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Royal Engineers Officer - Specialisms,

aed78973

Swinger
Hi all, few questions, ideally looking for responses from those who have done RMAS or are in the RE.

Thinking about applying to be a reg officer with the Royal Engineers. Have wanted to do it for years, now seems like the perfect time, I've got no house, no gf, a BSc + MSc in geology/hydrogeology and 3-4 years working experience under my belt, as well as 3 months international dev experience in India. (Not bragging just background info).

I'm on the way to doing my first reserve training in a few weeks (phase 1 Alpha), but the more I think about it, the more I'm just keen on just doing it full time.

Questions:
  1. After Sandhurst, assuming I am chosen for RE, how easy is it to specialise in a certain area, especially given previous experience. For example i'm really keen on water supplies, however I am also keen on having a hollistic knowledge of all things military Engineering

  2. With that, is there a way to have less of a focus on combat engineering and more on overall engineering? I'm aware combat is still important, but i'd rather be working out how to build a base/clear a wood, than for exampling defusing bombs.

  3. What are the chances of not getting picked for RE after completing Sandhurst, especially given my background in technical subjects? It's a definite RE or nothing for me really.

  4. Language learning - would be very keen to enhance this as I've done a fair bit of french already, is this still a possibility for a lot of officers?

  5. I would submit an application ASAP, but I have a wedding one weekend next year (sisters) that I can't miss in early October. How easy is it to get a weekend off during RMAS? I can wait, but that would technically mean I wouldn't be able to start until Jan 2022 at the earliest (i'd be 28 by then, 26 now). Am I right in thinking that starting in September 2021 would be a definitely not be able to get the time off for it, as the wedding is start of October, i've heard the first 5 weeks are the most intense. This is fine as I can train as much as possible with the reserves until the, but still, 2022 seems like a very long time away.

  6. Age is another thing I've thought about, i'll be one of the older chaps most likely, however I like to think I'm still quite fit as I do a lot of running and climbing. WIll age be a disadvantage do you think?
Any response with helpful answers would be greatly appreciated and that (y) Ta
 
I’m hugely out of date but in my day everyone started as a ‘field engineer’ by virtue of completing the RE Young Officers/Troop Commanders course. Water supply is just one of the things covered.

After a couple of tours it was possible to specialise in geo/survey or (if you were an engineering grad) as a ‘professionally qualified engineer’*.

But the Corps was - in general - very wary of specialisation and I’d guess now the opportunities to become a PQE are quite rare, although ‘camp structures’ has made a comeback from relative obscurity since Bosnia and other more sandy excursions.

It’s the variety that makes the sappers so special, IMHO, and anyway, why would you want to pass up the chance to blow things up!l?

The sappers (used to) pre-recruit so that you go to RMAS ‘sponsored’ by them (if you pass their initial selection. You still have to perform well enough, or it’s the RLC for you, mucker. They also used to recruit by year of birth so you’d need to check with the Corps whether they will even consider yourself.

You might also be better off investigating whether you’re better getting a reserve commission first and then transferring over.

* or even as a postie in those days!
 
Hi all, few questions, ideally looking for responses from those who have done RMAS or are in the RE.

Thinking about applying to be a reg officer with the Royal Engineers. Have wanted to do it for years, now seems like the perfect time, I've got no house, no gf, a BSc + MSc in geology/hydrogeology and 3-4 years working experience under my belt, as well as 3 months international dev experience in India. (Not bragging just background info).

I'm on the way to doing my first reserve training in a few weeks (phase 1 Alpha), but the more I think about it, the more I'm just keen on just doing it full time.

Questions:
  1. After Sandhurst, assuming I am chosen for RE, how easy is it to specialise in a certain area, especially given previous experience. For example i'm really keen on water supplies, however I am also keen on having a hollistic knowledge of all things military Engineering

  2. With that, is there a way to have less of a focus on combat engineering and more on overall engineering? I'm aware combat is still important, but i'd rather be working out how to build a base/clear a wood, than for exampling defusing bombs.

  3. What are the chances of not getting picked for RE after completing Sandhurst, especially given my background in technical subjects? It's a definite RE or nothing for me really.

  4. Language learning - would be very keen to enhance this as I've done a fair bit of french already, is this still a possibility for a lot of officers?

