Join as a Soldier, or wait!

[Taffy1981]

Hi Guys

I am currently part of the RNR after leaving the regular service as a PO. I have basically hit a brick wall with the reserves and has so far been a disappointment. There have been so few opportunities in my two years with the RNR that there is no way in hell I am going to be making Chief any time soon. As an ex regular, I really don't feel like I am part of the unit. I am now looking elsewhere I have looked at both the Army and RAF reserves.

I was hoping to join the Army reserves as an Artillery Officer but like so many others I don't have the correct qualifications, I have only equivalents to GCSEs and my 144 UCAS points don't come from A-levels. I have contacted my local Army reserve unit and they have suggested that I join as a soldier and if I am still interested in becoming an officer at a later date then they can help me prepare later. At the grand of age of 39 and 40 in four weeks, I am a bit hesitant. I am wondering what your thoughts are? I am torn as to whether I would be improving my situation by going back to the beginning at 40 years old, in the hope that I will get the chance to go to Sandhurst at some point. Or should I stay where I am and get the qualifications first?

Cheers guys

 

[Effendi]

Many years ago when I left the regulars as a Sgt. to go to university..........piss poor collection of UCAS points and I got into uni on the back of being a mature student.

I went along to the local reserves to join up and earn some pocket money. I put my situation and experience to the admin officer and the first thing he asked me was, "do you want a commission"? I did not take one, that was not the plan.

I also had a mate who was accepted through the RCB route to attend Sandhurst, he had a stonking prediction for his A Level results, and basically ended up with an O level equivalent pass in geography. They still took him and sent him off to Beaconsfield before Sandhurst along with all the other thickies to bring them up to the required standard to join.

Plan A: Put on your best suit and get along to the reserves, go to a couple, or three units, and tell them you are willing to play as long as you are taken onboard as a commission candidate. Point out your UCAS levels, and the fact that you were an NCO in the Navy. Be just a little pushy, not too much

Plan B: Find a couple of those online A level courses you can do as rapidly as possible, preferrably the ones based on course work and not exams.

I reckon it is doable, just keep gently pushing.

 

[RTU'd]

Transfer to an Army Reserve unit.
Possibly one where you can put your experience to good work and go FTRS?
Lots to choose from for ex regular leavers.

Look @ SERVE - Find Forces Jobs - SERVE

I knew an ex CPO who joined the AGC(R) & not looked back, now FTRS.
Been on more tours than the average successful band in the last few years.

 

[FORMER_FYRDMAN]

Hi Guys

I am currently part of the RNR after leaving the regular service as a PO. I have basically hit a brick wall with the reserves and has so far been a disappointment. There have been so few opportunities in my two years with the RNR that there is no way in hell I am going to be making Chief any time soon. As an ex regular, I really don't feel like I am part of the unit. I am now looking elsewhere I have looked at both the Army and RAF reserves.

I was hoping to join the Army reserves as an Artillery Officer but like so many others I don't have the correct qualifications, I have only equivalents to GCSEs and my 144 UCAS points don't come from A-levels. I have contacted my local Army reserve unit and they have suggested that I join as a soldier and if I am still interested in becoming an officer at a later date then they can help me prepare later. At the grand of age of 39 and 40 in four weeks, I am a bit hesitant. I am wondering what your thoughts are? I am torn as to whether I would be improving my situation by going back to the beginning at 40 years old, in the hope that I will get the chance to go to Sandhurst at some point. Or should I stay where I am and get the qualifications first?

Cheers guys

First of all, the system tends to be most supportive of those who are already in it, as long as they like you, and you have the professional background in the NCO mafia, albeit dark blue, to know how to make that work for you.

Secondly, if this is what you want to do, I would suggest that you get on with it as soon as possible. Join as a soldier now and at least you're in and getting an understanding of what the green life looks like. I've never yet met an officer who wasn't improved in that role by exposure to life without a commission beforehand and you certainly won't lose anything by it.

 

[Taffy1981]

Many years ago when I left the regulars as a Sgt. to go to university..........piss poor collection of UCAS points and I got into uni on the back of being a mature student.

I went along to the local reserves to join up and earn some pocket money. I put my situation and experience to the admin officer and the first thing he asked me was, "do you want a commission"? I did not take one, that was not the plan.

I also had a mate who was accepted through the RCB route to attend Sandhurst, he had a stonking prediction for his A Level results, and basically ended up with an O level equivalent pass in geography. They still took him and sent him off to Beaconsfield before Sandhurst along with all the other thickies to bring them up to the required standard to join.

