HELP ! is it wise to sign on as a Army Regular Specialist?

[Rawrrrrr!]

m currently from Mono intake, Armour.

Had been thinking about signing on due to the attractive lumpsum and stable pay to fund my future studies after the 6years bond.

is it recomended to sign on as a specialist?

As im planning to get my private diploma during my service, which vocation is more slack and allow me to have more time to study? ><'

HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP !

Originally Posted by Rawrrrrr!

m currently from Mono intake, Armour.

Had been thinking about signing on due to the attractive lumpsum and stable pay to fund my future studies after the 6years bond.

is it recomended to sign on as a specialist?

As im planning to get my private diploma during my service, which vocation is more slack and allow me to have more time to study? ><'

HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP !

The only thing I can say about signing on is only do that if you have made a concious decision to hang around, slack and get decent pay for the rest of your life.

Do not sign on while habouring delusions that you can "trick" SAF to fund for your schooling and then after 6 years run off with the free education to the high paying corporate world. The transition from army to corporate is far harder that most people think even for officers, specialist will get it doubly worse.

SAF is not stupid, they are know that many are thinking of pulling this stunt, but ultimately most will LLST and rot there for the rest of their lives when they cant get anything outside without taking a huge paycut.

Originally Posted by Rawrrrrr!

m currently from Mono intake, Armour.

Had been thinking about signing on due to the attractive lumpsum and stable pay to fund my future studies after the 6years bond.

is it recomended to sign on as a specialist?

As im planning to get my private diploma during my service, which vocation is more slack and allow me to have more time to study? ><'

HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP !

I am an SAF regular. My fellow regular mates did have the same thinking as you when signing on. However, after bond is up, most couldn't find a job. Mainly because to find a job that is related to the diploma/degree you are having, a paycut is an almost definite. In the end, most of us stayed in the service.

Those who left ended up in financial sector of real estate. Mainly because we are not used to work under a person. We are used to be the management level you see. These sectors allow them to work on their own and for their own. Yes, some succeeded, some failed. Those failed went to get another private sector job ended up working longer hours and having lesser pay.

It is not really easy to move out from SAF to private sector hoping to have a job related to your diploma/degree without having a paycut.

I am not trying to be a wet blanket, but it is really not as ideal as what you have projected, or at least what I have understood from you.

Still, you may wish to try it out. However, make sure you have the passion though, having said that, passion dies fast upon heavy workload.

[Rawrrrrr!]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The only thing I can say about signing on is only do that if you have made a concious decision to hang around, slack and get decent pay for the rest of your life.

Do not sign on while habouring delusions that you can "trick" SAF to fund for your schooling and then after 6 years run off with the free education to the high paying corporate world. The transition from army to corporate is far harder that most people think even for officers, specialist will get it doubly worse.

SAF is not stupid, they are know that many are thinking of pulling this stunt, but ultimately most will LLST and rot there for the rest of their lives when they cant get anything outside without taking a huge paycut.

Sorry for being ignorant about this, but may i ask why is it so tough to transit from army to corporate life? is it about taking a huge paycut? or is it the 0 working experience that you have?

The hard part is within you, or the corporate world?

[Rawrrrrr!]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am an SAF regular. My fellow regular mates did have the same thinking as you when signing on. However, after bond is up, most couldn't find a job. Mainly because to find a job that is related to the diploma/degree you are having, a paycut is an almost definite. In the end, most of us stayed in the service.

Those who left ended up in financial sector of real estate. Mainly because we are not used to work under a person. We are used to be the management level you see. These sectors allow them to work on their own and for their own. Yes, some succeeded, some failed. Those failed went to get another private sector job ended up working longer hours and having lesser pay.

It is not really easy to move out from SAF to private sector hoping to have a job related to your diploma/degree without having a paycut.

I am not trying to be a wet blanket, but it is really not as ideal as what you have projected, or at least what I have understood from you.

Still, you may wish to try it out. However, make sure you have the passion though, having said that, passion dies fast upon heavy workload.

Thanks for your sharing bro !
May i ask, for yourself, signing on is about passion or money?
To be honest, i dont have much passion for the army. But, i dont hate the army too.

Unlike many others, i dont have a nice family background, and my mother is the sole breadwinner now for my family. the reason i would want to sign on is mainly because i need a stable financial income before i can further up my studies and pursue my dreams. After consideration, only the army can help me with this in the shortest possible time (due to currently i am still in the NS and the specialist bond currently is only 4years).
Is it advisable to do so?

Can i ask you too, transit from the Army to private sector is hard. But the hard part is within you? or is it the corporate world?

Originally Posted by Rawrrrrr!

