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| Thinking of joining the Army | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 23 Mar 2009, 08:33 AM (741 Views) | |
| Railgunner | 23 Mar 2009, 08:33 AM Post #1 |
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Warrant Officer First Class
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Hey guys. Ive now come to the point in my life where i'm bored and need a challenge. I'm also stuck in a bad job and need something exciting and a change of pace. So ive been considering joining her majesty's armed forces. I'm thinking REME and training as an Electrician as i love to work with electronics and it's what i was training to do at school until the language barrier (and really nasty teachers) reared their ugly heads and pretty much ruined what chances i had. So i was wondering if anybody can give me any tips or what not on how to go about this, and if people can tell me what army life is like (both good and bad sides). Thanks in advance. RG |
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| ☺Jasevx | 23 Mar 2009, 08:40 AM Post #2 |
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Techmarine
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Good choice Stu, gives you a solid trade, if you want decent money with it go for REME Air Tech, they are paid the same as a BAe engineer. Bad points are boring stags, shift patterns, long training period. Good points, money, see the world, meet interesting people and kill them! (joke). Make sure you push the skiing bit when you join up, you'll then spend half the year doing it fully paid. |
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| # Captain Wolverine | 23 Mar 2009, 09:08 AM Post #3 |
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Smoochie boochie
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Can I recommend doing through the Navy my cousin is doing the same kind of thing doing great for himself but in the navy |
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| # Old Guard | 23 Mar 2009, 09:13 AM Post #4 |
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Entertainment officer...Meet the gang cos the boys are here.....
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Agree with Jase, though whilst being of Army thinking, consider also Royal air force. Loads of electronics but usualy in nicer environments (also found RAF catering to be superior to the other forces). do your homework and research the options is the key to this being a succesful move. One possible downside: it does not matter what branch you go into, some issues of basic training can come accross to some people as pointless and designed to just P them off. Yeah it is. its all about attitude. Take what's thrown at you and remember your goal. Basic is just a hurdle to get over. |
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| ☺Jasevx | 23 Mar 2009, 09:40 AM Post #5 |
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Techmarine
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Yup all three services are viable now we can't afford to put the Navy to sea (thanks Gordon). The Navy deploy along side the RAF for at least the next 5 years. |
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| Vergo | 23 Mar 2009, 09:44 AM Post #6 |
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Colour Sergeant
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While i have no with the army (well, except from the letter they sent me for the suspended conscriptiont stuff), the "think very carefully about what service you want in on" is solid. (both from a now, and a what-would-you-like-to-do-when/if-you-get-out-of-the-service perspective). Other than that, i can only say what i said to my brother, that if you want to do it, go for it
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| Railgunner | 23 Mar 2009, 10:26 AM Post #7 |
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Warrant Officer First Class
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I'm more aiming for the household style electrical stuff. Also wondering, is it only specific regiments that get sent over here to Norway for the Arctic Warfare stuff? Or is it something you apply for? Some advice ive been given so far is keep my mouth shut and then the Drill Sergeants won't eat me for breakfast ![]() RG Edited by Railgunner, 23 Mar 2009, 10:27 AM.
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| # Old Guard | 23 Mar 2009, 11:21 AM Post #8 |
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Entertainment officer...Meet the gang cos the boys are here.....
