Calling all army anons

Not really, but their are plenty of things about England worth fighting for, so I'll fight for them

Was a Royal Marine for 8 years, got out and started contracting.

The most important thing is to have an end goal and exit strategy. Soldiering is a young mans job and I've seen way too many people approach 40 and start to fall apart.

>Was a Royal Marine for 8 years, got out and started contracting.

Contract killing?

Always wanted to be a Bobby, I'm 19 now, decided that my 20th birthday is my deciding point, training takes better part of a year, go till I'm thirty something, leave a join the force

Sound like a reasonable plan?

>fall apart
What happens to them

Probably be good fun

> like
The feeling of fraternity, any one of your muckers would take a bullet for you and you would for them. Also if you go into some sort of trade you get good skills you can use in civvie street. Also security clearances and stuff if you want to work in government or defence sectors later in life. Added to that youll be in the best shape in your life, until your knees and back pack it in.
> dislike
Sometimes youll get treated like a manchild, but once you get out of phase 1 most of that goes away. Especially when you get to your unit its a lot more chill, you just do your job. Some of the stuff you have to do is a ball ache but its the same as any other job.
> recommend to a new guy
Be as fit as you possibly can going in. Dont bother so much with trying to teach yourself stuff, theyll teach you their way and their method, but if youre fit as fuck its the one job line where that puts you ahead as 'hes a good lad'. If youre unfit youll be treated like a sack of shit from day one.
Dont bother with lifting massive weights, just run, tab, bodyweight exercises. If the run time for your corps or unit is 10:30, you want to be getting at least 9:30 or lower. Being borderline is not a good place to be. Go in as fit as you possibly can, the way they teach you is good in terms of repetition, such that even the biggest mong can learn it.

Best of luck lad.

You will never know the feel of running off the back of a chinook after landing on the X to go kill a dirt farmer. I feel bad for you user

If you want to be an officer then go for officer selection, if you don't make it then you can enlist and develop yourself there. There's no point just going straight to enlisted if it's not what you want.
I don't know much about the army or navy, but I'm an RAF officer, so I could help with air force questions.

If you join the UK military you're just aiding your government in the complete destruction of your national identity.

How about you fight your government instead of fighting for them?

amen

Thisx3

>chinook
10th Mtn/101st?

> Never been in the military: the post

It's boring as fuck in peacetime but its a steady income atleast.

>civilians
my guy

I cant believe this post exists !

If I was in your position I'd try out for a special forces position. Something like the s.a.s or anti terrorism response team. Something a bit more cool. It will obviously be very hard to pass the tests but that said I think the main thing is mental toughness rather than being the biggest most physical guy. Seeing as fit has a decent percentage of emotionally dead posters, you could potentially be suited to the mental side of it.

What advice would you give someone considering?

Just go with the flow. Put effort into everything you do and you'll be fine. Failure with effort is better than just failure. And you will fail at lots of things. Your bed won't be right, your clothes won't be properly aligned in your cupboard. You'll have forgotten to clean your magazines properly after your first exercise because you only got 4 hours sleep over 5 days and fell asleep when you got back to camp. Take it all in your stride and remember that Phase 1 is not the army. Barracks life is army. You aren't really in until you've done Phase 2 and arrive at your regiment.

How long you been with the army?

Since 2012

Was it worth it?

I've been to: Kenya, Uganda, Cyprus, States, Canada and Germany with the army on exercise etc. I've been to places I would never have been were it not for the Army. I've had highs and lows, but the highs are always the highest highs you'll probably ever have, whilst the lows are really bad.

Reason for and against joining?

The Army deals in extremes, like I said, the best times are truly the best. My army friends are life long friends who I could probably ring tomorrow and ask to come over because I've had an argument with the missus and they''d let me sleep on their sofa.

