HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mob)

This is for those of you who have just worked your ticket... sorry I mean left the RN and joined your last ship: Citizenship. Would you say she's a happy ship, would you prefer to jump ship, or what?

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

I thought the mob was great until I went to see on civvy ships and realised that I prefered a single en suite cabin with sattelite tv and internet, polish stewardesses making your pit every morning and eating hotel standard food. Also get 100% tax back every year, why the mob cannot do this is beyond me.
Civvy life is much better for me, kicking back in paradise and when you aren't on board you are 100% off, now we are talking...... Gotta go, it's cocktail hour 8)

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

Loved the Andrew when I was in , but I've been outside now for 11 years , and I've got to say I love it outside even more , love my job and love being in my own pit every night, 90% of my mates are ex services so what more can you say and a lot of the peaple I work with are ex mob as well , :roll: :lol:

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

Civvy street never really gave me the oppotunity. I wasn't even qualified enough to sit at a desk and answer a phone. THe pay levels I was looking at for a wahe was 12/13k P/A, which is a massive pay cut! The problem being, the RN doesn't/didn't give you the correct info before leaving, what I mean is gear you up for it in an honest way. I Was always told you'd be looked upon as a good candidate etc because you were in the government, call me niave but I was blind.

A company and a job that was and still is willing to let me travel my own paths is abroad, my own country wouldn't give me the benefit!

No offense but the UK has gone to a sack of sh*t since Mr. Blair stood up.

And before any one asks, yes I have some good qualifications.

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

I too have been out for 11 years and I have to say it wasn't all rose tinted either. In fact the first five years were a bit of a culture shock. As an ex Chief Tiff I took quite a pay cut initially and it was only after about three years of proving my worth that I got back to the salary I was on when I first left.

I now hold a pretty senior position within the company I work for, am respected for my knowledge and expertise and my opinion is always sought on important issues.

We recruit many people leaving the RN now as my senior bosses have seen what they can do. Indeed although we try not to discriminate at interviews, I have to say that if two people apply for a post and one is ex Navy, the chances are the matelot will get the job even if he doesn't have all the qualifications asked for. This because we know he will bring commitment and loyalty to the table, and if treated well will respond in return by working hard as part of the team contributing his own unique ideas and helping both himself and the company move forward to even greater success

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

Jenny_ Dabber , agree with you totaly , we were alway's told that as ex service peaple we would be well looked after, :roll: :lol: PARDON ,Employers would be falling over each other to head hunt you , what a joke , , must admit though I'm happy where I am working , quite happily stay here till I retire , fingers crossed , 8O

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

CheefTiff , DITTO :roll:

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

It took me 6 months to realise I wasn't on leave, and when the money started to run out that I'd better look for a job. In 1990, at the start of a recession, this wasn't easy.

I applied to numerous breweries for a job as a service engineer.

I didn't get an interview, which came as a surprise.

Out of all the jobs I applied for, I got one interview, and I got the job.The interviewer was to be my boss, and he turned out to be an ex-POCEL.

"There's a lot of us out there," he said, "and we should look after each other."

 

Having a great time outside. Coming on for 5-years out and self employed. I decide what (photographic) jobs I want to do and do them my way. Miss the banter but still happy being a civie.

 

Have been out 22 years (same time as I served) Left as a PO and took a pay cut to become a Field engineer for BAe, however with overtime and other payments, the pay cut was actually a pay rise. Spent another 12 years field engineering in the tobacco industry and loved every minute, travelled to far more places than ever I did in the RN and wherever possible lived in 4 star hotels. A generous daily allowance meant that I never ever had to take money from my salary for the better things in life (like beer etc)
But the best thing was that for 22 years I have been treated with respect, something that had been lacking from my superiors for a long time in the RN

 

I have twenty years experience in varying degrees within the IT field, I keep being told im not qualified/experienced enough yet one job I was put up for I went againt a 21yo snot faced graduate, no experience, straight out of uni with a degree, guess who got the job.....

