Joining the Army as an Officer?

[aproctor]

I have been looking at different careers and being an Officer in the forces does seem very appealing, one thing i am not sure about is how hard it is to get in.

I meet all the criteria and would meet the minimum physical demands but how many people actually make it to Sandhurst (and then pass out).

Obviously the experience of others would be a great help and plan on going to my local office to discuss it further.

Ta

Andy

 

[mike gunnz]

I'd say theres a vacancy going in the Army for the position of Major, given that muppet who informed 22 warrant officers currently serving in Afghanistan via email that they were sacked today.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/listen_again/newsid_9397000/9397759.stm

 

[Freefaller]

He'd have to work up the ranks - you can't just slot in at a medium/senior rank!

A few of my friends are officers in the Army and whilst it's basically just like being a manager in civy street there are it's own aspects which are quite fun and exciting. Slightly gutted I didn't give it a go.

 

[Rotty]

. Slightly gutted I didn't give it a go.

obvious joke would be far too obvious

 

[Greenlizard0]

You can sort of actually, or at least be fast tracked to certain ranks. Doctors who join it for example after graduation very quickly become captains.

Depending on how their career outside of it go you can also assume any consultants are majors.

 

[Hatter The Mad]

He'd have to work up the ranks - you can't just slot in at a medium/senior rank!

A few of my friends are officers in the Army and whilst it's basically just like being a manager in civy street there are it's own aspects which are quite fun and exciting. Slightly gutted I didn't give it a go.

I thought people who go to Sandhurst leave an Officer (and you only need basic A-levels to get in, too)

 

[Rotty]

can't imagine they are recruiting at the moment

 

[Pate]

can't imagine they are recruiting at the moment

I thought they would be considering of the pay cuts and what not they have made?

Probably wrong though haha

 

[Castiel]

I thought people who go to Sandhurst leave an Officer (and you only need basic A-levels to get in, too)

You do graduate an officer, just not a medium/high ranking one.

I can't really give advice on this one as I worked up the ranks, and besides the marines train officers differently.

 

[mike gunnz]

He'd have to work up the ranks - you can't just slot in at a medium/senior rank!

I had no idea, thanks for that!

No wonder I haven't seen any vacancies for the position of Field Marshal in the Guardian jobs section lately.

 

[Spook187]

what wrong with starting as a private,i have never understood people going straight up the ranks(this goes for all jobs) just because they have a degree or come from a wealthy upbringing gives them a higher ranking straight away.

 

[Pate]

what wrong with starting as a private,the ive never understood people going straight up the ranks just because they have a degree or come from a wealthy upbringing gives them a higher ranking straight away.

You don't need a degree, A-Level suffices so it's open to anyone with half a brain.

And from the very limited knowledge I have, the difference between private and a officer is a completely different job. You wouldn't join a job just to get another job if you could get there straight away.

Just my understanding of it.

 

[Greenlizard0]

what wrong with starting as a private,i have never understood people going straight up the ranks(this goes for all jobs) just because they have a degree or come from a wealthy upbringing gives them a higher ranking straight away.

Very few people get high ranks because of their wealth, perhaps royalty do but then don't they sort of 'own' or at least are historically tied to the military?

The doctors thing is also historically tied. In times gone by in order to have ridden on a horse you needed the rank of captain. For obvious reasons it's advantages to have a medic on horse back.

It's one of those things that has just stuck.

 

[Energize]

what wrong with starting as a private,i have never understood people going straight up the ranks(this goes for all jobs) just because they have a degree or come from a wealthy upbringing gives them a higher ranking straight away.

An officer and a soldier are two completely different career paths, it's like comparing a software developer to a network engineer.

 

[megakid]

My best mate is passing out in April this year and has been at Sandhurst since Easter last year. He has graduated from a mid-tier university with a good degree. It was a fairly tough (physically) entry exam, he trained at home pretty hard but did pass it with top marks.

