MPGS - What's it Like?? 10 January 2012 at 10:28PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in UK Armed Forces MoneySaving 166 replies 89.4K views

mrskezza

Hi, My husband is in the same boat waiting waiting waiting! He left the Army just under a yr and starting the ball rolling with the MPGS in March but still no news! Have been told its just a waiting game but its quite fustrating with there being no deadline and no letters sent to you to confirm application etc. We are not looking to stay where we are at the moment so have put down three options and are open minded. You cant contact manning as they are no allowed to speak to you so its just a case of keep pestering the ACIO every month but there is not alot they can do either to be honest. It would be nice if they updated the spreadsheet on the Army website and put how many spaces are available at each unit just so you can get an idea if one of the places you have put down wants heads or not.

My husband phone plymouth where they run the courses and was told it usually is a 6 - 9 month waiting before you get in but you don't know what to belive as we have also been told you can be in within 6 weeks if you have just recently left.

If im still waiting at Christmas i wont be happy lol

I imagine it will be alot better than civvy street, yes the salary is low to start off with but you get all the perks of cheap living, dental etc and ive heard that if you are happy to move around you are more likely to get promoted as some poeple just sit there until they get their pensions at 55 and leave no space for others to get promoted.

Anyway any updates from any of yo keep me posted.

p.s my husband has also been told that they are no longer takign applications for MPGS anymore from his ACIO so if that is true that might help to get rid of the back log.

Where has everyone asked to be posted?

mrskezza

Do you know how many places are available at each base? Could yo find out?

Sparky29 wrote: »

That is rubbish. You are getting fobbed off. I work in recruiting and phoned Glasgow on Tuesday to discuss an applicant and they said there are still about 300 vacancies to be filled but they are wading through a mountain of applications.

MissKitty

mrskezza wrote: »

Do you know how many places are available at each base? Could yo find out?

Thanks for your post mrskezza, it looks like there are alot of people in the same boat at the moment, just waiting.

With regards to finding out about how many vacancies are available, my husband went to speak to the Sgt in charge at the camp closest to us. I already work there as a civvy so found out who was in charge of the MPGS. My husband went to speak to him to find out about vacancies coming up and he even gave him a tour of the Dog Section (where some vicious looking dogs live).

Getting some info about vacancies will probably depend on how friendly the person is in charge of the MPGS at the camp you most want to go to, but there is no harm in asking.

My husband has put 3 choices down too, but has found out there is 2 vacancies at our local one. Like other people say it looks like Glasgow has lots of applications to get through and only a small team to do it.

Keep us updated how hubby gets on, good luck.

Jud546

Hi all,

As I promised- just a quick update on my progress. Got a mate who's still in the forces to do some digging on my behalf and was told that my application had gone through and Glasgow was just waiting on my Medical docs from central records. I'm ex RAF and have been told that for some reason the RAF and Navy are notoriously slow with releasing them. Still not given a possible start date or location yet, but it seems to be progressing.

For info, I put my app in end of last year, but my out date wasn't until feb and was informed they wouldn't look at it until jan-so that gives you an idea of the timeline you may be looking at.

I'll let you all know anything else when I hear and Keep your chins up.

Sparky29

mrskezza wrote: »

Do you know how many places are available at each base? Could yo find out?

The spaces that are available are constantly changing due to people taking up vacancies. When someone is found suitable they say where they want to go. If there are vacancies they specify what Monday they would like to start allowing them time to work out any notice period they might have to work. They then have to arrange a date with the ACIO to be attested with an officer and sign their contract (271A). I'm afraid it is first come first served so if all the vacancies have gone in the post you want you may have to be flexible and accept another.

Sparky29

Jud546 wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm ex RAF and have been told that for some reason the RAF and Navy are notoriously slow with releasing them. up.

Army docs are archived at APC Glasgow so are easy to access.

RAF docs are at Cranwell IIRC. Navy med and personal docs are held separately at Gosport and Portmouth. They both require the applicants permission and aren't quick at releasing the docs which slows the application.

MissKitty

Jud546 wrote: »

Hi all,

As I promised- just a quick update on my progress. Got a mate who's still in the forces to do some digging on my behalf and was told that my application had gone through and Glasgow was just waiting on my Medical docs from central records. I'm ex RAF and have been told that for some reason the RAF and Navy are notoriously slow with releasing them. Still not given a possible start date or location yet, but it seems to be progressing.

For info, I put my app in end of last year, but my out date wasn't until feb and was informed they wouldn't look at it until jan-so that gives you an idea of the timeline you may be looking at.

I'll let you all know anything else when I hear and Keep your chins up.

Thanks for the update, that's good news.

Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly for you and you will have a start date soon. Good luck.:)

mrskezza

Perhaps you could find out about my husbands application as his AFCO dont seem to do alot and tell him alot of mixed stories

Sparky29 wrote: »

That is rubbish. You are getting fobbed off. I work in recruiting and phoned Glasgow on Tuesday to discuss an applicant and they said there are still about 300 vacancies to be filled but they are wading through a mountain of applications.

mrskezza

Yea i understand that, thanks for the info. We have put down dorset, oxford and cornwall. Ideally want dorset but we are willing to be flexiable to get in and then maybe transfer. How quickly can you get promoted?

Sparky29 wrote: »

The spaces that are available are constantly changing due to people taking up vacancies. When someone is found suitable they say where they want to go. If there are vacancies they specify what Monday they would like to start allowing them time to work out any notice period they might have to work. They then have to arrange a date with the ACIO to be attested with an officer and sign their contract (271A). I'm afraid it is first come first served so if all the vacancies have gone in the post you want you may have to be flexible and accept another.

mrskezza

Yes it is just a waiting game by the sounds of it. Ex army, put application in in March and still waiting. AFCO not alot of help. What locations have you put down? According to plymouth it takes about 6 - 9 months but then have also been told it can take 6 weeks if you have been out less than a year but i dont think that is true as still waiting.

Also Bristol have said that they are closing future MPGS application but whether this is true as when speaking to another sgt he didnt know anything about it?!

Good Luck though, keep us updated.

Jud546 wrote: »

Hi all,

As I promised- just a quick update on my progress. Got a mate who's still in the forces to do some digging on my behalf and was told that my application had gone through and Glasgow was just waiting on my Medical docs from central records. I'm ex RAF and have been told that for some reason the RAF and Navy are notoriously slow with releasing them. Still not given a possible start date or location yet, but it seems to be progressing.

For info, I put my app in end of last year, but my out date wasn't until feb and was informed they wouldn't look at it until jan-so that gives you an idea of the timeline you may be looking at.

I'll let you all know anything else when I hear and Keep your chins up.