paranoia
Senior Member
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 1,252
Email: para@ausprep.org
|
Post by paranoia on Dec 12, 2016 19:33:35 GMT 10
The company I work for is winding up December 30th so I'm on the market again. Things are a bit quiet in my trade (Fitter & Machinist) in South Australia and as I usually do when in this position, I'm considering the Army again. Has been something on my list for a while and when I called them today they still had my details from 11 years ago (I applied to ADF before I accepted my civilian apprenticeship)
They're advertising for Armament Fitters at the moment so it should be pretty easy to get in. I've always wanted to go through the training and the opportunity to work on all of the army's toys seems like it'd be fun.
Do we have any career defence force members on the forum? Anyone familiar with the in and outs of doing the army thing with a family?
Going to take a lot of re-arranging of my life but I know a bloke who can take care of the house/property so I'd be able to mothball the property for 5-10 years without too much fallout.
Also interested if given your time again you'd re-enlist?
Cheers,
Para
|
|
shinester
Senior Member
China's white trash
Posts: 3,119
Likes: 3,578
Email: shiny@ausprep.org
|
Post by shinester on Dec 12, 2016 23:25:22 GMT 10
Good luck with your future decisions my friend.
|
|
norseman
VIP Member
Practical is Tactical!
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 1,853
|
Post by norseman on Jan 15, 2017 16:29:15 GMT 10
Absolutely no disrespect toward current or former service personnel intended, you are all heroes in my book, but mate it seems like the Army was and still is "Plan B" for you. Don't do it if your heart isn't 100 per cent in it, standing Armies the world over are seriously crap places to secure your future these days!
|
|
shinester
Senior Member
China's white trash
Posts: 3,119
Likes: 3,578
Email: shiny@ausprep.org
|
Post by shinester on Jan 15, 2017 21:04:09 GMT 10
Welcome to the forum bud. Sounds like from experience. I had similar advice from a serving copper when I was in my late teens, his words, 'It's an ok job and if you can do anything else do that'.
|
|
paranoia
Senior Member
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 1,252
Email: para@ausprep.org
|
Post by paranoia on Jan 15, 2017 23:08:55 GMT 10
Absolutely no disrespect toward current or former service personnel intended, you are all heroes in my book, but mate it seems like the Army was and still is "Plan B" for you. Don't do it if your heart isn't 100 per cent in it, standing Armies the world over are seriously crap places to secure your future these days! Thanks for the input mate and welcome to the forum.
It's definitely plan A at the moment but I am putting out other feelers just in case I don't get in. A decade ago I wasn't sure enough of myself to make the commitment and my now wife then girlfriend was very unsure about the whole thing. It was a 7 year commitment unqualified entry and the civvy apprentice was 4 years, at 20 those extra 3 years seem like a lifetime. I'm going for my YOU session (aptitude test and psyc assessment) on Tuesday which will answer a couple questions I still have about details on the job.
Even if is just a 4 year (min service for qualified entry) enlistment I'm sure the training will be valuable. The wife got on board very quickly and is actually excited for a interstate 'trip'. We did 8 years in WA and found it a wonderful experience living interstate.
I'd be curious to hear any specifics as to why standing armies are a crap place to secure your future. I'm sure I could earn more private sector but bottom line earnings is less important to me than doing something interesting. The idea of getting more experience working on small arms and being paid for it is highly motivating. I see it as an opportunity to transition from general engineering to gun smithing.
|
|
|
Post by doomsdayprepper4570 on Mar 6, 2017 6:39:06 GMT 10
If you get hurt or have health problems after being enlisted you are in for a sad time. Most of my ex reg mates are struggling to get looked after and generally would not join if they had their time over again. I do understand the need for job security. Try some of the mining companies in Qld before taking the plunge!
|
|
Ammo9
VIP Member
Enter your message here...
Posts: 1,814
Likes: 2,667
|
Post by Ammo9 on Mar 6, 2017 10:21:44 GMT 10
Look into firefighting for job security, average career length at my work is 29 years.
|
|
|
Post by ziggysdad on Mar 6, 2017 10:49:55 GMT 10
paranoia - did you ever enlist? If not, what have you been doing for the past 2 months since your company wound up?
|
|
paranoia
Senior Member
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 1,252
Email: para@ausprep.org
|
Post by paranoia on Mar 6, 2017 11:29:54 GMT 10
DDP - Job security isn't huge on my list, this was the longest job I've ever held down at 3 years, I even transferred mid apprenticeship to keep things interesting. I've worked in mining and I've had my fill, no longer chasing the big $$$.
