Career In The Army part 2 (Hopefully)

[Col_M]

My bro joined the Signals as an officer a handful of years ago, he loves it and will be a captain soon. My uncle was a Colonel also in the Signals. It's always a good corps to join what with communications being so important now and should give you something useful when you finally leave.
Good luck though

 

[Darg]

Going in the Royal Corps of Signals as a Systems engineering Technician. Big geek basically lol.

My grandad was in the Royal Corps of Signals back in WW2. He started in Africa basically driving lieutenants around the place. He got lost for 5 days in the desert with two other people because the lt couldn't navigate worth a damn. Luckily they came across another patrol just before they ran out of supplies. I wouldn't be here if they hadn't..

He was a motorbike driver in the motorcade that escorted montgomery and churchill around when he visited. In one of the pictures you can actually see him just to the left of them I think.

Eventually they were moved across to Burma and on through China as the war drew to a close. He was there as they liberated a lot of the Japanese POW camps but he never talked about those.

He never really talked a lot about his time there.. in his last year he talked a bit more but I didn't ask him as much about it as I'd have liked to. Sadly he died back in 2001. He was such a happy man even though he'd gone through a lot of hell especially in the far east.

He was always proud of being in the Royal Signal Corps. They might sound like all they do is carry dispatches but when you have to travel 200 miles behind enemy lines through a desert to get those dispatches through it doesn't seem quite so simple.

 

[The Mad Rapper]

My grandad was in the Royal Corps of Signals back in WW2. He started in Africa basically driving lieutenants around the place. He got lost for 5 days in the desert with two other people because the lt couldn't navigate worth a damn. Luckily they came across another patrol just before they ran out of supplies. I wouldn't be here if they hadn't..

He was a motorbike driver in the motorcade that escorted montgomery and churchill around when he visited. In one of the pictures you can actually see him just to the left of them I think.

Eventually they were moved across to Burma and on through China as the war drew to a close. He was there as they liberated a lot of the Japanese POW camps but he never talked about those.

He never really talked a lot about his time there.. in his last year he talked a bit more but I didn't ask him as much about it as I'd have liked to. Sadly he died back in 2001. He was such a happy man even though he'd gone through a lot of hell especially in the far east.

He was always proud of being in the Royal Signal Corps. They might sound like all they do is carry dispatches but when you have to travel 200 miles behind enemy lines through a desert to get those dispatches through it doesn't seem quite so simple.

Thank goodness for sat comms now then, eh?

 

[Dist]

Are there many officers who have first worked their way up through the other ranks? Because as i understand it, once you become a WO, it may be possible to become an officer as a late commision as a captain (or at captains pay, but a lower rank depending on the situation).

Reason i ask is, because i feel that if i apply to be an officer one i finish my degree, its unlikely that i will get accepted (due to my lack of gcses) but if i do, although ill get better pay, i feel i will lack a lot of the hands on experience of the technical stuff. where as if i work my way through the ranks up to WO and then become a late commision officer, i would get hands on experience with the technical stuff, and get managing experience once i become an officer, both of which would be great for civilian jobs.

 

[The_One]

www.arrse.co.uk for all your army questions.

Just remember to take a good sense of humour with you when you sign up

 

[Dist]

http://www.militaryforums.co.uk/ is a great forum too for military related stuff, a fair few real military people visit there. only problem is, it can take a while to get replys.

 

[The_One]

arsse is about 15 times biggeer than militaryforums but as i say take your sense of humour with you

 

[bakes0310]

<Former RMP SIB SGT Mode>

Do not join the Infantry. It can be a good life, but promotion is slow and competition fierce. I recommend that you join a technical trade as that will give you far better career prospects outside the Army, which is really what you must constantly think about. It's only a 22 year job, once you've done your time you'll need to find another career.

I also suggest you save as much of your salary as you can and buy a house as soon as possible. Then rent it out and let someone else pay your mortgage. I really regret not having done that when I was younger, so learn from my mistakes!

Either the Royal Signals, Royal Military Police or the Royal Engineers would be my suggestions.

If you need any advice or help then don't hesitate to get in touch.

</Former RMP SIB SGT Mode>

Ive got my heart set on the guards, but ill defiently take your advice about saving up for a house and renting it out though
What advice would you give me on settling in, cause im sure the first month or so adjusting will be hard.

 

[bakes0310]

Just an update, i went to the army careers office wednesday, and i walked out with an application form
It took me about an hour to fill it all out and check it to make sure it was all correct, and i posteded it on the same day. So hopefully they should have it by monday, and i should be hearig from them soon

 

[Ghosteh]

Just an update, i went to the army careers office wednesday, and i walked out with an application form
It took me about an hour to fill it all out and check it to make sure it was all correct, and i posteded it on the same day. So hopefully they should have it by monday, and i should be hearig from them soon

Cool cool, go to hear dude.

I handed mine in about 2 months ago now?.. Still waiting to hear back lol. Looks like I'll have to get another job between now and when I get in(My work contract ends on the 14th of Sep woot)

 

[Ghosteh]

What advice would you give me on settling in, cause im sure the first month or so adjusting will be hard.

