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Posted By Adams777
Having just read "Distances for Bomb Evacuation Points" thread - I wondered how many ex/former/retired military guys/gals ended up in Health and Safety and whether they have found their service experience a help or a hindrance.
Adam (former Lancer in the Royal Armoured Corps)
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Posted By ScotsAM
I'm ex-REME and definately find it useful in my H&S position.
Also my manager is ex-Royal Engineer and one of the union safety reps is ex-artillery.
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Posted By Michael Carr
I'm ex Australian Infantry and find it has been a great use. Seems to be a few x service people in the industry
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Posted By Al K
I too am ex- REME and I have found that it is a great help, both as a practical matter and because a lot of employers like ex military.
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Posted By Rod D
Guys
Civilians have this misconception that there is no Safety within the Military.
When I worked at an Immigration Removal Centre near Heathrow, I informed the Duty Officer of the day that the a number of Eastern Europeans and Jamaicans were going to kick off I was told "What do you know your an ex squaddie" Later that day there was a riot.
I placed him in the "Rembrandt" by telling that I had just recently left the only Custodial Facility in the World The Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC) that allowed its inmates and Live Ammunition and a Rifle to fire it with and that I new my onions in a Custodial Environment.
Also that there is rather a lot Safety Planning in running a Stage 5 Live Fire Exercise involving up to a 100 soldiers, it ain't done on the back of Fag Packet.
Yes my time in the Army served me well in my Job as a Safety Practioner.
Aye
Rod D
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Posted By A Cushing
I'm ex-RAF now working for the MOD. It has helped, a lot, every day.
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Posted By Michael Carr
Yes good point Rod. Back in the Aussie army OH&S ( as it's known there) was a big thing but it never took away the realism of training.
I worked with the yanks both on ops and on exercise and they had no concept of it at all
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Posted By ScotsAM
Unfortunaly as ex-forces it's the lack of civvy discipline which leads to frustrations in this industry.
In the forces we're all used to, and understand the need for drills and SOPs.
In civvy street though it's not always easy to get people to do things they way they're supposed to be done.
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Posted By Adams777
I never doubted for one minute the line ex military folk would take. i.e. yes, military service has definitely been beneficial in my work in health and safety.
I can remember all sorts of training and all aimed at getting the right results for the least amount of casualties.
Yes civilian breatheran we practiced and trained for everything and what wasn't was allowed for by initiative, self discipline and common sense.
Adam
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Posted By Simon Heesom
Ex RN and agree with all of you, but I've got to ask:
why can't civvies just do as there told to?
why can't they follow simple procedures?
Why can't they read a and fill in simple forms?
Why do they have to be trained to do every thing, then go home and set up a full IT net work system for the local scouts, operate a new mobile phone etc with out a bit of training?
why do they continually lie, when the evidence would have a hanging judge rubbing his hands together?
Why do they always whine about how much time they don't have to do H&S?
why do I have to work with them, I didn't want to leave the RN, they said I was to old at 40?
One very stressed Ex Submariner
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Posted By A Campbell
Although ex military myself I agree with some sentiments on here... but adverse to turn this topic into a 'civvi' bashing forum!
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Posted By Yossarian
Careful... we could be your future employer!
That said you should be able to turn all your 'issues' with us civvies into positive features about the way you work:
Disciplined; Systems oriented; Able to make decisions under pressure.
It would make a killer CV for most organisations.
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Posted By Bob Youel
all experience; MOD or otherwise must be useful to a H&S professional - but we must balance all areas and not just see one area as better than another
if we can get humans to see and understand properly that common sense [H&S's other name!] is beneficial to them personally we cannot lose
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Posted By Paul Clarke-Scholes CMIOSH
As the first not ex-services posting, can I say, and answering Simon's questions, that the reason some employers (me included) like ex-services guys is that they have already had all the training in why and how to follow systems. Pity the civvies, Simon, they're making it up as they go along.
Ex-Servicemen (and women) know how to organise subordinate teams, they know how to solve problems and they know how to work as part of a team. They're also confident and not afraid to say if they don't like something. All essential traits in any group that you want to achieve a given task in a given timeframe at a given cost and still do it safely.
I would bet that the one thing the average ex-serviceman misses is strong leadership. You'll probably all say that our leaders were idiots, but the same training principals would apply and I would bet that civvy leaders are weaker than services leaders.
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Posted By R McGraa
Ex RAF. Of course, a benefit of being in the Forces was the generous education allowances to complete the 'must have' NEBOSH courses. That, coupled with the day or block release to study, helped me to get to where I am now. Best wishes to anyone making the transition.
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Posted By Pez Hargreaves
Ex RCT/RLC, found being ex miltary definetly helps, especially as the job I am in now replicates my service life, work for a logistic company could not ask for a better transition, my last posting alowed me to do many resettlement course and get on the H&S ladder.
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Posted By Ricka
Ex Rockape here. have found most companies i've worked for like to employ ex-military because of the discipline and motivation factors involved in this industry.
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Posted By Lwood
Ex Royal Engineer, I have often explained to others that as an engineer working overseas, I could never afford to injure one of my tradesmen. With the next nearest supply of replacements several thousand miles away I had to get it right every time.
I do have a very big advantage, having had such a wide exposure to trades, tasks and environments, I can normally come up with some form of experience or knowledge that can help.
