British army officer career

discus

An Claidheamh wrote: »

No Mr Talk.

I'm sure you'll be grand.

Whatever about Orangemen, if you join any regiment other than the RIR or Irish Guards, you won't have to deal with the extreme examples given above.

You'll be just like the canadians, fijians, maltese, french, scots, welsh, english, south africans, nepalese, indian... Need I say more? It's grand.

An Claidheamh

discus wrote: »

Whatever about Orangemen, if you join any regiment other than the RIR or Irish Guards, you won't have to deal with the extreme examples given above.

You'll be just like the canadians, fijians, maltese, french, scots, welsh, english, south africans, nepalese, indian... Need I say more? It's grand.

I thought Irish people are always being told to join those two.

And why would the British army allow an anti-Irish and anti-Catholic demonstration anyway? Or indeed those sort of people to join? No background checks?

Standards ....

discus

Bore off, your 'subtle' attempts at undermining the values within the services have been attempted by better men.

An Claidheamh

discus wrote: »

Bore off, your 'subtle' attempts at undermining the values within the services have been attempted by better men.

values?

krissovo

An Claidheamh wrote: »

values?

Yawn!

Jawgap

An Claidheamh wrote: »

........


No Mr Talk.

I'm sure you'll be grand.

Oh man......old story is old......

Soldiers keep it real with Basra Twelfth
By Diana Rusk
BRITISH soldiers in Iraq have held a tongue-in-cheek Twelfth of July demonstration complete with nationalist protesters and riot police.

Members of the Irish Guards held the parade at their base in Basra after an Orange lodge sent them sashes and orange lilies.

The images posted on internet forum Bebo show orange men from 'Basrah LOL 1 accompanied by a flute band called The Rising Sons of Basrah 2007.

They march past mock RUC officers dressed in full riot gear and a group of mock nationalist protesters holding Irish flags in opposition to the parade.

Jawgap

An Claidheamh wrote: »

I thought Irish people are always being told to join those two.

And why would the British army allow an anti-Irish and anti-Catholic demonstration anyway? Or indeed those sort of people to join? No background checks?

Standards ....

Standards?

One thing you could say about the BA is that they are equal opportunity employers......

At the same parade, as the report above indicated, they also allowed an anti-British, anti-Loyalist demo.....

tac foley

An Claidheamh wrote: »

I thought Irish people are always being told to join those two.

And why would the British army allow an anti-Irish and anti-Catholic demonstration anyway? Or indeed those sort of people to join? No background checks?

Standards ....

Dear Mr Claidheamh - it's a wind-up, a p!ss-take, a taking the micky, whatever you want to call it.

Serious?

Don't make me laff. x 10

The British Armed Forces have Christians of all pursuasions, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and moslems - we all take the p!ss of each other as par for the course. The really religious tend to keep it quiet, unless, of course, it shows, like the RAF Sikhs who wear a Kim-wipe turban and spiffy tin bangle and a beard. In the Welsh regiments there is always a ferry serious chapel-goer, usually called 459 Evans-above or similar. He is tolerated, just like anybody else. Religion, like politics, does not get discussed.

If a religion expressly forbids membership of any kind of army, navy or air force, then they wouldn't have joined. The more outré religions, like scientologists, mormons, seventh day adventists, zoroastrians, copts, wiccans, druids, salvation army, Lord's Day Observers, frog, tree or fairy worshippers and so on tend not to join organisations like the armed forces. Mind you, one of my pals was a seriously dedicated water-worshipper. He regularly swallowed a bottle of whiskey a day - maintained that the fresh highland spring water content kept him healthy.

My point is that nobody on the planet takes the p!ss like the British squaddie.

Of course, being a civilian, that is to say, a NUT [non-uniformed target] or UB [unintentional backstop], I don't expect you to understand.

tac

Mr. Talk

krissovo wrote: »

Spent 15 years as Sapper in the Royal Engineers, started as a junior leader at 16 in 1988 climbed the ranks to Sergent (acting Staff Sergent) and then did a commissioning course at Sandhurst when I was 27 and came out a Captain. Left school with zero qualifications, trained as a Combat Engineer, Mechanical Engineer plant and machinery and then specialized in bomb disposal for the remainder of my career. Joining as a Tom was an invaluable experience and made me a better officer, you will find the best leaders are often ex toms. Served in the first Gulf War, Bosnia, Kossovo (hence user name), Kenya, Canada, Germany and Belize.

Best rank I had was Sergent, you are still one of the lads and can socialize across all ranks plus its a great mix of being hands on and leading without much of the paperwork as a warrant officer or officer.

