Joining the army..

[Mey]

I graduated two years ago I still work the same job (virtually) that I did when I was sixteen (8 years exp...)

Am I stupid?!

I want to do something exciting..

 

[Punishment]

I have often thought about this myself im too old now tho at almost 29

 

[DaGaffer]

I graduated two years ago I still work the same job (virtually) that I did when I was sixteen (8 years exp...)

Am I stupid?!

I want to do something exciting..

How old are you? Over 25? Forget it then.

 

[Raven]

Lad at work just turned 30. He starts in the army in March. Logistics corps as a driver mind you, I don't think they accept older people into infantry.
Though my cousin joined the Australian army a couple of years ago, he was 31 at the time. He served in the UK parachute regiment from the ages of 18 to mid twenties though so don't know if that got him in.

Edit. If you are thinking about it, go down to the army recruitment centre and talk with them. They are very helpful.

 

[DaGaffer]

Lad at work just turned 30. He starts in the army in March. Logistics corps as a driver mind you, I don't think they accept older people into infantry.
Though my cousin joined the Australian army a couple of years ago, he was 31 at the time. He served in the UK parachute regiment from the ages of 18 to mid twenties though so don't know if that got him in.

Edit. If you are thinking about it, go down to the army recruitment centre and talk with them. They are very helpful.

You won't go in as an officer if you're over 25 (with the odd exception, see below). Since Mey is a graduate, he's kind of wasting his time if he goes in as other ranks, so...

You can get in over at 25 in specialist areas if you already have a skill (but pretty much the only officer level entry over 25 is if you're a doctor, even civvy pilots can't get in), which is why I assume your mate could get in as a driver. Overseas armies I have no idea, although my Dad nearly did the same as your ex-para mate, but in South Africa (my Mum put a stop to it apparently).

 

[Cadiva]

I graduated two years ago I still work the same job (virtually) that I did when I was sixteen (8 years exp...)

Am I stupid?!

I want to do something exciting..

Depends whether you enjoy it or not. You've got some good advice already but I was a journalist for 20 years, not counting two short breaks between jobs when I worked at Sainsbury's and Boots respectively, and I loved every minute of it. If you're not happy then look for something else but the Army isn't necessarily going to be "exciting" all the time.

 

[Scouse]

Am I stupid?!

I want to do something exciting..

Well, if you consider killing people you've never met simply because someone has told you to "exciting" then the army is right for you.

If, on the other hand, you don't want to spread death, then not really

 

[Raven]

Yeah because that's all the military do.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Any work becomes boring, ANY work, even tit-inspection, difference in the military is that you might die.

Do what you like, but you can get excitement without getting shot at.

 

[Scouse]

Yeah because that's all the military do.

What? Soldiers aren't expected to kill people when ordered to?

I might join then - the rest of the job looks great fun. In my mind the killing of people I've never met was the defining thing about a military force. If that's now optional rather than mandatory I'm in.

Or is it just part of the job I should ignore - because killing is not very important or something?

 

[dysfunction]

Overseas armies I have no idea, although my Dad nearly did the same as your ex-para mate, but in South Africa (my Mum put a stop to it apparently).

You really wouldn't want to join the South African Army! Your Mum did your Dad a huge favour!

 

[DaGaffer]

You really wouldn't want to join the South African Army! Your Mum did your Dad a huge favour!

It was one of the reasons we came back to the UK. My mum realised me and my brother would get conscripted at some point. When I looked at joining the British Army when I left school, she told me "you're not going to Northern Ireland, I'll lock you in the cupboard under the stairs first" (slightly hypocritical since she was in the army when she met my Dad, also in the army). We compromised when I said I was going to apply to be a helicopter pilot, and then I failed the fucking eye test

 

[DaGaffer]

What? Soldiers aren't expected to kill people when ordered to?

I might join then - the rest of the job looks great fun. In my mind the killing of people I've never met was the defining thing about a military force. If that's now optional rather than mandatory I'm in.

Or is it just part of the job I should ignore - because killing is not very important or something?

There are far more jobs in the military that involve little or no likelihood of combat than there are front line roles. I think its something like 3 non-combatants to support every fighting soldier. Funnily enough when I was growing up recruitment for the military was almost always about learning a trade in a rear echelon role; its only in the last few years that the advertising admits joining the army is a bit more dangerous than being in the boy scouts.

 

[Scouse]

Don't disagree with you Gaff, but:

little or no likelihood of combat

doesn't mean that you definitely won't, at some point, be expected to kill another human being.


Given our current record of "just" wars, I think it's abhorrent that the military receives the support it does from the public.

Injured soldier turns up at my house, I'd help him (of course). If he came back and asked for money to help other soldiers who've been wounded, I'd tell him to fuck off. There are far more deserving causes IMO...

 

[old.Tohtori]

Remember that when someone says they couldn't give a rats ass about childcancer funds. Different ways to see importance, but it's ofcourse fair for you to say "No, not helping."

I don't like the basic idea that help is somehow mandatory, outside common courtesy.

 

[DaGaffer]

The only unjust war we've gotten involved in is Iraq, and we're no longer there. When we went into Afghanistan I didn't want us there because I know my history, but there was an undeniable logic in going in at the time. Its only subsequently that its turned into a quagmire (as I expected). Maybe I have a blind spot about it because I come from a long, long line of military men (we did a family geneaology on my Dad's side a few years ago and it turns out me and my brother are the first in about 250 years not to be soliders of some sort), but I will rarely blame the men on the ground for where they get posted. I think if I knew someone had joined up specifically to go to Iraq, I couldn't support them, but the vast majority weren't in that situation.

