Porn star wages...Not!
Red On, Green On
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Added to which you make make the stats tell you anything. US pay may be less , but that's the case across the US, as the cost of living is so much lower, so coupled with low personal taxation GI Joe and Jane have far more spending power than their equivs. in the UK forces.
I don’t suppose that ‘the USA lot’ have to pay $380,000.00 for an average house, $8 for a gallon of gas, $80 for a pair of Levi’s and still pay tax and rates whilst serving overseas.
Also find me a squaddie who after 22 years of service retired at 40 on a good wage, no I didn’t think so.
Also find me a squaddie who after 22 years of service retired at 40 on a good wage, no I didn’t think so.
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Loved the opening article i would like to see that in one of the national papers, if it's not already been printed.
The forces have always been underpaid but it's not really come to light untill the past few years when we've had to "do the job". In previous years we spent all our time lounging around Germany waiting for the soviet bear to launch and drinking ourselves stupid on cheap beer.
Now, after years of resources being eroded and units reduced in size we have been asked to take on a huge task with minimal equipment and personell. Unfortunately due to our own "can do attitude" when for too many years our commanders have been happy to state that "no don't worry we can do that" and the boys on the ground have used their own ingenuity to resolve the shortages, we now pay the price.
As for the medical side i wouldn't say they are that good, after leaving the forces the first civil dentist i saw was appalled at my teeth, which had been annualy inspected during my time, as was the case with a number of old pals who all told the same story.
The Docs aren't interested unless you've got extra holes or something exotic, the amount of people i know with joint injuries, knee, ankle, were not given the time of day, up to the point of having source an operation for myself with the NHS to fix my knee.
I'm glad i left when i did and my heart goes out to the guys left holding the fort, quite literally in Afghanestan, who are now faced with this huge responsibility while the politicians jockey for position at the polls thinking of nothing but their own self image.
Good luck to you all
The forces have always been underpaid but it's not really come to light untill the past few years when we've had to "do the job". In previous years we spent all our time lounging around Germany waiting for the soviet bear to launch and drinking ourselves stupid on cheap beer.
Now, after years of resources being eroded and units reduced in size we have been asked to take on a huge task with minimal equipment and personell. Unfortunately due to our own "can do attitude" when for too many years our commanders have been happy to state that "no don't worry we can do that" and the boys on the ground have used their own ingenuity to resolve the shortages, we now pay the price.
As for the medical side i wouldn't say they are that good, after leaving the forces the first civil dentist i saw was appalled at my teeth, which had been annualy inspected during my time, as was the case with a number of old pals who all told the same story.
The Docs aren't interested unless you've got extra holes or something exotic, the amount of people i know with joint injuries, knee, ankle, were not given the time of day, up to the point of having source an operation for myself with the NHS to fix my knee.
I'm glad i left when i did and my heart goes out to the guys left holding the fort, quite literally in Afghanestan, who are now faced with this huge responsibility while the politicians jockey for position at the polls thinking of nothing but their own self image.
Good luck to you all
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How many other "jobs" get to retire at 38/16 year point with the kind of package you get? Some will not get the option because of the death in service but you can see where the politicians can argue the point. BTW the pay in the British Armed Services is higher than the USA lot I am told
Red On, Green On
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Working Hard
I was responding to this:
Was the UK DefSec comparing apples with apples, or as is more likely, apples with pears?
I was responding to this:
I had this exact conversation with the Defence Secretary a few weeks ago and the excuse was "You get paid more than other armed forces worldwide".
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How many other "jobs" get to retire at 38/16 year point with the kind of package you get?
On commencing service £19,803
On completion of the initial training period £22,107
2 years £23,388 (a)
3 years £24,819
4 years £25,599
5 years £26,421
6 years £27,174
7 years £27,849
8 years £28,740
9 years £30,477
10 years £31,092 (b)
(a) All officers move to this salary point on completion of two years' service as a constable.
(b) Officers who have been on this point for a year will have access to the competence-related threshold payment of £1,032 a year.
Free uniform and overtime pay as well!!
Those pay figures are for west country police force.
So a High band Level 4 Sgt (£31,098) or a Low Band Level 6 Sgt (£30,174) / Level 3 CT / FS / SSgt (£30,974) will earn as much as the 10 year Policeman.
True you can't retire at the 18 / 38 year point / 22 years on a full pension but you can retire after 30 years service on a very nice full pension and a big lump sum.
No I am not a copper just using the figures as a comparision.
Last edited by November4; 15th Sep 2006 at 10:10.
Cunning Artificer
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My pension after 14 years under the colours is...?
Nada, zilch, zero. I got a cheque for 1200 quid and a bill for 57 quid for "barrack damages" to our married quarter.
I left because even back in 1977 we were being worked 55 hours a week with no overtime and every other weekend on duty. I know that compared to life in the sand pit we had a life of luxury, but on 32 Sqn we worked alongside civilian contractors who looked after 207's Devons and Pembrokes in the same working conditions. They earned nearly three times what we were paid.
I took that to be an option for change.
The government and the nation has always shown nothing but contempt for its military. Someone (Kipling?) wrote a poem about it - "Its Tommy this and Tommy that and..." that still holds good.
Nada, zilch, zero. I got a cheque for 1200 quid and a bill for 57 quid for "barrack damages" to our married quarter.
I left because even back in 1977 we were being worked 55 hours a week with no overtime and every other weekend on duty. I know that compared to life in the sand pit we had a life of luxury, but on 32 Sqn we worked alongside civilian contractors who looked after 207's Devons and Pembrokes in the same working conditions. They earned nearly three times what we were paid.
I took that to be an option for change.
The government and the nation has always shown nothing but contempt for its military. Someone (Kipling?) wrote a poem about it - "Its Tommy this and Tommy that and..." that still holds good.
Quote: How many other "jobs" get to retire at 38/16 year point with the kind of package you get?
Try looking at an MPs pension package - the best in the country, there's a surprise. Working from memory only, I seem to recall they qualify for a pension after 6 years, i.e have to get elected twice, and earn 1/40th of their salary for every year served before retirement. So, in comparison to a serviceman, who used to get 28.5% after 16 years on the old pension scheme, and 22.8% (16/70ths) on the new, an MP will get 16/40ths, i.e 40%!! Not bad eh!!
MPs pension scheme doesn't get talked about much - I wonder why??
Try looking at an MPs pension package - the best in the country, there's a surprise. Working from memory only, I seem to recall they qualify for a pension after 6 years, i.e have to get elected twice, and earn 1/40th of their salary for every year served before retirement. So, in comparison to a serviceman, who used to get 28.5% after 16 years on the old pension scheme, and 22.8% (16/70ths) on the new, an MP will get 16/40ths, i.e 40%!! Not bad eh!!
MPs pension scheme doesn't get talked about much - I wonder why??
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I unreservedly apologise if any offence was caused, it was not intended. I do think everyone needs to consider that "the grass is NOT always greener".
I also wish the nation as a whole held our troops in much greater affection but alas it is not so.
I also wish the nation as a whole held our troops in much greater affection but alas it is not so.