For: Access to some decent courses, if you've not got GCSEs you can get them in the army. Same with driving licence. Living is very cheap. You're not paid a huge amount, but I have friends with degrees on civi street on 18k a year, which is the same as a Pte soldier in an inf reg. Rent is cheap, food is fairly cheap, but it's all Pay As You Dine (PAYD) now, so if you can budget and not spend it all on the first night out of the month like some of the lads you'll be fine. When you're not on exercise or ops, life is very cushy. Start Monday 10am, finish on Fridays at 12pm so you can drive home. work probably 2-3 hrs a day at most if you're a pte soldier with not much to do.

Against: Boredom is endless

Were you an officer?

What trade(s) can a warfare officer expect to be able to learn on the job?

I have a commission in the army. Don't bother going in as a Pte. You'll get nothing out of it, because we aren't really doing Ops. It was different when Herrick was on, but now, you won't get more respect for being a private, no one will care and you'll just turn up to Sandhurst to do bone stuff all over again. Go straight away and the shock of capture will be dulled by you learning so much new stuff.

Army Officer Selection Board, fitness standards are: Multi Stage fitness Test, level 10.2 for men. 50 sit ups in 2 mins, 45 press ups in 2 mins I believe. The obstacle course is the other fitness test (climbing over 6ft wall, hurdles etc)

Assuming you pass (it's not all about fitness, it's about having the right attitude, reading up on current events etc, knowing how to openly debate about contemporary issues without coming across like you live on /pol/) you'll head to Pre Commissioning Course Briefing Course. Lots of paperwork and boredom. Arrive their I'd say with the ability to run a 9:30 1.5 mile and do 70 Press ups and 80 sit ups in 2 mins. They'll then take care of your fitness. It's all structured with a little free time to actually do your own, but limited prior to term 2 (intermediate).

Regular Officer Training is 44 weeks long, and if you've never done anything in the army is exciting and new. If like me you go in having done a tour, Brecon etc, you'll be bored out of your skull.

OCdts assemble!

The army is a fucking doddle mate. In terms of fitness tests it's just 50 press ups, 50 sit ups and a 1.5 mile run for a PFA and an 8 mile loaded march for the CFT.

You'll generally work harder in an average PT session, but if you can jog 8 miles and keep up with body weight circuits you'll still find it easy.

More importantly, don't join as some grunt. Either go for a commission, a trade, or if you really want to shoot people join the marines. You'll be treated like a cunt every day of your life if you join as an infantry private.

If it is anythinf like the u.s. i would say fuck no. Ive only played with ozzies and leafs out of thr Anglo sphere. They seem to enjoy their lives.

How much free time do you get in the army? Like how does it work, when do you get days off and shit

What about internet access and phones?

Depends on what cap badge. But generally you work on tour and spend the rest of the time pretending to be busy or training.

Its not prison mate.

:O no way!?

I'm considering royal marines, para's, light cavalary or an engineering/technical role. You got any insight on these roles?

I don't really wanna join if there's no action going on tbf. I'm currently waiting on some replies from civi apprenticeships I'd rather do 1 of them but it's a drawn out process.

Too many years of running with heavy bergans. You think it's fine in your 20s but that shit takes a toll on you.

This

If I enlist I want to fight, not be posted at Buckingham palace or some shit guard duty in Germany or some shit

Not OP but I was going into intel in my countries service (air force). I was hoping to do that for the rest of my life. Problem is I was going to enlist as a non commissioned member and work my way into officer but it turns out I need laser eye surgery before they will take me so I can actually go back to school and get my uni so I can start out as an officer. Should I delay and finish Uni first so I can get in as an officer right away?

>England
>A nation

No one left in Germany soon, all be in Catterick

My knees have gone, only mid-20's. Machine Guns and Infantry have taken a heavy toll

If there was another Afghanistan or Iraq war going on I'd enlist straight away.

Because that's how it works, just walk into a recruitment office and tell them you want to join the SAS.

Haze yourself

I want to apply as an officer as soon as I finish my undergrad. How long is the delay between applying and training? I don't want to be waiting around for months after finishing college while the application is processed, so could I potentially send it shortly before finishing?

start now, no reason to wait around. You'll go through approximately 3 stages, including Prior interview, Briefing and AOSB. I did them alongside my undergrad. You'll take a week off for AOSB, but it averages about 6 months of ringing up, filling in paperwork, getting a medical etc. Doesn't take more than a day out of learning normally.

