Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Moss
I've said many times before that I wouldn't fancy being an MP due to the work involved and having seen the pace of Graham's life since he became the Hyndburn member that's pretty much sealed it for me. Your life is even less your own than as a Councillor and unless you live in London to start with it is a huge upheaval spending so much time away from your family. £60k+ sounds like a fortune and compared to most in the North West it is but even those at the top level don't get the massive perks that the general public perceive.
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Really, try telling that to the Infantryman patrolling in Nar-e-saraj & living in a mud hut compound.
Salary
As you will no doubt be aware, there is a rank system in operation within the British Army and, as such, pay scales often go along with that ranking. Other factors include your length of service and what specific specialities you pick up too.
- New recruits in training earn around £13,000 a year, for the duration of their training
- Privates can look to earn anything from £15,000 to £18,000 a year, rising up to around £19-20,000 on first promotion to Lance Corporal.
- Higher ranks go on an incremental scale, with senior ranks earning up to £45,000 per annum.
Of course, these figures are rough guides only and can change dependent on the factors already mentioned above.
Responsibilities
The work of an infantry soldier is varied depending on where they are day-to-day, but basic duties can include:
- If on base, keeping fitness levels up and attending briefings, lectures and other training as required
- Keeping weapons clean and functional
- Patrols around areas if on deployment, including reconaissance work such as taking in information on the area of patrol and reporting back
- Carrying out operations as directed by officers and superiors, including aggressive actions
- Assisting with humanitarian and/or peacekeeping efforts, supervising food deliveries or guarding important buildings, for example
Working Conditions
The working conditions for an infantry soldier can at times be stressful and dangerous. The majority of an infantry soldier's work is conducted out of doors, with fitness training, and patrol and mission duties predominantly carried out there. As the army have presence everywhere from the deserts of the Middle East to the windswept islands of The Falklands, conditions will vary enormously. Even when not on deployment there will be a lot of training for an infantry soldier to attend and a lot of this will be conducted out-of-doors too. Having said that, modern army bases are well equipped and have a range of conveniences, so an infantry soldier's free time need not be spent in tedium.
As touched on before, an infantry soldier's job is one that requires nerve and endurance, as well as physical ability. Especially when carrying out a mission, the work can be perilous and will require great reserves of physical fitness. Combat zones are, by their very nature, fraught and dangerous, and there will be times, as an infantry soldier, when you will have to work within them.
Finally, to nail down hours for an infantry soldier is a difficult task. When on exercise or on operations, hours can be highly irregular and/or long, dependent on the situation. Normal hours on a base begin early morning and can go on until the evening, again, dependent on what training and work you are carrying out at the time.
So, try again to convince me that politicians are value for money.