grass green and kerbstones white and black before a royal visit

 

No you're not nuts, but this ain't the RAF.
What I've done with my "career" I'm also very proud of. As you know I've only recently gone on the tools, but I don't quote it and expect special treatment or to be able to earn £100+ per hour because I could once upon a time. You're judged in this life as you stand now and if you're self employed - on your last job - bad news travels fast and you can't rest on your laurels. That's reality. You're only prob is a very simple one, yet the hardest nut of all to crack. You're out of the loop. Once you find something to do (not that you have time as you're the full time parent which isn't a job to be scoffed at!), one thing will lead to another and you will find yourself where you desire.

 

Always ask why is what's got me through life. lol

 

Im so glad the forum doesent highlight the word fact anymore

Dont worry about me madpad dude ill fall over somthing perfect soon enough i normally do

I hated women and met this girl whilst i was djing one night
The girl obviouslly had no interest in me or in being in the pub she was in
End of the night came and her freind was mithering me for a lift to the club with the girl saying im not getting in a car with a stranger
I ended up driving the pait to the club with the girl sat in the back seat wispering to her freind in the front seat that she was scared and she didnt trust me

We got to the club and the bouncers wouldent let either of them in and i went in for free

I had put it all to the back of my mind untill i came out of the club and there both stood there

Will you take us home they ask?

Its 5 miles to the after party i was heading to or 15 miles to where i picked them up
The girl looked at me and i could see in her eyes that please i need to get home right now look
I sacked the party of and drove nearly 40 miles away from where we were and down country winding roads in the dales


That girl has been my wife for many years and we have a nearly 14 year old and a nearly 5 year old

The modern uk population is so scared of everything that they dont have the time or are not willing to get to know somebody

Thats why im on late bay for all these years as it to me seems the last bastion of good nice old fashioned people

 

Spot on brilliant

Ill have some more of that style at the weekend please

 

Speaking to a friend tonight about the Army/Navy rugby match just gone at Twickenham on Saturday, he was there but he was ex RAF (shhhhh) and he said it was absolute carnage at Fleet services on the M3 after as loads of them were fighting all over the roads. Not reported on the news, but not difficult to see how the reputation continues.

 

I can imagine

The problem in my eyes comes from a simple thing

You take a bunch of young men/women and you train them day in day out to the excess of the human body and mind
Those that fall by the wayside go back to civvy street and those that were glutten for punishment/too young to know any different go to the next level

My mate calls it brainwashing and we used to argue about that word

Either way your highly trained in somthing and also taught to defend and fight and your taught to damage and evade
Your also tought that whatever it is its not impossible

Its all fine and well moulding young people like that to serve the uks defence

The problem i have is when someone you have trained with a particular mindset and skill set just gets chucked into normal life whilst they brainwash another 16 year old

 

Any consolation to you Para, my oldest girl nearly 14 has been doing "Army Cadets" for nearly 12 months.
It has totally transformed her, for the better she loves it
I firmly believe if some of the little scrotes out there did a spell in a "Forces Camp"
we would not have the trouble we have on the streets !
That's my view as a parent of 3 children.

 

Have some more now then

I've been in the same position. No job, I knew I'd work hard and I knew I wasn't daft. Could I get a job? Not a chance! In the end I did get a job for £15 a day cash in hand replacing light bulbs in petrol station signs for 10 hours a day. lol That led to a job fixing metal windows and doors and roller shutters, then I was the foreman, then I was offered management job (turned it down as I liked working on the tools).

Then I moved sideways and started back at the bottom.I got a job as a tracer - the lowliest drawing office job tradditionally done by women with no interest in engineering. Then a draughtsman, then CAD was invented. I was temp in the office so they couldn't send me on a course, but they sent some ******* heads instead and I had to try and find out from them (they were sent for this purpose but with no relevance to their job didn't listen). So I taught myself. I learned to program the CAD. I learned about radio communications, earthing and lighning protection, steelwork and concrete. No courses, no degrees, just focussed relevant information. I started my own company, I employed surveyors and draughtsmen and did all the designing. I worked 100 hours a week every week for years, I kid you not.

Nobody helped me one tiny bit. I didn't expect any special treatment and I didn't get any!

One thing leads to another, it's getting a start that's the tricky bit. You have the drive I think and that's what frustrates you. I would say if you have the qualities you say you do, and I do believe in you as you know very well, looking for a job is daft. You should work for yourself, you'll be frustrated working for someone else who will buy your time and then waste it.

There you go, that was my rant. Don't expect special treatment coz you ain't going to get it and the sooner you give up on that idea the better. (IMHO)