Hi Helena
Thank you for your message.
As a musician in the Army, we are often required to work evenings and weekends but we normally get the time off to compensate for this. Our band diaries are published quite far in advance so it is pretty easy to plan your life around. I have 2 young children so it can be a challenge working out childcare, school runs etc but I generally don't have any issues.
We are given 38 days paid leave (including bank holidays) so plenty of time for family holidays, rest periods etc.
Hope this helps.
Rob

25 July, 2019 10:23

I can honestly say that if I couldn't balance my life and work I wouldn't have stayed in. There are times when I have been away for long periods but we are always well prepared and my wife and family are supported by my unit when I am away. I have no worries that if something serious happened I would be brought home if needed.

The vast majority of the time we work a normal working week (time wise anyway, the tasks are always different)
Obviously we have to go away and sometimes at short notice, but that's what we joined for. Families are well supported in our absence.

Additionally there are new polices in place for flexible working, I'm not too well read into them but I know some people who have immediate family staying in their own house. They work a 4 day week but for longer hours to enable them to take Friday off to go home early. If they were needed then they wouldn't be able to do this every week, but it has improved the lives of everyone I know who is doing it.

The Army wants to recruit and retain quality people, we are becoming evermore flexible in our approach. Peoples needs and wants change throughout their career and the Army is becoming adaptable to that.

First and foremost though we are Soldiers and the needs of the Army come first (Hence the good pay, pensions and subsidised housing, medical, Dental and gyms etc.) But I can assure you that individual concerns are listened to and mitigated where possible.

If you have anything in particular you are concerned about let me know

Regards

16 December, 2019 09:39

Helena,

Absolutely!

I find the army is a lifestyle not a job.

There are periods of time you are extremely busy but there will always be time for sport, adventurous training and social events on the mainland aswell as overseas.

J

30 December, 2019 21:02

Take Stock! Stock: Health. Work. Synergate. Troth. Know.

15 April, 2020 23:58