Career in the Forces? (IT Related)

One week to go!

Zefan - any chance of a quick insight to Cosford, apart from the usual, I'm still kind of walking into that part of it blind.

Good luck to everyone else applying. By this rate we will be able to have a full scale OcUK RAF meet! :)
 
touge said:
Today I finished my interview, medical and fitness test :D The sgt said it will all be sent off to the MOD, how likely is it that I will be accepted now?
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I, without being to optimstic, would say you are accepted they wouldn't waste their time putting you through a med and fitness test if they didn't want you now!

:D
 
Begbie said:
Zefan - any chance of a quick insight to Cosford, apart from the usual, I'm still kind of walking into that part of it blind.
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4 man rooms, far more bedspace though and better facilities. Start work at 0830, although assemble as a whole school outside at 0755. Normally finish just before 1700, then dinner and quick kit prep, normally leaving a big stack of free time. I expect this to change when we start getting assignments though!

The first 10 weeks are a bit like basic, in the way that there's a locker inspectio and a parade as a whole school once a week. After that the locker inspections will be either fortnightly or even monthly depending on your block NCOs, and you are allowed to leave toys out. By toys I mean TVs, PCs, posters etc. You're also allowed your own bedding, until then you'll be using service bedding, but it's duvet + sheets instead of the nasty stuff they give you at Halton. Trainees have to march everywhere when going about the site, and the food is way better.

Basically it's still not quite an easy ride, but compared to Halton it's a holiday camp.

Halton is tough, I must say I slightly underestimated how it'd affect me. Nothing really came as a suprise as I did a lot of research and have heard abut what it's like, but there are some real lows... CBRN week (week 5) is the worst by a long way. It's all good fun though really deep down.

:Edit: Oh and the best thing about Cosford is that it actually seems like a real base. Might sound stupid but that's the easiest way to describe it. Halton is so very soulless, Cosford actually feels like it has life!
 
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I got that feeling at Halton during PRTC aswell, hopefully the 9 weeks at Halton go in quick. No where near as fit as I should be and I know I am going to suffer because of it.

How many weeks have you been at Cosford now?

Thats suprised me a bit, didn't think you would be allowed pcs etc at Cosford. Assuming you also get more space for keeping your stuff in then. Or is it the same metal lockers as Halton?

What is it your acctually doing there, is it classes 9-5 or mixed in between drill and other 'basic' activities?

What about weekends, do you get them all off or do you work some?
 
If you have a laptop then take it to Halton, you can keep it in your personal items locker. Always handy for listening to music whilst ironing and also locking yourself in the toilet with to watch p0rn ;)
 
Captain Planet said:
If you have a laptop then take it to Halton, you can keep it in your personal items locker. Always handy for listening to music whilst ironing and also locking yourself in the toilet with to watch p0rn ;)
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Already been warned by the Copral not to! Altough my phone should do just fine for the odd tune etc when/if I get the chance.
 
Zefan said:
4 man rooms, far more bedspace though and better facilities. Start work at 0830, although assemble as a whole school outside at 0755. Normally finish just before 1700, then dinner and quick kit prep, normally leaving a big stack of free time. I expect this to change when we start getting assignments though!

The first 10 weeks are a bit like basic, in the way that there's a locker inspectio and a parade as a whole school once a week. After that the locker inspections will be either fortnightly or even monthly depending on your block NCOs, and you are allowed to leave toys out. By toys I mean TVs, PCs, posters etc. You're also allowed your own bedding, until then you'll be using service bedding, but it's duvet + sheets instead of the nasty stuff they give you at Halton. Trainees have to march everywhere when going about the site, and the food is way better.

Basically it's still not quite an easy ride, but compared to Halton it's a holiday camp.

Halton is tough, I must say I slightly underestimated how it'd affect me. Nothing really came as a suprise as I did a lot of research and have heard abut what it's like, but there are some real lows... CBRN week (week 5) is the worst by a long way. It's all good fun though really deep down.

:Edit: Oh and the best thing about Cosford is that it actually seems like a real base. Might sound stupid but that's the easiest way to describe it. Halton is so very soulless, Cosford actually feels like it has life!
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Pretty much summed up my life at cosford, you just missed a few things.

