Any current or retired Army officers on here please? Advice for my daughter.
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.
Any current or retired Army officers on here please? Advice for my daughter.
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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Any current or retired Army officers on here please? Advice for my daughter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Passenger
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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