Irishmen/women in the British Armed Forces

LD 50

OS119 wrote: »

go for a corps trade - anything RE, RSigs, REME, some of the RA roles - UAV Op for instance - or the RLC (reeeaaally large corps).

modern combat operations mean that absolutely any role will involve carrying a rifle in a hot, sandy place with the distinct likelyhood that somebody will take a pot-shot at you - you don't need to think 'i want a bit of action, ergo i need to join the Infantry' - so go for a role that you're interested in, that is interesting whether you are in Helmand Province or Catterick Garrison, and that will give you a trade once you leave the Army.

sadly, few employers are impressed with a CV that says 'i can march 40km with 120lb of kit, get 6 81mm mortar rounds in the air before the first one lands, and live in a ditch for a fortnight'...

No. But when you phrase it like "mentally and physically strong, leadership skills, teamwork skills, crisis management, can perform well under extreme pressure", it sounds alot better.

OS119

LD 50 wrote: »

No. But when you phrase it like "mentally and physically strong, leadership skills, teamwork skills, crisis management, can perform well under extreme pressure", it sounds alot better.

yeah, but every bugger see's through that!

if you can do a technical, intellectually demanding trade - information systems management, engineering resources manager, avionics or ammunition tech in 45 degrees C, under fire with 3hrs sleep in the last week and having had one day off in the last 6 weeks, then you become very attractive to employers. they know that not only can you do the job, you can do it under enormous pressure when everything is going wrong and you just have to improvise.

DERICKOO

I had once In Angola, the help of a ex brit soldiar in saving my life and this was offshore no one here can take this from me. I thank you KEVIN BOORMAN.
YEA I KNOW.

DERICKOO

OS119 wrote: »

yeah, but every bugger see's through that!

if you can do a technical, intellectually demanding trade - information systems management, engineering resources manager, avionics or ammunition tech in 45 degrees C, under fire with 3hrs sleep in the last week and having had one day off in the last 6 weeks, then you become very attractive to employers. they know that not only can you do the job, you can do it under enormous pressure when everything is going wrong and you just have to improvise.

Yes you are correct but then in an enviorment that few see the true reality of freedom who do you ask or see to ask they are not there, be clear at all-times. I am free i can see.

Dr.Sanchez

OS119 wrote: »

go for a corps trade - anything RE, RSigs, REME, some of the RA roles - UAV Op for instance - or the RLC (reeeaaally large corps).

We'll see, I can change my preferences at any time. I'd doubt one would get a job as a UAV Operator outside the army I have 72 to sift my way through, some don't have an intake date beside them so I presume theres no vacancy for that particular job at this time?

Hobby Horse

00Blaine00 wrote: »

We'll see, I can change my preferences at any time. I'd doubt one would get a job as a UAV Operator outside the army I have 72 to sift my way through, some don't have an intake date beside them so I presume theres no vacancy for that particular job at this time?

You also need to beware of a lot of jobs in the army that sound good but in reality aren't.

There's one RE trade for operating Bridgeing equipment, it sounds good but in practice most of them only get a chace to do it once a year, so they spend the rest of the year doing **** jobs...

The RLC in general is a pretty **** corps to join, you will typically get all your driving licences but the RLC is notorious for doing it's own thing and basically being run by a bunch of old school NCO's, bullying is still rampant despite what the army says, it's also one of those Corps that tend to make life hard on camps for their guys...

The RA, well it's one of those Corps where if you're bright you tend to get promoted quite quickly, as most of their guys aren't that bright. Stay away from the Gun Regts the air defense, UAV, and radar Regts tend to take better care of their guys....

The REME well I personally think Armourer is a good trade you do a lot of precision metal work which has applications in civillian life, but you need good hand skills like for a lot of REME trades.

Personally I think the RE is the way to go, you're basically an infantryman, you will serve on the front line while also being a combat engineer (you'll get to blow stuff up) also you'll get a secondary trade eg carpenter.

The RE tend to be a lot more relaxed than other corps, most of their guys are top calibre people so they don't have any discipline problems, also there's a far better (in my opinion) relationship between the seniors and juniors.

I'm not in the Engineers myself but if I was to reccomend one Corps that would be the one.

Dr.Sanchez

Hobby Horse wrote: »

I'm not in the Engineers myself but if I was to reccomend one Corps that would be the one.

Are you in the BA yourself? If so, what regiment? Whats you opinion on the R SIGS, lets say something along the line of Communications Systems Op?