Cyprus-Forum.com

[Feisty]

Please shoot me down in flames if I'm being very stupid but as it's only 6 months wouldn't he be better just doing it than trying to evade it and always looking over his shoulder?

[purdey]

It aso seems a good way to improve on your Greek, and make some new friends.

[pantheman]

Please shoot me down in flames if I'm being very stupid but as it's only 6 months wouldn't he be better just doing it than trying to evade it and always looking over his shoulder?

Yes it probably would, but we were answering his original question

6 months NS means being out more than in, I guess he will undergo a few weeks of basic training and then be a skivie for the rest. But hey some people may not want to do it.

So, each to his own.

[tayl0r]

I'd love to do it. I'm coming to cyprus for a holiday with some friends and just wouldnt want to be forced to do it then. If i can differ entry to the Army thats great. I will research the exit visa

[Get Real!]

I'd love to do it. I'm coming to cyprus for a holiday with some friends and just wouldnt want to be forced to do it then. If i can differ entry to the Army thats great. I will research the exit visa

Good man, now meet your new home...
http://www.army.gov.cy/

[Oracle]

My nephew who is only half Cypriot on his father's side only had to do 3 months Military Service .. but then he was over 25 y.o. when he joined. He had exit visas up until then every time he came for a holiday.

He did not learn any Greek as he was grouped with Aussies and other British kids of diaspora ... but he made some lasting friendships and has some great photographs ...

He did it between work contracts and I think it is a positive inclusion on his CV ....

[tayl0r]

My nephew who is only half Cypriot on his father's side only had to do 3 months Military Service .. but then he was over 25 y.o. when he joined. He had exit visas up until then every time he came for a holiday.

He did not learn any Greek as he was grouped with Aussies and other British kids of diaspora ... but he made some lasting friendships and has some great photographs ...

He did it between work contracts and I think it is a positive inclusion on his CV ....

I guess i'd have to find somewhere to stay for a little while. I have a friend that has offered to let me stay with them for a while. ohhhh this should be fun haha, i'll do it after i study.

[paliometoxo]

my cousin has both perants cypriot and moved to cyprus more then 3 years ago and the army hasent said a thing..

only if he wants to go ... ita not likely they will make you go since you have lived in uk all these years

when i took him to sign up to the army in nicosia they said that you need papers saying you where in england or you do the full 2 years but they did not call him to go in it was from his own he wanted me to take him and his name was not even on the computers even though he has cypriot id caqrd so only if he wants to go he goes i assume because he has been in england so many years, so he decided not to go when they said that and not a word since for over 3 years

[connor]

I hope for Taylors sake that general conditions in the national guard have improved.

My father was greek cypriot and on coming to cyprus in 1988 I was obligated to serve for 6 months as were my two brothers.

The thought in our heads at that time was...6 months..? Well it won't kill us so lets get in and get it over and done with. When we thought of the army..we had the British army in our minds. Boy we got a shock..!

We were posted at the Larnaca camp..forget its name now.

Discipline as such was virtually non existant amongst the men there. The food was atrocious. The kitchens were filthy. Men there used the large metal cooking pots to wash their clothes in...including their underwear and socks.
The sleeping quarters were rat infested and...if I say dirty am putting it mildly.

We refused to eat the food supplied..it had usually gone off. There was a snack wagon just outside the camp..thats where we got our food along with rations delivered through the fence by our wives.

Our understanding of the greek language was very limited at the time..we tried hard to cram it in as quickly as possible. We took rather a lot of stick from the majority of the cypriots there..seemed to be a lot of anti brit feelings floating about. We were in our 30's at the time so we coped with the taunting ok..you know old enough to deal with it.

Younger chaps..late teens..from the UK did not fare so well.

Again..for Taylors sake and others like him..I can only say again..I hope conditions and attitudes towards english/cypriot lads have improved.

Sorry if all the foregoing is a bit of a downer..but thats how it was in 1988/9.

[connor]

Think the camp was called...Gen...or Kenn.