I've been in the MOD since I left college and I've risen from E2 to a D band in about 5 1/2 years. What was a job for life is now a "get as much engineering training and get the **** out".
Posts are empty as no one will join externally with the wages being as low as they currently are compared to industry; internal progression is frozen meaning you have to apply externally for a higher grade job in the team you're currently in. This means existing Civil Servants take the new contract and a worse pension scheme.
The only option remaining is the FATS Contract option. Which is great for the life of the contract, but what happens at the end of it?! Oh yeah- the posts are still empty and we can't recruit.
Combine this with the GOCO dream of the Turkey Baron, it's a pretty **** time.