35 replies to this topic

[the.stroker]

im in the RAF and did 5 years attached to middle wallop on the lynx and apache,and from what i saw,yes army guys do get treated like a child,sorry to rock the boat!
i have worked on helicopters in helmand under an army superior and to be honest the shouting goes in one ear and out the other,and is not constructive at all,there is a time ad a place for it,not all the time!

Edited by the.stroker, 13 February 2009 - 04:41 PM.

[miniman.matt]

Im just saying DONT generalise, it doesn't matter what service you work in there are idiots dont paint all the army with the same brush just because of your small amount of contact with them. You can begin to sound like the drunk *melon* down the pub that thinks that just because im i the army i obviously want to fight .

[the.stroker]

i wouldnt call 5 years small contact,ive also worked with REME aircraft techs in canada and brunei,the green howards in belize,rlc,army air corps,e.t.c,and shouting does seem to be the answer,anyway we all do a good job,dont want to start an argument,were all good at our little bits!

[Black.Ghost]

I have been in the army for three years now, two out of training.

Firstly, the army generally get paid less than the other two services.

With regards training, its not easy and there were a few people with me who found it too difficult and got out. Most people i know say they don't like being told what to do and couldn't handle that part of it but in training you just bite your tongue and get on with it. I got in a bit of trouble after training as there is a bit more freedom and I didn't always hold my tongue like I should. Most people find its not the being told what to do part that sucks - its thinking that you are being messed around for the sake of it. Which is fine in training - you just accept it. Its not so much fun after training though.

There are so many jobs available - make sure you have a good look around before agreeing to anything. Try and speak to as many people as you can in different jobs, especially the ones you are interested in.

As for the basics like going home, the only real times that is an issue is training, exercises and deployments. Other than that, if you are not on duty, the weekend is your own. Out here in Germany I have found a lot of people stay here at the W/E and its a good laugh.

As for Bobo's comments, yes the army do sometimes get treated like children, but that mostly depends on the cap badge. I can talk to my Sgt and SSgt on a first name basis, but its normal to call them by rank if you have a visiting officer or something in. That all comes with the discipline side of things.

Overall, I'm pretty glad I joined the army. There were times in the first couple of years that I really didn't enjoy it but that was only because my first posting was c*ap. You will get opportunities to try stuf that although you can do as a civvie, most people would think about doing.

As for interviews/selection, don't worry about it, Just be yourself. As for the fitness, it's pretty easy to be accepted. It's in training that might get difficult.

[BoboGib]

As for Bobo's comments, yes the army do sometimes get treated like children, but that mostly depends on the cap badge. I can talk to my Sgt and SSgt on a first name basis, but its normal to call them by rank if you have a visiting officer or something in. That all comes with the discipline side of things.

Sorry, it was a bit of a sweeping generalisation. I've met a hell of a lot of various Army units during the time i've been in. The station i'm at has an Army lodger unit who do cause a lot of trouble. I have to agree though it does depend on the cap badge, as i've met a hell of a lot of great Army lads on Det.

[RowenBlaineSkinley]

thanks for everyones replies. its nice to hear people telling me straight up and talking to me about it rather then patronising me

i know im young, but i have made this decision and im going through with it
you dont do it then youl never know, if i dont like it then il just leave, but then again i might

i know that alot of training wont even prepare me for the real deal but its something il have to prepare myself for
i might not never go to war
but then i might, cant garuntee anything

i like the idea of being a royal engineer. to do combat and engineering sounds my cup of tea.

i love to learn and be in awkard positions, so when i get out of them, it feels good

[Black.Ghost]

If you don't like it, then you get out after four years or so and you will be 22/23 with four years experience in the Army and hopefully be looking for a job at a time when the economy is back on the up.

I bet there are a few people who join up in the next year as a result of the credit crunch.

And Bobo - I agree. There are plenty of guys in the army that do cause such trouble.

[RowenBlaineSkinley]

If you don't like it, then you get out after four years or so and you will be 22/23 with four years experience in the Army and hopefully be looking for a job at a time when the economy is back on the up.

I bet there are a few people who join up in the next year as a result of the credit crunch.

And Bobo - I agree. There are plenty of guys in the army that do cause such trouble.

yeah, i believe they will too

plus its a free source of education and courses so the numbers of applicants will be up

[mattdc2r]

The Army do not generally get paid less than the other 2 services, Pay 2000 sorted that out. However, there is specialist pay available in all 3 services. Flying pay, diver, parachute pay, submariner pay etc.

I've been in the RAF 12 years now. It's ok I guess. Secure job, opppurtunity to travel, although these days it is mostly (but not only) Iraq/Afghanistan. I was chatting to some lads last week that are still in training, and they already know that within 2 weeks of finishing their training they'll be joining their new regiment in Afghanistan.

