Cavalry officer choices

[DashandPanache]

Hello everyone, I have been searching through these forums for many a year now. I have finally got on with it and have Briefing booked for early next year.

In much excitement I have penned nine letters to both kinds of regiments; cavalry and guards. I have received invitations to all of my choices (not HCav) for interviews and visits and now am in a pickle.

What I really want to know is if anyone has any hands on experience with an armoured or light cavalry regiment? There are many threads on people stating their preferences and loyalties and I am also aware that the Ajax is an as of yet unknown variable. I'm sure you've all seen the lawsuits and hopitalizations for hearing from early testing not to mention the Government's fury over the cost of the project. I am sold on a light reconnaissance role, but I'm not sold on the Ajax as its medium, which has led me to consider a wider range of roles within the Cavalry.

I have no intention of reopening the can of 'which cav regiment is best' worms, but would warmly appreciate any further insight into the subtle differences between light/heavy armour, reconnaissance, further re-roles and re-locations happening in 2023 and 2024 as can be found on the Future Soldier pdf which I imagine you've all seen.

I suppose I could ask; if you (the collective council of ARRSE wisdom) were going to Sandhurst in 2022/2023 - which cav/guards regiment would you choose, based on the above considerations and changes I have highlighted.

(I patiently await the oncoming abuse and banter - but in all seriousness - all advice is welcome). Cheers.

 

[alfred_the_great]

I know and like Officers from variously KRH, RL, SCOTS DG, RDG and LD. I’d simply say you have to go and visit and see which you feel most comfortable with.

Good luck.

 

[Jorrocks]

I’m not surprised you didn’t get an invitation from the Household Cavalry. They’re pretty good at spotting posers from a long way off.

 

[DashandPanache]

I know and like Officers from variously KRH, RL, SCOTS DG, RDG and LD. I’d simply say you have to go and visit and see which you feel most comfortable with.

Good luck.

Thank you very much Alfred - I'm keeping an open mind - just wanted help in narrowing down my choices!

 

[Turret_Monster]

If you're "sold on light role" recce then surely your choices are defined by whether you prefer to be dissolved by the rain on Jackal or to be sonically liquidised in Ajax?

 

[Daxx]

Cav units ard mainly for Officers who cba to tell their batman to iron their shirts

 

[CavalryCaptain]

Recce all the way. I wouldn't worry too much about wagons tho', a good Cavalry Officer can look dashing in a Robin Reliant.
As per @alfred_the_great reserve judgement until you've had a few visits; see which mess is the best fit.
Tally-ho!

 

[Bubbles_Barker]

Recce all the way. I wouldn't worry too much about wagons tho', a good Cavalry Officer can look dashing in a Robin Reliant.
As per @alfred_the_great reserve judgement until you've had a few visits; see which mess is the best fit.
Tally-ho!

My bold. A good job too as that's the AJAX replacement.

 

[AlienFTM]

If you want to get a grasp of the Light Cavalry role, you could do worse than follow Light Dragoons and QDG on Twitter. (Scots DG don't pop up on my feed.)

As a LD Association member, my eyes water at the levels of fitness we see, and how many endurance sports the Light Cavalry smash infantry at. This year, again, a LD member smashed a Parachute Regiment endurance event. Can't remember what it was called: it's 40 years in my past, and I was a believer of minimal effort then.

As an officer, you'll be expected to lead these people by example.

https://mobile.twitter.com/LDLightCav

 

[Mickey West]

If you want to get a grasp of the Light Cavalry role, you could do worse than follow Light Dragoons and QDG on Twitter. (Scots DG don't pop up on my feed.)

As a LD Association member, my eyes water at the levels of fitness we see, and how many endurance sports the Light Cavalry smash infantry at. This year, again, a LD member smashed a Parachute Regiment endurance event. Can't remember what it was called: it's 40 years in my past, and I was a believer of minimal effort then.

As an officer, you'll be expected to lead these people by example.

https://mobile.twitter.com/LDLightCav

A sad reflection of declining standards of decorum.

On a more serious note - yes to all of the above. Visit the messes and see which suits best because if you are happy in this aspect then any operational role and deployment will be fine.
Any school and/or family connections to any of them?

 

[DashandPanache]

Thank you all for the heads up! I haven't looked into HCav as I simply haven't the interest in a ceremonial side of things (I'm glad I was expecting the abuse there^)

Fitness is my biggest priority at the moment as I've heard now from yet another soul that standards among subalterns are dropping - hence why they've been dropped here and there at Briefing and MB. I personally find the MSFT easier than the straight up 2.something km run, maybe it's psychological or maybe it is just easier.

And the reason that I have planned many visits is to ascertain a decent fit with the mess and officers - I can assure you all I'll be going with an open mind, can-do attitude and decent level of fitness expected from a PO. Thank you everyone thus far.

 

[DashandPanache]

A sad reflection of declining standards of decorum.