  5. I would submit an application ASAP, but I have a wedding one weekend next year (sisters) that I can't miss in early October. How easy is it to get a weekend off during RMAS? I can wait, but that would technically mean I wouldn't be able to start until Jan 2022 at the earliest (i'd be 28 by then, 26 now). Am I right in thinking that starting in September 2021 would be a definitely not be able to get the time off for it, as the wedding is start of October, i've heard the first 5 weeks are the most intense. This is fine as I can train as much as possible with the reserves until the, but still, 2022 seems like a very long time away.

  6. Age is another thing I've thought about, i'll be one of the older chaps most likely, however I like to think I'm still quite fit as I do a lot of running and climbing. WIll age be a disadvantage do you think?
Any response with helpful answers would be greatly appreciated and that (y) Ta

Armoured it the ticket , wot with your quals you will move up as fast as a fast thing .
 
I trust that you've read up on 521 STRE (WD)?

WD stands for Water Development, not Well Drilling, as many people think. It's a mere coincidence that most of the work revolves around drilling wells.
 
I trust that you've read up on 521 STRE (WD)?

WD stands for Water Development, not Well Drilling, as many people think. It's a mere coincidence that most of the work revolves around drilling wells.

I have, in fact the reserve unit I'm getting into is in 170 group. I've specifically asked to go to 521STRE sister reserve group, ie the water team (I think 506?). Sounds like you have experience with 170, could you impart some of your knowledge of the role of regular officer in relation to 170 and infrastructure engineering? Given my previous experience, I'd be very keen on 521 STRE to be honest, but worried you don't get to to be that specific post sandhurst however.

Thanks!
 
I’m hugely out of date but in my day everyone started as a ‘field engineer’ by virtue of completing the RE Young Officers/Troop Commanders course. Water supply is just one of the things covered.

After a couple of tours it was possible to specialise in geo/survey or (if you were an engineering grad) as a ‘professionally qualified engineer’*.

But the Corps was - in general - very wary of specialisation and I’d guess now the opportunities to become a PQE are quite rare, although ‘camp structures’ has made a comeback from relative obscurity since Bosnia and other more sandy excursions.

It’s the variety that makes the sappers so special, IMHO, and anyway, why would you want to pass up the chance to blow things up!l?

The sappers (used to) pre-recruit so that you go to RMAS ‘sponsored’ by them (if you pass their initial selection. You still have to perform well enough, or it’s the RLC for you, mucker. They also used to recruit by year of birth so you’d need to check with the Corps whether they will even consider yourself.

You might also be better off investigating whether you’re better getting a reserve commission first and then transferring over.

* or even as a postie in those days!

Ah cheers pal, yeah I'm certainly not averse to getting as much experience as possible, and variety. Not gonna lie have been strongly looking at a reserve comission too, and the lead first program. For me I reckon it's either the regs, or the lead first program as I've heard some people have managed to get a lot of abroad postings on lead first.

There's a big part of me however that thinks that Lead First is a halfway house to what I really want, which is to go full in on being an officer for at the very least 4 to 5 years.
 
Seem to have met a few in Geo, some retards in it especially LE one's.
Those in general building works seem to be better trained & with civil engineers quals.
 
I’ll caveat my comments in a similar way to the other bob as its a few years since I left.

The Corps has two Officer specialisations; PQE and Geographic. Geo officers spend most of their career in Geo; it would not use your qualifications at all; it’s all about the geospatial environment.

PQEs jump in and out certainly until promotion to Lt Col. I’m not sure that you would be eligible for PQE training; it stands for Professionally Qualified Engineer. The entry requirement is a degree that can lead to Chartered Engineer status. Unless your geology degrees contain a lot of engineering geology, you may not qualify. And you would not get to command and STRE unless you were a PQE.

Throughout my career, The Corps geologist capability was in the Reserve. I’d be surprised if that has changed.

You really should talk to the right people in recruiting to find out current information.
 
I can't speak on the RE side as I was Infantry. However, Sandhurst I can talk about.

Cadets are gated for the first 5 weeks of the first term and only get out for serious compassionate reasons (I would think a wedding would not qualify). Currently with this coronavirus all cadets have been gated the whole term except when deploying on exercise.

Unless sponsored by a cap-badge that decision is made in week 12 of the intermediate term. Cadets make expressions of interest early on and whittle those down to two choices following visits. Regtl Selection Boards decide who goes where. Many do get their first choice or second one. Others go into 'clearing'.

