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 89.1K views

Sionnachdubh

Hello All

Thanks for all the info' on here. I'm a Navy reservist of around 10 years with around 22 months operational mobilisation time. I like the service life, which was primarily force protection, but cutbacks meant our mobilisations were suspended owing to a manpower glut in the regular service. I've tried to get FTRS, but same applies. So I applied to MPGS last August and found the application process tedious, but when considered against the alternative, my wife and I decided that it offers quite a bit of security in a currently messed up job/financial/economy world which wasn't of regular folks' making.

It is taking a while, the proverbial "Standby, standby to hurry up and wait" but we're of the mind that the benefits outweigh the negative aspects, my reserve specialisation has a host of parallels with the role, so I'm sure that if and when I get accepted, it won't be too taxing although I'd like advancement if it's available. If I could have my time over, I'd consider HMF as a full-time career, but I left it too late age wise and only managed to get under the wire just before TELIC kicked off, spending some quality time with a mixed RE,RM,RN billet in Basra in 2004. That said I'm still putting in 10:19 for my last fitness test. ;-)

The AFCO has now contacted me with a DPA release form to request my service info' from Portsmouth and although it does seem to be taking an age, it is progressing. Hope you all hear from Glasgow favourably soon.

Sionnachdubh

mrskezza

Good News for you! Where are you being posted? I put my app in middle of March. Got told this week that there is a new guy at Glasgow and if any of your paper work is wrong he is ending it back to the AFCO's right left and centre. Whether i belive this or not. It could just be an excuse for a mess up at the AFCO.

I now have to get a medical done at my docs as i have been out just over a year so received paper work yest they are doing it today for me at my local med centre so hopefully shouldnt delay things much more.

I have put in dorset, oxford and cornwall as i don't really want to stay local so open to options but don't want to put anywhere and end up in fife.

I think it does take about 6 - 9 months to process depending on location choices.

The AFCO even said to me this week did i want to join back up as i only did 10 years and im under 30 but do i really want to do phase 1 again ummmmm no!

Keep us updated:rotfl:

Jud546 wrote: »

Just heard from my AFCO yesterday that I start at the end of the month at my second choice station. Thats obviously good news for me, but it also shows that the wheels are turning, albeit slowly at first but when the offer is made you can be in pretty quickly. So hang in there everyone and good luck. I will update when I hear further.

mrskezza

Thanks for this but i got bored reasing the first couple of lines of this. There is no way your application will be advanced!!:rotfl:

Sionnachdubh wrote: »

Hello All

Thanks for all the info' on here. I'm a Navy reservist of around 10 years with around 22 months operational mobilisation time. I like the service life, which was primarily force protection, but cutbacks meant our mobilisations were suspended owing to a manpower glut in the regular service. I've tried to get FTRS, but same applies. So I applied to MPGS last August and found the application process tedious, but when considered against the alternative, my wife and I decided that it offers quite a bit of security in a currently messed up job/financial/economy world which wasn't of regular folks' making.

It is taking a while, the proverbial "Standby, standby to hurry up and wait" but we're of the mind that the benefits outweigh the negative aspects, my reserve specialisation has a host of parallels with the role, so I'm sure that if and when I get accepted, it won't be too taxing although I'd like advancement if it's available. If I could have my time over, I'd consider HMF as a full-time career, but I left it too late age wise and only managed to get under the wire just before TELIC kicked off, spending some quality time with a mixed RE,RM,RN billet in Basra in 2004. That said I'm still putting in 10:19 for my last fitness test. ;-)

The AFCO has now contacted me with a DPA release form to request my service info' from Portsmouth and although it does seem to be taking an age, it is progressing. Hope you all hear from Glasgow favourably soon.

Sionnachdubh

Jud546

Mrskezza,

I'm posted to Cosford,a priority site, which was my second choice-so I can't complain. From start to finish I waited 5-6 mths, so hopefully those of you who have been waiting a similar time should be hearing something soon.
I haven't heard anything further from the AFCO yet, so I shall be giving them a call tomorrow to start final arrangements. I shouldn't need a medical as been out less than a year and it hasn't been mentioned even though I've already been given my date to start.

Jud546

mrskezza wrote: »

Thanks for this but i got bored reasing the first couple of lines of this. There is no way your application will be advanced!!:rotfl:

Lol, harsh but fair comment-I nodded off once or twice reading it too

mrskezza

:rotfl:Yea all three sites i have put are priority so hopefully i won't have to wait much longer it's just a big waiting game which is the annoying thing.

Jud546 wrote: »

Mrskezza,

I'm posted to Cosford,a priority site, which was my second choice-so I can't complain. From start to finish I waited 5-6 mths, so hopefully those of you who have been waiting a similar time should be hearing something soon.
I haven't heard anything further from the AFCO yet, so I shall be giving them a call tomorrow to start final arrangements. I shouldn't need a medical as been out less than a year and it hasn't been mentioned even though I've already been given my date to start.

Jud546

Called the AFCO this morning, I have to dust a suit off to attest/swear allegiance on Wednesday next week and start the following Monday. I'll update again when it's all done and in the meantime the very best of luck to the rest of you waiting for news. :beer:

MissKitty

Jud546 wrote: »

Called the AFCO this morning, I have to dust a suit off to attest/swear allegiance on Wednesday next week and start the following Monday. I'll update again when it's all done and in the meantime the very best of luck to the rest of you waiting for news. :beer:

That's great, it sounds like it's all systems go for you now. It's also peace of mind to know you have a secure job till your 55. Hope it goes well.

We're still waiting, hubby is calling AFCO once a month just to check they haven't forgotten him. He is still doing the agency work so at least if he gets into MPGS he will be able to move quickly.

Whats everyone else doing for work, anything interesting?

Jud546

MissKitty wrote: »

That's great, it sounds like it's all systems go for you now. It's also peace of mind to know you have a secure job till your 55. Hope it goes well.

We're still waiting, hubby is calling AFCO once a month just to check they haven't forgotten him. He is still doing the agency work so at least if he gets into MPGS he will be able to move quickly.

Whats everyone else doing for work, anything interesting?

Thanks, hopefully your hubby won't be waiting much longer if he has been waiting a similar time to me. What units/ area are you both after? If they are priority sites it might make the difference to how long you wait.

MissKitty

Jud546 wrote: »

Thanks, hopefully your hubby won't be waiting much longer if he has been waiting a similar time to me. What units/ area are you both after? If they are priority sites it might make the difference to how long you wait.

He applied in January but didn't leave the army till the middle of April. We're looking for anywhere in Suffolk as a first choice then Essex as a second. I'm not sure if there are any priority sites in those regions?

Hubby and I were just talking today and wondering if he went to his AFCO and said he would go anywhere just to get in would it speed up the process?

It would mean him living in a single block and we only see him when we can, as we own/live in our own home so not looking for a quarter. Not what we really want but we have been doing that for the last 3 years of his career anyway so it's not new to us.