Sandhurst is an amazing positive experience and has made me very rounded with valuable transferable skills, leadership, analytical, positive outlook, problem solving, decision making I could go on but I am doing very well in a civilian career and its all down to the military even though I am doing a totally different career now.

A day in the life is normally fitness 3 mornings (early) a week (6 miles, circuits, assault course, log runs a couple times a year) or kit/room inspections, sports afternoon on Wednesday (play almost any sport you can name). Lessons during the days will be military skills (first aid, weapon handling, signals, Drill, NBC, Navigation etc, military education), Leadership (classroom theory, problem solving practical, military leadership, orders) and exercise preparation (section in defense, section battle drills, platoon in defense, platoon attacks etc). Evenings are homework for the theory, prepping your kit for the next day/week ahead and a couple of pints once or twice a week. Weekends are mostly free to do your own thing after 6 weeks.

In the real world after Sandhurst its actually quite tough, managing your lads takes a lot of time to do it right, projects from squadron leaders keep you tied up plus you have a day job to do along with the military routine but very rewarding.

RMP is very different to most officer roles, its up there with the military clerks, dentists and vets as you are mostly doing a day job other than preparing for war. You would probably end up a "det" commander in a crappy small barracks with a small section of corporals and sergeants so not much room to be social, you will get all the crap in the officers mess unless you are a really cool easy going guy so you will need to to thick skinned. I think RMP had the one of highest rates of lads looking to transfer to a new Corps. Large garrisons would have better social life for the RMP but like a few other Corp's (like REME battalions) where a big group of them is a nightmare and they hate each other.

Very interesting. Are you Irish? I thought about joining the engineers and later going into bomb disposal, but I hear you need to be good a maths.
I am surprised about what people are saying about the RMP. I sound the most interesting given that you can transfer into a detective role. Anyways I want to eventually become a Garda or prison officer, so the RMP sound the most appropriate for me.

Mr. Talk

discus wrote: »

I failed Officer Selection 3 years ago. Joined anyway as regular.

My advice: Don't fail officer selection.

Why is not failing officer selection your advise? What was your experience serving as an Irishman. I was watching a documentry about officer training and they often have to song God save the Queen. I don't even know the lyrics? Also dis you ever feel like an outsider been surrounded by different accents?

tac foley

Mr. Talk wrote: »

Why is not failing officer selection your advise? What was your experience serving as an Irishman. I was watching a documentry about officer training and they often have to song God save the Queen. I don't even know the lyrics? Also dis you ever feel like an outsider been surrounded by different accents?

Let's address your post in the order in which you asked your question - good practice in martialling your thoughts, BTW]

1. Failing Officer Selection [OS].

The advice 'do not fail officer selection' is not one that you should be prepared to ignore. Failing OS and going back to your former unit can be THE most devastatingly emotional event of your life, those you left behind to attempt to become a 'Rupert' will make sure of that.

2. Singing of 'G*d save the Queen'

'G*d save the Queen' is the national anthem of the United Kingdom, to whose monarch you will already have sworn an oath of allegiance, not only to her but also her heirs and successors. If you can't bring yourself to do that for the duration of your time in HER Armed forces, then stop right there.

3. Outsider and different accents.

Well, excuse me if I have a bit of a snigger here - at your expense, natch. The number of posts I've read on this site where Irish posters take the almighty p!ss out of those funny-sounding Kerrymen, Dubs, Galway boys, Men of Cork and those from 'Norn Iron' is without number. Anyhow, even if you are British/English most are used to listening to different accents of which Irish and Norn Irish are simply two. We don't ALL live in a cardboard box on the edge of a cliff overlooking America, y'know. Have you listened to a Scouser, or a Geordie, or somebody from deepest Narfulk?

FYI the island of Great Britain is populated end to end, side to side and top to bottom by people who have problems understanding each other. I'll assume that you've heard of Rab C Nesbitt? If not, I suggest you log on to YouTube and have a listen, and he's only a Scot.

tac

tac foley

Mr. Talk wrote: »

Very interesting. Are you Irish? I thought about joining the engineers and later going into bomb disposal, but I hear you need to be good a maths.
I am surprised about what people are saying about the RMP. I sound the most interesting given that you can transfer into a detective role. Anyways I want to eventually become a Garda or prison officer, so the RMP sound the most appropriate for me.

Royal Engineer officers or candidate officers usually have to have a degree in a related subject. Not media studies, landscape gardening or dress-making, but a hard science/engineering degree.

NOT having one puts you at an instant disadvantage with those applicants who have.

