To all tankies and ex-tankies.

Hello ladies and gents, I am 16 and am planning on joining Royal Armoured Corps in two-three years when I finish my education.
I "surfed" http://www.army.mod.uk/rac website and RTR websites too and got clear with some stuff I wanted to find out, however, some questions weren't answered.

1) What is the life in RAC like everyday ? ( Schedule of the day,etc )
2) What regiment would you advise me to join, I'm looking forward into operating a Challanger2 tank and being close or in the action/combat zones?
3) When tankies have no job to do, do they get sent to patrol or whatever other job with other Infantry soldiers?
4) How does your promotion work ? I.E from driver to gunner, from gunner to tank commander.
5) Once your training is finished you get deployed right away to Iraq/Afghanistan or any other countries or you have some time to spend before you get deployed?

I will be happy if you tankies or ex-tankies have some stories to tell about your service.

Thanks in advance.

 

I've been a civvie for 11 years now so am out of date about life in the regiments, but a pointer on the term "tankie". Outside the RAC the term tankie is used to describe anyone who is in the RAC. Within the Corps however the term "tankie" relates to members of 1 & 2 RTR. The Cavalry Regts are not tankies.

 

I did mean 1 RTR and 2 RTR, since Cavalry doesn't use Challanger2's , or do they?

 

Have a look at the thread 3RTR armoured farmers under the RAC part of forums and read about the laffs we had in the 80's in 3RTR.Also there are are few serving members of 2 RTR who were 3RTR in there.

 

if you do your reading, you'll find that several of the line cavalry regiments use CR2. The QRH and the RDG spring to mind.

 

I found the answer for my second question about the regiment I will join, chose 2 RTR.

Still would like to get answers for the rest of my questions.

Thanks in advance.

 

I look forward to these answers aswell, as I am joining up very soon.

 

I don't believe that none of you can't answer these questions. Please do, it won't take alot of time for you.

 

1) What is the life in RAC like everyday ? ( Schedule of the day,etc )

Parades, sport maintenance, sweeping areas, covering for assholes on strike

2) What regiment would you advise me to join, I'm looking forward into operating
a Challanger2 tank and being close or in the action/combat zones?

Don’t look forward to action that is so immature

3) When tankies have no job to do, do they get sent to patrol or whatever other job with other Infantry soldiers?

There is always stuff to do. Learning new equipment practicing drills on current equipment, maintenance, physical fitness and learning many different ways to kill people the Americans don’t like

4) How does your promotion work ? I.E from driver to gunner, from gunner to tank commander.

Driver and gunner are trades not ranks you should be trained as an all round crewman RAC which is gunnery signals and driver maintenance you get promoted by surviving as long as you can and not getting caught doing the bad stuff you do on your days off.

5) Once your training is finished you get deployed right away to Iraq/Afghanistan or any other countries or you have some time to spend before you get deployed?

Yes the army loves sending sprogs into combat straight after training it gives the British army such a good name and helps the more experienced members by drawing fire from them.

Sorry about the last bit I got bored

 

Well it's a reply at least.

 

Why don't you ask your recruiting sgt? And for jaysus sake man don't discount some of the finest regiments on the planet (British Cavalry) until you know what you are talking about. Of course cavalry are on tanks.

 

I am still getting familiar with the place I moved in so I don't know the city nor the region I live in. I come from a different country. I did send an email few days ago, no reply so far.

 

Then publish the town you live in here and one of us can advise you where the nearest recruiting office is. The army is keen to get new recruits and will be delighted to have you in for a chat to advise you. I would also suggest you start to take note of the names of the existing cavalry and tank regiments from this site. Everyone is going to tell you that theirs is the best but you must decide for yourself.

I'll put my own regiment forward for your attention. The Queen's Royal Hussars (Queen's Own & Royal Irish). They recruit in the Midlands of England and in Ireland.

Regimental Website is http://www.qrh.org.uk/ and you'll find the guys currently deployed in Iraq on CR2 but doing many patrols dismounted or on CVRT.

 

12 regiments, that's alot to chose from. Are they all deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan ?

 

You probably won't get 2 RTR. They are oversubscribed! If you look at the army web site and go combat, regiments, 2 RTR are highlighted out! My son is phase 2 Bovvy 2 RTR and he has been told, that only family connections and special cases have any chance of 2 RTR because of this! He had to go Pirbright instead of Winchester for his phase 1 and was the only tankie there, all the rest were cavalry and gunners etc. Try by all means, but as others are saying, look at their suggestions!