1) COSFORD WILL BE SOME OF THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR RAF LIFE IF YOU USE THE ******* TRAIN STATION THAT IS OUTSIDE THE GATES AND GOES STRAIGHT TO BIRMINGHAM

2) AHem.... anyway, yes the first 10weeks have more inspections, however these 'inspections' are nothing like the ones at halton, after the 10 weeks its bascially an inspection to make sure you didn't turn up to work in a tracky bottoms and a hoody :eek:

3) You will ge a lot of free time on a night, once you have finished your kit/homework (this willb e arond 6-6:30ish) please go out and about, do something, it is onlt now, 8months after i left cosford that i realised how much of it i wasted just laid on my bed watching DVD's.

4) Enjoy it :)
 
Begbie said:
Already been warned by the Copral not to! Altough my phone should do just fine for the odd tune etc when/if I get the chance.
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Thats bull mate, loads of people had laptops on my intake, some guy had some mahoosive speakers plugged into them, gave us all something to listen to (and sing obviously) as we did our block jobs *remembers polishing stairs...*shudder**

However, if you are unsure, wait until your first weekend off to go and collect the laptop, it gives you the first 2weeks to settle in.

I went crazy at halton, i lost all track of time and got messed up :(

The first 2 weeks nearly killed me(well no), i thought i had been at halton for at least 6 months... but alas....it was only day 2 when i had these thoughs :eek:

Just prepare for the lack of sleep, remember when its about 3am, and your eyes are stinging like mad so you go to bed? Thats pretty much how it feels when you wake up lol!


edit: i hear you guys dont even have to sew labels in anymore... WTF!!! i used to stay up for hours and hours trying to sew them bloomin things in :(
 
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Andr3w said:
Pretty much summed up my life at cosford, you just missed a few things.

1) COSFORD WILL BE SOME OF THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR RAF LIFE IF YOU USE THE ******* TRAIN STATION THAT IS OUTSIDE THE GATES AND GOES STRAIGHT TO BIRMINGHAM

2) AHem.... anyway, yes the first 10weeks have more inspections, however these 'inspections' are nothing like the ones at halton, after the 10 weeks its bascially an inspection to make sure you didn't turn up to work in a tracky bottoms and a hoody :eek:

3) You will ge a lot of free time on a night, once you have finished your kit/homework (this willb e arond 6-6:30ish) please go out and about, do something, it is onlt now, 8months after i left cosford that i realised how much of it i wasted just laid on my bed watching DVD's.

4) Enjoy it :)
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Sounds awesome, really can't wait to get to Cosford. Really not looking forward to these 9 weeks though, but its only 9 weeks. Can't be that hard..........right? ;)

Think I'll just leave it, am sure someone else will have speakers with them. Got to get the plane down so not got much space to keep stuff. Doubt I will be going home during the 9 weeks either as its some trek to get back up and will be more time traveling than anything else.

Did any of you stay at the weekends during the Halton, what did you do? Just chill and relax?
 
Thought of some more advice, when i was having problems my cpl took me to the side and bascially said... manage your time.

And he was right, after the evening brief when you go up to your room DO NOT dick around for 1/2hour-1hour, get on and do your kit. Don't ring home everynight, if/when you ring home make sure you have done your block jobs/kit first. You will be a lot happier knowing you don't have to do them.

Oh and get running, when you first go for a run you will do 1.5 miles (and then more once they put you in groups)(at least we did) DO NOT get to the front of the group, otherwise you will be put in group 1, and they run very fast,and very far lol. I was put in group 2 and tht was hard enough!

And remember, if Zefan, myself... and many many (more than you think) others on here can do it, you can too mate.

Enjoy :)
 
I'm a bit worried about my fitness for Halton(if I get there) because on my PJFT I only managed it in about 12 mins :o But it was a pass.

Any tips for getting that way down? Should I go for runs which are much longer than 1.5 miles?
 
Hedge said:
Well ill be having my medical done at 9.30 on tuesday.

I feel like absolute crap though, got the flu. So i may have to delay my fitness test :(
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I had the cold when I done mine and pains in my legs - be a man!!! :p

Shouldn't be any reason you will fail your medical.
 
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