lj,
Agreed.. but two wrongs don't make a right?
Separation and dislocation from ‘normal’ society, the upheaval of relentless postings, career breaks, caring for children, the removal of child benefit tax breaks for anyone in a household where someone earns over £50,000, supporting someone who is worked until he wants to drop.. all result in a tendency to relegate their own financial well-being to the bottom of the list.
The public sector pay freeze and uncertain economic conditions are making things worse, but the tendency is to cut back on things that aren’t a necessity, and women cut back on personal retirement provision.. they have to rely on a pension that their partner is expected to provide for them. When the positives of a military career are accentuated, this huge drawback has been overlooked.