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

i have just left the mob and i ca honestly say i love it the bullshit that surrounds the navy drove me to leave fair enough u mite say ur in the military but... the RN simply did not feel like military unless u where a trainee or the last week of OST. i like the face i dont have to shave or get my hair cut cos some nozzer with a crown on his shirt thinks he is better than me cos in civvy street i can smak him other wise id be at the shiny door with my cap

 

Almost certainly different these days, but back in 1974, I left the mob on a Thursday, and started my civvy job on the North Sea Rigs on the following Monday. Most of my co-workers were ex-servicemen, and employers in those days couldn't wait to snap you up, as you were disciplined, well trained in many different aspects (fire fighting/first aid etc) as well as in the technical field (I had been a greenie) and prepared to give an honest days work for an honest days wage.
Those tasked with finding suitable, decently paid work nowadays have my sympathy.

 

Left one Friday early in 75 and started work on the Monday, never been unemployed for more than a Saturday and Sunday. Have enjoyed most of it, you always have the odd bad bit but I am now getting ready to retire

 

Am coming out of the mob soon. getting quite nervos at the thought I will be taking a pay cut with a mortgage to pay .........

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

Times have changed! I left in 87 & then they implied no civvy would employ us as we didn't have proper qualifications.Also the impression was that civvy pay was a lot higher.Never really had a problem getting a good job with good pay and being ex-pusser is definately a bonus when it comes to interviews.What's more harrowing than a fleet board oral?

 

Re: HMS CITIZENSHIP (the ship you join when you leave the mo

I left the mob. Have missed the part of the life and the money to start with. But I've no regrets. I got my self a job straight away as a college lecturer qualifying as a teacher at the same time. I left that to become a commercial manager for an International Chart Agent. Unfortunately that closed due owners retirement. I now run my own company.

Not bad for an OM who spent 7 years in the mob. It's not been easy as a strawberry. It's not all green grass on the other side. On some occassions I did feel like joining back up but I didn't and I'm glad.

The only thing I find that can be an issue is civvies not understanding ex service people trying to fit back in.

Some even think you lie when you say I've done this and done that and they think it's ball shit because it's something they don't see in the media.

I've no regrets I'm happy but it wasn't easy. I'm glad of the help I got from RFEA (after being out now for 4 years they still help and will for my working life) and I'm glad I went on my resettlement course.

 

Life is how you make it! life in the pusser is good as long as you believe in it! Stop believing and yo usee the truth, time to get out! then sunbeam you are on your own!

Pusser gives you a fighting chance in the 'ratrace' it teaches you self discipline and how to bullshit! (it rarely teaches you how to 'settle' but you wouldn't have joined if you could anyway would you?)

Unfortunately for every one that makes it there are two that don't and one that fails miserably! Not very good odds true! but better than the average civvy, the trouble is the failure is that - total!!

Cest la vie

I didn't vote the answer depends on the day as much as anything!

 

Wow, big question, my vote went to the same as most, some but not all.

Left the Andrew as OM's and WRENS at sea didn't seem a good idea to a WEM(R), also got married (To a Yank) and that was another factor.

I have had a multitude of jobs since leaving, alarm installer (US), electrician (US), Maintenance Mechanic (UK), Technical Recruiter (UK), IT Recruiter (US), Outside Sales, Electrical Distributor (US) and last but not least VHF Radio Engineer (US). Last one is working with a lad I joined the mob with 23 years ago, and finally found something I like doing as much as being a matelot, mind you it's probably because I'm working with one doing a job similar to being a Pinky again. One thing the mob does teach you is flexibility and being able to talk yourself into most situations. but when I left the C&G qualifications I got from mob was worthless and in Plymouth no employer wanted to know about an Ex-Matelot, I do know lads up the line who had better luck with being Navy though. Thankfully the Yanks love it so here I am and here I will stay.

 

I left in 79, totally disenchanted with the Mob. I've had quite a few jobs since, some good, some total crap, some brilliant, but I don't regret leaving. The only things I miss are the people, the life style, and lunatic runs ashore wherever. Civvies just don't get the ethos of Jack (especially in Guzz) and never will. Still proud to have been a smally cog in the big wheel that helped win the Cold War though.