Army's manning chief infuriates troops with Service transfer quip It is understood that a number of specialist posts - known as pinch point trades such as bomb-disposal, linguists or nuclear submarine engineers - are available but would need people with the correct qualifications. A senior NCO who has fought in both Basra and Helmand said: "Asking some of us who have put almost two decades of our lives dedicated to the Army to shunt over to another Service makes a mockery of all the loyalty we have shown. I'm sure some will try but the majority of us will think goodbye and good riddance. He added that the majority of infantry soldiers being sacked would not have the qualifications to have a "ghost's chance" of getting another job. However Brig Nitsch did urge sacked troops to join the Territorial Army to continue soldiering at the weekends. Tomorrow more than 4,000 personnel, the vast majority of whom have served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, will be handed a redundancy letter and "next steps" DVD telling them how to prepare for civilian life. The brigadier suggested that "redundancy is against the wishes of some but they can make it work for them." He added "I would urge personnel to trust themselves." At least 500 infantry privates - the equivalent to an entire battalion - with more than six years service will go. The Army will also lose hundreds of senior officers including eight brigadiers and 60 lieutenant colonels. The brigade of Gurkhas will also be cut by a further 400 of the Nepalese soldiers reducing to 3,000 men. A third of the 900 RAF redundancies will come from its senior officers with 30 group captains, 40 wing commanders and 115 squadron leaders chopped. It is also understood that up to half-a-dozen of the 26 Air Vice Marshals will be go. However no trained pilots will be lost. As the Navy reduces to its smallest size in two centuries, despite 95 per cent of Britain's trade being moved across the oceans, it will lose the experience of five commodores and 15 captains as it reduces to 30,000 sailors. MOD spokesman said: "Personnel selected for redundancy have been chosen from roles where there is a surplus of manning. They remain eligible to apply to transfer between Services, or between specialisations within their own Service, into areas of where there is a shortage. Any personnel seeking a transfer still need to demonstrate appropriate skills, experience and/or quality for those areas. Consideration is also given to how long it would take to retrain any individual.