@heights good
I thought I would have a go at your list to try and add a bit of balance:
99% of the UK population stay in the same location for their entire careers,
Some aircrew that have spent much of their careers at the same MOB - esoecially if it is the only one that operates a particular type. Brize, Odiham, Benson, Waddington and previously Lyneham all had their ‘mafia’ that rarely moved. Plus now we have Force HQs there are also staff jobs in the same place
can hand in their notice if they are fed up with the job,
But the flip side to this is that you can also be given your notice within 1-2 months. The commercial sector is not known for being nice when the company’s chips are down
they can tell their boss his leadership style is crap,
Yeah, right. My better half works in the City and if she told her boss he was crap then she would be out of a job in a month.
they have tenants rights,
To what?
Given the correct tools to do the job,
Only if the company can afford it. Plenty of corporate manslaughter cases if you Google them - one of the first in the UK was against P&O Ferries and there have been plenty in the railway business
are compensated for nights away,
What like LSA, Overnight Subsistence and Op Allowance?
have houses fit to live in,
The same houses we can buy and live in?
can have a private life,
I haven’t “lived on the patch” since 2002
can keep work and home life 100% separate,
In the Commercial world then you are expected to answer calls and tele-conferences any time of the day or night
have hotels paid for by their company up-front,
Last time I stayed in a HRG Central Hotel Booking Service hotel it was paid for?
can refuse to do anything they are asked to do,
Yes, and if the company doesn’t like it they will show you the door!
can plan their life more than a month in advance,
Have you ever heard of an Airline Roster? You are often a slave to it just 4 weeks hence.
can choose to live where they want, are trusted to wipe their own backside,
Yup, got me on that. The trust shown by the Armed Forces policies on its personnel is exceptionally poor
Have a credit rating that doesnt have a plethora of addresses on it,
See first answer - plenty have stayed at or close to their MoBs
Dont have to move house every 2 yrs,
Average posting is 3 years with some going to 5 these days. Getting a posting to another Sqn or the FHQ at the same location also more likely.
are not working 2 jobs but getting paid for one,
Lots of this goes on in the Commercial sector - people get hired and fired quickly and the rest have to pick up the pieces
are not sent on bollocks courses,
Oh yes they are. HSE, D&I and all that is just as prevalent in the civil sector
can travel anywhere in the world without telling an adult,
The only places you can’t go as a Service person are probably places that you would want the Security Flt to guve you some tips on anyway!!
can make decisions for themselves,
I make my own decisions, why can’t you?
can provide their children a stable home life,
Continuity of Education Allowance can keep your kids geographically stable, also during GCSE and A-Levels then preferential treatment can be given. Or you could do what many in the country do - commute. Average commute in the UK is 1 hr with over 4 million workers commuting 2 hrs. The Forces are spoiled with some of the short commuting options they are given
2 schools for their children’s entire education,
With CEA help you could get a Prep School followed by a Boarding School - and if you move back to the area they can become a day pupil
attend every wedding/birthday/funeral,
Look at the Corporal Clott post with the link to the BALPA blog. There is a story on there from an airline pilot that missed his daughter’s wedding. I would say that is unheard of in the military
Never be asked to take a life,
Unless you work for the police or you are an animal vet!
and perhaps most of all never get shot at or put directly in harms way at the whim of a politician....
Again, Policemen, Firemen, Paramedics, private contractors all have to deal with this sort of stuff
Just sayin’
