**British Armed Forces Discussion Thread**

peetee said:
Rule of thumb for navy is you're not aloud anything thats visible in your no1s, assume its similar for army, so aslong as its not visible with long sleeves it should be ok.
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Thanks, I'll ask someone at the recruitment place anyway but just wanted a rough idea.
 
its hard to find someone in the army that dosnt have visible tattoos in working dress, they make a big fuss about it during the recruiting phase, but as long as its not something offensive and isnt somewhere like your face/neck/hands, it shouldnt limit your application as long as you are up front about it on your apps/med forums or where ever it is they ask about it.
 
You should be fine, they will tell you in the afco.

Oh and hurry and wait :) your best off starting your application now because your in for a long process of waiting, running, waiting, running, thinking its never going to happen, running and waiting

... yes I am waiting :)
 
Quick enquiry before contacting an AFCO.

If you already have an engineering based trade with qualifications ( HNC/D ) and were looking into joining the RAF in a technical role - lets say avionics tech for example - do you have to start all over again with the NVQ / apprenticeship jargon and only earn 17K after a year or can you join further up the rank / pay scale ?



Any other RAF / general armed forces forums ? - Ive found e-goat ( doesnt paint a pretty picture ) but fairly sure there was another one when looking last year.
 
ScottehBotteh said:
Quick enquiry before contacting an AFCO.

If you already have an engineering based trade with qualifications ( HNC/D ) and were looking into joining the RAF in a technical role - lets say avionics tech for example - do you have to start all over again with the NVQ / apprenticeship jargon and only earn 17K after a year or can you join further up the rank / pay scale ?



Any other RAF / general armed forces forums ? - Ive found e-goat ( doesnt paint a pretty picture ) but fairly sure there was another one when looking last year.
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Yup, unless you apply for a commission then you'll be starting at the bottom with 17k :)
 
Captain Planet said:
Yup, unless you apply for a commission then you'll be starting at the bottom with 17k :)
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I can vouch for this, I had extra qualifications with me as I applied for Avionics Technician but they didn't put me ahead of the guys who where joining with only GCSE's, or even no GCSE's as the RAF where taking a lot of people on a year ago so lowered the entrance requirements considerably. :(

Another forum you could use is The Student Room, they have a good armed forces section.
 
Big month as of tomorrow...

The magical April has arrived, the month my recruiter has been talking about since last summer...

Will i finally get a start date this April.... Not getting my hopes up :)
 
i'm 20 weeks through at lympstone commando now.

On the ranges so far (only had 2 weeks) one of the corporals on the ranges showed us his acog and foregrip, looked awesome through the acog and certainly far better then the susat :D, lazer dot>a nib for accuracy.

Don't think be standard issue for infantry in (basic) training for ageees though.

hardest part thus far is exersise by far, lack of sleep/food, freezing all the time and 20+hours of concentrating a day.
 
cheers, however long way of finishing yet, the endurance course looks pretty horrible not looking forward to that. what are you joining as?

applied at feb 2009, got in november 2009, however could have got in as early as late augest and defiantly for a september start date just wanted the novemeber one. so was about 7-8 month wait for people.
 
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first 9 weeks is horrific in the gym after that was orite :D

lots of crawling around in mud and rope climbing. the 45 minute single periods arent to bad as you know they can only beast you so much in that time, but the double periods are pretty tough as you don't know what they are going to do to you. Lot of people enjoy it though, i certainly don't (at least at the time).

Got a freind in/joining reme at the moment, passed out of phase 1 and has 4 months or so just waiting for phase 2 doing absoloutely nothing lol.
 
Yeh, know a lad who started phase 1 Bassingbourn the other week, his facebook states it's not going well, this is week 2 I think, major beastings apparently.

I just want to get as fit as possible for basic training, I know it will be tough but would like to make it a little easier on myself.

In the future hopefully do the the Commando course as part of the Commando Engineers in the RE... but obviously ifs and buts, got to get in and pass the initial training yet :)
 
Got some positive info yesterday from my recruiter.

Hopefully I'll be in the October intakes this year....

Fingers crossed, I'll find out within the next month if I will get allocated then, If I do get a starting date in October that will be 15month from starting my application to starting basic training.. and that is only the beginning ha..

Massive wait
 
lemonkettaz said:
Yeh, know a lad who started phase 1 Bassingbourn the other week, his facebook states it's not going well, this is week 2 I think, major beastings apparently.
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Basically means he's gone there in less than great physical condition. The guys in basic who said we were getting beastings all the times where the ones who struggled in phys in general. Can get a bit of a beasting later on in the course mind you lol.

But good luck with the October intake :D.

Tbh, 15 months is probably about average for recruitment at the moment. I was waiting over 2 years to get in lol.
 
2years, Why did it take that long? What do you do in the Army?

Anyone else in application process?

Last day of April today/tomorrow, no start date..... for 6month I've been told I'd have a start date come April. Definitely feels more of a pipe dream at the minute. Hoping I hear something in May at least now like
 
Heres my army timeline lets say for anyone interested:

Go into training 16 May 2010 as a REME Armourer

Application - 6th feb '09
BARB : 17th feb : passed - 83
Medical : passed
Interview 3 : passed 14th May
ADSC : 9th July B grade
Start Training 16th May 2010 - ATR Bassingbourn
 
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