Joining the Army as an Officer?

I wish I'd followed on and gone to Sandhurst.

Curse you long term girlfriend *shakes fist*
 
EVH said:
I wish I'd followed on and gone to Sandhurst.

Curse you long term girlfriend *shakes fist*
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This. Got my 6th Form Scholarship but now Sandhurst doesn't seem so appealing. Will wait till I finish my degree to pass judgement, depends what the job market is like when I graduate. From the various fam visits I've done Sandhurst seems like the most beastly year of your life. I remember one of the new officers on my REME fam saying that every time she is in a vehicle and not driving she fell asleep really quickly as thats the only time you get any real sleep in first and second term, you should have seen her jump awake as soon as the engine stopped as well, crazy. Even if you are physically fit enough the RCB (or is it AOSB now?) will strip you of your dignity during the planning exercise and command tasks. Then when you finally make it to Sandhurst they treat you like poo for the first term to weed out the useless ones. Think mixture of a really harsh gym session a day followed my lectures on military history and tactics finished off with an evening of sentry duty sitting in a cold wet hole in the ground (some mental people might actually enjoy this).

I'm not trying to put you off just what I've seen and heard during my selection process. Chances are I'll be going to Sandhurst after uni just so I don't have to pay back all the money they gave me for school and uni. REME or RLC for me.
 
gropingmantis said:
This. Got my 6th Form Scholarship but now Sandhurst doesn't seem so appealing. Will wait till I finish my degree to pass judgement, depends what the job market is like when I graduate. From the various fam visits I've done Sandhurst seems like the most beastly year of your life. I remember one of the new officers on my REME fam saying that every time she is in a vehicle and not driving she fell asleep really quickly as thats the only time you get any real sleep in first and second term, you should have seen her jump awake as soon as the engine stopped as well, crazy. Even if you are physically fit enough the RCB (or is it AOSB now?) will strip you of your dignity during the planning exercise and command tasks. Then when you finally make it to Sandhurst they treat you like poo for the first term to weed out the useless ones. Think mixture of a really harsh gym session a day followed my lectures on military history and tactics finished off with an evening of sentry duty sitting in a cold wet hole in the ground (some mental people might actually enjoy this).

I'm not trying to put you off just what I've seen and heard during my selection process. Chances are I'll be going to Sandhurst after uni just so I don't have to pay back all the money they gave me for school and uni. REME or RLC for me.
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Certainly sounds tough. Not sure I would have the skills to go through with it.

Not to mention that I don't want to get crippled/killed in some foreign godforsaken desert. :p
 
Freefaller said:
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.
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He won't have to work up the ranks... though some people do join as soldiers and then commission later most officers join as officer cadets, complete a 1 year course at Sandhurst and become 2nd Lts.

Also depends what you mean by a medium/senior rank but you almost can actually - professionally qualified officers joining in their relevant professional roles complete a 4 week vicars and tarts course at Sandhurst and are made instant Captains - they then carry on doing their professional roles as they would as civilians.

Incidentally there are slots in the TA for computer geeks to be commissioned as Captains if you've got relevant IA quals/experience.
 
My father retired at Brigadier at 55, Signals Regt., but is earning a lot more in commercial defence sector. I think it's a great career really. Even if you don't warn megabucks to start with, it's rewarding and the skills you learn can be lucrative in the private sector.
 
dowie said:
He won't have to work up the ranks... though some people do join as soldiers and then commission later most officers join as officer cadets, complete a 1 year course at Sandhurst and become 2nd Lts.

Also depends what you mean by a medium/senior rank but you almost can actually - professionally qualified officers joining in their relevant professional roles complete a 4 week vicars and tarts course at Sandhurst and are made instant Captains - they then carry on doing their professional roles as they would as civilians.

Incidentally there are slots in the TA for computer geeks to be commissioned as Captains if you've got relevant IA quals/experience.
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Yes I did allude to that earlier - but thanks, really interesting additional info. :)

Robbie G said:
My father retired at Brigadier at 55, Signals Regt., but is earning a lot more in commercial defence sector. I think it's a great career really. Even if you don't warn megabucks to start with, it's rewarding and the skills you learn can be lucrative in the private sector.
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That is pretty cool - didn't realise you were an army brat! Did you travel much in your younger years or was your father generally based in the UK?
 
