British army phase 1

caiminmurp1

Just passed British army selection in Belfast last week going to phase 1 training in march and looking for any tips, personal experiences to help me along and more information what catterick is like?

tac foley

1. Listen hard and do as you are told.

2. Don't even think of being a smart-ass.

3. Listen hard and do as you are told.

4. Don't even think of being a smart-ass.

Repeat 1. through 4.

Well done, and all the very best of luck.

tac

pablomakaveli

Get a decent iron and learn how to use it.

If you're told to be somewhere be there 5 minutes before.

Carry a small notebook and black pen with you at all times.

Shower gel is probably the best thing for removing cam cream from your face from my experience. Dont use nail varnish remover like one of the lads in my section did. (The bollocking he got for that was funny though.:pac:)

Never **** about on PT. Pissing a PTI off on a lesson never ends well.

Get something to help with blisters. Zinc oxide tape is a must for preventing them in the first place.

If you **** up just own up to it. Lying and getting caught out will be far worse.

And most importantly good luck. It's a tough 14 weeks but they'll pass quickly.

caiminmurp1

Thank you yeah I really have to practice ironing, nail varnish remover on his face??? Where did he get that idea from 😂 any idea where I could pick up the zinc tape haven't been able to find it in pharmacies. Thank you once again, anybody know how and which bank account I should set up before I arrive bearing in mind I live in the republic?

quote="pablomakaveli;102468805"]Get a

decent iron and learn how to use it.

If you're told to be somewhere be there 5 minutes before.

Carry a small notebook and black pen with you at all times.

Shower gel is probably the best thing for removing cam cream from your face from my experience. Dont use nail varnish remover like one of the lads in my section did. (The bollocking he got for that was funny though.:pac:)

Never **** about on PT. Pissing a PTI off on a lesson never ends well.

Get something to help with blisters. Zinc oxide tape is a must for preventing them in the first place.

If you **** up just own up to it. Lying and getting caught out will be far worse.

And most importantly good luck. It's a tough 14 weeks but they'll pass quickly.[/quote]

pablomakaveli

caiminmurp1 wrote: »

Thank you yeah I really have to practice ironing, nail varnish remover on his face??? Where did he get that idea from 😂 any idea where I could pick up the zinc tape haven't been able to find it in pharmacies. Thank you once again, anybody know how and which bank account I should set up before I arrive bearing in mind I live in the republic?

The nail varnish remover was one of those "handy tips" that gets passed around in training.

For the zinc oxide tape you may be able to pick some up in the shops on camp. Alternatively try buy some online.

With regards to the bank account I was in the same boat. During the first few days we had representatives from an RBS branch called Holts that specialize in banking accounts for service personnel. I was able to set up an account with them despite literally moving to the UK the day I began training. They should hopefully have a similar setup for you guys.

Kat1170

Best of luck

caiminmurp1

Kat1170 wrote: »

Best of luck

Thank you

Stars and Stripes

A few curious questions (too old to join up myself ) Just wondering,

(A) how does British army training compare to Irish army training ? A quick google and I got 17 weeks for the Irish army, 16 for the British. The Irish army training is broken into 4 phases, the British two it seems.

(B) I believe the medical to get into the Irish army is harder ?

(C) I checked the rates of pay and the Irish army is better, the British army 2016 basic is £14,783 or €17,190. While the 2013 figure I got for the Irish army was €18,283, surely increased since ?

caiminmurp1

The training for the British army is done in two phases but it's not 16 weeks it's 28/30. I did the medical 2 weeks ago and I was with the doctor for almost an hour it was extremely in depth, before I was with the doctor a nurse gave me an aye test, and had a hearing test, than I went and had an ECG done before I finally went on to see the doc where I spent a further hour with him getting everything that could be checked checked. Not sure about the Irish army pay rates but yes that is the pay for the British training but once qualified after the 28 weeks your pay rises to 325£ weekly.

tac foley

Private
Levels 1 - 7 only

Level 7 £27,597 £23,369
Level 6 £26,386 £22,410
Level 5 £25,162 £22,034
Level 4 £22,757 £20,934
Level 3 £21,687 £19,290
Level 2 £19,693 £18,798
Level 1 £18,306 £18,306

New Entrant Rate

£14,784

That is for basic recruits only, until you have passed out as a trained infantry soldier. Please note that unlike the PDF, we don't have forty-year old corporals in the British Army, let alone fifty-year old sergeants.