Plan A: Put on your best suit and get along to the reserves, go to a couple, or three units, and tell them you are willing to play as long as you are taken onboard as a commission candidate. Point out your UCAS levels, and the fact that you were an NCO in the Navy. Be just a little pushy, not too much

Plan B: Find a couple of those online A level courses you can do as rapidly as possible, preferrably the ones based on course work and not exams.

I reckon it is doable, just keep gently pushing.

I will have a look in to the Plan B. I am currently in my first year of LLB Law with the OU part time so it may be difficult but I will have a look. Thanks

 

[Taffy1981]

First of all, the system tends to be most supportive of those who are already in it, as long as they like you, and you have the professional background in the NCO mafia, albeit dark blue, to know how to make that work for you.

Secondly, if this is what you want to do, I would suggest that you get on with it as soon as possible. Join as a soldier now and at least you're in and getting an understanding of what the green life looks like. I've never yet met an officer who wasn't improved in that role by exposure to life without a commission beforehand and you certainly won't lose anything by it.

Thanks for the advice. If needs be I will have to start in the ranks and work from there.

 

[Effendi]

I will have a look in to the Plan B. I am currently in my first year of LLB Law with the OU part time so it may be difficult but I will have a look. Thanks

I did the CPE many years ago, after my BSc., to give me a legal eye over impending and developing IT and computer law. You should be able to do an A Level law along with your LLB studies, and throw in another in Civics (British Constitution), both of those should be good revision for your LLB. Then pick something easy like english - read a couple of books, and write some essays.

However you go I wish you good luck with it.

 

[Effendi]

If he is doing his LLB part time it is likely he is studying 60 credits a year. This means he will need to commit approximately 16-18 hours for study each week. Not to mention the added strain of getting his TMA's completed on time.He is also considering the Army Reserve which, I am sure you are aware, is also time intensive.

Why you would recommend he fills up more time with unnecessary A levels is beyond me. He is studying Law at degree level via his LLB (Hons) course. Recommending he studies A Level law alongside his law degree is ridiculous advice.

Because he mooted the consideration of the possibility of doing A levels to get the necessary UCAS points to apply for the commission.

If he is doing an LLB then doing A levels in law and Civics/British constitution should be no great stretch, and would provide good revision and/or prep for his LLB.

As for an english A level, well if he can read and write, and is doing an LLB he should be able to pass one of those at a reasonable level by reading the set books.

The fact that he is studying for a degree does not get him any UCAS points.

I knew plenty of people on my PhD cohort who were also studying for either ONC's, or City & Guilds at evening classes - as well as doing tutorials for undergrads, marking work, and invigilating exams. The reason being that in practically based higher degrees such as one of the many flavours of engineering, including software engineering you actually need to be able to build the thing you are writing about in your thesis to demonstrate either its function, or failure.

A good mate of mine needed to build various mechanical widgets to prove his theories on the movement of viscous fluids through internal combustion engines and did an ONC in lathe work and milling to build the components he needed - he ended up working as an engineer in F1 which is what he wanted. Whilst doing mine I went along to my local FE college for evening classes and picked up 3 City & Guilds in various programming languages as well as attending the Ingress suite of professional courses to learn the intricacies of SQL. Another mate did an MSc in history alongside his PhD in Artificial Intelligence, just because. Also, when I was doing my first degree I did A level maths, had a part-time (almost full-time) job doing IT support at the uni, and I was playing with the TA, as it was at the time.

Twas merely a suggestion, you throw suggestions into the ring to give people options to reach their goal. He knows what time he has available, and he is probably grown up enough, at nearly 40, to be able to prioritise his work, and available time. At the end of the day if you have an ambition, and goal you make sacrifices.

 

[Cold_Collation]

I read that as 'Join as a soldier, or Walt'.

Just Walt. You can have the pick of the uniforms, and even make your own up. And the girls love uniforms.

I've got two VCs you can have. That still leaves me with three.

 

[MongMastermind]

I read that as 'Join as a soldier, or Walt'.

Just Walt. You can have the pick of the uniforms, and even make your own up. And the girls love uniforms.

I've got two VCs you can have. That still leaves me with three.

One weekend ON duty pays for the next weekends pissup and you get fed and watered for free on ex

 

[halloumikid]

Regular serving personnel, regular or reserve, of any Service, only need 5 x GCSEs, grades A-C, including, to apply for a commission In the Army. You need to start an application.
Halloumikid