Reply With QuoteMy father-in-law was a lieutenant colonel and his father was a general, so I can ask him tomorrow, although his advice might be quite out of date as he's in his 70's and long retired.
Knowing the incredibly diverse user base on here I thought I’d ask for some advice please.
My 15 year old daughter (started GCSE year this week) has expressed a real interest in pursuing a career in the armed forces beginning as a junior officer. I don’t have a military background, just a lifelong interest in military history but having seen her develop I believe it would suit her perfectly.
She’s very academic but also an outdoorsy kind of girl, currently doing D of E silver, she took part in the Ten Tors Army challenge this year, she’s a real contender for head girl this year too, mature, respected and a team player. Apologies for gushing but I’m a very proud dad!
So, what is the best path to follow for the best chances of succeeding? Just to point out she is not at a public school but a very good state school. She is also applying for the local army cadets this week.
Thanks chaps.
My father-in-law was a lieutenant colonel and his father was a general, so I can ask him tomorrow, although his advice might be quite out of date as he's in his 70's and long retired.
Is she looking to go to university? That's definitely the way ahead and, if it suits her, getting sponsored by the Army would help her (and you) financially and won't penalise her in terms of seniority as she'll enter the Army with a quicker path to Captain. From your post it sounds like she's doing all the right things already. I would suggest making an appointment at a local Army/military careers office and going with your daughter. They will offer current advice and options.
Does your daughter have an idea of where in the Army she wants to serve i.e. what cap badge/skillset she's looking at? I would say that the decision should be based on two things and in this order:
1. Go into something she's passionate about
2. Go into something that offers a career path after the Army
Very best wishes for you and your daughter.
Cadets is a very good call, also would suggest reading through this https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-of...er&gclsrc=aw.d (hopefully the link works).Originally Posted by Max...
I believe we have quite a few retired officers around. I am sure they’ll chip in
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
The site is undergoing maintenance right now, should be back up soon, but everything she needs to know is here.
https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/regular-officer
Definitely worth a chat at the local armed forces recruitment centre as well, they will be able to offer current and relevant advice to application routes.
The problem with retired officers advice is that the routes to entry now are different, but academic achievement, fitness and leadership experience will always be of benefit.
One already has.
My apologies.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Going through Sandhurst is very competitive. The successful candidates I have known have done their degree first and then gone in as graduates. As someone has said already there is funding available to help with some of these courses.
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Cadets for sure. She’ll get all the knowledge and experience she needs there. Then aim for sponsorship at uni and join the UOTC.
I'm serving RAF pilot and my son has just been through the selection process for and gained a bursary for pilot during last 2 years of Uni so joins next summer. Worth chatting to your daughter about the other services as the RAF or even the Navy may be a better fit depending on what she wants to do when she is in.
Uni seems to be the most successful route in and if she goes then really worth joining the UOTC (Army at Uni), UAS (RAF at Uni) or URNU (Navy at Uni) as these give a better idea than cadets, offer up lots of adventurous training, pay and flying if RAF, sea stuff if Navy and the chance to dig holes in the ground if Army.
Cynically I'd say that careers office will recommend whichever corp/unit is short of people and has gaps to fill. Much better to have a clear or at least some idea of what you want to do in the military and go for the service that offers the closest fit.
I’d agree with the Uni route, I know very few RAF officers who didn’t go to Uni, although a few have joined via the schemes that enable progression from non-commissioned ranks once joined with the RAF.
Like most careers, there’s more than one way to get there, and it’s changing all the time, but a degree comes in handy and is a good time to discover what really makes you tick.
Agree about Uni. No point in graduating and being a more junior rank, as the pay difference over the years really adds up.
Fly Navy, Sail Army, Eat Crab...
Superb replies and advice, thanks so much to all who have contributed thus far.
I am slightly in two minds about cadets as (my completely uninformed opinion) is that it may perhaps be more like 'senior scouts than junior TA' putting her off and that she may be better off going in at the deep end as an adult but I have no experience to back this up.
One of my half Brothers is a serving officer in the army. He started as a cadet.
He graduated from Oxford with a 1st class honours degree in history. Not funded by the military in any way.
He joined the army as an Officer and attended Sandhurst. He was in the group that was filmed for a TV programme, although he was not one of the students that they focused upon. I think that was around 10 years ago.
Upon graduation he was posted to the Royal Signals as a Second Lieutenant. He did one tour of Afghanistan. Since then he has gone on to become a Major.
He is the super intelligent one within my Dads second family. He did say at the time of attending Sandhurst that he was unusual as he hadn’t attended one of better known public schools, just a regular grammar school.
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I retired 5 years ago, having joined the RAF in 82, so things are a little different now. However, I had a fair amount of exposure to the other services over the years. The advice above is sound. Officer recruitment is a competitive environment; her DofE will provide a little weight, university with associated cadet involvement adds more. Good advice re identifying a role/regiment before engagement with recruiters. If she is fixed on Army, I would suggest something along the lines of the Royal Signals or Engineers, as they will likely both lead to second career potential.
I wish her the best of luck with whatever she chooses. Given the opportunity, I would do it all again.
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Last edited by Pete D; 8th September 2022 at 07:38.
It's a tricky one.
My middle son was always keen on a forces career and joined the ATC.
He loved the weekly meetings but when they went down to camp in Devon being among regulars and officers making them get ready for inspections in the middle of the night knowing full well they were not going to turn up etc etc really soured the whole thing for him.
I was glad he found out early and has gone on to better things since.
You definitely have to be a "type" for a military life IMO.
Cheers,
Neil.