The maximum engagement for an enlisted man who does not get commissioned is 22 years - typically age 18 - 40. Most infantry sergeants are in their middle 20's.

Sergeant

Level 7 £38,597 £35,653
Level 6 £37,887 £35,383
Level 5 £37,176 £34,202
Level 4 £36,466 £33,333
Level 3 £36,012 £32,999
Level 2 £35,122 £32,190
Level 1 £34,236 £31,368

S/Sgt/Warrant Officer Class 2

Warrant Officer 2
Levels 5 - 9 only

Staff Sergeant
Levels 1 - 7 only

Level 9 £45,206 £41,418
Level 8 £44,568 £40,502
Level 7 £43,943 £39,984
Level 6 £43,318 £39,380
Level 5 £42,381 £37,677
Level 4 £41,439 £37,172
Level 3 £40,502 £36,320
Level 2 £39,556 £35,177
Level 1 £38,623 £34,724

Warrant Officer 1

Level 7 £48,865 £46,113
Level 6 £48,129 £44,846
Level 5 £47,286 £43,622
Level 4 £46,455 £42,787
Level 3 £45,617 £41,957
Level 2 £44,846 £41,127
Level 1 £43,981 £40,343

Note that technical trades can be 15 - 20% more at all ranks, add jump pay for airborne, too.

I'd offer the opinion that we end up better paid than you are.

Add to that that if you get commissioned, as I did, from Warrant Officer Class 1, in a specialist part of the BA, you will already be better paid than a regular Major.

tac

Kat1170

Unless one is planning on becoming officer, don't think about joining any army in order to get rich*.



Don't forget, the only reason that any army has soldiers is because without them there would be no jobs for the officers :D;):D





*money rich that is, experience rich is another matter altogether

tac foley

You were in the Army, right?

tac

Kat1170

tac foley wrote: »

You were in the Army, right?

tac

Moi ??

tac foley

Yessir/Ma'am. You.

I can't speak for anybody in the Irish armed forces, but the days of joining the army to increase your wealth died out back in the late middle ages.

And I'm not sure that my thirty-three years in the Army made me richer, except in life experience.

tac

RHJ

This post has been deleted.

tac foley

Good luck there, RHJ.

tac

Kat1170

tac foley wrote: »

Yessir/Ma'am. You.

I can't speak for anybody in the Irish armed forces, but the days of joining the army to increase your wealth died out back in the late middle ages.

And I'm not sure that my thirty-three years in the Army made me richer, except in life experience.

tac

29yrs and counting. ^^^^ That's basically what I said. ^^^^

tac foley

Good for you, Sir/ma'am.

Respect.

tac

Stars and Stripes

tac foley wrote: »

Private
Levels 1 - 7 only

Level 7 £27,597 £23,369
Level 6 £26,386 £22,410
Level 5 £25,162 £22,034
Level 4 £22,757 £20,934
Level 3 £21,687 £19,290
Level 2 £19,693 £18,798
Level 1 £18,306 £18,306

New Entrant Rate

£14,784

That is for basic recruits only, until you have passed out as a trained infantry soldier. Please note that unlike the PDF, we don't have forty-year old corporals in the British Army, let alone fifty-year old sergeants.

The maximum engagement for an enlisted man who does not get commissioned is 22 years - typically age 18 - 40. Most infantry sergeants are in their middle 20's.

Sergeant

Level 7 £38,597 £35,653
Level 6 £37,887 £35,383
Level 5 £37,176 £34,202
Level 4 £36,466 £33,333
Level 3 £36,012 £32,999
Level 2 £35,122 £32,190
Level 1 £34,236 £31,368

S/Sgt/Warrant Officer Class 2

Warrant Officer 2
Levels 5 - 9 only

Staff Sergeant
Levels 1 - 7 only

Level 9 £45,206 £41,418
Level 8 £44,568 £40,502
Level 7 £43,943 £39,984
Level 6 £43,318 £39,380
Level 5 £42,381 £37,677
Level 4 £41,439 £37,172
Level 3 £40,502 £36,320
Level 2 £39,556 £35,177
Level 1 £38,623 £34,724

Warrant Officer 1

Level 7 £48,865 £46,113
Level 6 £48,129 £44,846
Level 5 £47,286 £43,622
Level 4 £46,455 £42,787
Level 3 £45,617 £41,957
Level 2 £44,846 £41,127
Level 1 £43,981 £40,343

Note that technical trades can be 15 - 20% more at all ranks, add jump pay for airborne, too.

