What will life be like when joined for my family?

Question

I am looking at joining as a dental nurse, however I have a young son and don’t want to be away from him for long periods of time ( basic training would be fine .) Do you know if after I have qualified I would be given a long term job opportunity, preferably at a location of my choice to be near family . Thank you

Jordon W. · Answer

Are you looking at a student dental nurse or are you already qualified?
If applying as a student you are usually based in the UK until your training is complete. If already qualified then you will need to complete the military side of it before going anywhere. Once at a unit you are normally stationed in the same place for a prolonged period of time however you may still be required to deploy for periods of up to 6-8 months at a time if necessary.
If you are a single parent this will unlikely happen. Most deployments are voluntary. However if need requires you may have to go regardless.
In regards to family if you are married, in a civil partnership or can prove you're in a long term relationship or the main carer of your son then you'll be entitled to Service Family Accommodation (SFA) so your family can move with you regardless of where you are posted to. There are limitations to this for long term deployments for security and safety reasons but you will have a good support network and welfare often provide services to help you settle in to your new posts when you move.

What will life be like when joined for my family?

Have a question of your own?

How often do you see your friends and family from home?

I like the idea of being in the Army but I don't want to kill people, is there a job where this is possible?

What is the food like in the Army?

What do deployments abroad include? Like what happens and whats the day to day life of soldiers like on deployment?