Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

<Resists mentioning Geo's blonde alias>

[Ironside]

the sarge?

[Ironside]

There is a strange rule where an ex officer puts (retd) after their rank and retains their title once finished with the forces. i.e. Joe bloggs Lt Col (retd)

When you say officer, do you mean Commissioned officer?

when talking officers in terms of the army you only ever mean commissioned

[RED-DOG]

the sarge?

Yes, but only because his leg looks like it could stand a little pulling.

[Longines]

no a wo1 getting a commision would start as a 2nd lt but would get a better rate of pay than a 2lt coming straight from sandhurst

Ah. Just spotted that on the Army website - you come in on £41k, £43k or £45k depending on length of service. Seems like Late Entry officers also max out at £50k - only the same as a mid rank Major. A bit discriminatory against NCOs that (have the gall to, maybe?) get a commission?

[Ironside]

not sure i thiough geo signed up just before he left the army so was a sarge at time
and he cant change his name

[RED-DOG]

not sure i thiough geo signed up just before he left the army so was a sarge at time
and he cant change his name

Spoilsport.

[Ironside]

no a wo1 getting a commision would start as a 2nd lt but would get a better rate of pay than a 2lt coming straight from sandhurst

Ah. Just spotted that on the Army website - you come in on £41k, £43k or £45k depending on length of service. Seems like Late Entry officers also max out at £50k - only the same as a mid rank Major. A bit discriminatory against NCOs that (have the gall to, maybe?) get a commission?

in days gone by (up untill the early mid 20th century atleast) officers that came through the ranks werent "real officers" and got less respect, not untill quite recent in real terms did experinace and knowledge become more important than the class of said officer,  just watch sharpe to see how he was treated by fellow officers and in the first every episode his own troops

[Geo the Sarge]

What is a WO11 and how is it different from a WO1?

Its just another level Tom,

Roughly you will have 8-10 WO11 in the regiment but only one WO1 - he in effect is "top jock" (in scottish regts)

It's a weird thing that a soldier will join as a private, move to Jnco (Lcpl-Cpl) and then to Snco (Sgt - Wo1)

Once a soldier reaches the rank of Sgt his "soldiering" days are generally done. Unless he is specialist platoon - Anti tank - Mortars - Recce, then he basically moves into admin.

Csgt becomes the company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS which is a title and not a rank.) And he is responsible for the stores and admin of the troops, he would then move to WO11 as a Company Sergeant Major (CSM- again a title.) Basically in charge of more admin and discipline within the company. So after 12-15 years, all that experince is wasted.

Take my example:

I joined in 1978, promoted to Lcpl in 1980 then Cpl in 1985. I chose to go the Physical Training instructor route but stayed with the Battallion, during this time, when not on operations I generall played football for 6 months of the year and basketball for 3. Promoted to Sgt in 1995 having moved from PT instructor to the Milan (anti-tank) platoon. I left in 2001 as I had to as I had completed 22 years service (time starts from 18 year old.)  No choice, go - 22 years done, that's it, 40 years old, still as fit as most and with a wealth of experince.

If I had gained the rank of WO1 I may have the commission option in which case I could do till 55 years old and possibly longer.

If I had joined when I was 27 years old (max age at time I joined) then I would be ther till 59 years old!! For some trades you can actually jpoin as late as 33.

I could have asked to be considered for what they cal the "long service list" (LSL) however they are mostly clerical/store type jobs which I didn't fancy and there where restrictions on pension whilst still on LSL. I could also have joined the TA but didn't fancy it.

Geo

[Ironside]

not sure i thiough geo signed up just before he left the army so was a sarge at time
and he cant change his name

Spoilsport.

sorry tom if you really want to wind up the sarge i could give you better ammo

[Ironside]

What is a WO11 and how is it different from a WO1?

Its just another level Tom,

Roughly you will have 8-10 WO11 in the regiment but only one WO1 - he in effect is "top jock" (in scottish regts)

It's a weird thing that a soldier will join as a private, move to Jnco (Lcpl-Cpl) and then to Snco (Sgt - Wo1)

Once a soldier reaches the rank of Sgt his "soldiering" days are generally done. Unless he is specialist platoon - Anti tank - Mortars - Recce, then he basically moves into admin.

Csgt becomes the company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS which is a title and not a rank.) And he is responsible for the stores and admin of the troops, he would then move to WO11 as a Company Sergeant Major (CSM- again a title.) Basically in charge of more admin and discipline within the company. So after 12-15 years, all that experince is wasted.

Take my example:

I joined in 1978, promoted to Lcpl in 1980 then Cpl in 1985. I chose to go the Physical Training instructor route but stayed with the Battallion, during this time, when not on operations I generall played football for 6 months of the year and basketball for 3. Promoted to Sgt in 1995 having moved from PT instructor to the Milan (anti-tank) platoon. I left in 2001 as I had to as I had completed 22 years service (time starts from 18 year old.)  No choice, go - 22 years done, that's it, 40 years old, still as fit as most and with a wealth of experince.

If I had gained the rank of WO1 I may have the commission option in which case I could do till 55 years old and possibly longer.

If I had joined when I was 27 years old (max age at time I joined) then I would be ther till 49 years old!! For some trades you can actually jpoin as late as 33.

I could have asked to be considered for what they cal the "long service list" (LSL) however they are mostly clerical/store type jobs which I didn't fancy and there where restrictions on pension whilst still on LSL. I could also have joined the TA but didn't fancy it.

Geo

fyp thats why you were front line

[RED-DOG]

What is a WO11 and how is it different from a WO1?

