Applying to Join Infantry in 30's with baggage.
- Thread starter PATER50N
- Start date
You've had a couple of negative comments and even through the medium of the internet I can feel they have got your back up, the most sensible bit of advice ie try the reserves you have dismissed as not 100%, therefore I presume beneath you, seems to me that before you roll the dice totally, you at least give them a try. I suspect it would also help your application, I would never put anyone off from joining but as others have said consider it very carefully
Sorry mate, we went off on a little diversion there. He mentioned the French Foreign Legion and I was enquiring about that.
I had a bloke in my intake who did some time in Strangeways for assault, he lied on his paperwork to get in. Once he clicked his head into soldier mode he was actually doing quite well after a couple of years, posted overseas, due to get married to a lovely lass and the powers that be found out. He was out in a fortnight.
I will take a liberty and say this to you: I have been a squaddie and a copper, pulled some stupid strokes in my time and was lucky to never get caught - like many squaddies. I have seen and known people who have changed. You will know in your heart if this is what you really want or if you are trying to escape from something, or get away from something. If you are you, will be disappointed, if it is something you really want to do, then you will thrive.
I will give you a couple of tips: Commonsense really, if you do get in and someone younger and more senior than you starts telling you a way to do something and you can see it is going to end in a clusterfuck - just do it anyway. Work at your fitness AND ENDURANCE, you may think you are fit, but you spend 3 to 5 days on 4 hours sleep, shite rations (don't forget the haribo's and mars bars), carrying 35 - 40kgs. of kit plus a rifle, getting dinged and battered it takes fitness to a whole new level.
If you want it and you can get in the door to what I consider to be one of the best clubs in the world - I wish you luck.
I had a bloke in my intake who did some time in Strangeways for assault, he lied on his paperwork to get in. Once he clicked his head into soldier mode he was actually doing quite well after a couple of years, posted overseas, due to get married to a lovely lass and the powers that be found out. He was out in a fortnight.
I will take a liberty and say this to you: I have been a squaddie and a copper, pulled some stupid strokes in my time and was lucky to never get caught - like many squaddies. I have seen and known people who have changed. You will know in your heart if this is what you really want or if you are trying to escape from something, or get away from something. If you are you, will be disappointed, if it is something you really want to do, then you will thrive.
I will give you a couple of tips: Commonsense really, if you do get in and someone younger and more senior than you starts telling you a way to do something and you can see it is going to end in a clusterfuck - just do it anyway. Work at your fitness AND ENDURANCE, you may think you are fit, but you spend 3 to 5 days on 4 hours sleep, shite rations (don't forget the haribo's and mars bars), carrying 35 - 40kgs. of kit plus a rifle, getting dinged and battered it takes fitness to a whole new level.
If you want it and you can get in the door to what I consider to be one of the best clubs in the world - I wish you luck.
You do sound really determined, if you do go ahead, my best advice to prepare if you are going Infantry..
forget the 1.5 miles, that's a basic fitness test, anyone who failed it in my Battalion was considered a knacker.
get yourself out on some 8 milers, rough country, boots, not trainers, weigh yourself down, start at 30lbs and work up to 60. time yourself on them and involve some hills. But fitness isn't just about running, Your gym work will help you there, (learn rope climbing), run it up as you get nearer to starting basic. When you are in, volunteer for the inter company boxing team at the earliest chance, your Pals and seniors will take you far more seriously when they can see you can control your aggression. Remember your peers on basic will be younger, they will find it hard but they will have the advantage of youth over you, bear that in mind and you wont fall behind. lastly, learn some map work and navigation, study some ordinance survey maps. Good luck, I wish you well.
forget the 1.5 miles, that's a basic fitness test, anyone who failed it in my Battalion was considered a knacker.
get yourself out on some 8 milers, rough country, boots, not trainers, weigh yourself down, start at 30lbs and work up to 60. time yourself on them and involve some hills. But fitness isn't just about running, Your gym work will help you there, (learn rope climbing), run it up as you get nearer to starting basic. When you are in, volunteer for the inter company boxing team at the earliest chance, your Pals and seniors will take you far more seriously when they can see you can control your aggression. Remember your peers on basic will be younger, they will find it hard but they will have the advantage of youth over you, bear that in mind and you wont fall behind. lastly, learn some map work and navigation, study some ordinance survey maps. Good luck, I wish you well.
