British Army ASOB interview main board

[Ukesh]

Hello,

I have had my initial interivew in November 2020 via whatsapp video due to the current covid situation.

I planned to prepare myself to pass ASOB main board in my first attempt and therefore, I would like to raised some question regarding this matter.

One of the things that will definitely come up in the ASOB interview is the knowledge about the current affairs. I have been researching but I am not sure what current affairs is likely to come up in the interview and how many different current affairs topics should I research about. Another thing is about writing an essay; so my question is what is the most likely topic that will come up in the essay in the ASOB.

I would like to know what people on this forum think are the most important current affairs topics in at the moment. Please advise me.

FYI, I have not done my full medical check up yet nor have I gone to the Accessement Centre for 24 hours in Wesbury. I am posting this question to prepare myself better in case they called me for the medical check up at any time soon.

Thank you,
Ukesh

 

[Commentator]

Watch the news every night
Read a paper every day (particularly the Sundays as they tend to summarise the week quite well)
Watch current affairs programmes like BBC Question Time, Andrew Marr etc....

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[exbleep]

AOSB

 

[Ninja_Turtle]

Hello,

I have had my initial interivew in November 2020 via whatsapp video due to the current covid situation.

I planned to prepare myself to pass ASOB main board in my first attempt and therefore, I would like to raised some question regarding this matter.

One of the things that will definitely come up in the ASOB interview is the knowledge about the current affairs. I have been researching but I am not sure what current affairs is likely to come up in the interview and how many different current affairs topics should I research about. Another thing is about writing an essay; so my question is what is the most likely topic that will come up in the essay in the ASOB.

I would like to know what people on this forum think are the most important current affairs topics in at the moment. Please advise me.

FYI, I have not done my full medical check up yet nor have I gone to the Accessement Centre for 24 hours in Wesbury. I am posting this question to prepare myself better in case they called me for the medical check up at any time soon.

Thank you,
Ukesh

Listen to ‘The World at One’ every day.

 

[Ninja_Turtle]

Watch the news every night
Read a paper every day (particularly the Sundays as they tend to summarise the week quite well)
Watch current affairs programmes like BBC Question Time, Andrew Marr etc....

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Unless you want him to regurgitate a load of gammon nonsense or kicking off over Brexit not going exactly how they planned then I’d steer clear of QT.

 

[Commentator]

Unless you want him to regurgitate a load of gammon nonsense or kicking off over Brexit not going exactly how they planned then I’d steer clear of QT.

Regardless of anyone's opinions on BBCQT.
It remains a major weekly fixture for politicians to set out their plans and account for actions etc

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[Sky_Oggin_Lover]

Hi,

I'm due to go on Briefing in the coming months. With regards to current affairs, I've been listening to podcasts like the BBC Global News Podcast and The Economist. They're pretty good at summarising what's going around the world currently. I've been trying to hammer down with reading 'The Week' magazine too, they're very neutral when it comes to political views but the only down side is that you need to subscribe to the app.

I'm going with the general idea of what kind of news ultimately relates to defence's involvement in anything or if anything around the world affects the UK and the commonwealth socially or politically.

I'd listen to or read a variety of news media just so you can have a more neutral insight to whats going on around the world.

Hope that helps!

 

[Brown144]

I am currently waiting for a Briefing date. In preparation for the group discussion I am doing what most people have already said, reading the paper everyday, reading 'The Week' magazine weekly, and also trying to listen to other podcasts that discuss current affairs.

The main discussion topics I have been keeping on top of religiously are the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit, US election, Hong Kong security law, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As well as these talking points, I am trying to keep on top of the current UK Defence spending.

 

[Kalu19]

Hi,

Download the Aljazeera app. It breaks down the news by continent, so you can learn what is going on all around the world.

I've passed Main Board and the one thing that I would suggest is scrap social media and any time you grab your phone, read an article.

Don't just try and read news in case it comes up on your AOSB, aim to broaden your knowledge of the world around you.

Any questions, drop me a message.

 

[TheSockPuppet]

Unless you want him to regurgitate a load of gammon nonsense or kicking off over Brexit not going exactly how they planned then I’d steer clear of QT.

If I were going to AOSB, I'd recommend not ever using racist slurs like Gammon unless you want to really get people's backs up.

 

[FORMER_FYRDMAN]

Hi,

I'm due to go on Briefing in the coming months. With regards to current affairs, I've been listening to podcasts like the BBC Global News Podcast and The Economist. They're pretty good at summarising what's going around the world currently. I've been trying to hammer down with reading 'The Week' magazine too, they're very neutral when it comes to political views but the only down side is that you need to subscribe to the app.