You really don't need to be the Brain of Ireland to figure out who'll get the thumbs up, and who will get the bums' rush.

tac

tac foley

Mr. Talk wrote: »

Very interesting. Are you Irish? I thought about joining the engineers and later going into bomb disposal, but I hear you need to be good a maths.
I am surprised about what people are saying about the RMP. I sound the most interesting given that you can transfer into a detective role. Anyways I want to eventually become a Garda or prison officer, so the RMP sound the most appropriate for me.

Ah right. You REALLY want to be a Garda or a Prison Officer. So why not try for either or both now?

BTW 'detectives' in the RMP are in the part called the SIB, Special Investigation Branch, commonly known as HM Gestapo or 'The Inquisition'. They are even more disliked than the rest of the RMP.

tac

Mr. Talk

tac foley wrote: »

Ah right. You REALLY want to be a Garda or a Prison Officer. So why not try for either or both now?

BTW 'detectives' in the RMP are in the part called the SIB, Special Investigation Branch, commonly known as HM Gestapo or 'The Inquisition'. They are even more disliked than the rest of the RMP.

tac

Because the Garda and prison service only recruit once every 4-5 years. Last time the Gardai recruited they got 30,000 applicants for just 200 vacances. I assume the British army is not that competitive.
You seem to hate the RMP with a passion. Did you have a personal experience with them? Its only natural for everyone to hate the police. I have been in a position of authority where I had to enforce the rules, so I am used to being unpopular! I still have not changed my mind on them.

tac foley

See, you have it all wrong already. I don't 'hate' them with a passion, TBH, I've never had any dealings with them in any way - ever - in the 33 years I was in.

But, y'see, it's traditional to hate the RMP. In the Army we are good with the traditions. Just like some Irish people traditionally HATE the Brits with a deep and burning passion that transcends mere emotion, but admit that they have never actually met one.

As for the British Army not being competitive, remember that they recruit ALL the time, and from a nation of 65 Million people, and a Commonwealth of almost a billion people who are also allowed to join the British Forces. You might not find it as easy as you imagine.

Anyhow, good luck to you, whatever it is you end up doing, and wherever it is that you do it.

tac

Beano

Mr. Talk wrote: »

Because the Garda and prison service only recruit once every 4-5 years. Last time the Gardai recruited they got 30,000 applicants for just 200 vacances. I assume the British army is not that competitive.
You seem to hate the RMP with a passion. Did you have a personal experience with them? Its only natural for everyone to hate the police. I have been in a position of authority where I had to enforce the rules, so I am used to being unpopular! I still have not changed my mind on them.

I couldnt imagine the RMP take on that many officers each year so there might be more competition. They only number 2500 all ranks so probably only require a handful a year, even if that. and some of those would be LE officers like tac.

tac foley

First, catch your cadetship at RMCS.

Just sayin'.

tac

krissovo

Mr. Talk wrote: »

Very interesting. Are you Irish? I thought about joining the engineers and later going into bomb disposal, but I hear you need to be good a maths.
I am surprised about what people are saying about the RMP. I sound the most interesting given that you can transfer into a detective role. Anyways I want to eventually become a Garda or prison officer, so the RMP sound the most appropriate for me.

I am Irish, joined with a couple of Cork lads and had a blast. Bomb disposal was a very rewarding role and tough in Bosnia and Kosovo, Afghanistan has taken it to a new level!

The detective role in the RMP is called SIB, special investigations branch. Military law is quite different from civil and in reality not all skills learned in the RMP are transferable or even desirable in Police forces.

Edit: Just to compliment Tac's response about having a degree its very true, the back door officer entry by joining as a sapper limits your career to Combat Engineering roles only like a armored battle group or battle group op's officer.

Maths is very important, you need to calculate explosives for demolitions or assault breaching charges get it wrong you either look a twat standing at a breach (walls for example) which shock off your charge or you kill the lad who placed the charge.

Mr. Talk

tac foley wrote: »

First, catch your cadetship at RMCS.

Just sayin'.

tac

Just wondering Tac, if you ever tried out for the SAS. I heard some bad stories about life in the SAS, in which SAS servicemen have a high suicide rate.

tac foley

If life in some parts of the British Army is stressful, how much more stressful for those in Special Forces.

I was looking, a couple of weeks ago, at my initial squad from 1969. Out of twenty-two of us, eleven are dead, and that includes three suicides. That's a VERY high proportion, no matter what part of the military you serve in.

As far as I am aware, I am the only one of the survivors still married to my orginal wife -marriages can suffer when either or both of the partners are in the Armed Forces.

tac.