advice for 16yr old navy recruit 27 May 2009 at 8:34PM edited 27 May 2009 at 8:44PM in UK armed forces MoneySaving 17 replies 2.3K views

a-class

Hi there this is my first post so please be nice!My 16yr old is about to leave home to go to Raleigh to start his Navy training.Whilst we have read all the infomation given,iwonder if anyone has any inside tips/advice.He is very excited,i however am very proud but slightly anxious! thanks

Sagaris

My nephew also joined at 16 - he's now a qualified chef on board ship. No tips to offer as such, but he said keeping his head down and doing as he was told helped a lot - some of the lads that joined at the same time couldn't handle the discipline and left!
What is your son training to do? My nephew is now in the Far East somewhere and having a whale of a time, going to countries he would never have had the chance to see otherwise.
He was very well looked after in training (and still is!), so try not to worry - easier said than done, I know!

a-class

thanks for your comments he's going into marine engineering.He is hoping to travel and was told he would within this branch.

Sagaris

Oh yes - my nephew has been to America, Canada, and is now on a tour somewhere (Far / Middle East?) and has sent me some fantastic photos from a stay in Dubai!

He will love it I'm sure - and my nephew has really benefitted from his time so far, and is already looking forward to his next tour abroad later in the year.

faye6174

I went through Raleigh 9 years ago and I can honestly say i really enjoyed it!!

Things are MUCH softer now and recruits have a lot more privelidges than we did but the best piece of advice I can offer is to 'play the game'

He may not see the point of something he is asked to do, moreoften than not there is no point, but as a previous poster has said, if he keeps his head down and gets on with it, then he will do well.

He should learn to iron if he can't already, practice folding clothes into A4 size. Don't buy nice new fluffy towels for him to take, they are impossible to fold A4!! I had a couple of old threadbare ones and they folded up lovely!!

Take any opportunity to prepare for the next day and sleep, as training progresses they will be allowed nights out in the camp and whist it may seem like he is not integrating by not attending/leaving early, he will benefit from not having to rush around in the morning having to iron/tired from a late night etc. Again, it's only 8 weeks!!

Learning a bit about the Navy is also a good one, (I struggled and still do with ship recognition) there will be tests.

It is all worth it and it really pays to think, 'this is only 8 weeks of my life' there is no denying that it is hard, mentally and physically, but rise above it!
When he is standing on the parade square on his passing out, it will be the proudest day of his life (and yours!)

Most of all, ENJOY it, don't ever think that training is real Navy life because it just isn't. He will get treated like carp as a trainee and as soon as he passes out attitudes change towards him.

For you, you may hear horror stories, of what he is made to do and how his room got trashed and his stuff got thrown around, this dangerous activity, that freezing cold filthy stream. All i can say is that the safety of the recruits is taken very seriously and as long as he listens and does as he is told, he won't come to any harm. They are looked after.

Now when he joins a stokers mess on ship, well that is another story. Awful creatures!!! :rotfl::eek:

kyh

faye6174 wrote: »

I went through Raleigh 9 years ago and I can honestly say i really enjoyed it!!

Things are MUCH softer now and recruits have a lot more privelidges than we did but the best piece of advice I can offer is to 'play the game'

He may not see the point of something he is asked to do, moreoften than not there is no point, but as a previous poster has said, if he keeps his head down and gets on with it, then he will do well.

He should learn to iron if he can't already, practice folding clothes into A4 size. Don't buy nice new fluffy towels for him to take, they are impossible to fold A4!! I had a couple of old threadbare ones and they folded up lovely!!

Take any opportunity to prepare for the next day and sleep, as training progresses they will be allowed nights out in the camp and whist it may seem like he is not integrating by not attending/leaving early, he will benefit from not having to rush around in the morning having to iron/tired from a late night etc. Again, it's only 8 weeks!!

Learning a bit about the Navy is also a good one, (I struggled and still do with ship recognition) there will be tests.

It is all worth it and it really pays to think, 'this is only 8 weeks of my life' there is no denying that it is hard, mentally and physically, but rise above it!
When he is standing on the parade square on his passing out, it will be the proudest day of his life (and yours!)

Most of all, ENJOY it, don't ever think that training is real Navy life because it just isn't. He will get treated like carp as a trainee and as soon as he passes out attitudes change towards him.

For you, you may hear horror stories, of what he is made to do and how his room got trashed and his stuff got thrown around, this dangerous activity, that freezing cold filthy stream. All i can say is that the safety of the recruits is taken very seriously and as long as he listens and does as he is told, he won't come to any harm. They are looked after.

Now when he joins a stokers mess on ship, well that is another story. Awful creatures!!! :rotfl::eek:

I went through Raleigh 17 years ago and would have said exactly the same as Faye. I am still serving and have enjoyed almost all of my career. I wish him luck in his future career - he has made an excellent choice!

ajmoney

If he finds it tough at any point, which I think we all have tell him to remember one thing, YOU CAN'T STOP THE CLOCK! No matter what is happening it will keep ticking and in no time at all you will be watching him on his pass out day with the band marching them on (I am in the band). Although it may feel like it, 8 weeks doesn't go on forever.

jlager1

He'll love it. It's tough at times but there is a real sense of togetherness and if he can keep smiling when cold, wet and tired he'll be okay. You'll notice a huge difference in him when he comes back (more mature and confident) and as an ET(ME) he'll get to see the world in no time. The one thing you can re-assure him with is that life at HMS Raleigh is nothing like life in the Royal Navy when he's done his Initial Training - No Kit Musters, no getting bellowed at 24/7 .....and as many duffs as he can manage !!!

a-class

thank you to everyone that has posted.He is now desperate to go but the nerves are kicking in!He's not going in completely blind he was an army cadet for 4yrs and did a week away with the navy at the beginning of the year.Unfortunatley things are hectic at home at present(family illness),but at least this gives us all something else to think about.One silly question on his kit list it says 4 plastic trouser hangers-does anyone know if these are ordinary hangers or the 'clippy' ones?also! do you think he needs an ironing board? thanks

faye6174

He won't need his own ironing board in training, there will be nowhere to store it and there are 'ironing rooms' at Raleigh.

As for hangers, i assume it is the normal ones which can hang a shirt/jacket and trousers underneath(like a triangle shape) or send both, he can always ditch them if they are not needed.

Holes_in_my_pocket

I joined in 1977 and did 9 years wish i stayed in longer now when your young 22yrs seems a life time but is not .

I did learn a cure for sea sickness which he may find handy ,

Sit under a tree


Paul