Thanks for your sharing bro !
May i ask, for yourself, signing on is about passion or money?
To be honest, i dont have much passion for the army. But, i dont hate the army too.

Unlike many others, i dont have a nice family background, and my mother is the sole breadwinner now for my family. the reason i would want to sign on is mainly because i need a stable financial income before i can further up my studies and pursue my dreams. After consideration, only the army can help me with this in the shortest possible time (due to currently i am still in the NS and the specialist bond currently is only 4years).
Is it advisable to do so?

Can i ask you too, transit from the Army to private sector is hard. But the hard part is within you? or is it the corporate world?

To be very honest, I signed on because like you, I dont have a nice family background. My family is not very financial sound at that time. So I signed on to earn a stable income. As time pass, rank get higher, pay get higher.

When my bond is up, I wanted to get out as well, but then promotion came along, my bond extended. Hate to say this, but I think is within yourself. Not that there are totally no opportunities to venture out, its im not willing to drop from over 3k pay to 2k pay.

Whether is it advisable, its up to you to decide. If you know that after your bond, should you get out of SAF, you definitely will get a significant paycut and you dont mind, then go ahead, yes, it is one way you can be financial sound in a short period. However, dont have the heart to compare, as it is very easy for your friends of your age that didnt sign on to army to surpass you in terms on salary. I am along the lower earning income group among my friends. (Those not regulars).

[Rawrrrrr!]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

To be very honest, I signed on because like you, I dont have a nice family background. My family is not very financial sound at that time. So I signed on to earn a stable income. As time pass, rank get higher, pay get higher.

When my bond is up, I wanted to get out as well, but then promotion came along, my bond extended. Hate to say this, but I think is within yourself. Not that there are totally no opportunities to venture out, its im not willing to drop from over 3k pay to 2k pay.

Whether is it advisable, its up to you to decide. If you know that after your bond, should you get out of SAF, you definitely will get a significant paycut and you dont mind, then go ahead, yes, it is one way you can be financial sound in a short period. However, dont have the heart to compare, as it is very easy for your friends of your age that didnt sign on to army to surpass you in terms on salary. I am along the lower earning income group among my friends. (Those not regulars).

Please dont mind me asking, are you along the WOspec route? and how many years are you in the force already?

I know its pretty much up to myself whether i would want to take the paycut and risk, to jump into the corporate world. Is it this reason, that most of the regulars choosed to stay in the force?

But on another point of view, signing on in this way, dont have much difference if you serve your NSF life and get out. 2Years of additional bond on top of your 2years "diediemustserve" time, is just like you get a bank loan and slog to pay it off after your studies. Isnt it? Or im wrong?

Sincerely.

Hi, I was an ex-SAF regular also..its true like what the previous posters are saying...some of my batch guys make it, some didnt make it and went back to sign on again. It's definately a difficult transition for SAF regulars, after 6 years in the force...we wont have any 'real' valuable experience that we can bring to the table for the private employers...worse if you are in the combat vocation...somemore there's a certain stigma in the private sector regarding SAF regulars...

all I can say that 4 more years ontop of 2 years NSF is a very valuable time period..most of my private sector friends are more sucessful now..I did finally settled down on a job that I like after hopping 2-3 times.

During the process, I did have some self-doubt and uncertainty about the future. In short, its not end of the world if you plan to leave after 6 years, just be prepared for a 'dip' and work doubly hard during the transition. Who knows that you might be suitable for regular life and decide that you want to stay on after the bond? Anyway, good luck on your decision.

[Rawrrrrr!]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi, I was an ex-SAF regular also..its true like what the previous posters are saying...some of my batch guys make it, some didnt make it and went back to sign on again. It's definately a difficult transition for SAF regulars, after 6 years in the force...we wont have any 'real' valuable experience that we can bring to the table for the private employers...worse if you are in the combat vocation...somemore there's a certain stigma in the private sector regarding SAF regulars...

all I can say that 4 more years ontop of 2 years NSF is a very valuable time period..most of my private sector friends are more sucessful now..I did finally settled down on a job that I like after hopping 2-3 times.

During the process, I did have some self-doubt and uncertainty about the future. In short, its not end of the world if you plan to leave after 6 years, just be prepared for a 'dip' and work doubly hard during the transition. Who knows that you might be suitable for regular life and decide that you want to stay on after the bond? Anyway, good luck on your decision.

Yes, 6years is a very valuable time period. But you're a successful model isnt it. So did you ended up in the sector related to your studies or interest?
Are you a combatant during your service too? Is it really hard to find yourself a job after you left the force?

[Rawrrrrr!]

Sorry for such sensitive question, but can somebody tell me on average, how much is the pay for a combatant specialist? and which whats the difference between vocations and vocations? )