Reply to: Ex-Army IT Folk

[portseven]

I reckon you can always spot the ex-army guys.

Have to agree with you on that one, hard to put your finger on it but there is a certain personality that they all have.

[malvolio]

Led a cross-service programme for the MOD a few years back. All four services had their own abilities which kind of aligned to how they work

Army - basically a lot of small units, all trying to outdo each other. Get a team that works and they're brilliant, but don't try and get them to do anything corporate or cooperative.

Navy - Ships run because everyone -officers and ORs - have to work together. Best team players in the world, usually useless as individuals though.

RAF - it takes 400 people to put a pilot in the sky. That's all they can do, put one thing up at a time. Great people, terrible workers!

Civil Service - best spellcheckers on the planet. Don't expect them to do anything else though...


(disclaimer: personal view only. The programme was a success despite my input!)

[KathyWoolfe]

You mean as an infallible method of getting a few teeth knocked out every time?

Got to be cheaper than using an NHS dentist (that's if you can find one)

[Chugnut]

Eh?

That bloke was posher than me!

No Jog, you missed the (obviously tenuous) gag. Since you made a mention of The Apprentice I thought I'd instantly accuse you of picking on Northerners, like so http://forums.contractoruk.com/514966-post32.html.

Clearly we need a tumbleweed smiley. This will have to do.

[Jog On]

Oi! Stop picking on the Northerners!

Eh?

That bloke was posher than me!

[Marina]

Ex-army: I like to blow up a crisp packet and burst it behind them. Try it, works every time.

You mean as an infallible method of getting a few teeth knocked out every time?

[expat]

Have you ever worked for the civil service?

If I answer that, I'll have to kill you.

[BrilloPad]

I worked with an ex army guy in 1994 - always wore a bowler hat to work. bumped into him in 2003 - still wearing at.

Terribly nice chap - great since of humour. And came in handy the night someone got into a fight with a cyclist...

[Chugnut]

Yeah - and they try and cook sausages using large empty baked bean tins while trying to sell cheese to the french.

Oi! Stop picking on the Northerners!

[tay]

No, but in the status obsessed culture we've created having a big job title is more important than doing any real work.

Real work is overated, but so are job titles. Money, happiness and laziness.. those are worthy goal.

[realityhack]

Ex-army: I like to blow up a crisp packet and burst it behind them. Try it, works every time.

What happens? Do they go a bit like Flippy from the Happy Tree Friends?

[moorfield]

Ex-army: I like to blow up a crisp packet and burst it behind them. Try it, works every time.

[realityhack]

One of the most hard-working and dedicated permie sys admins I've ever worked with was ex-Army, hell of a nice guy too. One of those JFDI types that could find any workaround to a problem, guaranteed.

He was made redundant. Probably because he kept his head down and got on with the job without shouting about it, and lauding his 'profile' about, and networking at parties, so he wasn't very 'visible' within the company.

[sasguru]

OTOH I might ask why business does have so many superior officers. Are they really needed?

No, but in the status obsessed culture we've created having a big job title is more important than doing any real work.

[Jog On]

OTOH I might ask why business does have so many superior officers. Are they really needed?

Have you ever worked for the civil service?