Afternoon all!

Am 21 looking to potentially get involved with the TA, have made initial enquiries, got in touch with my local unit and will be visiting them in next couple of weeks.

Have spoken to work, they're very on board, which is particularly good because I do have to work some weekends but as long as I'm reasonable and flexible they're more than willing to be the same which is great!

I'm still trying to get some facts, so first off the commitment, I see a lot of figures being banded about 27 days / 19 days dependent on the type of unit, 1 evening a week, 1 weekend a month and a two week camp seems to be the pattern most units follow, which is more than 27 days straight off the bat, so what's the actual 'real' expectation? (for example I work 39 hours a week, but in real terms i'm there closer to 45/50) I'm also particularly interested in the first year i.e. during phase 1 & 2 training.

Secondly in your experience, how do you find balancing your work and the TA, for example, working Monday to Friday then Friday to Sunday with your unit, to return to work on Monday morning?

Lastly what's the make up of the TA in terms of jobs, for example I work in retail management, it's flexibility will be both a positive and potentially a negative at times. What sorts of jobs do the people of the TA do in civie street and how do they find it suits their lives in the TA?

When / If I join I want to be very commited to the TA, what im doing is trying to figure out if this will be possible for me, as to not waste anyone's time! So any help you guys could give me will be... Well, helpful?!

Many Thanks

Smithy2

First of all what unit are you thinking of joining, as if its infantry the inital training is structured slightly differently? Ok so with regards to commitment all you have to really worry at the moment is your recruit training. You'll do one weekend on, one off, for a total of 9weekends (for inf, 6 everyone else). If you can't make a weekend then, depending on what stage you're at, you'll re-do your last one and then continue from there. Once this has been completed you'll do a two week camp. Once you're a fully trained soldier you can start to worry about the 27days, although many would probably agree that in the current climate you'll easily exceed that. In my unit for example, we have a weekend nearly every other week, whether thats company or battalion led.

With regards to balancing the TA with your civilian career: it can be hard at times but this differs from person to person. Personally I found it difficult arranging time for my CIC (Inf phase 2) but then I suppose many also struggle to get two weeks off work.

Originally Posted by Empty_Vacuum

First of all what unit are you thinking of joining, as if its infantry the inital training is structured slightly differently? Ok so with regards to commitment all you have to really worry at the moment is your recruit training. You'll do one weekend on, one off, for a total of 9weekends (for inf, 6 everyone else). If you can't make a weekend then, depending on what stage you're at, you'll re-do your last one and then continue from there. Once this has been completed you'll do a two week camp. Once you're a fully trained soldier you can start to worry about the 27days, although many would probably agree that in the current climate you'll easily exceed that. In my unit for example, we have a weekend nearly every other week, whether thats company or battalion led.With regards to balancing the TA with your civilian career: it can be hard at times but this differs from person to person. Personally I found it difficult arranging time for my CIC (Inf phase 2) but then I suppose many also struggle to get two weeks off work.

Thanks for your answer! Yes infantry is what im interested in. Couple of follow up questions, if you don't mind, the training will be one weekend on one off, how far in advanced will you know the dates of these? Also will the dates for the two weeks at the end of the infantry training be given well in advanced? Is this two weeks inclusive of or in addition to the two week camp? Same with the training weekends versus weekends with your unit? How easy is it to get onto the 10 day phase 1 training?

Originally Posted by Smithy2

Thanks for your answer! Yes infantry is what im interested in. Couple of follow up questions, if you don't mind, the training will be one weekend on one off, how far in advanced will you know the dates of these? Also will the dates for the two weeks at the end of the infantry training be given well in advanced? Is this two weeks inclusive of or in addition to the two week camp? Same with the training weekends versus weekends with your unit? How easy is it to get onto the 10 day phase 1 training?

IIRC I was given my dates just after I was attested because you can't be 'loaded on' until you're in; CIC dates were given at the same time, although it will no doubt differ from unit to unit. You need to have a chat with the unit about doing a consolidated version of your phase one as they only happen a couple of times a year. Due to various reasons my unit's camp got scrapped and so we were told to find an alternative two week course, and so yes CIC can count as that for the year.

Originally Posted by Empty_Vacuum

IIRC I was given my dates just after I was attested because you can't be 'loaded on' until you're in; CIC dates were given at the same time, although it will no doubt differ from unit to unit. You need to have a chat with the unit about doing a consolidated version of your phase one as they only happen a couple of times a year. Due to various reasons my unit's camp got scrapped and so we were told to find an alternative two week course, and so yes CIC can count as that for the year.

