Originally Posted by
Sandy Parts
TOFO - I resemble that remark!
For those mentioning the pension abatement - the way I see it is if you are going back in and getting the same pay as when you left then yes, you will lose your pension (full abatement). If you are going back in onto a lower pay than when you left, your pension continues but only enough to 'top-up' to the amount you were getting previously. I believe that has always been the case for rejoining HM forces (or civil service?). Interestingly, the latest pension scheme has changed this so a pension you earn from here on on the new scheme will not be affected by later additional service (as I understand). If you are rejoining just for the money, I think you may be missing the point of being able to do the job you want to and the other benefits of service life (such as they are - no rose tinted specs here).
Sandy,
No, I think you are rather missing the point! The RAF contacted me (through my bank), rather than me contacting them, because they were very short of people with my experience and qualifications. I was already employed (in a job I wanted) and to lose my earned pension
and take a pay cut was totally unacceptable. As for the "benefits of service life", the forever quoted "exigencies of the service", in my case (as opposed to others in my situation), outweighed them by a very long chalk, hence my decision to leave in the first place.