L
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Posted By Robert_N
I am ex military, after leaving (what an idea that was) my first role was the normal gap fill security jobs which lead me to the loss prevention side then to the health and safety world. I have found that bosses do like most aspects of being ex military with the polite but able to get our points across being the most liked.
The part I have found hard to deal with is the bosses off the cuff comments, the half truths or non information’s due to everything being based on a financial decision. I miss the approach of getting the message out in the basic fastest manner so if something was wrong a hairy CSM or RSM was there to tell you and everyone got on with it but now if it’s wrong and I inform them I have to start a long unchangeable process of arranging meetings.
Happy to have the chance to speak about the good old days my feet are together, my shoulders back, my chest out and my chin up. As my CSM said to me on my leaving day “All you have had is a top two inch failure and that is a problem that only you or the appropriate amount of explosive can sort out”
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Posted By garethrothwell
I'm ex RAMC and find that some of the skills I brought with me from the forces are of a benefit, such as drive and ambition, always keeping your head and looking at things from more than one view, when it comes to training, which I do a lot off, we are by far better than any civilian I have come across who also does training.
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Posted By Michael Carr
The day in Feb when London ground to a halt because of the "snow" only 2 of us out of 8 made itinto the office....both ex forces!
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Posted By Adie
Ex RMP (no monkey jokes please!) and have fallen into H&S. There are many skills that have proven to be useful to me in my role. I think that employers like ex military for all the above reasons and more (rarely off sick, determination to see the job done, et al), but I also found that while job seeking there was a lot of negitivity towards ex-service personnel, (trained killer, no commercial skills, and the ever popular "Is there really H&S in the forces?")
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Posted By Francis E S Hone
Ex Royal Green Jacket (now Known as The Rifles)Infantry Regiment
One regret in life leaving the forces.
Good to See all you ex Forces out there took me 10 years after leaving t6o even consider Health & Safety really enjoyed it but now considering giving it all up to do something less stressful.
Regards Frank
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Posted By R M Diss
Like'Ricka', ex Rockape! In my view ex Forces tend to be very practical, methodical and highly organised people, not to mention calm in a crisis!
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Posted By A Campbell
Ex RAMC and concour with many sentiments on here
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Posted By Michael Carr
We should all get together and start our own company!
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Posted By murray-t
Ex RN. I work for a construction company with 6 H&S guys on the books, 5 out of the 6 are ex-forces. One RN, One RM, and three Army. The H&S department works like a well oiled machine, Its the rest of the company that needs a major overhaul.
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Posted By Francis E S Hone
Micheal Carr
Great Idea what a company that would be.
Frank (RGJ)
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Posted By Paul Clarke-Scholes CMIOSH
Guys,
Have saved all your details, will be in touch when I set my own firm up later this year!
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Posted By Michael Carr
let's do it!
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Posted By David Rimmer
I want to be CQMS
Dave Rimmer
ex 1RGJ
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Posted By Michael Carr
I was a platoon SGT so I'll look after admin, Welfare and offer "guidance" to our equivalent platoon commander
Mike
EX 2/4 Bn Royal Australian Regiment
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Posted By Francis E S Hone
Hello Dave Rimmer 1RGJ.
Looking good for the future then
Frank Hone 3RGJ.
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Posted By Adams777
As I started the thread I want to be top dog in the company. No seriously, the responses have highlighted all the attributes learnt whilst in the forces and how they can be of such benefit once transfered to civilian life.
On the other hand we have a former fireman (33 years) who has found it extremely difficult to make the transition from institutionalised work to civi street. I know I did (took me 2 years or so), we have a former policeman with the same problem.
In the forces you received an order and it was obeyed because it was backed up with good training. The problem of course is you can't give orders in civi street because the workforce generally have their own opinions and question everything you say. This was the part I found maddening - after a couple of years I decided that maybe my attitude was wrong and perhaps sometimes discussions with the workforce was the right approach. It certainly seems to work for me now. In fact I make suggestions and recommendations, the particularly part of the workforce discuss the issue and then management decide if they want to accept them. Mostly amicable arrangement.
Adam
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Posted By Kevin john Potts
Ex Ra, i despair sometimes that some of my civilian colleagues do not have the discipline to follow a simple procedure. attitude seems to be it wont happen to me.... and if it does i will claim.
Being ex forces though seems to give you discipline and drive and the ability to work without your line manager sat on your shoulder !
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Posted By Rod D
Guys
Can I be the Regimental Scary Monster? (RSM) First Dibs....
Aye
Rod D
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Posted By Eliza Flutterby
When you set up your own company, can I be the tea lady? I'll sell you all burgers, brews and bungees at ridicuously over-inflated prices :-)
Eliza (ex NAAFI)
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Posted By STEPHEN81
Moved to the UK in 2006,
but before that I was an aircraft mechanic in the Irish Army Air Corps in Dublin for 6 years and 3 years before that I was a in the infantry.
Things were very easy in those days - "do this & don't do this". Carried 40 - 50 kg on your backs and very few manual handling accidents.
Training there was great.
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Posted By doug bell
What a consultancy firm that would make..
Every option covered from submarines to aircraft and all points in between.
If you couldn't get a result from that team, you probably couldn't get it anywhere.
One thing that still gets me.. why can't some people just get on with what needs doin??
Also, with all the "suitable training", can you imaging anyone not paying the fees on time??
ex RM
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Posted By Simon Heesom
Eliza, Eliza,
come on you can dump the past your H&S now, not;
No Ambition And F***all Interest!
Cheers
Deeps
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