British army officer career

Mr. Talk · 27-07-2014 3:54pm #1

I am going to be graduating next year and was thinking about joining the Brit. Army as an officer and serve as a military police officer or platoon commander. Has anyone gone through the recruitment process. I am only interested in replies from those that have gone through it or who know someone that has.
There has been a few threads like this, but none of the replies come from those who were in the army.

spurious · 27-07-2014 10:53pm

I doubt many army personnel hang out in the LC forum.

The Military forum might be a better place to ask this. Do you want me to move your post?

Mr. Talk · 28-07-2014 5:10pm

spurious wrote: »

I doubt many army personnel hang out in the LC forum.

The Military forum might be a better place to ask this. Do you want me to move your post?

Yes please

discus · 28-07-2014 10:50pm

Mate, there's a few of us here who have been through it. What ya want to know?

i r legend · 28-07-2014 10:53pm

Mr. Talk wrote: »

I am going to be graduating next year and was thinking about joining the Brit. Army as an officer and serve as a military police officer or platoon commander. Has anyone gone through the recruitment process. I am only interested in replies from those that have gone through it or who know someone that has.
There has been a few threads like this, but none of the replies come from those who were in the army.

You'll have to add the 3ws but treasonforbeginners.com should tell you what you need to now. You're welcome.

hurlsey · 28-07-2014 11:34pm

i r legend wrote: »

You'll have to add the 3ws but treasonforbeginners.com should tell you what you need to now. You're welcome.

eeeeeem how is this a helpful reply to the OP exactly?

tac foley · 29-07-2014 8:42am

1. Read this - http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20201.aspx

2. Then come back here with questions, if necessary.

tac, former officer.

PS - ATD [attention to detail] note - You wrote 'There has been a few threads like this...' That SHOULD read 'There have been a few threads like this...'

tac foley · 29-07-2014 8:48am

i r legend wrote: »

You'll have to add the 3ws but treasonforbeginners.com should tell you what you need to now. You're welcome.

Not sure quite where you are coming from, but it seems to me as though you are accusing the OP of being a traitor.

In which case, there are a pretty large number of fellow traitors serving in the ranks, or as officers, in all three HM Forces.

I've noted your post to the moderators.

tac

tac foley · 29-07-2014 12:33pm

Just found this - 'Precise numbers are not available, but it is estimated that upwards of 4,000 Irish citizens serve in the British forces.

'One source said that recruits from the Republic are especially prized because most have a decent education and all want to make the military their career.

"It is no surprise that a significant number of non-commissioned officers are from Ireland," he said.

Sooooo, basically, other ranks seems to be a breeze, but officer, on the other hand, is about as hard as the PDF, plus there is that little matter of residency and/or dual nationality. Northern Irish, of course, have no such problems.

tac

Mr. Talk · 29-07-2014 5:15pm

tac foley wrote: »

Not sure quite where you are coming from, but it seems to me as though you are accusing the OP of being a traitor.

In which case, there are a pretty large number of fellow traitors serving in the ranks, or as officers, in all three HM Forces.

I've noted your post to the moderators.

tac

Hi Tac, it is best just to ignore any bigots. They just want us to give them attention. Those that are in a small minority don't get that much publicity in this country.

Mr. Talk · 29-07-2014 5:20pm

tac foley wrote: »

Just found this - 'Precise numbers are not available, but it is estimated that upwards of 4,000 Irish citizens serve in the British forces.

'One source said that recruits from the Republic are especially prized because most have a decent education and all want to make the military their career.

"It is no surprise that a significant number of non-commissioned officers are from Ireland," he said.

Sooooo, basically, other ranks seems to be a breeze, but officer, on the other hand, is about as hard as the PDF, plus there is that little matter of residency and/or dual nationality. Northern Irish, of course, have no such problems.

tac

I just want to know about your experience the the British army and what you did.

Mr. Talk · 29-07-2014 5:22pm

discus wrote: »

Mate, there's a few of us here who have been through it. What ya want to know?

As I said to Tac, I just want to know about your experience in the army. I know there is a lot of Irish regiments such as the R.I.R. but are there many in the military police for example.

tac foley · 29-07-2014 5:31pm

Mr. Talk wrote: »

I just want to know about your experience the the British army and what you did.

