Being at Sea Allowance.....Navy! ....Heaven forbid!
LOA, What an interesting subject........
LOA = Car at end of posting, nights out, better social life than in UK. Remember, most of you asked to serve abroad!
Cyprus;
Naafi goods as far as duty free goes are at least 30% higher in price than what you what you would pay in the UK.
If NAAFI prices are too high, buy locally, it's cheaper!
Most people buy second hand cars out here because buying new is , well, not realistic.
Most people buy second hand cars to use while out there because the roads are so bad and buy new 6 months before EOT! (if they haven't pi$$ed it away or got the home cinema etc!)
As far as duty free cars are concerned, it is cheaper to buy a car in the UK or other EU countries than Cyprus.
Cyprus is in the EU!
Could this be why many couples / families break up in Cyprus?
No, that will be because of one of 2 things.
1. Homesickness, which strikes in all postings!
2. The Aya Napa effect. Beaches/Birds/Booze!
The result is that families struggle (mainly the JR's) to cope with everyday living.
Welcome to reality!
Baby sitting!!!
Cyprus/Abroad in general is more family orientated than the UK, go out as a family. If you complain about how much time you are away from your family, spend quality time with the children!
The Conventions for the 2005 Cycle cover:
Meals Out, Drinks Out, Mess Functions, Drinks in Mess, Food in Mess, Home Entertainment, Food at Home, Drinks at Home, Public Transport, Pre-Recorded Music, Newspapers/Magazines, Telecommunications, Sports & Hobbies, Dry Cleaning, Laundry, Running a Car, Household Cleaning Materials, Stationery/Postage, Toiletries, Clothing, Cigarettes, Hairdressing, Cinema/Spectator Sports, Toys, Baby Sitting, TV/Video, Domestic
Assistance, Bank Charges and Leave Accommodation.
And which one of these is cheaper in the UK!!!
I get the impression that there are some posting here that have never been posted to the UK, let alone lived in their own house in the UK. Perhaps then you will realise what a perk LOA is.
I guarantee that when you return from your LOA haven abroad, at some early stage after you reach the shores of blighty you will say;
" We could really do with that extra LOA money!"
Reality check.
You are born/bred in one end of the UK, your family lives in one end of the UK, you are posted to the other end of the UK. Do you get LOA?
Same circumstances, but this time you are posted to Germany. Possibly closer/quicker to your family and cost of living locally is less. Do you get LOA?
Bottom line - its about as fair as you can expect from a system designed to prove that nobody is getting an unfair advantage.
Why is LOA different for different ranks?
Taking cover!!!
SS