Austemp - I know a couple fireys, I'll have a chat.
ZD - I'm still mid-enlistment process, gathering the required documentation from the 4 corners of Australia... There's no intakes for my trade for this financial year (despite them posting adverts) so I have to 'wait and see' if there will be some open for July.
Currently in two minds about the whole thing, I've had a lot of time off to garden and think. Whilst I still see it as a good opportunity, I really don't want to go back to suburbia. I love having land and the freedom that brings. The original motivation for the property was to raise our kids free range and teach them proper skills. So currently considering reserves but I still need to sort my paperwork out to proceed. There's also the idea that I could get out of fitting, I've done it 10 years maybe I need a fresh start.
What have I been up to? I had 5 weeks holidays when the business wound up so money hasn't really been an issue. I've been gardening, building a boat, volunteering at my daughters school and trying to get done those jobs that get ignored while you're busy with other things. Was particularly nice having January off to spend time with the kids.
Will probably start looking for a job this month even if it's just something part time to keep the bills paid. We have a small mortgage and cost of living so I don't need much.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2017 12:15:07 GMT 10
Paranoia your last posting helps, I was in the Reserves for over eight years and would have gone to regular, if it was not for family ball and chain issues because I loved it as a an Engineer. But with family in toe I could not just drop things and go when and where asked.
I certainly learnt heaps and had lots of boy toys to mess with....meet and make a great bunch of mates. It was no holiday, but what I would call a wonderful adventure. Officer training is where it is at if you have the motivation etc.
I now lecture electrotechnology and sometimes my students get asking about various jobs and I always put in a plug for the armed services. If nothing else you will know you have done you bit for your country and not be asking others to do what you would not be willing to do yourself...defend our way of life.
I always found the Army really went out of its way to look after its people and their families, in ways I thought went well above and beyond what I would have expected.
|
|
Ammo9
VIP Member
Enter your message here...
Posts: 1,814
Likes: 2,667
|
Post by Ammo9 on Mar 6, 2017 13:49:52 GMT 10
I always found the Army really went out of its way to look after its people and their families, in ways I thought went well above and beyond what I would have expected. I think we were in different armies.
|
|
|
Post by Joey on Mar 6, 2017 17:04:50 GMT 10
If you have your fitness all good, and have some post school study (like a Ba or cert 3+) you might consider going for the police They won't move you around like the army unless you request it. In Qld recruits get paid while at the academy, whereas some other states (nsw for example) don't pay you for your time at the academy.
|
|
paranoia
Senior Member
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 1,252
Email: para@ausprep.org
|
Post by paranoia on Mar 6, 2017 20:41:10 GMT 10
If you have your fitness all good, and have some post school study (like a Ba or cert 3+) you might consider going for the police They won't move you around like the army unless you request it. In Qld recruits get paid while at the academy, whereas some other states (nsw for example) don't pay you for your time at the academy. Had not considered the police. It seems they do pay during recruit training in SA (12 months) the academy however is a little under 2 hours drive from my house so it'd mean 20 hours driving a week (last job was 12 hours so its not THAT much of a stretch) or local accommodation.
Will give it some more thought though, thanks mate.
|
|
|
Post by Joey on Mar 6, 2017 20:45:09 GMT 10
Have a chat to their recruitment team, as you live that far away from the academy, you may be eligible for live in. That would mean you would only go home on weekends. I was going for QPS a few years ago, and had my fitness well underway that I dropped 15kg in 3mths before I got injured and stopped training, then I got my apprenticeship and on top of that, my back has now gone grade 2 so all my hopes of a job with police of any other agency of the type are dashed. I only consider myself maybe 10yrs Max left on the tools as a fitter before my back drops me out of that too.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2017 11:19:02 GMT 10
I just did a training course that had 4 ex army blokes on it who all came from the engineers and all served only 4yrs together, the way thay talked sounded like thay had low job satisfaction in the army - otherwise why didn't thay stay longer . JMO but the military is for those whose hearts are really in it for the long term, lots of ex short terms out there me included, it's fun for a while till the novelty wears off .
|
|