Well, I joined back in 1967, and it was REME that I went into, to play with and fix tanks. Two and a half years later, having been made redundant, I transferred into another part of the British Army that is not much talked about, and spent the next 31 years in it.

I was commissioned from WO1 having got that far in less than fifteen years, and spent the rest of my time as a Late-entry Officer.

I retired in 2000, and have had a very busy career since then back in Canada and Japan, as well as here in UK.

Needless to say, I also spent a lot of time in Northern Ireland and former DDR, where I found the Russians a lot more friendly than many that I encountered who lived in Ireland. At least the Russians and East Germans were in uniform, and easy to spot. If you log on to the BRIXMIS site, and look at the gallery, you'll see a very p1ssed-off soldier sitting in the front seat of an Opel Senator, while my tour officer makes whoopee with the Sovs who had detained us. That very pissed-off soldier is me.

So I never went to Sandhurst but walked into a room as a WO1 and walked out ten minutes later as a Lieutenant - a month later I was a Captain, and ended up a good deal further up the ladder.

As such, I have nothing to really share with you as far as experiences go. Being Jewish and having a triple-surname that ends with Foley [the rest is French] was never going to make life easy [especially when dealing with what was then the RUC], but it wasn't too bad, and I never got killed - not even once.

tac

tac foley · 29-07-2014 5:37pm

Mr. Talk wrote: »

As I said to Tac, I just want to know about your experience in the army. I know there is a lot of Irish regiments such as the R.I.R. but are there many in the military police for example.

Of all the choices you could have made, the Royal Military Police is probably the worst you could have picked.

Necessary, but generally reviled by anybody who is NOT in the RMP, you will never be 'off duty', will be regarded with suspicion by everybody when you appear out of uniform at a p!ss-up because although you don't have the uniform on, your warrant card gets no time off.

I suggest that you join www.arrse.co.uk and see what the rest of the Army thinks about the RMP before you make up your mind. Becoming an officer in the RMP will set you apart from all your fellow officers, as well as the ordinary Tom.

You will no doubt be as popular as a fart in a lift for your entire military career, but hey, don't let me put you off.

tac

Mr. Talk · 29-07-2014 5:51pm

tac foley wrote: »

Well, I joined back in 1967, and it was REME that I went into, to play with and fix tanks. Two and a half years later, having been made redundant, I transferred into another part of the British Army that is not much talked about, and spent the next 31 years in it.

I was commissioned from WO1 having got that far in less than fifteen years, and spent the rest of my time as a Late-entry Officer.

I retired in 2000, and have had a very busy career since then back in Canada and Japan, as well as here in UK.

Needless to say, I also spent a lot of time in Northern Ireland and former DDR, where I found the Russians a lot more friendly than many that I encountered who lived in Ireland. At least the Russians and East Germans were in uniform, and easy to spot. If you log on to the BRIXMIS site, and look at the gallery, you'll see a very p1ssed-off soldier sitting in the front seat of an Opel Senator, while my tour officer makes whoopee with the Sovs who had detained us. That very pissed-off soldier is me.

So I never went to Sandhurst but walked into a room as a WO1 and walked out ten minutes later as a Lieutenant - a month later I was a Captain, and ended up a good deal further up the ladder.

As such, I have nothing to really share with you as far as experiences go. Being Jewish and having a triple-surname that ends with Foley [the rest is French] was never going to make life easy [especially when dealing with what was then the RUC], but it wasn't too bad, and I never got killed - not even once.

tac

So you served during a time when Anglo-Irish relations were very low. What was it like being an Irishman serving in the british army. Did you encounter much abuse. I did hear of one Irish man who served in the 70s and he said the Irish were treated like s**t.

Mr. Talk · 29-07-2014 6:02pm

I think it is fair to say that the Gardai, MP etc are generally not treated with much respect. But the MP is the job that most appeals to me. Would it be competitive to get into the MP given that so many resent them?

tac foley · 29-07-2014 6:19pm

Mr. Talk wrote: »

So you served during a time when Anglo-Irish relations were very low. What was it like being an Irishman serving in the british army. Did you encounter much abuse. I did hear of one Irish man who served in the 70s and he said the Irish were treated like s**t.

