View of the Ministry

The Ministry of Defence can get a pretty bad press for a dour exterior and a somewhat behind-the-times attitude. However, it has certainly been showing its human face recently.

First off, ex-Aircraftswoman Stephanie Hulme left her job in RAF air traffic control to train as a pole dancer. Some tongue-in-cheek remarks suggested this was an unusual use of resettlement money but, to today’s potential recruit, it will seem perfectly normal. What it did for the digestion of Horrified Of Hastings is something else.

And why not? (After all, there is a practising Satanist aboard Her Majesty’s ships, and gender reassignment is now accepted.) Using the stage name ‘Kitty’, she reports that she has danced for a ‘former Sea Lord of the Admiralty, an ex-group captain and a station commander. They pay much better.’ Apart from betraying a lack of knowledge of senior Naval ranks, one is entitled to ask, ‘For what are they paying better?’

Moving to the downside, the same day brought news of a female RN doctor disciplined for a second offence involving her behaviour with male officers. On this occasion she had been drinking at a beach party and decided to go ‘skinny-dipping’. This would hardly cause the raising of an eyebrow in a civilian environment, but the rules of Service life are harsher and she paid the penalty for not observing them.

Next came the marvellous ‘(Is This The Way To) Amarillo’ spoof, which crashed the MoD server. Staff Sergeant Roger Parr strutted his stuff, with other members of the Royal Dragoon Guards performing cameo roles taking off a Peter Kay spoof of the Tony Christie hit. It was brilliant, although we can hear the cries of ‘mixed dress’ from the military pedant.

What was also brilliant was the public reaction of complete admiration. From the floor of the House of Commons to TV pundits with a general dislike of things military and uniform, came nothing but praise with an acknowledgement that this level of ability to cope with a pretty unpleasant situation would be beyond most other people. Although the operational successes can sometimes not receive the praise they are due, this grainy video with its ever-changing cast of ludicrously dressed extras certainly pressed the right buttons with the public. You could have collected millions for Service charities on the strength of it.

Allegations of prisoner abuse and murder in Iraq have been hurled around for years now, sometimes for legal reasons, sometimes for political ones and, shamefully, sometimes for financial ones. Reputations are damaged and the heroes become villains again.

This up-and-down image is something that military people have to accept – with the brickbats being largely due to the high regard in which they are held in Britain. But there is one of the MoD’s jewels that has had little public airing: the Enhanced Learning Credit.

ELCs are a huge injection of money into the personal development plans of people in the Services. If this is news to any Quest reader, they should immediately talk with their education or learning adviser or see our sister title Courses 4 Forces.

A free gift of £1,000 a year for three years after four years’ service (or £2,000 for people who wait eight years) to spend on their own personal learning, self-improvement, education, training or whatever is a seriously good offer. With budgets tight and competition fierce for any available cash, some people in Whitehall must have fought long and hard to obtain initial approval and then ongoing funding for the scheme. So make sure you use it.

In this edition of Quest we look at two old favourites: close protection and construction. Both are industries with strong Service connections and both are becoming more tightly regulated. Even entry-level employment now needs certification in many cases, and all will need it within a decade. Electrical and electronic engineers have always needed formal training because electricity is dangerous stuff for the ignorant amateur. Indeed, more and more electrical work needs inspection, and jobs that used to be done by DIY enthusiasts now call for professional attention.

The staggering awareness of personnel issues and the growth of rights demand a large and highly trained human resources sector. Many Service people gain experience in this field while serving, and opportunities abound to turn this into a second career – with the right training and qualifications. The same is true for health and safety; it is a critical part of most military planning and practice, yet comparatively few people recognise its possibilities for later life.

The jokers in this month’s pack are articles on sales and local government. Too many Service people think of selling as rather nasty and commercial, when it is actually something that drives economic systems. Without local government – another area that it is easy to mock – our society would fall apart. Service leavers are currently under-represented in both fields. Perhaps you might correct this imbalance?