2 months until PCCBC with nowt to do. What should I do?

[tnf808]

Hi,

I have 2 months until I go for my pre-Sandhurst course, after which time I am booked onto loads of fam visits until my RMAS intake in May.

What should I do, considering that I have £3000 in savings to spend, 2 months to play with and am interested mostly in the Infantry regiments (I've applied to Rifles, Paras and Gurkhas). Here are some of the things I was considering:

1. 2 Months language training in Nepal (Nepali). Is this worth it?
2. 2 Months language training in Egypt/Yemen etc... (Arabic).
3. Some sort of specialist training... I am already a Divemaster but perhaps could do my ML or something.

I am principally looking to do something that will benefit me in the future and increase my chances of getting in to the regiment that I want to get into. I am 26 and some of the older guys keep telling me that I am getting a bit old for the kind of regiments I am looking at.

Cheers

tnf

 

[i_love_ftorres]

I'd spunk the lot on either going skiing for a month or piss it up the wall in Thailand. How this would benefit you in the future i don't know, but at least you'd have some good memories for when your polishing the soles of your boots?!

 

[tnf808]

Nice! Actually I did the divemasters in Thailand and worked there for 7 months afterwards. I have all the relevant cock-rot to prove it so 'been there done that'! As for skiing , I was a chalet b*tch for a season in Chamonix in my younger years so same applies.

I could take a sole polishing course though!

 

[Exwing]

I was honestly thinking of doing something quite similar, maybe involving skiing. Don't really know if it's worth waiting in this job until I start, when I could just foxtrot oscar around the world for a month or two!

 

[uk_numpty]

What about doing a parachute course to see if you like it?
Somewhere hot & sunny in the US would be OK?
May be even get good enough to do freefalling?

 

[broken_man]

Don't bother with language courses - if you joing the Gurkhas they'll send you to Nepal, we're not in Iraq anymore so don't need arabic, and if they want you to do a language for Afghan they'll tarin you and pay for it.

If infantry is what you're after then you'll need to be one of the fitter in your intake so doing ML, kayaking, etc that is both fun and active would be a good start.

Alternatively a month of holidays and a month in the gym would be as good- you'll be needing the morale over the next year fella! Good luck with it all.

 

[laconophilia]

aff freefall course! you should be able to get enough weekends of decent weather to be a qualified skydiver in less than 3 months.

would be one of the best experiances of your life mate!

 

[chocolate_frog]

A parachute course might be good. As you could see if you like it. It wont cut any mustard on P Coy obviously.

As for a Nepalese course... ask yourself how much you want Gurkhas? I'd say that learning the lingo early might stand you in good stead for the Regiment, as long as you aren't a be11end. And Nepal is fcuking awesome.... get yourself there for a month or longer, and go treking, rafting, and suck in the culture.

It wouldn't do you any harm in either your general development or if you were going for the RGR.

Learn a language anyway. It will help you pick up another language easier, and could help with your English (strangely). Yes, the Army will train you and pay you for the pleasure of learning many things, but there is nowt wrong with coming to the start line.

 

[cheesypoptart]

You're a bit older and therefore a bit more sensible when it comes to careers. You want to do the kind of thing which logically would make you a better candidate for the job you want: build relevant skills.

But the British Army isn't necessarily logical. Nor does it necessarily care about skills (that it doesn't teach you itself). So, as much as it horrifies me, those chaps who suggest you go skiing may have a point.

For example, imagine asking the Gurkha recruiting officer about doing your own language training. On the one hand, this shows him you're keen. On the other hand, that keenness may be insufficient to gain you a place (you're old and decrepit at 26, after all), so he probably doesn't want you to waste your money or get your hopes up. So, is he going to recommend it? Why not ask?

 

[chocolate_frog]

Cheesy is correct, learning Nepali wont get you a gold plated slot in the RGR, but it certainly wont harm your chances.... besides, the Army Nepali courses are now taught in Catterick, not Nepal, so a visit to Nepal would definitly help you in situ.

As mentioned languages can be built on to learn other langauges easier.

Parachuting or skiing may be fun.

Choice is yours.

 

[cheesypoptart]

In light of what chocolate_frog said about the new Nepali teaching location, I'd strongly recommend the language course in Nepal - if only for its own sake. Plenty of people go skiing. Just having fun is boring and doesn't give you that many cool memories. How many go to Nepal to learn the language and culture? That's Rory Stewart territory. Way more interesting to women than being a ski bum...

 

[Charlie_Cong]

Way more interesting to bum women than go skiing...