Join the air force if you're not a literal retard

M8 the only way you get even close to that is by trying to go for 21 or 23 SAS (Reserves), and even then they arent in the Group, and they treat lads like cunts. Only reserve units that can actually perform on par with regular SF are 63 Sigs and SBS reserve, and you have to be a smart and fit fucker to go for either of those.

Ive already done all the recruiting shit. I scored in the top 5% in my tests so they said I could be an officer if I wanted to finish my school first. As soon as I get my laser eye surgery in good to ship off to basic. Problem is thats about 14 months, give or take, with healing time. If I wanted to finish my degree I wouldn't be getting to basic until about 2 years. My goal is to be a colonel but im already 29. I just want to do what gets me to my goal faster.

> my goal is to be a colonel
You WANT to be a pencil pusher and office manager?
> laser eye surgery
I was considering doing the same before I joined, but decided it was too long to wait and too risky if they said XYZ complication meant i couldnf join. If you want to be a powerpoint commando you dont need laser eye surgery. Unless you are actually blind with/without glasses theyll still take you.

That means absolutely nothing to me, but thanks anyway m7

Its basically saying if you go into a recruiting office and say 'I wanna be fast roping into embassies and knife fighting in zero gravity, whack me in the SAS lad' theyll laugh you right out of the office. Its not like the US where you can just walk in and say 'I wanna be a SEAL' and get sent to Coronado the next day

Shit why didn't I see this thread earlier?!
I've got my AST at the end of the month, trying to get into the RAF regiment, any advice for that?!
Thanks!

Actually it's not far off, you can go SAS straight from civvie street, tho I reckon there is one hell of a background check with it!

> RAF Regiment
> Motto: if their age is on the clock, give them the cock

Are you retarded. You cannot join 22 SAS straight from civvie street. The closest you can get I mentioned in

What role in the RN would best set me for work once I leave?

Considering enlisting as i have just completed my degree and have no idea what i want to do with my life, i really want some purpose. Also how much travelling do you get to do? That's the main selling point of the navy for me.

Just got my date for Piribright, going into the RA. Not sure about what I want to go for in the RA but i'm leaning towards intel as light gunner and AS90 dont really carry you in later life.

Been flat out with HIIT workouts and running, anybody in RA with any advice or just advice in general?

Cheers

>You WANT to be a pencil pusher and office manager?

Yes

>If you want to be a powerpoint commando you dont need laser eye surgery. Unless you are actually blind with/without glasses theyll still take you.

I am actually blind without my glasses

Whats your current mile and a half time? Also, pirbright isnt bad, youll have a lot of laughs and good times but the first few days will be very alien to you. There will be times where you think 'what the fuck am I doing here' and want to jack, dont, stick it out. Everyone else is going through the same shit.

In terms of RA, im on the same base as an RA reg, mostly just see them rattling around in vehicles, tabbing or a run once a week, generally nothing too hectic. Barracks life is nothing like Pirbright. Might be a bit mundane, but if a course or Adventure training opportunity comes up, jump on it immediately. Get as many qualifications as you can, and the more you volunteer and make yourself an asset, the more likely you are to get promoted.

Youll make a lot more as manager outside the army than in it to be honest mate.

I realize but I don't care about the money. Also I'm 8 months away from 30 and I make like 2$ more than minimum wage. The military is the only thing I'm looking forward to in my life

Fair one, what corps you aiming to go for? Bear in mind itll take you a few years to get to colonel; i think the officer career progression is 2 years at leftenant, then 4 at captain, 6 at major etc etc, so thats already 12 years before you reach Lt. Colonel, so just bear in mind its probably gunna be 20 years before youre a colonel unless you do some really out of the box shit.

What does a Colonel do?

