Thread: Parent - Advice and Chat in here - ARCHIVE

One question - as I read through these posts people talk about their kids taking 'OATHS" and it infers this is done prior to 6 SEPT at Harrogate admission Can you clarify what this is please?
We are so not from any type of military background and we dont want to get anything wrong
Thanks for the reply above too

Greateacher,

The oath is the swearing of allegiance to the Queen. All soldiers do this prior to joining and your JS will get a date for this. Often they are done at the careers office, but our JS did his at the Tower of London. The first of many very important days.

Hello All,
I visited Harrogate yesterday, (sorry if i didnt say hello) wasnt it fantastic.

I felt so privalaged to be one of the first parents to go on the open day. It has put my mind at rest and as my son put it "You can stop asking me questions that i don't know the answers to DAD".

It was a great insite to all the new Junior Soldiers and speaking for my son i think it has taken away that uncertantcey of whats going to happen and what will rearly happen when he joins in September.

Can anyone advise how this forum works as it has taken me 2 hours to get this far and dont want to start again tommorow if i can help it.

Welcome aztecdad is there anything specifically you want help with regarding the forum?

I tend to bookmark / "add as favourites" the page that we are up to on the forum to find my way back to this particular spot but there are other ways such as the tab at the top which says "My stuff" if you hover over that "my posts" shows and you can find your way back that way. x

I tend to go to 'ARRSE essentials' and then last '50 posts' to see if anything looks interesting.

Hi aztecdad welcome, glad you enjoyed AFC. It think it has eased a lot of doubts everyone has had about the place.
I have booked marked arrse and then just go to the current page. You can get emails sent to you to when someone posts on this site and then get to the forum from there. You will soon get used to it must of us have.

Hi mums and dads
i was just wondering if anyone has a daughters point of veiw about harrogate.Im still waiting for my start date did selection a couple of weeks ago but hopefully will get a september date.
x amy

Thanks for the replies.
Do you know how long we will get with my son when we take them to AFC on September 6th and what the procedure is for that day?

Just thought id jump in here as was browsing and i saw the above post....i remember reading a post about the drop off day at AFC somewhere in this thread. Just thought it might help.

hi Everyone, Sorry not been on for a while have been reading though. Good luck to luke keep in touch.

Went for the outfit yesterday what a nightmare that was six hours later and finally!!!! Everything out there was sooooo bright which must admit is usually me but my JS did insist I didn't stand out like a sore thumb Why!!!! Anyway eventually found something just hope not raining and we have seats the heels won't take standing all day - can't believe how quick it is coming round so excited. Just to warn everyone take your cheque books my js said there are lots of pictures to be bought - of course they will give us the money back :D he got his joining instructions for Catterick find it hard to believe they have to take their birth certificates, passports, bank details all over again have anyone elses mentioned this????

Hi Aztecdad,

there is a post some pages back... The quick version is...

Arrive
Go to the parade square
Get Company and Platoon issued, leave all bags etc.
Go to the gym, some displays tea and coffee.
Go to the theatre for a brief talk from the CO.
Say a quick goodbye there. (gone are the crying rooms they used to have)
Go for another talk from your sons/daugthers OC
Leave.

In and out in about 2 hours

hi
time is really ticking away now 2 weeks and my son is off to catterick :( he is so excited bless him and i feel so happy for him, tuesday he goes for his oath, i cant believe how time has passed so quick. got all his joining instructions and his kit lit got everything he needs now keep double checking to make sure i havent forgot anything, next week end is his going away party with all his mates he said me and his dad could go but i think it best he has this time with his mates without mummy and daddy :D just a quick question it says on week 4 at catterick they have parents day i just wondered what the dress attire should be if anybody knows and also i am just starting to mark all his stuff and just wondered if anybody knew what i could mark black things with as obviously the black permanent marker is not showing up, sorry if i am rambling a bit but trying to keep myself busy to stop those dreaded water works starting got to sell his car now as he said he wont be needing it for abit so thats another thing which will keep me busy, well better stop my rambling before you all get bored, but sure as its getting nearer i will be back soon.
speak soon
jue
x

:D no we were allowed to speak to the JS on duty, they had prepped them well, some were accompanying us around the facilities who u were able to question, others were in place - ie in the accomodation wing and and others were available at each facility - the uniform stand so u cud ask for info and in the gym demonstration.

Overall a well presented day and exemplary behaviour from all JS both on and off duty

Thanks to DifferentGravy and Smiler_1985,
I will look back on the post, i think it will take some time to find it but i am grateful to have the quick version.

It does sound very clinical the drop off but I'm sure we will cope "We have to be Strong for them as it is much daunting for them going into something new"

Does anyone know if there is a limit on how many people can go to send them off as his mum and me are both re-married and both sides want to go with his siblings.

Hi Amy,
hope that you are successful for september, but from the numbers that were there on saturday its looking quite full but am sure that it will depend on the trade you have chosen. My daughter struggled to get the trade of choice back in april when she completed selection, initially they said it was full and wud have to join in jan, but somehow everything was sorted. Fingers crossed for you