Re-trading Reme -> Infantry

Come this may im going to break the good news to my boss that i wish to re-trade to the Infantry, i have a cast iron excuse why i want to re-trade, it covers all the bases etc.. but what i want to know is will i have to do the whole phase 1 and 2 and do the whole 24 weeks?

has anyone done this before and can tell me what i can expect ?

 

You'll definetly have to do Phase 2

 

re-badge from REME to infantry, are you mad?

 

I know a guy who went RA to Infantry without having to go through any basic training again, but this was pre phase one and two days

 

I know of a guy (I think he was a Cpl) from the RLC who transfered to the Inf - they stuck him on Senior Brecon and he's now a Pl Sgt

 

i can imagine id have to do infantry style skill at arms and tactics etc..

im just wondering will i have to do it with recruits or other re-traders.

 

Hi mate. Im currently in the process of doing the same.......REME to Inf. But from the sounds of it im a little further through the process. What i have been told is the level of training that you will have to complete depends on a few different things:

1) The unit you wish to join.
2) Your current rank.
3) Your current skills and drills that may be assessed at ITC if the gaining MCM wish to take a look at you.

What trade are you at the moment and what unit are you wanting to join??

 

A very good friend of mine transferred in from REME where he was training as and aircraft technician. He's a very brainy guy and was more or less tallked into joining REME at the ACIO. He never settled though and after calling in at our old depot and seeing real soldiers he transferred. This was in about 1971 so very soon after he was in the thick of NI on an 18month tour. In the following 20 odd years he was promoted steadily and passed all the career courses,RSI, J/Tac, S/Tac, Milan Pl.,Comds, RSO, IO as well as takiing a degree in Politics at the Open University. He made RSM of an OTC before being commissioned and then served as QM and OC HQ Coy. Made a bit of a name for himself in Bosnia when the CO told him to learn Serbo -Croat, he did! He retires this year as a Major after 37yrs service having been (I think) the first ex-ranker to attend (and pass, comfortably!) JDSC and RCMS Shrivenham. He's never had a single regret about leaving REME and has had an immensely fulfilling and varied career which, I suggest, would probably not have been the case had he stayed where he was fixing rotor blades. The lesson here is that not everybody with a good brain wants a trade, some want to soldier!

 

That is a quality little story and one that i will be taking with me into my new job. Getting my letter of acceptance very soon so im nearly there!!

 

What's with the 'real' soldier crap, the only reason that the fella shone when he went inf. is that he was clever enough to have a trade in the first place! I hate all this bull from people slating tech's, stay in school, get qualed and avoid being cannon fodder!
As for your thoughts on transfer - go commission if you're that way inclined that way you can really use your brain, be in charge and top up the old pension for getting out, all of which you won't get to do if your diggin holes in the sand for a living!!

out to you.

 

Get back in you air conditioned box body.

 

I'd expect him to say - 'get out of my office!' and send you to the Med Centre for a head examination.

I'm not knocking the infantry - don't get me wrong (all pulling on the same bit of rope and all that) but look further than the next few years. Young lads get a bit excited about firing rifles and lobbing smoke, you'll get plenty of opportunity to do it all in your career.

My best advice is to use your time 'in' to help you when you get 'out'.

I'll get some stick for this but, does MPGS or security at Tesco's sound like a great future? Unless you're really good, like the lads have already said, that's all you'll get.

Rant over, bring it on

Out to you.

 

You see you say that big_s but he may have picked up a few nifty NVQs in the REME already. But yea, i kind of agree, being able to fire an 81mm mortar, no matter how good you are at it, doent do you much good in the civilian job market! But then you'll probably have a lot more fun in the infantry, so it's kind of a trade off. Fun job now or higer paid job later?

 

know of a recy mech that went para and then came back to reme

 

My advice is go for whatever you want, I have gone through being a tech, in and on civpop to security guard, factory worker, security guard, labourer,care worker, company director etc etc the list goes on, Life is not about money! One thing the army does not do is pay you too much, Life is what you make it and greed is not a good thing. Just be happy with what you want and always remember one thing my grandad said to me..... You should always have the price of a pint in your pocket or you have failed as a real man!!!