I'd offer the opinion that we end up better paid than you are.

Add to that that if you get commissioned, as I did, from Warrant Officer Class 1, in a specialist part of the BA, you will already be better paid than a regular Major.

tac

Interesting, so the rates of pay I found in google was just the rate for a basic trained soldier, then there's all the additional allowances. It's like comparing the pay of say, a Garda to an English police officer or an Irish prison officer to an English one etc Still with all the plethora of various ranks and classes etc it seems in the British army everyone is a Chief and no one is an Indian

Stars and Stripes

caiminmurp1 wrote: »

The training for the British army is done in two phases but it's not 16 weeks it's 28/30. I did the medical 2 weeks ago and I was with the doctor for almost an hour it was extremely in depth, before I was with the doctor a nurse gave me an aye test, and had a hearing test, than I went and had an ECG done before I finally went on to see the doc where I spent a further hour with him getting everything that could be checked checked. Not sure about the Irish army pay rates but yes that is the pay for the British training but once qualified after the 28 weeks your pay rises to 325£ weekly.

I suppose it depends on how the classify a "phase" but according to this -


Irish army 17 weeks, 4 phases http://www.military.ie/careers/army/recruits/training/


British army 14 weeks, 2 phases
http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24603.aspx
http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24602.aspx

Then I suppose with both after basic infantry there's further training in whatever specialized battalion they go onto such as Medical, Transport, Artillery etc

tac foley

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

Then I suppose with both after basic infantry there's further training in whatever specialized battalion they go onto such as Medical, Transport, Artillery etc

EVERYBODY, no matter what branch of the Army they intend to join after basic training, has to do the basic infantry course.

You 'suppose' more or less correctly - the infantry currently has around fifteen specialisations within the infantry task group. You are not considered to be a trained infantryman in an infantry regiment for about two years, during which time you are not only learning how to BE an infantryman, but any of the many specialised elments of that role - mortar platoon [16 weeks course], anti-aircraft platoon, anti-tank platoon and so on...

As such, we do not have 'specialised battalions'.

We have regiments of infantry, regiments of artillery, regiments of signals, regiments of engineers, regiments of armour/cavalry, regiments of medical, and corps of logistics, which includes ordnance [that's not guns, but the material supplies of the whole army], medical corps, intelligence corps, electrical and mechanical engineer corp, transport corps and so on. The Household Division has five Guards regiments and a cavalry regiment, BTW.

Your comment implies that we are just bunch of clod-hopping oafs with a gun. I suggest that you do a bit of reading up on what the British Army actually constitutes. Everybody starts off being an 'indian' as you so scathingly note. Advancement, which we call promotion to superior rank, has to be earned by hard work and application of the basic skillset imbued in you from your basic training, no matter where you fit into the Army, plus the necessary recommendations from your commanding officer in your annual confidential report, of course.

Unlike many other nations, which have 'career' private soldiers and JNCOs of advanced years, in the British Army, as I noted, advancement comes quite quickly, after passing the necessary exams, both practical and theory. Infantry sergeants are usually in their middle twenties, and failure to get promoted to Colour Sergeant after three years is a sure sign that you'd best be on your way out to civvie street, and to make suitable arrangements for it to happen.

tac

Stars and Stripes

tac foley wrote: »

EVERYBODY, no matter what branch of the Army they intend to join after basic training, has to do the basic infantry course.

You 'suppose' more or less correctly - the infantry currently has around fifteen specialisations within the infantry task group. You are not considered to be a trained infantryman in an infantry regiment for about two years, during which time you are not only learning how to BE an infantryman, but any of the many specialised elments of that role - mortar platoon [16 weeks course], anti-aircraft platoon, anti-tank platoon and so on...

As such, we do not have 'specialised battalions'.

We have regiments of infantry, regiments of artillery, regiments of signals, regiments of engineers, regiments of armour/cavalry, regiments of medical, and corps of logistics, which includes ordnance [that's not guns, but the material supplies of the whole army], medical corps, intelligence corps, electrical and mechanical engineer corp, transport corps and so on. The Household Division has five Guards regiments and a cavalry regiment, BTW.