Trade training is getting better, lads in my trade now complete NVQ level 3. from Corporal you can go for level 4.
Everyone has money available to them for education, think it's about £100 a year, but you have to do the course and then they pay ti to you on completion. It's a good scheme, and I ve used it before, if you need to stay in a hotel for it, they pay that as well.

Not all the travel is on operational deployments. back in 2004 I spent 3 weeks sailing around the Carribean (wasn't as good as it sounds) on a 62ft whitbread racer. Being a plant engineer I spent a lot of time working on the engine, which seemed to be forever springing fuel leaks. was an experience which i'll not forget, but not the Sandals style holiday I was expecting.

As a young lad in the Forces you'll pay less than £200 a month for food and a room. granted the room isn't great unless you get into the new SLAM accom.
leaves you lots of money to spend on what you want (mini).

[RowenBlaineSkinley]

mmmm, i like that, lots of money on my mini

alot of its going to be custom (not being revealed) cause its going to be a one off (not chavvy either lol)

yeah, the accomodation isnt that expensive which im pleased about which gets me away from my annoying family

haha, im well scared to fly out of a plane and all that, scared of hights

[RowenBlaineSkinley]

right got my reminder for my interview today

said i can ask any questions i want about the army
im glad about that, and it also says i have no commitment to the army yet until i sign on the dotted line

[Black.Ghost]

The Army do not generally get paid less than the other 2 services, Pay 2000 sorted that out. However, there is specialist pay available in all 3 services. Flying pay, diver, parachute pay, submariner pay etc.

Im not complaining about the pay, it was merely an obsrvation. But the big things are cheap food and accomodation. I was in a Z-type room which to be fair is like a hotel room, full en-suite and I was paying less than 100 a month.

Good luck with your interviews and selection.

[Widdowmaker]

I joined the Army on 1992 as a Signaler - at 18 - straight from school. Did my Basic at Catterick Garrison, and I had mixed emotions about it.

Hardest, most challenging thing I have ever done, and the most rewarding.

From day 1 - it was intensely hard, but its what is needed, it has to be tough. Being shouted at is the hardest thing to deal with, but its done to benefit you later. The shouting represents the urgency of the issue. You get far worse on the front line, in terms of confusion and noise. The thing to understand is why its being done.

On occasion you are singled out, and when its your turn, as its going through, as its happening, remember why its being done. I found it hard the first time, as I rebbelled against it. I fought my Sargent as I felt at the time, it was personal. He was tough on me, running me round and round our accomodation until 4 in the morning, constantly having to go faster. As I was running, I had time to think, I began to understand what was happening, and the 2nd time I got the treatment, I went with it..... understanding what it was about.

I got to chat with my sgt, after my passing out, and he said he saw me change in that day, and that day was what made the soldier out of me. He described me as raw for the first 2 weeks, looked like I was taking it easy, and although he didnt enjoy doing it, he said (and I think he meant it) that he never enjoyed doing it - but with the occasional new recuit, it needs to happen to wake them up to it.

I guess I was shell shocked going into it, as the sleep deprivation, the constant physical, really took its toll. Although I never once thought about quitting, I did choose sick parade one day, when I was just so tired. I couldnt keep my eyes open and I guess that was the first signs of my lack of willingness to go with it. That was the day I got my beasting... but thats an unfair expression. It was 1 to 1 training, late into the night.

I found the next few weeks, easier, but just as challenging. 40K hikes with full packs, Bang flash wakes ups at 3 am, and going for a run in the rain, all were part of the challenge. The reward was getting through it and feeling that every task we did was a team effort - (made of individual contributions). I found I was doing stuff I never though I could do.

1 Particular training exercise was a 40K treck, with full packs, once youve trekked though the north York moors for a full day, encounterd a sgt's training course on excercise, stopped up all night on guard, and then given a full ammo box to carry for the next day, a river crossing, escape and avoid manouvers, etc etc arriving back at camp on Friday afternoon, to be then taken for a full dress inspection outside the guard room, getting strips torn of you by the SGT (who was actually a full foot shorter than me), for a peice of fluff on your cap.... (thats theres no way he could see) and youve been marched up and down to the parade square every 15 minutes for 2 hours until everyone is deemed as perfect.

Your all in it togethor at this stage, you really get to know what a team is, and how to pull your mates through. You start to understand, how to react to orders, commands, requests, whether its spoken, shouted or whispered.

All that being said - my career in the Army was short lived and I never got to experience a full tour, but I did do some fantastic things. Pot holing, bridge swinging, Orienteering, driving all sorts of vehicles, bungjy jumping in the center of Berlin, flying in all manner of aircraft, from lynxs, pumas, American C12 naval a/c, HS125's on Guard for Princess Dianna. I travelled to NI, Berlin attached to RAF 21SU for the closure of Gattau. I choose a redundacy package under options for change at the end of 2002, to go to Universirty, for a place I differed to join the army. I had the option to go back in after but my life chaged direction and I never did join up again.

