DidntHackIt
Crow
I thought I'd post this here to help anyone who may be feeling homesick during their Basic Training.
I joined the Army Apprentice College at Harrogate back in 91 as an Apprentice Signalman and it was the first time I'd been away from home. I didn't think I'd be affected by homesickness when I enlisted but I got it pretty bad. I certainly wasn't a Mummy's boy, but during the evenings during basic training I missed my home environment so much. I guess this is when they sort the men from the boys.
In fact I got it that bad that I stupidly decided to hand in letter requesting a Discharge As Of Right (I think it was Discharge Statutory Period) back then. I did this shortly upon my return after a weekend back at home with my parents having just capbadged.
I did have a couple of conversations with the permanent staff at the College about staying but at 17 I let my heart rule my head and decided to quit. I left the College one day before my passing off parade knowing that I only had to pass off, go home for two weeks and then come back and then decide if I wanted to leave whilst doing my apprenticeship there for two years.
Regrettably with clouded judgement I stuck by my decision to leave.
After a few weeks back home, I'd realised I'd made the worst decision of my life.
I did re-apply to join back up but soon after that I'd met a girl who I then went on to marry. Before I knew it I had two children, a decent job and a mortgage and I couldn't afford to re-apply as it would have meant taking a big pay cut.
For the last 28 years I've lived in regret of my decision to leave and watching the Junior Soldiers (Raw Recruits) programme recently has been quite a painful watch for me. I wish the permanent staff could/would have done more to keep me there.
I recall my Grandad saying to me shortly after I quit "Nevermind Lad, couldn't hack it hey" and those words really hurt but he was right and those words have haunted me ever since.
I hope this post will serve to warn anyone who is thinking of quiting basic training to think very carefully as it may well eat away at you for years to come if you decide to leave.
I joined the Army Apprentice College at Harrogate back in 91 as an Apprentice Signalman and it was the first time I'd been away from home. I didn't think I'd be affected by homesickness when I enlisted but I got it pretty bad. I certainly wasn't a Mummy's boy, but during the evenings during basic training I missed my home environment so much. I guess this is when they sort the men from the boys.
In fact I got it that bad that I stupidly decided to hand in letter requesting a Discharge As Of Right (I think it was Discharge Statutory Period) back then. I did this shortly upon my return after a weekend back at home with my parents having just capbadged.
I did have a couple of conversations with the permanent staff at the College about staying but at 17 I let my heart rule my head and decided to quit. I left the College one day before my passing off parade knowing that I only had to pass off, go home for two weeks and then come back and then decide if I wanted to leave whilst doing my apprenticeship there for two years.
Regrettably with clouded judgement I stuck by my decision to leave.
After a few weeks back home, I'd realised I'd made the worst decision of my life.
I did re-apply to join back up but soon after that I'd met a girl who I then went on to marry. Before I knew it I had two children, a decent job and a mortgage and I couldn't afford to re-apply as it would have meant taking a big pay cut.
For the last 28 years I've lived in regret of my decision to leave and watching the Junior Soldiers (Raw Recruits) programme recently has been quite a painful watch for me. I wish the permanent staff could/would have done more to keep me there.
I recall my Grandad saying to me shortly after I quit "Nevermind Lad, couldn't hack it hey" and those words really hurt but he was right and those words have haunted me ever since.
I hope this post will serve to warn anyone who is thinking of quiting basic training to think very carefully as it may well eat away at you for years to come if you decide to leave.