how much time will I be away? I have a daughter and soon to be wife with a mortgage will I see them?

Hello,

Joining the army if you have a family is a very personal choice, it will be right for some families but not for others.

There is a guideline for how much a soldier can be away for (I can't remember the exact figures, but it's less than 50% of the time), and exceeding this would require approval from someone very senior. At the moment, most soldiers aren't spending much time away, but this could change with time.

There are positives and negatives for your family. If you are posted away from home and they do not wish to move with you then it may be difficult to see them regularly, but you will be paid a bit extra each month to help with the fuel costs of getting home. If they wish to move with you then you can apply for army housing, it's not always as nice as private rented accommodation, but it is significantly cheaper. Often army spouses enjoy living in army accommodation due to the community that comes with it.