NikNak I hope your not refering to anyone in particular as a prat. I accept that UK military and civil procedures are different as I also accept that ICAO and UK civil procedures are different. My point was that in the USA thier goverment realises the diferences and actively goes out of its way to help its millitary controllers convert to civil procedures. It does not expect them to start at the very bottom but offers them a leg up, after commiting themselves to defending thier country and not going out and getting a civil job straight away. In this sense it is a pay back for the service to thier country. I also pointed out that european law allows non nationals to actively seek employment in any member state providing they have the right qualifications; qualifications that are not given to members of the UK military unlike in France. I consider this to be unfair.