I don’t think you need to be a type per se, just understand that there will be slightly odd hurdles to get over, certainly at the beginning. I rather hope the more irritating and petty ones have disappeared since my early days, but post initial training the situation improves greatly anyway.
Clearly whoever joins needs to be comfy with the discipline and regulations that go above and beyond anything in civvy street. However, those restrictions are far outweighed by the camaraderie and potential adventures to be enjoyed.
As ever, it is horses for courses.
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If she's a "very academic but also an outdoorsy kind of girl", why not the RAF? I believe that outdoor activities and sports are encouraged as with the other services...but I can see that the RN may not appeal.
You couldn't give us an example/ flavour of these 'slightly odd hurdles' please Pete...as I've never been in the forces, though 2 Uncles and a Gt grandfather were...all advised me against joining up if I'd a choice fwiw.
Nothing sinister involved, and no initiation ceremonies (though other elements may have differed).
By irritating, read seemingly endless room and kit inspections, running everywhere (often with sandbags in ammunition pouches, carrying pine-poles, and even occasionally carrying ammunition boxes full of concrete), all in the spirit of character building… I viewed it as a tester/identifier for those who would whinge endlessly in later less-than-pleasant roles/circumstances, to weed out the unfit, and to identify the team players that would help others out to achieve the end goal.
I must admit to have been somewhat peeved when I was put on restrictions (necessitating extra late evening kit inspections, so no bar time etc) for having dust on the soles of one pair of shoes.
I ended up with the contents of my wardrobe in my car (bar the minimum), as they couldn’t inspect that, and using my sleeping bag to ensure my bed was always immaculate.
I believe things have changed quite markedly in the last 40 years though…
That type of irritation disappeared during specialist training, and all discomfort from then on was caused by external factors/actors.
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Last edited by Pete D; 8th September 2022 at 15:27.
Thanks for the insight Pete.
You are most welcome.
As far as I am concerned, the military was the best thing that happened to me. I joined as an untidy angry young man, and ended as a neat irritable old man. Some things they just cannot beat out of you
I have as good as no regrets, served alongside many fantastic individuals to whom I would entrust my life (and some who I would not trust to open a packet of breakfast cereal), and had great fun along the way.
It is not suitable for everyone, but what would be….?
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The Army Rumour Service (ArRSe) has a very good board for people seeking information on recruitment, training etc.
I made this reply earlier and posted it but it was either deleted or didn't post for some reason, so I'll make it again.
My cousin is/was everything the Army wanted in an officer. Extremely academic, athletic, bilingual and "extra curricular". They paid for her to go through medical school. She graduated in both medicine and from Sandhurst, going in as a Captain and a medic. She went through 3 tours on the front lines and saw some horrific things. Became an expert in emergency wound treatment i.e. gunshots, knife wounds etc. After 20 odd years she was recently discharged and left the Army as a Colonel and a qualified GP.
The main reason for the discharge is her severe PTSD, which was present from her 1st tour, but the Army did nothing except send her on a further 2 tours. So I'd say it's entirely dependent where you go in the Army if you'll have a good career, but medicine is not one of them in my opinion.
I'd say join the RAF. My father served, my uncles did and some of my cousins too. All had a great experience that enriched their civvy life. I would have joined too but my application was rejected on the grounds of asthma, which I believe they have changed the rules for to allow people with mild asthma.
Last edited by MrBanks; 9th September 2022 at 13:26.
Is Wellbeck still an option for A Levels for her?
A quick trip to local army careers office is no bad thing. She could apply for a gap year commission on completing school. Or, just a regular path to Uni and then apply for Sandhurst whilst in her 2nd or 3rd year. Joint OTC is usually good way to access subsidised adventure trading whilst at Uni.
If Uni isn’t on the cards then Welbeck.
Staying relatively fit is key. Download the Army fitness test from the internet and keep training.
I would also agree with others that the RAF - and even the Navy - are also good options.
Just to echo what some have already said. If she wants to go to the army then Uni and UOTC before Sandhurst is a very good route. I never went further than UOTC but friends of mine did and they said that the OTC prepared them very well for Sandhurst.
Bursary is also an option but, IIRC, if she decides not to join up she may well have to pay the money back (I think it happened to one of my mates).
As for dust on the sole of a shoe being a recipe for trpuble. From the stories I heard 20 years ago things hadn't changed much. But once you realise it is just a game and it isn't personal then it becomes easier. Pete D learned that and played along, finding ways around it. That sort of lateral thinking and problem solving is encouraged.
There’s still a 6th form college but it’s moved from Wellbeck. Many a happy memory of the Pentathalon there.
If she’s interested in a commission than don’t bother with the careers office ( actually probably avoid).
These days I’d agree with those who suggest uni plus the UOTC.
But nothing wrong with doing it the other way round (ie Sandhurst first) - in which case uni sponsorship might be available.
As an ex RN submarine engineer officer (from an army family) my only advice is to avoid the RAF at all costs…
Thanks everyone for the incredible advice and response. There is no better community on the net than this very forum IMHO.
I will keep you updated, head girl interviews this week and appointments to follow with local cadets, ATC etc as well as careers offices in Kent and Sussex.
I would urge a pinch of salt to opinions of service, in my 32 yrs the world has changed dramatically. It doesn’t look like anyone has been able to comment on joining the Army a year ago, or how Sandhurst was last year. We all have opinions of the service we joined and what it was like for us, life will be very different for your daughter. She may or may not enjoy cadets, does she want to join them? I would urge gathering as much information as possible about the opportunities she will have across the branches of service so she can see which, if any, she feels offers her what she would like. Best of luck and I’m sure there is definitely something on offer that will appeal and if lucky she will want to do it for many years.
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