Career Change: Joining the RAF

-westy- said:
A question for the RAF guys...did you always want to be in the RAF, or was it something that you discovered you wanted to do later in life?

Also, I'm looking at joining as a graduate, hopefully an Officer...do the guys who join as officers generally have a harder time than the guys who join as recruits, or can't you really compare the 2?
Click to expand...

I wanted to be a pilot when I was a young teenager, but when I discovered girls and booze that went out the window :p

Later when I was at uni I realised I have a motivation problem and I was struggling with uni life. It was far too easy for me to sit around on here all day, I wasn't putting the effort in. I saw a few Afghanistan documentaries and then by chance found some old pictures of my parents at a Mess do when my Dad was in and that was it, I wanted in.

As for Officers having a hard time, there's always going to be discipline when going through training, however eventually you get treated a hell of a lot better as an Officer. Of course this comes with vastly increased responsibility, so if you **** up you are generally more liable to be in the ****, but I guess this depends on the job. I'm pretty certain during basic training you get your own room, whereas standard peasant recruits like me were in 14 man rooms for 9 weeks and then 4 man rooms for 12 months.

In a way they are completely different jobs, so you can't directly compare them no.
 
mrbell1984 said:
Seeing this thread @ 26 is making me have a think!
Click to expand...

Good age to be having a think about it. Mid twenties is your prime.

I was all lined up for a career in the RAF, spent 4 years or so in the Cadets with loads of time on bases, loads of airtime in single engines and gliders, work placements with the regiment, firecrews and spanner monkeys and a BTEC Electronic Engineering. Didn't quite get round to it and stayed in civvy street.
 
mrbell1984 said:
Where I work is very tedious now and people are demanding too much and complaining. Thinking of a big change.
Click to expand...

I can't speak directly of the life, better placed people in this thread to discuss it - but from what I saw it was good. Lot of good blokes there. Pilots that I came across were mostly toffs and up themselves, but loads of good lads working hard to keep the whole thing running.

I would have gone in if my civvy career hadn't gone so well.
 
I served in the RAF for 10 years & had a great time. Was lucky with postings & detachments & managed to travel quite extensively - 4 months in Vegas? Oh, go on then if I have to :D 3 yr tour working deci hours in Germany was so so hard :p & I'd rather not talk about the various sunshine trips that involved way too much enjoyment :cool:

Great mates for life, good training & an 'acceptable' level of bull**** in comparison to the other forces. Pay was crap, but when treated as a whole it was liveable.

Do it!
 
This isnt directly transferable to the OP but it is slightly relevant.

My best mate graduated with an honours degree in software development but because he was crap at interviews he couldnt get a job that used his qualifications. He set himself a deadline to get a decent job and when that passed he joined the army. He was in his mid 20s and it was a pretty radical step.

Because of the issue with interviews he refused to try to go in as an officer and joined up with all the usual 17 year olds straight out of school. After a difficult start with the basic training he was fast-tracked into an IT role because of his degree and 7 years later he is doing very well.

He is absolutely happy and really glad he did it. He is now basically doing a job he enjoys within the forces environment. At the time people told him he was mad to do it but its paid off for him.
 
placeholder said:
....... After a difficult start with the basic training he was fast-tracked into an IT role because of his degree and 7 years later he is doing very well.

He is absolutely happy and really glad he did it. He is now basically doing a job he enjoys within the forces environment. At the time people told him he was mad to do it but its paid off for him.
Click to expand...

Is your pal in the Royal Signals, do you know what trade he is? CS Eng by any chance?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom