After sticking with it for nearly 2 years, DS has given up on his dream

[FinnyStory]

Bloody Capita "managing" Army recruitment.

Since he was 13 DS1's only ambition has been to be an Army Officer. Threw himself into everything as a cadet and succeeded there in a way he never did at school.

Not naturally academic, he had to work really hard to get the A level grades needed, which he did.

Submitted his application in Nov 2018 and spent 9 months being constantly told they needed this piece of information then another piece, all of which were sent straightaway and acknowledged. At one point they cancelled his application because he hadn't responded, when he had emails confirming they had everything they needed.

Then spent a day travelling for the medical and was deferred because of his hearing. Despite having met the published standard, he showed some slight hearing loss which they wanted investigating. Fair enough but it took 4 months to arrange the follow up appointment.

The Consultant wrote a letter saying he did show slight hearing loss but no cause for concern just to be careful with hearing protection. This was sufficient for them to reject him on medical grounds, despite the fact that he had met their own standard and their doctor wasn't concerned.

He appealed and won but this took another 5 months.

Then he was due to go for selection which was cancelled due to lockdown.OK I'll give them that, it wasn't their fault.

However, the process apparently restarted in June but by this time his original medical is a year old and he needs another one, before he goes for selection which is currently set for September. He's been told he must not attend if he doesn't have an up to date medical.

He has been promised a medical date before then but nothing has been forthcoming. He has phoned and/or emailed everyday for the last month chasing up this medical appointment. The person he needs is either not there, promises to call straight back or doesn't return his calls. The emails are unanswered. He's asked to speak to someone in charge and was promised a call within 48 hours but...

This is for a lad who was the most senior/successful Army cadet in the county and has an absolutely glowing recommendation from the County Commandant, a recently retired General. They should be chasing him, not the other way round.

Anyway, today, he's decided enough's enough and it's no longer his chosen path.

I'm just venting really but isn't it reassuring to know our military is so well organised?!

I applied to the army (logistics) 27 years ago. The process was efficient and thorough and definitely not a two year process. Capita sound terrible. (FYI I failed RCB!)

How are good candidates supposed to support themselves and plan for more than 2 years? Who else are the army missing out on? I'm sure there are keen candidates out there that don't have financial support to wait two years.

Besides the army teaches resilience - you aren't expected to join fully formed! It's all about the opportunities and skills they pass on.

Anyway good luck to your son. An apprenticeship in this day and age is very worthwhile.

I've worked with Capita on a project for a customer.

I can only echo what others have said.

Tons on bureaucracy that allegedly hides them making money from contracts by delaying/speeding up project cycles to hit bonus targets according to the person I worked with most directly.

I can't say if this is true as it was third hand but I can say that engaging with them was a frustrating process.

I can't understand some of the nasty comments on this thread.

How many other people would expect a job application to last 2 years?

Not just the time but also the effort put into the process in terms of constantly chasing after they dropped the ball plus the cost of attending repeat appointments.

It's an absolute shit show and disgrace that an excellent candidate should have been treated this when he should have been fast tracked through the process.

I'm not surprised he's taken an alternative offer OP and I wish him and you all the best

So sorry OP.
Can confirm that Crapita have a long history of incompetence. If DS can be bothered it would be worth writing to your MP to make them aware how badly the armed services are being let down by this company. I wish your DS all the best for his future.

@Pancakeorcrepe

OP you make him sound like he is God’s gift to humanity, it might be better to set him up with more realistic expectations. There are so many talented young people out there, there will always be obstacles and competition and he needs to expect to fight for what he wants. Please get your mummy goggles off and get more real. It will do him and you the world of good.

You are vile and should be ashamed of yourself, along with the PP on first post on this thread. This place is more like a hate forum these days, people must be so desperately unhappy to jump at any chance they can to be so nasty.

Anyway, OP I think he's shown excellent commitment and 2 years is a heck a long time to hold on, I really don't blame him. You're right, it's their loss. It's really sad that he's gave up his dream but hopefully he will love his new path even more and maybe it was meant for him.

So sorry to hear this.

Also love how some posters think that after 2 years if he was really passionate he would have waited, and others think that someone who was willing to wait 2 years wouldn't be right for the army anyway. You can't win with the Friday afternoon no-life baiting crew.

So sorry to hear it, I can see that you have both been reasonable and patient and followed all the rules, and that the reason you mention his excellent performance in the past was to highlight that all this runaround was not because he was a poor candidate (and it it was also because you're proud, I understand that too)

So sorry for him, and hope this is one of those times he'll look back on and think with relief about how it didn't work out because he's so happy using his great teamwork and leadership skills, whether that's in the Navy, or running a field hospital in a crisis zone, or working as a regional depot manager with a decently organised employer where he gets regular pay, no risk to life and limb, and can live near his family and run a Scout group on the weekends 😊

I have to be honest after watching Once Upon A Time In Iraq, I wouldn't encourage anybody to join any military. Lucky escape if you ask me.