Only my father was Irish, but I never lived there, or had much to do with the country apart from visiting as a child from the age of eight to seventeen or so.

I can sit here and tell you categorically that I never encountered the slightest hint of anti-Irishness in my entire 33 years in the Army. Remember, too, that Foley is a name here in UK, and does not necessarily belong to a person with any Irish connection whatsoever. One of my bosses, who was a General, is called Foley, and was about as Irish as Don Quixoté. Look up the history of the Foley Arms hotel in Malvern if you don't believe me, or look into why Foley Park is called Foley Park.

I have worked with real Irishmen - my last Chief Clerk came from Swords, and had an accent you could sole your boots with. But it would never have occurred to me to make any disparaging remarks about him or his accent, we both loved the Dubliners too much to have any kind of argument, not that we would in any case, military disciplne does not work like that, and besides, his wife was a great hand with the cakes.

No doubt as an OR you will have your leg pulled - that is what we call banter - but I have to say that it never ever happened to me, but then, I don't sound Irish either, in spite of my name. On the other hand, if you decide to try for RMCS, you and everybody else there will be so far up your ass in alligators for 99% of the time that you won't be noticed, no matter what kind of a name or birth address you might have.

Discus probably has a far better handle on things than I do, I'm sure, so I'd read what HE has to say, rather than the maunderings of an old hasbeen.

tac

Beano · 29-07-2014 7:01pm

tac foley wrote: »

... If you log on to the BRIXMIS site, and look at the gallery, you'll see a very p1ssed-off soldier sitting in the front seat of an Opel Senator, while my tour officer makes whoopee with the Sovs who had detained us. That very pissed-off soldier is me.
...

I recommend you do look up that pic. Its hilarious. (sorry tac)

The info on BRIXMIS and SOXMIS is pretty interesting as well

tac foley · 29-07-2014 7:08pm

Hey, no fair! Mind you, the TO wasn't so smilish a couple minutes later when I advised him that I'd overheard the sneaky-lookin' f***** in the background [the ferrety-faced guy] ordering two of the squaddies to try and crow-bar open the trunk while he was sweet-talking...

tac

tac foley · 29-07-2014 7:21pm

Mr. Talk wrote: »

I think it is fair to say that the Gardai, MP etc are generally not treated with much respect. But the MP is the job that most appeals to me. Would it be competitive to get into the MP given that so many resent them?

I couldn't possibly comment on the popularity or otherwise of AGS, but I'd hazard a guess that the line of prospective recruits for the RMP might be rather shorter and somewhat less frantic than just about anything else.

You definitely need a certain mind-set to want to be a RMP - perhaps you have it.

So long as it is the Army that you wish to join, and not the RAF - THEIR police personnel are much lower down the food-chain in terms of respect, in spite of doing a 'great job'. Their dog-handlers are usually referred to as the 'brain-on-a-chain'. I'll leave it to your imagination which end the 'brain' is on.

One of my RAF troopies got into deep do-dah late one night returning from a beverage-sampling tour of the local German township. Asked by the gate-duty RAFP Corporal to display his Mod Form 1250 [that's the RAF ID card], he knelt down and showed it to the dog.

He spent the night in the guardromm and was charged with 'insulting behaviour'. In the RAF that's anything that hurts their feelings, from using the wrong flowers in the mess table displays, to making disparaging remarks about the date of the formation of the RAF [1st April, 1918]

In the Army he would have been taken aside, given a swift kick up the arse, and told to go sleep it off, but the RAF Plod take themselves REALLY seriously.

tac

Beano · 29-07-2014 7:27pm

were you in this when it happened? http://www.brixmis.co.uk/photos/rammed.html Its the same driver as in your pic. And why is a captain described as Tour NCO?

tac foley · 29-07-2014 7:55pm

Beano wrote: »

were you in this when it happened? http://www.brixmis.co.uk/photos/rammed.html Its the same driver as in your pic. And why is a captain described as Tour NCO?

Yes, I was there.