The army is not all about war and going to be shot, there are so many trades that its about setting your self up for later life. Its a massive learning experience and the learning curve is steep at first. It isnt for every one.

My advice would be dont go into an interview not knowing whether you want to join or not, if you dont know, then make up your mind. You are ok, if you want to join, but you dont know what you want to do as a trade. If you have good grades, make sure you follow a trade that represents your academic ability and sets you up for something in later life.

Theres nothing wrong with any of the forces, in terms of providing a fantastic career oportunity, my whole family at some point was in the forces, my mother as a nurse, my old man - now in the MOD, my brother as a flight line mech working on the EF.

Good luck, and I hope you choose the right path for yourself.

Edited by Widdowmaker, 15 February 2009 - 10:47 AM.

[Mutley_RIP]

Some good fors and againsts but sound advice.

As a wife of a Royal Engineer for the last 13 years I would say go for it

[RowenBlaineSkinley]

I joined the Army on 1992 as a Signaler - at 18 - straight from school. Did my Basic at Catterick Garrison, and I had mixed emotions about it.

Hardest, most challenging thing I have ever done, and the most rewarding.

From day 1 - it was intensely hard, but its what is needed, it has to be tough. Being shouted at is the hardest thing to deal with, but its done to benefit you later. The shouting represents the urgency of the issue. You get far worse on the front line, in terms of confusion and noise. The thing to understand is why its being done.

On occasion you are singled out, and when its your turn, as its going through, as its happening, remember why its being done. I found it hard the first time, as I rebbelled against it. I fought my Sargent as I felt at the time, it was personal. He was tough on me, running me round and round our accomodation until 4 in the morning, constantly having to go faster. As I was running, I had time to think, I began to understand what was happening, and the 2nd time I got the treatment, I went with it..... understanding what it was about.

I got to chat with my sgt, after my passing out, and he said he saw me change in that day, and that day was what made the soldier out of me. He described me as raw for the first 2 weeks, looked like I was taking it easy, and although he didnt enjoy doing it, he said (and I think he meant it) that he never enjoyed doing it - but with the occasional new recuit, it needs to happen to wake them up to it.

I guess I was shell shocked going into it, as the sleep deprivation, the constant physical, really took its toll. Although I never once thought about quitting, I did choose sick parade one day, when I was just so tired. I couldnt keep my eyes open and I guess that was the first signs of my lack of willingness to go with it. That was the day I got my beasting... but thats an unfair expression. It was 1 to 1 training, late into the night.

I found the next few weeks, easier, but just as challenging. 40K hikes with full packs, Bang flash wakes ups at 3 am, and going for a run in the rain, all were part of the challenge. The reward was getting through it and feeling that every task we did was a team effort - (made of individual contributions). I found I was doing stuff I never though I could do.

1 Particular training exercise was a 40K treck, with full packs, once youve trekked though the north York moors for a full day, encounterd a sgt's training course on excercise, stopped up all night on guard, and then given a full ammo box to carry for the next day, a river crossing, escape and avoid manouvers, etc etc arriving back at camp on Friday afternoon, to be then taken for a full dress inspection outside the guard room, getting strips torn of you by the SGT (who was actually a full foot shorter than me), for a peice of fluff on your cap.... (thats theres no way he could see) and youve been marched up and down to the parade square every 15 minutes for 2 hours until everyone is deemed as perfect.

Your all in it togethor at this stage, you really get to know what a team is, and how to pull your mates through. You start to understand, how to react to orders, commands, requests, whether its spoken, shouted or whispered.

All that being said - my career in the Army was short lived and I never got to experience a full tour, but I did do some fantastic things. Pot holing, bridge swinging, Orienteering, driving all sorts of vehicles, bungjy jumping in the center of Berlin, flying in all manner of aircraft, from lynxs, pumas, American C12 naval a/c, HS125's on Guard for Princess Dianna. I travelled to NI, Berlin attached to RAF 21SU for the closure of Gattau. I choose a redundacy package under options for change at the end of 2002, to go to Universirty, for a place I differed to join the army. I had the option to go back in after but my life chaged direction and I never did join up again.

The army is not all about war and going to be shot, there are so many trades that its about setting your self up for later life. Its a massive learning experience and the learning curve is steep at first. It isnt for every one.

My advice would be dont go into an interview not knowing whether you want to join or not, if you dont know, then make up your mind. You are ok, if you want to join, but you dont know what you want to do as a trade. If you have good grades, make sure you follow a trade that represents your academic ability and sets you up for something in later life.

Theres nothing wrong with any of the forces, in terms of providing a fantastic career oportunity, my whole family at some point was in the forces, my mother as a nurse, my old man - now in the MOD, my brother as a flight line mech working on the EF.

Good luck, and I hope you choose the right path for yourself.

some very good wise words there mate
certainly given me a much broader view of things now