Son has decided he wants to join up

Cathk

Hi, this is caths partner not cath posting, i left school after Completing my G.C.S.E's. i joind the navy as an engineering mechanic, i spent the next 5 years doing what all young men should do,travelling the world and seeing things my family and friends could only wish they had. After those initial 5 years i decided to knuckle down, i was then paid in excess of 25k a year to complete my engineering degree, qualified as a nuclear engineer and continued with the great career. i leave the Navy next month after 14 years, the reason you ask? so i can spend quality time with my children. whilst the rest of the country is ina depression i am recived anything up to 5 phone calls a day asking me to go for interviews. ive taken a job paying in excess of 50k a year. so my advice is let your children join up, but help them chose the right service and branch of it, dont let them be press ganged into joining a branch that is short on manpower on the promise that it will get you in sooner, because if your educationally qualified you will get int eventually. it may also give you that all important time to decide its not for you and that the new girlfriend/car/job etc is better than the forces.
in short let them go for it,the benifits are vast and the life is great.

miamoo

He has taken the Barb test and scored 52 hopefully his exam reults will be good enough now to join the REME or the Royal Engineers

helsee

things seem to be going along nicely miamoo, are you happy with the idea of him joining up now?

next step i guess will be selection then hopefully basic training! If he's going for REME he'll end up here in Bordon, its chock full at the moment though so im not sure if he'll have a bit of a wait maybe?

good luck and all the best to you and your son!

Ivrytwr3

I did 4 years with the Army, 17 - 21. At 16 i had no idea what i wanted to do and just found myself in the careers office! So i don't think because he hasn't shown an interest previously will hold him back.

Now...the Army. Don't get me wrong, it gave me discipline, the know how on how to look after myself, cooking, cleaning, ironing etc....But it has given me no decent transferable skills and unless you go in as an officer, you start as a a basic soldier who really is a "do as you're told and don't ask questions".

So, after 4 years, i left the Army and joined the RAF (17 years done now!)

So, (my personal opinion) this is the difference between the 2 services:

Army: Here is a problem and this is how you are going to sort it.

RAF: Here is a problem. How do you think we can sort it?

If your son has a decent education, push him towards the RAF, or if he is definately up for the Army, try to push him towards officer, or at the very least towards a trade that will benefit him when he eventually leaves (it's so easy to be blinkered to the immediate future and not look at long term).

adouglasmhor

Ivrytwr3 wrote: »

I did 4 years with the Army, 17 - 21. At 16 i had no idea what i wanted to do and just found myself in the careers office! So i don't think because he hasn't shown an interest previously will hold him back.

Now...the Army. Don't get me wrong, it gave me discipline, the know how on how to look after myself, cooking, cleaning, ironing etc....But it has given me no decent transferable skills and unless you go in as an officer, you start as a a basic soldier who really is a "do as you're told and don't ask questions".

So, after 4 years, i left the Army and joined the RAF (17 years done now!)

So, (my personal opinion) this is the difference between the 2 services:

Army: Here is a problem and this is how you are going to sort it.

RAF: Here is a problem. How do you think we can sort it?

If your son has a decent education, push him towards the RAF, or if he is definately up for the Army, try to push him towards officer, or at the very least towards a trade that will benefit him when he eventually leaves (it's so easy to be blinkered to the immediate future and not look at long term).

What was your job in the Army? My experience in the Royal Signals seems to mirror yours in the RAF. Perhaps you were in the wrong place in the Army for your ability, there are as many different jobs in the Army as in the RAF and the culture can vary widely from Regiment to Corps across the board.

Bryando

I was in the Army. Wanted either the RMP or RAVC. I took my BARB got the result I required and had the qualifications to go for it.

The RAVC I decided. The interview was tough as their is only limited jobs. I applied thier was 10. Can't remember how many applicants exactly but was in the region of 1000. I got a position and was so glad one of the best days in my life so far.

Done my basic training which was hard, however you soon gel and before you know it made life time friends. Whilst in Basic (Phase 1) you can change your trade/job. As a few of my friends decided to revert from the Medics to say RMP etc etc.

The only thing that is crap, is the pay in my opinion. That did drag me down greatly.

My advice would be to ignore the leaflets they present to you in the office. My family advised this and my interview panel agreed with me. If you get a good BARB score then sit down and take time to decide what to do. Also waiting to go in and you happen to be getting your fitness up prior be safe. As I had injured myself and was put back for 6 months before I got into the Army.

The Army is was you make it. You don't know til you join if it was you want! During Phase 1 you can discharge yourself as right. However there is a few weeks you have to wait before making this application. So even when you've took the Oath to the Queen! signed on the line there is still time to make sure this is what you want. However bear in mind basic training aint the army! I had to get this into my head quickly

Ivrytwr3

adouglasmhor wrote: »

What was your job in the Army? My experience in the Royal Signals seems to mirror yours in the RAF. Perhaps you were in the wrong place in the Army for your ability, there are as many different jobs in the Army as in the RAF and the culture can vary widely from Regiment to Corps across the board.

6 month basic training with Light Infantry - sick of living in a hole in the ground, so transferred to Royal Corps of Transport for remainder of time.

Across both cap badges i found the mentality the same as a private - do as you're told and don't think.

Hence why i suggested going for comission, or at least a trade ie signals, reme etc.

adouglasmhor

I did trade in Signals so I can't disagree with you. Grunts and Trogs I can't speak for.

Bryando

Commission. That not for silver spoon in the mouth? That the impression I got from joining and serving and from a pal who went for a commission.

adouglasmhor

Bryando wrote: »

Commission. That not for silver spoon in the mouth? That the impression I got from joining and serving and from a pal who went for a commission.

If you join a county regiment or the guards or old cavalry yes, otherwise no, but I met a bloody good Greenjackets officer who was brought up on a council estate in a one parent family.