Average age is 24, though up to 30 is not that unusual ( a few recent intakes have had individuals with particular skills aged 34).
 
I’ll caveat my comments in a similar way to the other bob as its a few years since I left.

The Corps has two Officer specialisations; PQE and Geographic. Geo officers spend most of their career in Geo; it would not use your qualifications at all; it’s all about the geospatial environment.

PQEs jump in and out certainly until promotion to Lt Col. I’m not sure that you would be eligible for PQE training; it stands for Professionally Qualified Engineer. The entry requirement is a degree that can lead to Chartered Engineer status. Unless your geology degrees contain a lot of engineering geology, you may not qualify. And you would not get to command and STRE unless you were a PQE.

Throughout my career, The Corps geologist capability was in the Reserve. I’d be surprised if that has changed.

You really should talk to the right people in recruiting to find out current information.

Thanks for the reply bob.

Little bit confused about what you're saying however. Unless you do PQE or geo... what do you do? The entry requirements don't even require a degree so surely that can't be the only routes. Aye you're right about speaking to someone, hoping to gain more knowledge as my reserve training goes on!

I am aware that the geology side of things tend to be reservists, but to be honest the main reason I'm looking at a regular officer role in RE is to lead and project manage. My current specialisms I am hoping will help, but I don't necessarily think it's a be all and end all.

There have been mentions of sponsorships, if I were a reservist that expressed an interested in the regs, would it be possible to get a sponsorship d'ya think? (Obviously this depends on lots of things I know, but does that seem likely from your guys experience?)
 
I have, in fact the reserve unit I'm getting into is in 170 group. I've specifically asked to go to 521STRE sister reserve group, ie the water team (I think 506?). Sounds like you have experience with 170, could you impart some of your knowledge of the role of regular officer in relation to 170 and infrastructure engineering? Given my previous experience, I'd be very keen on 521 STRE to be honest, but worried you don't get to to be that specific post sandhurst however.

Thanks!
Sorry, can't help that much as my time was with 65 Wks Gp before they integrated more fully with the Regulars so not much knowledge of their commissioning process.

I would comment that in the run up to Telic, it was a geologist in 508 STRE(Wks)(V) who told 521 where to put their boreholes. Karma, as the Regulars had spent years prevented her commissioning as they didn't recognise Geologist as a TA trade. Instead, she was listed as a ConsMatTech, a totally alien role. As a corporal (and university lecturer), she spent months in the company of Regular colonels who were less qualified.
 
Thanks for the reply bob.

Little bit confused about what you're saying however. Unless you do PQE or geo... what do you do? The entry requirements don't even require a degree so surely that can't be the only routes. Aye you're right about speaking to someone, hoping to gain more knowledge as my reserve training goes on!

I am aware that the geology side of things tend to be reservists, but to be honest the main reason I'm looking at a regular officer role in RE is to lead and project manage. My current specialisms I am hoping will help, but I don't necessarily think it's a be all and end all.

There have been mentions of sponsorships, if I were a reservist that expressed an interested in the regs, would it be possible to get a sponsorship d'ya think? (Obviously this depends on lots of things I know, but does that seem likely from your guys experience?)
Look, it’s over ten years since I left; I’m not current beyond what I read in the Institution’s Journal.

All Engineer officers start off as general roster. Read the Army recruiting website to find out what they do, but a generic career would be troop command, junior Captain role, Adjutant / Sqn 2ic before any long course like PQEs or Survey.

You really need to talk to the recruiters and get current advice; the people chipping in here all did this stuff years ago.
 
Sorry, can't help that much as my time was with 65 Wks Gp before they integrated more fully with the Regulars so not much knowledge of their commissioning process.

I would comment that in the run up to Telic, it was a geologist in 508 STRE(Wks)(V) who told 521 where to put their boreholes. Karma, as the Regulars had spent years prevented her commissioning as they didn't recognise Geologist as a TA trade. Instead, she was listed as a ConsMatTech, a totally alien role. As a corporal (and university lecturer), she spent months in the company of Regular colonels who were less qualified.
Going back a long time, there was a Specialist Pool that had even less training commitment (ie none) than what was then MWF(V). The guy that did all the geology stuff for the Falklands was an Imperial College prof who was a Major in the Specialist Pool. Can’t remember his name.

When the Specialist Pool was disbanded, the establishment for geologist went. At least 20 years ago.
 
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