Freefaller said:
That is pretty cool - didn't realise you were an army brat! Did you travel much in your younger years or was your father generally based in the UK?
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Born in Hannover, lived in Bielefeld, Bunde, Verden, Rheindahlen. Dad was based in Germany for almost all of my young life.

Boarding school in the UK from 8 - 18 and back to Germany every holiday. I must say it was a privileged childhood...the army knows how to entertain its youngsters :D.
 
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Robbie G said:
Born in Hannover, lived in Bielefeld, Bunde, Verden, Rheindahlen. Dad was based in Germany for almost all of my young life.

Boarding school in the UK from 8 - 13 and back to Germany every holiday. I must say it was a privileged childhood...the army knows how to entertain its youngsters :D.
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I spent some time in Bielefeld, in fact I was there June last year! Been to Paderborn too.

Yeah it's a good life from what I've seen (besides of course risking your life for your country) - I've only sample it rather than experienced it full on. I regret never joining the forces though.

How interesting - thanks for sharing. :)
 
Freefaller said:
I spent some time in Bielefeld, in fact I was there June last year! Been to Paderborn too.

Yeah it's a good life from what I've seen (besides of course risking your life for your country) - I've only sample it rather than experienced it full on. I regret never joining the forces though.

How interesting - thanks for sharing. :)
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so you want to be a rupert?

Spent five years in Osnabruk, from 2000 to 2005 just up the road from Bielefeld, loved every minute, paderborn, sennelager, good times,
 
Robbie G said:
Born in Hannover, lived in Bielefeld, Bunde, Verden, Rheindahlen. Dad was based in Germany for almost all of my young life.

Boarding school in the UK from 8 - 13 and back to Germany every holiday. I must say it was a privileged childhood...the army knows how to entertain its youngsters :D.
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I'm in Herford at the moment, with the Signals, so same area. Absolutely fantastic out here.

The Army does know how to treat the family and kids of serving soldiers rather well. Shame it doesn't treat it's singlies as well lol. This unit is pretty bad for it!
 
Ghosteh said:
I'm in Herford at the moment, with the Signals, so same area. Absolutely fantastic out here.

The Army does know how to treat the family and kids of serving soldiers rather well. Shame it doesn't treat it's singlies as well lol. This unit is pretty bad for it!
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I take it, your not happy with the accommodation? Most places now have Z type accom but i think with the nature of Herford, Old German buildings, i cant see it happening.

I dont think it will be to long until all Herford units will be in Guterslough or Hohne.
 
They're always recruiting. In fact as far as I'm aware they've recently been having problems getting enough high quality applicants to the selection board. My advice would be to get yourself down to a careers office and book a place on a briefing. If you pass it you're not obliged to continue with your application but at least you'll have a clearer idea of whether it's a career you want to pursue.
 
dsb said:
I take it, your not happy with the accommodation? Most places now have Z type accom but i think with the nature of Herford, Old German buildings, i cant see it happening.

I dont think it will be to long until all Herford units will be in Guterslough or Hohne.
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Yeah, the accomodation isn't great, but I don't mind my room too much really. It's more the fact nothing ever seems to get done with block faults, no matter how many times they're reported. When I first turned up at unit, there was pretty much no water in the block for around 4 weeks, and hadn't been any since 3 weeks prior to me rocking up. The entire block having to share 4 toilets and 4 showers. We've just had our washing machine replaced, after the old one being U/S for about 5 months.

Just things like that do get somewhat tedious lol.
 
Interesting read this thread. I've been looking at both Civvy jobs within the IT sector, and RMC's as an officer / RAF WSOp. My family now understand my reasons for looking at the military. I just have to come to the decision whether I really will like the military lifestyle or not. A huge part of me wants to do it yet for other reasons I am looking at a cosy life living in a niceish place... :(

For now I am going to try the Civvy route, I am only 22 and have a little while yet to make my final decision.
 
Ghosteh said:
Yeah, the accomodation isn't great, but I don't mind my room too much really. It's more the fact nothing ever seems to get done with block faults, no matter how many times they're reported. When I first turned up at unit, there was pretty much no water in the block for around 4 weeks, and hadn't been any since 3 weeks prior to me rocking up. The entire block having to share 4 toilets and 4 showers. We've just had our washing machine replaced, after the old one being U/S for about 5 months.

Just things like that do get somewhat tedious lol.
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If your CQMS is not on top of it go above him, might get his back up. If you pay for washing machines in with mess bills raise it at your next mess meet, and the fact the water is out, if the RSM knows about it, it should get sorted.
 
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