Corrected that for you.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Charlie

 

[tnf808]

Thanks for the prompt replies. I'm certainly inclined to agree with the general consensus that Nepal wouldn't be a bad idea if only for the trekking etc... I suppose the dilemma is whether it is worth learning Nepali when RGR is such a hard regiment to gain entry to (and I am so decrepit!) or whether it would be better to do something a little more broad.

I hear what you are saying when you suggest that the Army aren't hugely interested in skills they haven't taught you themselves, but if it comes down to me and another candidate I imagine anything that puts me a little further ahead would be good!
I am keen to learn another language as I also speak fluent French and speak reasonable Mandarin having lived in China for just over two years, language is quite a passion and I am a big fan of the East in general.

Cheers for the thoughts again.

P.S; Cheesypoptart: Rory Stewart is a legend, I just read 'The places inbetween' and am now on 'Occupational Hazards'. Funnily enough the Doctor who gave me my medical at AOSB knew him from when she was in HK! We had a massive chat about it as I frog walked in me pants!

 

[ExScaleyBleep]

tnf808, dare I say it .... but have you thought about the Int Corps ? As much as the Infantry is a cracking career, you said yourself, youre .. ahem.. knocking on at 26 (I wish !!!)... with your fondness for languages you could travel the world just as much as an Infantry officer... yes okay maybe its less dangerous but it could be equally as rewarding... wasnt there a Para officer, Mike something-or-other who was Gen Mike Jacksons LO/Terp in Bosnia because he was Bosnian but he had language skills..... ??

Just a thought.. and no, Im not nor ever was Int Corps... but I worked with a shed load of them in various places in my time in the Sigs.... and the majority of them were good people...

ESB.

 

[cpunk]

A weekend in a suite in Claridges with a really top hooker should see to your savings in a worthwhile way; then you can spend the rest of the time doing worthy voluntary stuff with a charity.

Seriously, if you're through AOSB, nobody's going to give a flying toss what you do between now and RMAS, provided that you don't actually get into serious trouble. Don't be a dweeb; grow up and have fun.

 

[tnf808]

CPunk, you seem to have me confused with an 18 year old school leaver. I am not attempting to make girls think that I am mature and caring because I built the roof on some hut in a Tanzanian village, I'm attempting to further my skills at a point where I have a rare opportunity to take a break from work. I'm also not so sure it's really a question of 'growing up' so much. Presumably coming from someone who thinks I should bang a hooker that was supposed to be an ironic comment.

As far as I'm concerned learning another language, travel and some of the suggestions other people have come up would involve me having fun.

I spoke to a Major at Rifles today who suggested that learning Arabic would be viewed as greatly more positive than going on a prolonged skiing holiday.

My thanks to everyone who made constructive suggestions. The advice was very useful.

The dweeb (sorry, is it the 80's again?)

 

[cpunk]

CPunk, you seem to have me confused with an 18 year old school leaver.

Nope, I think I have an accurate diagnosis of who you are. Your plan is to find a way of using your last few months of leisure before joining the army to explore ways of gaining an advantage over your fellow Officer Cadets at Sandhurst through 'good works'. I doubt it will succeed and you are likely to spend the rest of your military career wondering why your brother and sister officers - should you succeed in commissioning - avoid your company.

When I was at Sandhurst, we had a 'Douglas C Niedermeyer Award' for people just like you.

 

[tnf808]

CPunk, I have no intention of getting into some sort of puerile You Tube style argument with someone I don't know, so might I suggest that you resist the temptation to leave another contentious message on my thread.

I actually think your analysis of my character is thoroughly incorrect, I am not attempting to 'gain an advantage over my fellow candidates' in some underhand and sinister plot. I am attempting to further my education in a way that I am unlikely to be able to replicate for some time. The last time I checked this wasn't considered a disagreeable characteristic, quite the opposite in fact.

I also don't really see that attempting to further my education can be considered 'good works' as it is by its very nature a selfish, not a selfless act.

I think the other people who replied to my question all had very positive things to say, they were informative and helpful not bullish, arrogant and insulting .

Far from it being I who will be avoided by people, as you will see from all the helpful advice I have been given, it is you who finds himself marginalised, being in the minority as the only person on this thread to have acted in so aggressive and unusual a manner to someone that you don't know.

 

[napier]

If you are keen on preparing for preparing's sake, I'd recommend doing a bit of research before joining. In some ways the Army is like this site; new members who come in and react badly to advice from significantly more experienced members, often due to affronted dignity and an inflated sense of their own standing, always end up coming off worse.

In both senses you would benefit from keeping calm, zipping your trap and absorbing advice - whether you think it good, bad or insulting. Loud and angry is not an attractive feature in officer cadets or site newbies.

regards, Napier

(before replying, you may wish to do some research)

 

[cheesypoptart]