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Too true! right! if that sort of electricary is what you are looking at then just straight engineers is the way (hurrah!!!!). the artic warfare is generaly a marines gig however since marines are infantry they need support so therfore there are artillery batteries and engineer squadronsfrom regular army who have, if you'll pardon the expression, gone commando! they consenquently get the joy of having their testicles forced up to their throat by jumping in to holes in the ice. |
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| ☺Jasevx | 23 Mar 2009, 11:41 AM Post #9 |
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Techmarine
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Stu, the REME are permanently attached to the Marines, speaking Norwegian, skiing and understanding Scandanavian culture will more than stand you in good stead. When you apply, speak to the Royal Marines and tel them what you want, I seriously think they would fast track you to the Mountain & Artic Warfare Cadre if your attitude and fitness is right. |
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| Railgunner | 23 Mar 2009, 12:08 PM Post #10 |
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Warrant Officer First Class
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Ah that sounds pretty cool. I'm thinking of giving the careers office a call tomorrow. Also a question from my girlfriend....how often do soldiers get leave? ![]() RG |
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| ☺Jasevx | 23 Mar 2009, 12:42 PM Post #11 |
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Techmarine
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I think its 45 days a year, tho you get longer after 6 month detachments. After Gulf War 1, I had 6 weeks off, and struggled to get back into the groove then! Obviously weekends are usually free unless you're on stag (not in basic training!) She in Norway? |
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| bram kuijpers | 23 Mar 2009, 12:43 PM Post #12 |
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Captain
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im joining to, i dunno about great britain but around here you train for a week and you get the weekend off, if you dont have a training in the weekend. when you finish training you can combine work and girlfriend some more, but to be sure ask jase AND sally so you get the anwsers from both side's
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| Railgunner | 23 Mar 2009, 01:18 PM Post #13 |
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Warrant Officer First Class
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@Jase...yep shes over here. Ive just been on the online chat thing they have on the army careers site, and the guy must have just sat there copy pasting from the website, so not really that helpful. Although he did say, because i'm living overseas means i have to move back over there for 3-6 months while they asses if they want me, so need to find a job (maybe the local GW might want someone). Also ive now realised it might not be possible to do what i was hoping as i need a GCSE in english...but i only got a D and i guess passing everything else apart from chemistry doesnt really make up for it.So tonight and tomorrow i'll be making lots of calls to ex-army people i know (although it's a good while since they were there) and the army careers office near my grandparents. *edit* Ive been reading and came across this: Completing Phase 2 training qualifies you as a Military Engineer (Combat) Class 3 and a Military Engineer (Electrician) Class 2. What does the Class 3 and Class 2 stuff mean? RG Edited by Railgunner, 23 Mar 2009, 01:37 PM.
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| ☺Jasevx | 23 Mar 2009, 01:48 PM Post #14 |
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Techmarine
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dont worry about it, is grade advancement when youre in. Email the marines with what you want,quals you have and artic skills you have |
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| Railgunner | 26 Mar 2009, 11:30 AM Post #15 |
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Warrant Officer First Class
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Well, ive just got off the phone with the Careers Office, and i have to say it was much better than the online rubbish. I askd about the english GCSE situation, and was told i must have it if i want to join the engineers. So i'm wondering if anyone has any ideas of how i can retake the exams without having to move back to the UK? RG |
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| alextheartist | 26 Mar 2009, 12:31 PM Post #16 |
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Lieutenant
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Dont think you can do that, but you could study, then come over for the test. If you concentrated for a month or so you could get it i reckon (if english is your first language) Been thinking about what I am going to do after college (public services course) myself. At the moment its between the Ajutant Genrals Corp (rmp section), then into the police after a few years of that. RAF as a PTI, then adventurous training instructor. Alex |
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| ☺Jasevx | 26 Mar 2009, 12:39 PM Post #17 |
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Techmarine
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Go PTI Alex, RMP's are being run ragged at the minute. Stu, contact the examining boards mate. |
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| alextheartist | 26 Mar 2009, 12:50 PM Post #18 |
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Lieutenant
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We had some at college the other day, gonna finish the course i am on at the moment. Do you know if i could get a bursary for the rmp? Alex |
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| Railgunner | 30 Mar 2009, 05:43 AM Post #19 |
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Warrant Officer First Class
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Does anyone know if i can do GCSE's while i'm serving? I had the thought i could sign up as a tank crewman, do the GCSE, and then switch regiments over to the engineers and do the electrician training. But only if thats possible of course. RG |
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| Mortare | 30 Mar 2009, 12:27 PM Post #20 |
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Lieutenant
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You can do all sorts of qualifications once you are in the forces, GCSEs through to masters and outside the box. As for switching regiments I would ask around first, people tend to be quite protective of you once you join them and it can often be hard, though not impossible, to change once you are in. Leave wise 30 days is pretty standard for UK forces in general, with extra time off after deployments (known as PODL- post operational deployment leave) As for resitting GCSEs, I would phone the relevant exam board and see what they can do. I resat all of my A level maths modules (never tried hard enough the first time round) so that I could join the RAF, and the last 2 had to be done when I had left school. I arranged privately to do the resits and spoke to my old school to let me do them there. If you could arrange with a school near you to do the same for invigilation it may work, or just arrange with a college over here to try the same. |
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and i guess passing everything else apart from chemistry doesnt really make up for it.

8:34 AM Jul 11