DH is leaving the forces soon. Am panicking.

[OnHerMajestysService]

22 years done.

Really not looking forward to job hunting in a crappy, saturated job market.

Was starting to wish he'd get offered an extension until everything picks up, but looks like hell would freeze over before they offer him one.

What's his trade? DP got out a few months ago and got the first (very good) job he applied for. Sadly, he didn't like it, so he applied for another and (thank goodness!) got that too.

It seems that lots of companies really do value the sorts of skills that ex-military personnel offer. DP was offered lots of 'resettlement' help - courses, grants, CV writing etc - so it's worth looking into what's available for your DH.

I hope it works out for you.

Thanks jenga.

I know we're lucky with the resettlement packages and pension. Everyone keeps telling me that employers love ex armed forces members but I'm still panicking.

Don't want to put his trade on as it will out me (have name changed due to a bit of RL stalking ), Its not very transferable but he has a few avenues he can go down.

MPGS are still hiring, although could be a huge 'come down' IYSWIM. Could he go TA / RAF equiv

Security for 2012?

It is shite, I agree

Heard that Tesco's is hiring a mass of line manager, prefer people from the forces. Could that be something for you?

DH went into MPGS after 22 years in the Signals.

BUT it is not so easy to get into now.

He was suppose to start October 2009, but with all the cut back didnt start till July 2010, and we dont have a quarter, we only get a surplus one, and at the moment there are not any.

DH seems to be enjoying it, but the shifts are made longer in that we actually live a hour away from his base.

OHMS: good luck in the resettlement - there is lots of help around. If you want to start browsing to see what's out there that might fit his experience/attitude/inclination, you might want to try sites like the jobs bit of ArRSe or the RBL's Civvy Street.

I hope you don't end up with him under your feet all day (that would be a scary prospect for me!). Do you have housing to sort out as well?

ohms - dh has got about 8 weeks left at work . he's quite confident he's going to get a job easy-peasy. i'm doing the swan thing and gliding along on the surface

he just decided that he couldn't wait any longer, and so applied for pvr. (he's been pensionable for a couple of years now, so biding his time)

we're staying in the mq until the end of school year. i'd just like him to get a job offer. now. please. and then i can crack on with organising. instead of living in this giant pause...

anyway, good luck!

dh has 2.10 years to go (not that I'm counting) and is job hunting now....hopefully something will come up that lets us stay here for a while longer.

Oh forget I started this thread.

DH has has 2.6 years left, he thinks I'm panicking prematurely but I think not.

He wants to go abroad, which suits me but I'm not sure what he wants to do.

Housing all sorted, we decided to private rent instead of getting a quarter or buying, was going to use the gratuity as a deposit for a house but if we're going abroad it'll end up being used as a safety net out there.

He's looked at MPGS but he's not keen.

lol ohms
i might agree with him a teensy bit it's a big step though!

but it was only yesterday we were saying "oooh only 8 years left"!

re abroad - we're planning to stay in canada. loads of ex-mil types cluttering up the place.

Canada is on the list! Are you there now then?

Saw this in active convo's and just dropped into say, I have work in recruitment/HR in the private sector, and we would always actively hire ex military, the reasons aside from boss being exmilitary are that they are reliable, hard working, don't mind shift work so much, have generally good people skills, are respectful and have a moral/ethical belief that is not always easy to find, they are also generally security cleared and checked and have been in the same job for a long fixed term.
All of the above make them very employable whatever their actual skill is, esp as they are usually willing to learn a new skill.
Good luck with what ever is decided and many thanks for the sacrifices your families have made I cannot imagine how hard it must sometimes be.

canyou - thanks for that, it's very reassuring!

DH and I have been having The Chat tonight. Still haven't reached a decision, but it is ahrd, IMO when you've done 22 or more years and known nothing else all your adult life to suddenly be faced with civvy street

ohms, yes, but not where we'll settle.

Hi, my DH has 3.5 years to go (of a 5 yr extension, having done his 22 years)

I think he's actually quite looking forward to doing something different- although he changes his mind like the weather about what that might be!

Does your DH get a decent pension? DH's is not bad. I am starting my own business now, so that hopefully when DH does come out the business might be doing ok, and between that and his pension he won't be under too much pressure to find a similar paying job- fingers crossed!

Although I believe it's true that lots of employers like ex-forces- they usually have a work-ethic drilled into them, and can follow orders! Good luck wahtever he decides to do!

DH gets out in August (sounds like he has been in prison..!!!) after 22 years and I am terrified.

One minute I think all will be fine, then I think we will end up in the workhouse.

Any tips, guidance much appreciated.

My company is making redundancies, I am just keeping my head down, but there is a worry we will go from 2 incomes to none by Christmas.

We have never lived on camp, mainly because we didnt get married for the first 10 years and were settled by the time we were married. So we dont have the house/school etc trauma to come, that's a plus.

Any guidance from people who have successfully crossed over, would be great

missing - your timeline is exactly the same as ours

dh's last paid day is august, but he starts resettlement and accumulated leave etc at the end of this month, with a week back on duty later on to hand over etc.

and i finish work tomorrow.

fortunately, dh starts a work experience placement in may, which will lead to a new job. unfortunately, this means he has to disappear and leave us here until school is out in june.

so, we're in the thick of it right now! so far, so good.

and only one day left at work for me! yay! we've got the house sorted (dh is going to live there whilst he does his placement), i know which schools the kids will be going to, and i'm in the process of making sure we are all dent/ med fit etc .

good luck! it will be fine x

Mad woman....can you believe DH is still owrking his socks off, no end in sight, dont you just love the army. He has had the last 2 weeks as holiday, in order to look after me and the kids while I recover from an operation. He has gone into to work after dropping the kids at school every single day. Unless he has a girlfriend on camp (dont think he has the time har har) they are getting their last pound of flesh out of him for sure.

I am off sick until May so when I get back I have to find a new role in the company or go off with the next round of redundancies, no stress... argh

I am really pleased your DH has a placement and a job, I am terrified at the mo as we have no idea what he wants to do or who will hire him. He is very flexible, but we haven't come across any jobs yet.

How did he find his job? Was it through CTP or his own contacts?

own contacts - signed up with civ recruitment agency and basically flooded the area with cv

it will be fine, don't panic. x

DH is on resettlement leave and has been offered a great job this week - there is hope

I am finding this whole resettlement very daunting, nothings happening its just a date looming ever closer