...as for the Reserves, the joining requirement is the same however, for a heads up, I considered Regs and I was steered to the Reserves to see if I liked Army life. Like many had to give it 100% commitment with a lot more hassle because I was holding down a career, day release and training commitments. Upshot was I stayed with the Reserves and built a career. It was the perfect solution for me and I had more exposure to travel and exciting things than many Regulars.
The thing to remember is don't look down on the Reserves, you may end up reporting to one at some stage who is younger and better paid..
The thing to remember is don't look down on the Reserves, you may end up reporting to one at some stage who is younger and better paid..
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Terry Nichols, one of the Oklahoma City bombers, joined the US Army as a married man at age 33 and served in the infantry. It was in the Army that he met his future co-conspirators, Timothy McVeigh and Michael Fortier.
Anyway, to quote wiki: "As the oldest man in his platoon, he had difficulty with the physical aspect of the training, and was sometimes called "grandpa" by the other men. However, he was soon made the platoon guide because of his age."
"Nichols's wife filed for divorce soon after he joined the Army. Due to a conflict over childcare, he requested and was given a hardship discharge in May 1989 to return home to take care of his son, who was seven years old at the time."
"In 1990, Nichols married a 17-year-old girl, Marife Torres, from the Philippines whom he met through a mail-order bride agency. When she arrived in Michigan several months later, she was pregnant with another man's child."
So, all in all, he became all he could be. I hope the OP likes Filipinas.
Cheers,
Dan.
Anyway, to quote wiki: "As the oldest man in his platoon, he had difficulty with the physical aspect of the training, and was sometimes called "grandpa" by the other men. However, he was soon made the platoon guide because of his age."
"Nichols's wife filed for divorce soon after he joined the Army. Due to a conflict over childcare, he requested and was given a hardship discharge in May 1989 to return home to take care of his son, who was seven years old at the time."
"In 1990, Nichols married a 17-year-old girl, Marife Torres, from the Philippines whom he met through a mail-order bride agency. When she arrived in Michigan several months later, she was pregnant with another man's child."
So, all in all, he became all he could be. I hope the OP likes Filipinas.
Cheers,
Dan.
Yes. 
Don't believe the bloke in the pub, or the chap on the interweb.
48 months from the date the sentence is completed.
Have a read of chapter 8 of this: Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
Here==> Go down to the table, second section which reads : A custodial sentence of more than 6 months and up to, or consisting of, 30 months.
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
Don't believe the bloke in the pub, or the chap on the interweb.48 months from the date the sentence is completed.
Have a read of chapter 8 of this: Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
Here==> Go down to the table, second section which reads : A custodial sentence of more than 6 months and up to, or consisting of, 30 months.
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
Chris Terrill RM at 55 , he managed the physical side of basic, well some of it anyway.
Thank you for all the advice and guidance, was exactly the kind of information i was after, just wait now to see how the application progresses now i have found out the tattoos and criminal record shouldnt be an issue, just need to get my fitness to a standard of someone 10 years younger lol. Thanks again, really appriciate the replies.
Fingers crossed time.
Fingers crossed time.
Most of the blokes that joined in their thirties when I was in (2010-2016) struggled constantly with their physical fitness and struggled to reconcile with themselves how inane barrack life could be, whereas younger blokes accepted it as they didn't know any better. At least every couple of years you done PDT (decent funded exercises) building up to your eventual deployment to Afghanistan.
If you feel RAAT taskings (shit jobs and exercises around the UK) and barrack bullshit will fulfill you in life then have at it. The pay is decent at least.
If you feel RAAT taskings (shit jobs and exercises around the UK) and barrack bullshit will fulfill you in life then have at it. The pay is decent at least.
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