I'm going with the general idea of what kind of news ultimately relates to defence's involvement in anything or if anything around the world affects the UK and the commonwealth socially or politically.

I'd listen to or read a variety of news media just so you can have a more neutral insight to whats going on around the world.

Hope that helps!

You're not expected to be Metternich. Choose a couple of newspapers and read the news sections thoroughly from now until AOSB - I would suggest the Telegraph (which will cost) and the Guardian (which is free). Take some time to read the Opinion pages, even if you don't agree - in which case ask yourself why you don't agree and make a cogent case.

Avoid things like 'The Week'. They are cheats for pretentious simpletons who like to appear informed but can't be bothered to put the effort in. If you wish to run out of steam 30 seconds into a discussion, basing your understanding of current affairs on a single paragraph and the 'good week, bad week' section of 'The Week' is as good a way as any.

Finally, spend some time reading on the Arrse Current Affairs/Int Cell forums. Admittedly Higgs_bosun is an outlier but it'll give you some idea of the sort of awareness the job demands. If you're going to be an officer, current affairs need to become an integral and instinctive part of your life so you may as well start now.

 

[TheSockPuppet]

You're not expected to be Metternich. Choose a couple of newspapers and read the news sections thoroughly from now until AOSB - I would suggest the Telegraph (which will cost) and the Guardian (which is free). Take some time to read the Opinion pages, even if you don't agree - in which case ask yourself why you don't agree and make a cogent case.

Avoid things like 'The Week'. They are cheats for pretentious simpletons who like to appear informed but can't be bothered to put the effort in. If you wish to run out of steam 30 seconds into a discussion, basing your understanding of current affairs on a single paragraph and the 'good week, bad week' section of 'The Week' is as good a way as any.

Finally, spend some time reading on the Arrse Current Affairs/Int Cell forums. Admittedly Higgs_bosun is an outlier but it'll give you some idea of the sort of awareness the job demands. If you're going to be an officer, current affairs need to become an integral and instinctive part of your life so you may as well start now.

Agree about the Telegraph plus one other for balance. The Telegraph has gone downhill a bit over recent years, so it's good to read a second source to filter out some of the bóllocks they print from time to time. Be careful with the Guardian though - I wouldn't take anything they print as genuine unless it appears in another source. Also, don't take any of their 'opinion' pieces as anything other than someone's viewpoint - they are famously left-wing.

Be careful about social media aggregators such as Reddit or Google News - they have their own inherent bias baked in by nature of how they work.

Above all, hunt out facts from all sources and form your own opinions based on your own analysis - don't try and present someone else's opinion as your own - you'll get caught out very quickly in a debate if you don't know why you think something.

Probably a good rule for life, rather than just AOSB.

Also, anything that you can prepare for, knock it out of the park. Fitness, planning exercises, being well presented, knowing a bit about the Army and your chosen regiment(s). If you are as well prepared as you can be, your sole focus whilst you are there will just be on being the best version of yourself, rather than worrying about things that you could already have nailed.

 

[Ninja_Turtle]

If I were going to AOSB, I'd recommend not ever using racist slurs like Gammon unless you want to really get people's backs up.

How is gammon racist?

 

[TheSockPuppet]

How is gammon racist?

It is a pejorative term that means a white, middle aged individual who isn't left wing.

If you started calling young, black Lefties 'Chocolates', I'm sure you'd get a knock on the door pretty sharpish, so why would Gammon be fine?

 

[PapaGolf]

I am currently waiting for a Briefing date. In preparation for the group discussion I am doing what most people have already said, reading the paper everyday, reading 'The Week' magazine weekly, and also trying to listen to other podcasts that discuss current affairs.

The main discussion topics I have been keeping on top of religiously are the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit, US election, Hong Kong security law, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As well as these talking points, I am trying to keep on top of the current UK Defence spending.

I would look at the ongoing situation in Africa too, after all we’ve got troops there. I can see that being our main effort in the next two years.

 

[Commentator]

I would look at the ongoing situation in Africa too, after all we’ve got troops there. I can see that being our main effort in the next two years.

Great point. With Mali, Somalia, South Somalia and Kenya already (plus more? Those off the top of my head) and history in Sierra Leone and many other parts from Empire days a land post, it's definitely an area UK GOV are interested in using HM AF

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