The first few months can be hard if you've not lived away from home before. I found it incredibly difficult, being away from my family, my girlfriend(thank fudge I won't this time around lol).
I surprisingly found going to the church, both during the Sunday sermon, and during the evenings some nights rather helpful, having a chat to the padre(who was awesome). And trust me, before I went in the army, I was a MASSIVE atheist, but there was something about the atmosphere in the church that helped comfort me, as well as lighting candles for the ones I cared for.

Also letters from home were also nice, they make you miss people, but they also make you remember they are there for you always. They are better than phone calls because you can Re-Read them over and over.

Also, lots of phone calls are also good, you should get time to call your family in the evenings etc. Just for the LOVE of god don't take a phone out with you on exercise, unless you want to get yourself and the rest of your troop beasted to hell lol.

 

[bakes0310]

The first few months can be hard if you've not lived away from home before. I found it incredibly difficult, being away from my family, my girlfriend(thank fudge I won't this time around lol).
I surprisingly found going to the church, both during the Sunday sermon, and during the evenings some nights rather helpful, having a chat to the padre(who was awesome). And trust me, before I went in the army, I was a MASSIVE atheist, but there was something about the atmosphere in the church that helped comfort me, as well as lighting candles for the ones I cared for.

Also letters from home were also nice, they make you miss people, but they also make you remember they are there for you always. They are better than phone calls because you can Re-Read them over and over.

Also, lots of phone calls are also good, you should get time to call your family in the evenings etc. Just for the LOVE of god don't take a phone out with you on exercise, unless you want to get yourself and the rest of your troop beasted to hell lol.

Your input is always great to hear from
The army recruiter was like "what regiment do u want to join" i said coldstream guards, he was like wtf

 

[Ghosteh]

Your input is always great to hear from
The army recruiter was like "what regiment do u want to join" i said coldstream guards, he was like wtf

No problem dude hehe.

I hope your recruiter wasn't part of the Grenadier Guards

 

[Xcept1]

The first few months can be hard if you've not lived away from home before. I found it incredibly difficult, being away from my family, my girlfriend(thank fudge I won't this time around lol).
I surprisingly found going to the church, both during the Sunday sermon, and during the evenings some nights rather helpful, having a chat to the padre(who was awesome). And trust me, before I went in the army, I was a MASSIVE atheist, but there was something about the atmosphere in the church that helped comfort me, as well as lighting candles for the ones I cared for.

Also letters from home were also nice, they make you miss people, but they also make you remember they are there for you always. They are better than phone calls because you can Re-Read them over and over.

Also, lots of phone calls are also good, you should get time to call your family in the evenings etc. Just for the LOVE of god don't take a phone out with you on exercise, unless you want to get yourself and the rest of your troop beasted to hell lol.

Haha I cant agree with you more! Receiving letters from friends and family when I was in basic helped me no end. I took my phone on ex. Final Fling, got caught and my excuse was I was checking the times for STAG! For that I was crawling around the track-plan at 3am in the pouring rain. At the time you wonder just why the hell you doing this to yourself but trust me, pass-off parade is the best feeling ever and once you get to your phase 2 training its a totally different experience. Dont wish your basic training would end, its always fun to look back on it

 

[bakes0310]

No problem dude hehe.

I hope your recruiter wasn't part of the Grenadier Guards

bite your tongue
Nah he was with the the rifles.

 

[Ghosteh]

I took my phone on ex. Final Fling, got caught and my excuse was I was checking the times for STAG! For that I was crawling around the track-plan at 3am in the pouring rain.

lol, aren't you meant to be kicked when its your turn for stag?

Some dude brought his phone on one of the early night ex's only a 2 nighter thing, but he was caught. Cue the entire troop leopard crawling up and down a stoned muddy path, with 1 foot deep stagnant water/mud, during a light shower for a good 40 mins. Look back on it now, Christ it was a laugh lol

At the time you wonder just why the hell you doing this to yourself but trust me, pass-off parade is the best feeling ever and once you get to your phase 2 training its a totally different experience. Dont wish your basic training would end, its always fun to look back on it

I've not got that far myself, got MD'd during basic waiting on my reapplication at the moment. But i remember turning up to my troops pass-off parade and it was an excellent experience. The training staff even seemed human! haha

 

[Xcept1]

I was on stag at the time when our Sgt totally stealthed me and caught me txting my friend

We had the old leopard crawling through mud/clay a couple mornings. One night we got bumped, tabbed out and in the morning we had left loads of tent pegs etc at our old harbour area and other time someone forgot to go on patrol without their respirator

Fun times!

 

[bakes0310]

Little update, just this moment came back from holiday down East Fleet, to find a letter from the army. Its my medical forms i got to fill out this does seem to be happening quite fast so, after a nice session on Bioshock im gonna sit down and fill it out and post it off

 

[meghatronic]

Little update, just this moment came back from holiday down East Fleet, to find a letter from the army. Its my medical forms i got to fill out this does seem to be happening quite fast so, after a nice session on Bioshock im gonna sit down and fill it out and post it off

What type of questions do they ask you on your medical?

 

[Ghosteh]

What type of questions do they ask you on your medical?

They ask you for history of any disease in your family, heart conditions etc. When you have been off work, any surgery you have had, medication you've been on. Its a two part thing, you fill in the 1st half, then the rest you take to your GP were they ask for a lot more detailed information about your medical history. I had a special note on my talking about the problem I had with my hip joint that caused me to be discharged in the first place.

Also, if you wear glasses, there is a 2 page questionnaire which you have to take to your opticians.