I don't know a great deal about it but he loves his weekends away from "Sanditz" as he has named it and dreads going back afterwards, sounds like a total nightmare in terms of discipline and being told what to do. He's done a fair few weekends away and has just come back from a 2 week exercise in the woods somewhere. You get to choose 3 sports that you want to take up (including Polo ) and they try to facilitate those choices. About half way though the course you get a selection day where all the different 'departments' (forgot the military term) come to Sandhurst and advertise their role - bit like picking a graduate job/internship at university - then you have to choose which one you want to go into (some are more in demand than others - my mate picked, and got into, the artillery division). Apparently during this, the Army Air Corp. landed an Apache helicopter on the parade square and a couple of guys got out with their wallpaper table/setup all casual like - I think my friend said they get the most applications (for obvious reasons).

I've just brain dumped everything I can remember that he's told me... sorry if it doesn't all make sense

 

[Sonea Fifer]

can't imagine they are recruiting at the moment

I would have thought the same as well given the current financial circumstances this country is in. However, I've heard recruitment adverts for regular and territorial army on our local radio within the last two days!

 

[aproctor]

snip

Thanks for that.

As hard as they say but i think it is worth a shot and at least you get paid during training.

 

[Myshra]

My sister graduated from Sandhurst recently into REME. There are 3 intakes a year and you have to pass several stages during this time. It's possible to be back-termed if you fail a module (for example my sister failed one module, timed run, by 4 seconds and was back-termed). Injuries are common during OCT and you will be backtermed for larger ones. Megakid was right about selection except that selection is done on performance iirc. E.G. if you're the top of the list (you're ranked constantly by your colour sergent) you get first pick. I think they also have to want you too but not 100% on that.

I've been to Sandhurst a few times as they like to get your family involved and you get to see the facilities etc... They try to break you in the first few weeks by living like its the 1940s from what I saw before you move accommodation. Food & board is hilariously cheap and you get paid well while training assuming you get in. I hope you like curry because the gurkha wives are the cooks there and it seems like their best dish

If you want to get in I think a fair few of recruits start in the ACF ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Cadet_Force ).

 

[Freefaller]

You can sort of actually, or at least be fast tracked to certain ranks. Doctors who join it for example after graduation very quickly become captains.

Depending on how their career outside of it go you can also assume any consultants are majors.

Good point - yes, specialists do often get given a medium senior rank - however that's the exception that makes the rule I believe.

I thought people who go to Sandhurst leave an Officer (and you only need basic A-levels to get in, too)

They do. 2nd lieutenant then move onto lieutenant - they have to do exams in between ranks, a friend of mine recently passed his captain's exam. The "junior" ranks are up to Major, with major being the senior of "junior" ranks if you see what I mean - major is the bridge or stepping stone, between the senior management and middle management. Brigadier is the link between the directors and the senior management for example, with major general being the "junior" senior management. Though interestingly lieutenant general is a more senior rank!

It potentially can take a lifetime to get up to a decent rank. My ex girlfriend's father was a Colonel (pretty senior) having been in the army since leaving university - so 25 years or so. He quit when he wasn't offered the Brigadier position.

what wrong with starting as a private,i have never understood people going straight up the ranks(this goes for all jobs) just because they have a degree or come from a wealthy upbringing gives them a higher ranking straight away.

2 different career paths. Nothing wrong with NCOs. They are vital to any armed force. However, every employee needs a boss / management which is effectively what the officers do.

Becoming commissioned from the an NCO rank is absolutely plausible, and has happened often. However there's been an agreement (not sure if it still exists) that the maximum rank attainable is Major for someone working their way up.

Besides WO (warrant officers) are the linchpins for any squadron/regiment - so don't underestimate the non commissioned ranks.

It's just like any organisations, you will always need a hierarchy.

 

[a1ex2001]

I would have thought the same as well given the current financial circumstances this country is in. However, I've heard recruitment adverts for regular and territorial army on our local radio within the last two days!

The forces ar recruiting, this is being done because last time thay had a big drop in strength they stopped recruiting significant numbers for several years which then led to a big gap in manpower in certain ranks and positions a few years down the line. This time they are cutting more serving personal but continuing to recruit to keep the age/experience/skills/length of service ballance of the forces in tact.