On a more serious note - yes to all of the above. Visit the messes and see which suits best because if you are happy in this aspect then any operational role and deployment will be fine.
Any school and/or family connections to any of them?

Unfortuantely not, hence why I've started early organising visits and interviews to give myself a fighting chance against the usual confirmed cadet suspects. I agree and have been told role over regiment many times. It's like choosing a university course over the university itself I suppose!

 

[AlienFTM]

Unfortuantely not, hence why I've started early organising visits and interviews to give myself a fighting chance against the usual confirmed cadet suspects. I agree and have been told role over regiment many times. It's like choosing a university course over the university itself I suppose!

Whichever regiment you choose, so long as you find your regiment, in 30 a couple of years' time it'll be you telling the world that your regiment is best. Unless you get it hopelessly wrong, the best regiment is the one you served in. Fact.

 

[Mickey West]

Whichever regiment you choose, so long as you find your regiment, in 30 a couple of years' time it'll be you telling the world that your regiment is best. Unless you get it hopelessly wrong, the best regiment is the one you served in. Fact.

But check out the adjt and Sqn Ldrs for signs of twattish behaviour as they could be the COs of the future.

 

[johnboyzzz]

You mentioned Guards, 1st Bn Scots Guards are a mechanised regiment, it uses Mastiff and Jackal 2, with no ceremonial duties - F Company do those - currently based in Catterick until 2027 and then are due to be posted to Cyprus for 2 years as Regional Standby Battalion.

 

[FORMER_FYRDMAN]

Unfortuantely not, hence why I've started early organising visits and interviews to give myself a fighting chance against the usual confirmed cadet suspects. I agree and have been told role over regiment many times. It's like choosing a university course over the university itself I suppose!

Rather than give the likes of @Jorrocks a 'Disagree', I would suggest that you ponder on the wisdom of what he said. It's not whether you like the unit, the unit has to like you too and, nowadays, they can pick and choose.

Speaking as someone who ran an Army selection process for a few years, your opening post was probably more revealing than you intended. Your style is affected, which is an automatic red light, and the sort of roles you're discussing exist outside of the Guards and Cav. For example, if you're serious about heavy armour, why aren't you considering the RTR?

The concept of 'The Cavalry and Guards Club' is an anachronism, in my experience the units themselves don't like it, and there's going to be even less room for it in the army of the future as it tries to do more with less. Your best chance of ending up in the bit of the British Army that best suits you and to be happy there is to be yourself and not some pastiche of P. G. Wodehouse.

 

[DashandPanache]

Rather than give the likes of @Jorrocks a 'Disagree', I would suggest that you ponder on the wisdom of what he said. It's not whether you like the unit, the unit has to like you too and, nowadays, they can pick and choose.

Speaking as someone who ran an Army selection process for a few years, your opening post was probably more revealing than you intended. Your style is affected, which is an automatic red light, and the sort of roles you're discussing exist outside of the Guards and Cav. For example, if you're serious about heavy armour, why aren't you considering the RTR?

The concept of 'The Cavalry and Guards Club' is an anachronism, in my experience the units themselves don't like it, and there's going to be even less room for it in the army of the future as it tries to do more with less. Your best chance of ending up in the bit of the British Army that best suits you and to be happy there is to be yourself and not some pastiche of P. G. Wodehouse.

Yes it's clear I've rubbed some people up the wrong way which wasn't my intention. No regiment is out of consideration - I am looking at the RTR for example. As above - role is more important than capbadge which is why I'm asking advice on the differences in role between and among regiments, light recce being a focus, hence why I am looking at Cavalry regiments, as I explained in my side message to you. I work closely with ex-RLC, REME, RE and Gurkhas soldiers and officers and would love to spend my years after Sandhurst (assuming I pass everything) with those lads, given the chance. Apologies if I've given the wrong vibe - certainly not intended as I say.

 

[Caecilius]

I know and like Officers from variously KRH, RL, SCOTS DG, RDG and LD. I’d simply say you have to go and visit and see which you feel most comfortable with.

Good luck.

All good units in their own way, but I'd join some of them and not others simply because of who I happen to get on with. I second the advice to visit as many as you can and make an informed decision. Right now everything is so up in the air with moves and Ajax that I wouldn't base any decisions on future plans. The regiments in the worst situation at the moment are HCR and RDG because they were slated for Ajax and have therefore cleared their calendars, but equally if an opportunity for a golden tour opens up then they'll be the ones who go.

I would say that there's a hell of a difference between the cavalry and the guards roles so think carefully about that. I'd raise an eyebrow at a candidate for my regiment with those choices; if you've got us and a guards regiment down, are you joining for the right reasons? Your choice should be based on the role and blokes first, ie mounted vs dismounted, leading 12 Vs 30. If you have cav and guards down then it suggests you're going to focus on the mess life a bit too much.

 

[Turret_Monster]

My bold. A good job too as that's the AJAX replacement.

Many a true word is spoken in jest…