Some right nasty shits online tonight. Sorry for your son OP, that sucks

@InFiveMins

Lol. Took me ten years to properly 'crack into' my industry.

If he wants it that bad he will continue to push for it, not just give up. The army are surely looking for resilient people, not those who walk away moaning because their emails haven't been responded to as quickly as he'd like

Lol 10 years! Must not have been that great at it then, surprised you carried on!

Capita Schmapita. They’re absolutely atrocious, according to my bloke who was an Army officer for over 30 years. To be honest, OP, he’s dodged a bullet, life in the armed forces is pretty frustrating for everyone right now.

@Malaya loving your work!

I think OPs son has stuck it out enough. I wish him luck with his alternative career path. He might have been a magnificent officer and the Army will now never know. Their loss.

@Malaya

@Disillusioned11

Cold spring harbour - clearly you know absolutely NOTHING at all about how the cadet force works in this country. 🙄

I have personal experience of family members who were officers and soldiers in different regiments. I have seen from them how poorly thought of little soldier boys are, very similar to specials in the Police, a bit of a joke. Just because your mummy thinks you’re great, it really doesn’t mean jack. I’m well aware that soldiers can end up with hearing issues, which is probably why they would delay on recruiting someone who couldn’t hear properly in the first place. I’m sure it’s disappointing for the lad, but it’s all about resilience and commitment. Your mum having a moan on mumsnet doesn’t prove you have those qualities unfortunately. As I said he’s better suited finding employment elsewhere.

Sympathies, OP. I have a friend whose son has almost exactly the same story as yours (high-achieving cadet, lifelong dream etc). He had a cough as a 5yo. The doctor a little over-enthusiastically prescribed an inhaler. Cough got better, never used the inhaler. Not allowed in the army 'because he has asthma'. Capita have been a nightmare to deal with throughout.

OP I would definitely listen to @Coldspringharbour rather than, you know, the professionals who have said how well suited your DS is

What a pile of shite. The use of the 'mummy' is particularly pathetic.

Ignore the people saying you've got 'mummy goggles', he's done fantastically well persevering this far, and it's obviously paid off with a great opportunity. I'd encourage him to see the benefits in his new path, my career has been a series of 'accidents' which have all joined together to put me where I am now, in an area I thoroughly love and wouldn't change. He will have gained a lot from this experience and will, ultimately, see it as a blessing (caveat, I really wouldn't want any of mine to be in the forces so I am somewhat biased)

If he wants, he could register a formal complaint, but I think it would be probably be better for him to chalk that up to experience and focus on his new path. ( I used to work for the organisation, so he would need to specifically ask for the complaints department and make it clear he wanted it registered as a formal complaint, they have stringent procedures to go through but only if it gets registered in the first place)

OhToBeASeahorse wentawaycameback

Sadly, not my finest work! Can’t stand people trying to stick the boot in to an obviously upset and disappointed mum. I mean, who wouldn’t be frustrated by it?

All the posters saying he hasn't got stickability are shocking!
Capita are reknown for being awful. 2 years?

I have seen from them how poorly thought of little soldier boys are, very similar to specials in the Police, a bit of a joke. Just because your mummy thinks you’re great, it really doesn’t mean jack.

What a spiteful little comment. I pity you.

Honestly I think at least 50% of MN are trolls. I just struggle to believe that people are genuinely so obtuse and unpleasant wilfully twisting what others have written and gleefully putting the knife in. It just seems so dickish.

There's reason 'Private Eye' calls it 'Crapita'. Up there with G4 and ATOS in terms of utter ineptitude. I think contacting your MP isn't a bad shout, but hope your son enjoys his new path.

Some bored sad little shit stirrers out tonight...
OP he’s done the right thing and I wish him every success.

You know the derision and sneering on here at a "Mummy" praising her child up and believing him to be an asset to his chosen career, especially with the valid reasons she's got to be upset for him really depresses me. Do those of you doing it not realise how misogynistic you're being? Why isn't the female parent of a male child's opinion of her child worth any respect from you? Why is her opinion so worthless? You don't know her in person, or her son, but you so easily dismiss her as a silly blind mummy adoring her son, why is that? What is your fundamental opinion of women who are "mummies" that this is your immediate assumption? Some of you really do need to examine the views you hold because they're extremely unpleasant and there is maybe a lot more going on under the surface that you need to address.

I really can’t understand all the negative comments towards the OP and her son.

The army would have been very lucky to have him, and he’s shown great resilience to spend the last two years in recruitment limbo (is he 20 now? If so, that’s 10% of his life!!)

I wish him the very best of luck with whatever he ends up doing.

The negotiation of these public/private contracts is not a level playing field, considering the two entities involved, the "public" sector vs the commercial. From a legal point of view I think it is very probable that the "partnering contract" could be argued to be void due to it not being enforceable and for a court to rewrite the termination provisions. We have our public services starved of money, people at risk/failed as a result, terrible damage being done, and yet the private sector "partners" making vast amounts of money from public/private "partnering" agreements.