Its just another level Tom,

Roughly you will have 8-10 WO11 in the regiment but only one WO1 - he in effect is "top jock" (in scottish regts)

It's a weird thing that a soldier will join as a private, move to Jnco (Lcpl-Cpl) and then to Snco (Sgt - Wo1)

Once a soldier reaches the rank of Sgt his "soldiering" days are generally done. Unless he is specialist platoon - Anti tank - Mortars - Recce, then he basically moves into admin.

Csgt becomes the company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS which is a title and not a rank.) And he is responsible for the stores and admin of the troops, he would then move to WO11 as a Company Sergeant Major (CSM- again a title.) Basically in charge of more admin and discipline within the company. So after 12-15 years, all that experince is wasted.

Take my example:

I joined in 1978, promoted to Lcpl in 1980 then Cpl in 1985. I chose to go the Physical Training instructor route but stayed with the Battallion, during this time, when not on operations I generall played football for 6 months of the year and basketball for 3. Promoted to Sgt in 1995 having moved from PT instructor to the Milan (anti-tank) platoon. I left in 2001 as I had to as I had completed 22 years service (time starts from 18 year old.)  No choice, go - 22 years done, that's it, 40 years old, still as fit as most and with a wealth of experince.

If I had gained the rank of WO1 I may have the commission option in which case I could do till 55 years old and possibly longer.

If I had joined when I was 27 years old (max age at time I joined) then I would be ther till 59 years old!! For some trades you can actually jpoin as late as 33.

I could have asked to be considered for what they cal the "long service list" (LSL) however they are mostly clerical/store type jobs which I didn't fancy and there where restrictions on pension whilst still on LSL. I could also have joined the TA but didn't fancy it.

Geo

You really do have a knack of explaining complicated situations.

It's a bit of a bugger that they are done with you so early, but I envy you the experience all the same.

Do you still maintain your fitness, and if so, how?

[Geo the Sarge]

not sure i thiough geo signed up just before he left the army so was a sarge at time
and he cant change his name

Spoilsport.

sorry tom if you really want to wind up the sarge i could give you better ammo

Lol - like what you did there AL.

Before I joined blonde I had only been playing poker a short time with Officepoker, set up by Neil McClory (Glorious on blonde) I had already left the Army 3 years before. We were travelling throught to Glasgow for an officepoker night and we needed extra transport. I arranged through a mate still in the regt to borrow one of their mini buses.

Whilst travelling through, Neil and the other guys were asking me of my time in the Army and Neil asked what rank I left at. When I told him I had left as a Sergeant, he declared "Geo the sarge! that has a ring to it, that'll be your handle" so it stuck and I used it as a username when I joined blonde.

simples really.

Geo

[Ironside]

geo whats the rules on poker in the army nowadays?
when i was in it was illegal to borrow money from a fellow squaddie
and also illegal to gamble for same reasons

you dont want money coming into tricky situations
let say you got grimmed for 5k or lost 5k to someone or you were due to pay someone 5k
there is always that fuck it and put there lives at risk

[Geo the Sarge]

What is a WO11 and how is it different from a WO1?

Its just another level Tom,

Roughly you will have 8-10 WO11 in the regiment but only one WO1 - he in effect is "top jock" (in scottish regts)

It's a weird thing that a soldier will join as a private, move to Jnco (Lcpl-Cpl) and then to Snco (Sgt - Wo1)

Once a soldier reaches the rank of Sgt his "soldiering" days are generally done. Unless he is specialist platoon - Anti tank - Mortars - Recce, then he basically moves into admin.

Csgt becomes the company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS which is a title and not a rank.) And he is responsible for the stores and admin of the troops, he would then move to WO11 as a Company Sergeant Major (CSM- again a title.) Basically in charge of more admin and discipline within the company. So after 12-15 years, all that experince is wasted.

Take my example:

I joined in 1978, promoted to Lcpl in 1980 then Cpl in 1985. I chose to go the Physical Training instructor route but stayed with the Battallion, during this time, when not on operations I generall played football for 6 months of the year and basketball for 3. Promoted to Sgt in 1995 having moved from PT instructor to the Milan (anti-tank) platoon. I left in 2001 as I had to as I had completed 22 years service (time starts from 18 year old.)  No choice, go - 22 years done, that's it, 40 years old, still as fit as most and with a wealth of experince.

If I had gained the rank of WO1 I may have the commission option in which case I could do till 55 years old and possibly longer.

If I had joined when I was 27 years old (max age at time I joined) then I would be ther till 59 years old!! For some trades you can actually jpoin as late as 33.

I could have asked to be considered for what they cal the "long service list" (LSL) however they are mostly clerical/store type jobs which I didn't fancy and there where restrictions on pension whilst still on LSL. I could also have joined the TA but didn't fancy it.

Geo

You really do have a knack of explaining complicated situations.

It's a bit of a bugger that they are done with you so early, but I envy you the experience all the same.

Do you still maintain your fitness, and if so, how?

Funny you ask,

I used to continue to play football and basketball and quite a bit of golf but that got binned when I started poker and the forum. I realised recently that I was starting to develop a bit of a paunch again so for the last 3 and a half months I have been cycling to and from work.

I really enjoy it tbh. It's not a great distance, probs about 3 miles from home to work. I deliberately have a heavy bike (Diamondback) and stay in the stiffest gear I can. Takes about 15 mins in and 20 mins back as it's uphill home, there's one part up a realy good gradient on a street called Midmar Avenue which is quite tough. I am gradually improving on my wee challenge to get up on an ever increasing stiffer gear.

Started at 1-2 and have moved through 1-2,3,4,5 (hope that makes sense) in these few months.

Am thinking of setting myself some target/challenge for middle of next year, some sort of charity distance cycle challenge sort of thing.

Geo