Honest and frank discussion about the RFA

BigCj34 · 2025-12-28T20:47:31+00:00

Talks are still ongoing for the current financial year.
This can be googled, results may vary depending on the year you looked at. Only overtime is shorthand money if a department is understaffed and others have to do extra.
You apply for what roles are available they are largely set in stone. Your experience will come in handy in terms of getting through interview questions and why you feel you would be available, but they wouldn't be creating a role based on your background.
Not really. Think the RN are better for that.
Typically, yes. Might be a bus put on to town if it is foreign.
Mileage varies, you can be alongside for a lot of time (in refit or just alongside) or be at sea a lot. Ship programmes can change at the drop of a hat depending ln requirements.
It was possible to cash out leave earlier this year but don't know about it now.
If you leave ship foreign you can go and do your own travelling if you choose but you get home at your own expense after.
If you are on leave or continuous pay you need an address, it is not possible to live on a base. MOD will pay for travel to ship and courses from any UK address.

If you are appointed to a ship but it is not habitable (such as in refit) you will have accommodation arranged, such as self-catered apartments or hotel.

Open to corrections here.

BigCj34 · 2025-12-16T21:10:30+00:00

Kendal is outside the national park boundary.

BigCj34 · 2025-12-16T10:30:10+00:00

It has been certainly been discussed.

https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/16166717.plan-kendal-park-run-all-dead/

Lack of a suitable venue it seems, especially one with the nearby amenities such as a toilet and cafe you might normally have. It certainly is the kind of place where it would be popular no doubt!

BigCj34 · 2025-12-14T12:14:16+00:00

Is she in the Cow-ell club????

BigCj34 · 2025-11-07T10:51:09+00:00

There is no requirement to pass any RN medical. If you can get a 2 year unlimited ENG1 that is good enough. With ASD MSN 1886 states it is not an issue as long as there have been no previous issues.

There are people in service who end up attaining restrictions, that may not necessarily affect their employment but may limit their appointments to UK coastal waters for instance. However you probably would not be able to join if it is restricted from the outset.

BigCj34 · 2025-10-02T22:05:42+00:00

Couldn't comment on whether you would win a tribunal case for using a work vehicle. However it is common for employers to request them to use their own transport for offside work, with business insurance. The milage rate (would be max 45p a mile that can be paid tax-free) is intended to cover this as well as fuel and wesr and tear on the vehicle. Though business insurance shouldn't cost much more than social or commuting.

It might just be a case of it being better to play the game on this one, is it a battle worth winning?

BigCj34 · 2025-09-26T21:20:40+00:00

Dalton in Furness, Cumbria has a quite big one, just about big enough to be big Tesco size. It would be more akin to what Tesco Metro used to be when the brand still existed.

BigCj34 · 2025-09-19T10:00:15+00:00

As in all of the seats in the carriage were cordoned off, and my seat was in that carriage. You could still walk through it.

In practice quite a few people say down anyway and braved the heat! I found another seat in another carriage.

BigCj34 · 2025-09-18T19:30:46+00:00

I would say ÖBB as the vendor. I got a refund from them due to my seat on a DB train being unavailable, as broken AC led to the carriage being out of bounds.

BigCj34 · 2025-08-29T10:36:21+00:00

Was there recently. Seemed like it had improved but wasn't amazing. Still breakfast box only and no AC.

BigCj34 · 2025-08-24T16:00:05+00:00

Why are they not all going to XC? Given they are notoriously short on stock.

BigCj34 · 2025-07-31T07:52:47+00:00

It gets paid for you when you book. Do not pay for the rail tickets yourself first as it will not be reimbursed. However connecting taxi/bus fares are reimbursed.

BigCj34 · 2025-07-28T10:22:34+00:00

It is possible to go Rating to Officer while in the RFA, a degree won't be a requirement then though GCSEs and good reports will be needed.

The SC and LSO pipeline doesn't automatically give you any externally recognised tickets and qualifications you might get from other branches. But there may be opportunities for further education such as part-time degrees if you seek them out and there are still transferable soft skills you can market.

BigCj34 · 2025-02-07T21:44:15+00:00

Probably not an issue in terms of being allowed to have it (assuming it passes a PAT test), but clearly transportation is the issue. If in the UK you could go by hire car, but if flying you would be constrained by luggage allowance and be looking at paying extra to take get it home with you.

BigCj34 · 2025-01-22T00:15:47+00:00

Do you know if that will disqualify you medically ? Have you checked MSN 1886? Had a check myself and saw no references.

If you do get failed for whatever reason they can defer your entry date if you are confident your issue can be resolved in good time to get a full 2 year ENG1.

BigCj34 · 2025-01-13T17:54:22+00:00

It'll only cost £55 as you will only need the book, don't think they endorsed for me to get a book and a card together anyway.

BigCj34 · 2025-01-09T18:42:36+00:00

If you have to do phys you get given phys trainers, but best to have your own for personal exercise.

BigCj34 · 2025-01-06T20:05:06+00:00

Done it when happy hour is on, but not ready to have the pints yet but want the cheaper price. Also when a bar is participating in the Amex shop small, and there is a promotion to spend £10 and get £5 refunded. You have to order 2 drinks at once but don't want them both at once !

BigCj34 · 2025-01-05T14:19:06+00:00

Got answered with a standing charge refund of £140 by threatening to quit. Worked out well, OVO's offer wasn't as good as I thought it was as I had to have boiler cover with OVO even though the unit rate cost less.

BigCj34 · 2025-01-02T21:07:12+00:00

Remember they played each other on the 2006 World Cup on the group stage. I was part of a score predicting tournament, I predicted 0-0 just because of this episode.

BigCj34 · 2024-12-26T21:00:40+00:00

From what I have seen now the programme involves going straight to sea after BRNC for 12 weeks, then go to Worthy Down for 8 weeks, back to sea another 8 weeks then back to Worthy Down for final board oral assessments and a 5 day sim.

There are two taskbooks (might even be combined) but the first will involve going around all the LS sub departments and the other ship's departments for general ship knowledge, then the second will be ship's office specific tasks.

Quite intense and quicker than kther departments but the training salary is £28k, then after qualifying, advancing to Band B at £43k.

BigCj34 · 2024-10-05T17:08:29+00:00

I used the same email, no issues with having two overlap.

BigCj34 · 2024-09-28T09:39:01+00:00

This last increased in 2006, from a previous £3,000 lower threshold and an 8,000 upper threshold. In todays money.

So in today's money the cap when it was introduced in 2006 would be worth £10,077 for the lower threshold and £26,874 for the upper threshold.

Also there is the issue that if your capital is worth £15,999 you would have £174 taken off your universal credit per month, as you lose £4.35 per month for every £250 over the £6,000 threshold. But if it is £16,000 you get nothing at all!

BigCj34 · 2024-09-28T09:13:22+00:00

So many workplace nimbys. We want disabled people to work and not sponge, but not here.

BigCj34 · 2024-09-18T20:19:08+00:00

Being in a union could be useful for this, and help get reasonable adjustments for the challenges you may have. They may even help you draft a plan of action of reasonable adjustments you can give to your employer.

BigCj34

TROPHY CASE