Good to get an actual view on things! Okay, so between being attested how long was it for you before your first weekend of IIRC? From what youve said if you get your two week CIC dates at the same time that gives 4/5 months notice which wouldn't be too bad in terms of arranging time off work!Essentially it should be assumed that whilst training, upto and including CIC, that the commitment will be every other weekend and one evening a week? Once that's been completed, then it's 'officially' 27 days a year, but more likely 1/2 weekends a month, plus the evening in the week and a two week camp. Is that correct? I understand it will depend on unit etc etc.Once trained and CIC completed etc, what would be the position of the TA (more so the real position of those within the unit than the official party line) if you were unable to attend a weekends training with your unit due to work commitment / amount of notice given for the training weekend? (I.e. I can't do this weekend because I've got work and I haven't had enough notice to even try to re-arrange anything?) or is plenty of notice usually given in your opinion?

Originally Posted by Smithy2

Secondly in your experience, how do you find balancing your work and the TA, for example, working Monday to Friday then Friday to Sunday with your unit, to return to work on Monday morning?

To be honest it can be very tiring. It depends on what you've been doing though. If you've been on signals course or a range weekend the chances are you'll have had a decent amount of sleep if you aren't out drinking too late on the Saturday, But if you've been on an Infantry exercise type weekend with patrolling at night, stags, platoon attacks etc you will be knackered.

That said your TA "work" will be very different from your civilian one and the change in the middle of what will be effectively a 12 day stretch of work can be quite beneficial.

Originally Posted by Smithy2

Lastly what's the make up of the TA in terms of jobs, for example I work in retail management, it's flexibility will be both a positive and potentially a negative at times. What sorts of jobs do the people of the TA do in civie street and how do they find it suits their lives in the TA?

I was Computer Analyst/Programmer during most of my TA Infantry career. So it was generally Mon - Fri for similar hours to what you quote above but I also had to cover evenings and weekends On Call to support live services So work always had to come first.

Generally did about 15 - 18 weekends a year + most drill nights + Camp or a Course


Go for it. TA has far more positives than negatives. And with the new MTP uniforms you'll look more like a soldier than I ever did

Originally Posted by Smithy2

Good to get an actual view on things! Okay, so between being attested how long was it for you before your first weekend of IIRC? From what youve said if you get your two week CIC dates at the same time that gives 4/5 months notice which wouldn't be too bad in terms of arranging time off work!Essentially it should be assumed that whilst training, upto and including CIC, that the commitment will be every other weekend and one evening a week? Once that's been completed, then it's 'officially' 27 days a year, but more likely 1/2 weekends a month, plus the evening in the week and a two week camp. Is that correct? I understand it will depend on unit etc etc.Once trained and CIC completed etc, what would be the position of the TA (more so the real position of those within the unit than the official party line) if you were unable to attend a weekends training with your unit due to work commitment / amount of notice given for the training weekend? (I.e. I can't do this weekend because I've got work and I haven't had enough notice to even try to re-arrange anything?) or is plenty of notice usually given in your opinion?

Again my memory isn't fantastic but I think it was just over a month after attestation before begining weekends. In my unit we usually have a training programme up thats at least a few months ahead so we can get time off, although if we can't make it then usually they're fine so long as its a genuine reason. As you'll probably find else where on this site your priorities are 1. Family 2. Work 3. TA

From attestation to rsw when I did it took around 2 months. Then about another 2 months getting loaded onto weekend 2..... as long as you have a decent reason in not attending a weekend, your unit should be ok. And yes, its family, work, TA.

Originally Posted by apps

From attestation to rsw when I did it took around 2 months. Then about another 2 months getting loaded onto weekend 2..... as long as you have a decent reason in not attending a weekend, your unit should be ok. And yes, its family, work, TA.

I take from that you mean to say that you won't get the dates all in one go?

For example once loaded onto my phase 1 training I won't receive a piece of paper that says:

weekend 1 - 01/03/12
weekend 2 - 15/03/12
weekend 3 - 29/03/12...(dates hypothetical)

etc etc?

Thanks again guys this is all great stuff, some real information so I can actually provide my boss with as much of a 'real' view of what to expect as possible.

Well as previously mentioned each unit differs, as I received all mine at the same time. In all honesty the best move for you is to contact the unit you want to join and get the answers from the horses mouth, afterall it wouldn't look to good if you had to quote ARRSE to your boss rather than what the recruiting staff have told you.