Your comment implies that we are just bunch of clod-hopping oafs with a gun. I suggest that you do a bit of reading up on what the British Army actually constitutes. Everybody starts off being an 'indian' as you so scathingly note. Advancement, which we call promotion to superior rank, has to be earned by hard work and application of the basic skillset imbued in you from your basic training, no matter where you fit into the Army, plus the necessary recommendations from your commanding officer in your annual confidential report, of course.

Unlike many other nations, which have 'career' private soldiers and JNCOs of advanced years, in the British Army, as I noted, advancement comes quite quickly, after passing the necessary exams, both practical and theory. Infantry sergeants are usually in their middle twenties, and failure to get promoted to Colour Sergeant after three years is a sure sign that you'd best be on your way out to civvie street, and to make suitable arrangements for it to happen.

tac

I never implied anything, I just thought it was a fun remark. But it's a kind of Blackadder stereotype to have in the British army all Chiefs and no Indians apart from poor old Baldrick

Still from what has been posted the Irish Army trainee has more training and better pay than his equivalent in the BA - Irish Army wins !!!

tac foley

..but ten years later he's probably still a private soldier, and the British soldier is a senior sergeant. Me, I had been a Staff Sergeant for three years and the following year I'd be a warrant officer.................

After training as a recruit, then the Corps specialised training gets done. Most technical trades in the BA promote you to L/Cpl on completion. How long does the techie training take? A year to eighteen months. Languages? One to two years. And how many linguists at Corporal rank are there in the PDF? Russian, Turkish, Hebrew, Farsi? Croatian? German? French? Pashtun? Urdu?

Don't be shy, sir, just a rough figure would be good.

Apart from the Ranger Wing, how many soldiers in the PDF are airborne/para-trained?

How many marines do you have in the Naval Service?

How many mountain warfare troops do you have?

I could go on, but I think that it would be pointless to point out how many Irish men [and women, who knows] join the British Armed Forces because of the greater variety of opportunities there.

Let's not p*** around here, lest we get unpleasant with each other, eh? I'll stop if you stop, and we'll move on.

tac

Stars and Stripes

tac foley wrote: »

..but ten years later he's probably still a private soldier, and the British soldier is a senior sergeant. Me, I had been a Staff Sergeant for three years and the following year I'd be a warrant officer.................

After training as a recruit, then the Corps specialised training gets done. Most technical trades in the BA promote you to L/Cpl on completion. How long does the techie raining take? A year to eighteen months. Languages? One to two years. And how many linguists at Corporal rank are there in the PDF? Russian, Turkish, Hebrew, Farsi? Croatian? German? French? Pashtun? Urdu?

Don't be shy, sir, just a rough figure would be good.

Apart from the Ranger Wing, how many soldiers in the PDF are airborne/para-trained?

How many marines do you have in the Naval Service?

How many mountain warfare troops do you have?

I could go on, but I think that it would be pointless to point out how many Irish men [and women, who knows] join the British Armed Forces because of the greater variety of opportunities there.

Let's not p*** around here, lest we get unpleasant with each other, eh? I'll stop if you stop, and we'll move on.

tac

Look, I don't know why your getting so shirty and talking down the Irish Army, fact is their trainees have more training and pay. As for all the rest ...... I'm sure the average Brummie, Cockeny and Geordie has a deep understanding of " Russian, Turkish, Hebrew, Farsi, Croatian " Most of Scousers, Geordies, Glaswegians etc have it hard enough getting their head around English never mind another language !!

But if you want to mouth off about the British Army's capability and size etc, let me tell you a little piece of information - the US Marines ALONE would probably defeat the British Army, Navy and RAF put together:

" 182,000 active (as of 2016), 38,500 reserve (as of 2016) 1,166 aircraft " :eek: UNREAL :eek:

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/652687/department-of-defense-dod-releases-fiscal-year-2017-presidents-budget-proposal

tac foley

The Intelligence Corps of the British Army, and selected infantry, undergo language training as a matter of course.

This isn't a p*ssing match about the relative sizes of the respective Armies, but one that you began by taking the p*ss out of the British Army and its basic training pay and rank structure.

Having worked for, with and commanded US military personnel. I don't need reminding about the vast size of EVERY part of the US Armed Forces, let alone the difference between the PDF and the British Armed Forces, nor am I talking down the PDF, just making a few comparisons and trying very hard to explain to you that the two countries have a different military requirement and remit.