 

[Scouse]

Again, I can see your point Gaff. I've got a lot of military in my family too.

However, to me, if you join the army you support killing other people. IMO - it takes a certain type of human to do that, especially if you live in a peaceful country like the UK.

If you think of all humans as stupid stupid monkeys (and I include myself at the top of the list) then the ones who sign up for killing of their own free will are some of the worst types. If we didn't have 'em, then politicians would find it a lot harder to take us to war.

And war is bad, mmmkay?

 

[old.Tohtori]

War is actually an evolved part of nature

If we want to go in that particular branch of discussion.

 

[throdgrain]

Sometimes you have to kill other people. That's what we have armies for. Scouse you're turning into some kind of looney, get a grip man.

 

[Punishment]

Well, if you consider killing people you've never met simply because someone has told you to "exciting" then the army is right for you.

If, on the other hand, you don't want to spread death, then not really

The shit you type becomes more and more stupid as time goes on, well done on saying the controversial thing on the internet just to get attention, irl i think you will find it will get you punched in the face.

How much blood do you think was spilled so you could have a peaceful country ?

 

[Scouse]

The shit you type becomes more and more stupid as time goes on, well done on saying the controversial thing on the internet just to get attention, irl i think you will find it will get you punched in the face.

How much blood do you think was spilled so you could have a peaceful country ?

Awwww. You angry 'cause I'm having a pop at catholic rapists?

Just FYI, I've said that in real life and nobody has punched me since I was 15 and at school. You're a fucking idiot if you use violence IMO.

 

[Punishment]

Awwww. You angry 'cause I'm having a pop at catholic rapists?

Just FYI, I've said that in real life and nobody has punched me since I was 15 and at school. You're a fucking idiot if you use violence IMO.

Yet again you skip past the whole point, how would your perfect world with no military/police look, i will tell you how, you would probably still be in a cave slinging shit.

Then again not much different than your current situation i guess

 

[DaGaffer]

Playing Devil's Advocate, there are countries without armies (Costa Rica springs to mind) and there are countries who's militaries are banned from taking part in overseas conflicts and have a constitutionally defined "self-defence" role, e.g. Japan. I'm sure even Scouse would find it hard to object to either of those models.

 

[Punishment]

Playing Devil's Advocate, there are countries without armies (Costa Rica springs to mind) and there are countries who's militaries are banned from taking part in overseas conflicts and have a constitutionally defined "self-defence" role, e.g. Japan. I'm sure even Scouse would find it hard to object to either of those models.

Ireland almost has no military now

 

[Soazak]

Assuming we're talking about the British Army..

You can join as a soldier any time before your 33rd birthday. You can join as an Officer any time before your 29th birthday (passing AOSB lasts until this point, regardless of how long ago you passed).

The comments about being over 25 are wrong. Typically a large section of Sandhurst OCdts are around the age of 24-27 (gap years, uni, travelling etc prior to joining).

I'm 26 (turn 27 in January) and I start in September 2012 (infantry).


Edit: there is an age stipulation if you wish to become a pilot (RN and RAF) of 26, simply because of the length of time it takes to qualify.

 

[throdgrain]

Assuming we're talking about the British Army..

You can join as a soldier any time before your 33rd birthday. You can join as an Officer any time before your 29th birthday (passing AOSB lasts until this point, regardless of how long ago you passed).

The comments about being over 25 are wrong. Typically a large section of Sandhurst OCdts are around the age of 24-27 (gap years, uni, travelling etc prior to joining).

I'm 26 (turn 27 in January) and I start in September 2012 (infantry).


Edit: there is an age stipulation if you wish to become a pilot (RN and RAF) of 26, simply because of the length of time it takes to qualify.

Nice to see someone with imformation, good luck mate hope it goes well

 

[Exioce]

If you're bored I suggest you get a hobby, instead of going off to kill people.

 

[DaGaffer]

According to the army website:


18 years - 26 years/29 years for serving soldier entrants and for those seeking a commission in the Adjutant General's Corps (Staff & Personnel Support Branch), Adjutant General's Corps (Educational & Training Staff), Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police), Royal Army Medical Corps (Medical Support Officer) and the Intelligence Corps. (Higher age limit for professional or specialist applicants may apply)

So I was a year out. As I said its only older if you have a specialist skill, or as it says here, are already in.

 

[Gumbo]

From what I read of Mey's post he's 24, so young enough for Sandhurst.

One of Clare's

<---

boys has been in for 18months now. Reme Metalsmith. He left school with bugger all qualifications, did Mcdonalds, doss, bowling alley tech and then realised, that if he worked really hard, he could one day, maybe reach the dizzy heights of senior bowling alley tech, and take home a smidge over a grand a week. His options were continued dead end jobs, or sign up.

Qualified now, and with extra courses he's doing tons better than that, has a trade he'll have for the rest of his life, just done his HGV 1 as well, has a good pension arrangement etc.

He may have to kill someone. You are always a soldier first, but if he does, it will be when he's on guard duty and a suicide bomber drives at the gate. Or the Taliban are stupid enough to mount a frontal assault on Bastion.

 

[rynnor]

I feel sorry for the guys in the armed forces - they get a load of crap gear thanks to the idiots in the MOD procurement section, shit pay, regiments being cut etc. and any poor sod who really does see the front line is probably a right off from society thanks to post traumatic stress disorder.

I would happily take another percent on NI or Income tax to see them better supported tbh.