The gentleman you see with the coffee mug is Captain Peter Williams Coldstream Guards, now Major General Peter Williams Ret'd. The driver was Cpl John Boland - again - he is behind the car looking at the damage. The Chief of Mission, Brigadier John Learmont [not a Russian-speaker] stayed in the car.

The car was written off.

It was the last time that we used a black car with the #1 number plate. thereafter they were all the same colour green as all the others.

The DDR troops thought they had to prove just how lap-doggy they were to their Soviet masters in Zossen. I was only rammed once - badly - on Christmas day in Dueben later that year after we caught a Sov truck driver out stealing a Christmas tree. He followed us into town and nigh-on destroyed the left-side of our car with his Zil-130 dump truck. Shortly after that, the French Mission Warrant Officer was killed in a similar ramming, and the US Mission deputy chief was about to get shot dead by an over-zealous sentry.

Oh, and our aircraft got shot and and holed...

Apart from that, it was the best time I ever had in my entire career. Nothing else came even partly near, even when I was CI of one of the principal training establishments.

tac

Remmy · 29-07-2014 8:05pm

Hi Tac, It is interesting reading your posts. Looking back what made you rise above your peers in the ranks and later when you went LE? I'm aware it's quite an open ended question but I was just curious really.

Beano · 29-07-2014 8:08pm

Interesting stuff tac. There must be a book in there somewhere.

tac foley · 29-07-2014 8:11pm

I was always an individual, but a team-player when needed.

Lots of people could do some of the things that I did, but nobody else could do all of the things that I did.

That was it, really. Nothing more than that.

Needless to say, in my bit of the Army there were lots of people like me, or else it would not continue to exist.

tac

tac foley · 29-07-2014 8:13pm

Beano wrote: »

Interesting stuff tac. There must be a book in there somewhere.

Sure there is, but two others have written it - Tony Geraghty - 'Beyond the Front Line', and 'The Last Mission' by Steve Gibson.

tac

Beano · 29-07-2014 8:27pm

tac foley wrote: »

Sure there is, but two others have written it - Tony Geraghty - 'Beyond the Front Line', and 'The Last Mission' by Steve Gibson.

tac

Any idea if this is the same as the one you mentioned? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brixmis-Untold-Exploits-Britains-Mission/dp/0006386733/ref=la_B000APQSCO_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406665530&sr=1-2

It has the same cover picture but the title is different.

tac foley · 29-07-2014 8:32pm

Yup.

tac

krissovo · 29-07-2014 8:43pm

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.

An Claidheamh · 29-07-2014 8:53pm

Mr. Talk wrote: »

So you served during a time when Anglo-Irish relations were very low. What was it like being an Irishman serving in the british army. Did you encounter much abuse. I did hear of one Irish man who served in the 70s and he said the Irish were treated like s**t.

british-soldiers-in-afghanistan-display-their-racist-and-sectarian-orange-order-emblems-and-british-unionist-flags.jpg?w=620

No Mr Talk.

I'm sure you'll be grand.

discus · 29-07-2014 10:18pm

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

My advice: Don't fail officer selection.

discus · 29-07-2014 10:21pm

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 · 29-07-2014 10:34pm

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 · 29-07-2014 10:42pm

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

An Claidheamh · 29-07-2014 10:44pm

discus wrote: »

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

values?

krissovo · 30-07-2014 12:01am

An Claidheamh wrote: »

values?

Yawn!

Jawgap · 30-07-2014 8:42am

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 · 30-07-2014 9:14am

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 · 30-07-2014 9:16am

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 · 30-07-2014 11:59am

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 · 30-07-2014 12:05pm

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 · 30-07-2014 3:43pm

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 · 30-07-2014 3:48pm

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 · 30-07-2014 3:50pm

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 · 30-07-2014 5:22pm

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 · 30-07-2014 5:53pm

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 · 30-07-2014 7:42pm

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 · 30-07-2014 8:02pm

First, catch your cadetship at RMCS.

Just sayin'.

tac

krissovo · 30-07-2014 9:41pm

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 · 04-08-2014 11:26am

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 · 04-08-2014 11:52am

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.

British army officer career

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