My input into this part of the thread is now done.

tac

Barry Badrinath

Just to clarify a few of Tac's points for the benefit of balance.

The PDF do have Javelin trained personnel.
The PDF do have linguists, from Pte to General.

The older generation Private isnt a bad thing as eluded to by Tac....deliberately or not. They are mostly seen as an asset to a Unit rather than a waster. They are a measure of consistency and expertise to Unit Commanders and a source of encouragement to newer members of the PDF.

There are a number of older Privates still around, however, since 1994, any member joining the PDF must reach the rank of Sgt or be eligible for promotion to Sgt in order to be offered a contract past 21yrs service.

The PDF have a cap on personnel, directed by DOD and due to our strength and requirements, advancement through the Enlisted Ranks can be slow. This is due to strength vs establishment.

Depending on your Corps and ability, it could take a person 3-5 years to reach the rank of Corporal. It could take 10-15 years to reach Sgt. It could take 19-25 years to reach Quarter Master or Company Sgt and tbh, anything higher is just a bonus.

Someone has to die, retire or leave for the vacancy to become available to be promoted into. Its not a case of lazyness if you are not a Sgt by the time you reach 25.

Stars and Stripes

Senor Fancy Pants wrote: »

Just to clarify a few of Tac's points for the benefit of balance.

The PDF do have Javelin trained personnel.
The PDF do have linguists, from Pte to General.

The older generation Private isnt a bad thing as eluded to by Tac....deliberately or not. They are mostly seen as an asset to a Unit rather than a waster. They are a measure of consistency and expertise to Unit Commanders and a source of encouragement to newer members of the PDF.

There are a number of older Privates still around, however, since 1994, any member joining the PDF must reach the rank of Sgt or be eligible for promotion to Sgt in order to be offered a contract past 21yrs service.

The PDF have a cap on personnel, directed by DOD and due to our strength and requirements, advancement through the Enlisted Ranks can be slow. This is due to strength vs establishment.

Depending on your Corps and ability, it could take a person 3-5 years to reach the rank of Corporal. It could take 10-15 years to reach Sgt. It could take 19-25 years to reach Quarter Master or Company Sgt and tbh, anything higher is just a bonus.

Someone has to die, retire or leave for the vacancy to become available to be promoted into. Its not a case of lazyness if you are not a Sgt by the time you reach 25.

100% Senor, I'm not trying to turn this into an Ireland v England thing like rugby or boxing or something, but clearly tac takes offence to any suggestion that the Brits aren't superior to the Irish army in all ways possible (and probably everyone else bar America !! ). Maturity and experience in relevant proportion is something every army should cultivate - as the Americans found out in Vietnam to their cost.

caiminmurp1

British army basic training is done in 2 phases of training 14 weeks each so 28 in total
quote="Stars and Stripes;102501796"]I suppose it depends on how the classify a "phase" but according to this -


Irish army 17 weeks, 4 phases http://www.military.ie/careers/army/recruits/training/


British army 14 weeks, 2 phases
http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24603.aspx
http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24602.aspx

Then I suppose with both after basic infantry there's further training in whatever specialized battalion they go onto such as Medical, Transport, Artillery etc[/quote]

Stars and Stripes

caiminmurp1 wrote: »

British army basic training is done in 2 phases of training 14 weeks each so 28 in total
quote="Stars and Stripes;102501796"]I suppose it depends on how the classify a "phase" but according to this -


Irish army 17 weeks, 4 phases http://www.military.ie/careers/army/recruits/training/


British army 14 weeks, 2 phases
http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24603.aspx
http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24602.aspx

Then I suppose with both after basic infantry there's further training in whatever specialized battalion they go onto such as Medical, Transport, Artillery etc

I think you got your editing wrong ? According to the BA's own links it's 2 phases, phase 1 of 1 - 7 weeks, phase 2 of 8 - 14 weeks, therefore 14 weeks in total ?

caiminmurp1

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

I think you got your editing wrong ?[/quote]

Left out a bracket 😂

pablomakaveli

Stars and Stripes wrote: »

I think you got your editing wrong ? According to the BA's own links it's 2 phases, phase 1 of 1 - 7 weeks, phase 2 of 8 - 14 weeks, therefore 14 weeks in total ?

Phase 1 is 14 weeks. Phase 2 which is trade specific can vary. Mine was 3 months. Then I did my regiment specific training when I got there which was another 6 weeks.