From an officer to a civi - you will never make it. Saying you want to be a colonel as quick as possible tells me you know nothing about the job because everyone knows junior officer jobs to captain are the best.

>Communication Systems Operator (UKSF) Capability

>CS Op (UKSF) operations require the skill sets and equipment to operate beyond the range and capability of conventional forces. They require sufficient endurance, field craft, surveillance, communications, mobility and 'life skills' to work in isolation, whilst remaining in sync with multi agency effect across the spectrum of conflict.

Sounds fun as fuck desu. You're baisically fully trained for all hell breaks lose gun fights but your main job is some brainy communications calculations type shit.

Best of both worlds. Too brainy to be a grunt, too dangerous to be logistics. Fantastic!

I'm in as intel for royal canadian air force. I might just go in as a corporal instead and then get the military to pay for a whole new degree for my officer position. I'm really struggling with whether I should finish school and go in around 31-32 or go in as a corporal around 30 and make my way up. It seems like the smart move would be to finish school and come in as 2nd Lt but I'm so poor idk if I can finish school

I have a question, if you dont mind. As an officer you are basically in charge of an infantry squad right?

Whats the appeal to you?

Indeed. You basically need to be unemployed though, unless you join as a regular scaley and go for 18 Sigs then go the SF route. Hypothetically of course.

Where you lad?

I got 13:09 on my assessment run so i'm working on that, as obviously I want to be as fit as possible, I had actually aimed to join the air corp but was rejected due to surgery on my ear drum, RA was second choice and a SM talked me into going for it after the rejection blind sided me.

Thanks i'll be sure to jump on everything.

I don't have infantry, I have another cap badge. But it's 30 guys either way unless your int corp or maybe logistics.

The appeal is looking after a group of people who may or may not want to make a difference and turning them into an effective, fit and motivated group of people. You still get retards but that's what you have Sgt's for.

Currently on exercise at one of the places we did a navex on during RMAS

You're in command of 30 guys?! I thought officers were the leaders of squads of size 6-8 people.

If youre not infantry what do you do?

Not gunna lie mate but that time needs improvement, I did an 11:26 after I pulled my groin a third of the way round and I usually average around 9:25ish.

Best thing you can do is find a road or route near you that is half a mile long. Go absolute best speed to the end, aim for under 3 mins 30 seconds as a good starting point. Do as many reps of that as you can in one session. Do this at least twice a week, and at least once a week do 4 lengths at a casual jogging pace.
Once you can consistently run one length in under 3:30, aim for two lengths back to back; once you can do that (i.e a mile in 7 minutes) aim for 3 lengths back to back, and if you can do that, thats 1.5 miles in 10:30.

I dont know what the required run time is for arty, but 13:09 is pretty poor, and even if its 14:00 cut off you dont want to be just scraping by, because the fizz (PT) you go through in phase 1 will rape you.

> Officer cadets have time to sit around on their phones on an exercise
> Officer cadets are allowed to take their phones on exercise in training

Does your batman carry your bergen and rifle too?
Barossa ranges are a beautiful training area though.

RA is 13:15 so it was a scrape by, thanks for the routine i'll add it in to a 3 mile once a week and a HIIT session 2x a week.

I'm not used to running at all and it was embarrassing as fuck when the other grill got a way better time, Still i'm working on it and have dropped about 10lb so far from switching to cardio and bodyweight over only weights.

13:09 might have been my first run time when I went to the taster course but I honestly can't remember.

Always wanted to join Royal Marines or Paras.

Having jaw surgery next month so I don't think I ever can..

You sound bitter like 12 year corporals. No I was an OCdt, hence the entire conversation about having troops to command.

He makes the fried chicken

Fair one, yeah if youre a chick the only weights you should be doing anything on is legs and back so you can take weight and tab easier, bodyweight is the most important. HIIT is good but if running is your problem you need to do more, in my opinion. HIIT is good for when youre in full battle rattle doing section attacks up a hill, but not so good for endurance runs and marches. Just my two cents though lad.

My bad, I misread and thought you were still a cadet.