If you are considering a career in the services, why don’t you start a topic – there is a wealth of experience in here, who might be able to answer any questions.
Since there hasn’t been anything futher posted here as yet, here are a couple of useful links to the:
[color=#0044bb][size=5]RAF Halton Recruit Guides for Functional Skills in English and Maths[/size][/color]
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[size=5]These guides are equally-relevant for people who are considering a full-time career in the Royal Air Force[/size] [size=6]or [/size][size=5]a part-time career with the RAF Reserves as a Part-Time Volunteer Reservist in the RAuxAF. [/size]
wilf_san
I am thinking about joining the royal marines as an officer. Anyone else??
I wasn’t an RM Officer, but I’ve served with 3 CDO Bde both within 29 CDO RA and the Bde HQ - if you want to be an RM Officer you need to be a) astonishingly good, b) astonishingly fit, and c) astonishingly motivated.
The (RM) role is changing from that of a maritime delivered infantry bride to a maritime based raiding, counter-terrorism, SF supporting and defence diplomacy force spread throughout the fleet and spread worldwide. 2 (I think) Commando formations will remain as infantry fighting units (with all the CDO role training and exercises), but a junior RM Officer in 2025 is just as likely to find himself commanding a detached Troop on a Frigate in the ME as he is taking part in a Coy sized exercise in Norway.
Interesting, challenging, rewarding job - and getting moreso. But your standards need to be extremely high.
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Their old advert said it best; “99.99% need not apply”.
Remember RM officers get looked after better in the field 
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Thanks guys
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If you need any specific help with AIB, let me know.
Yea, the New Future Commando Force model looks spot on. Some really good stuff going to be happening with them, if they pull it off.
Going back to the commando roots. Instead of being lumped in with the honking Pongos.
One Commando unit has re-orbatted into a Maritime role, taking up the slack from SF, the remaining 2 Commando Units will stay as Fighting units.
New combat uniform, SA80s are getting binned off and C8s issued. Restructuring and adopting new tactics, procedures and some Gucci new tech. Along with a new way of doing things around the globe. Exciting times for the Corps.
John if you want to be an Officer, stick in with school and uni and smash the phys. But train smart.
What sort of timeframe are you on, what’s your plan?
Feel free to drop me a PM with any quezzies or if you want an information.
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Right now I do an hour at the gym on Thursdays and a 2.4km run on the treadmill in around 9.45 and daily I do around 30 press-ups and 70 sit ups a night. I don’t really want to go to uni because of the costs and I hate school as it is s but I’ll stick with a levels.
Thanks again everyone
If you have a local BMF that’s a great way of getting fit, and specifically getting good at the sort of phys you’ll have to do at POC.
While you absolutely do need to smash the Phys - and @MattB makes an excellent suggestion about doing it in the same way you’d have to do it at Lympstone - I have two absolute solid tests/indicators that you can do this week without any prep that will tell you if you’re going to be on the right track:
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Run so hard and for so long that you throw up. If you can do that, and then run again, then carry one. If not, the RM is not for you.
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Sleep outside without a tent. Put on wet clothes and walk 5km without breakfast. If you can mentally/emotionally cope with that then crack on. If not, the RM is not for you.
Go to university. You simply will not be able to do the Officer job without the maturity that living away from home for 3 years will give you (hopefully). It will also help you train your mind - the officer job is an intellectual job as well as a physical and emotional one - without that training you’ll find it difficult to frame arguments and persuade others who have had that experience/training that your argument holds intellectual water.
While you’re at University, join the UOTC, AR or RMR. You’ll have a far easier time of it at Lympstone if you simply don’t have to think/worry about ‘simple’ stuff like field craft, Phys, and looking after your gear - you’ll be able to save your mental and emotional energy for the really difficult, challenging stuff.
Im considering joining the RAF, somewhere in a medical field. I was thinking of a BMS (Biomedical Scientist). Any suggestions, or even tips?
BMF is hit and miss.
Some have good instructors, some are terrible. Injury prone and over training, with little use other than just to give an instructor an ego boost.
Unfortunately mate, the best course of action would be Uni for an Officer. While possible with A levels, it’s not the best course.
What sort of stuff in the gym do you do? Remember the Commando Tests don’t involve Bench Pressing bicep curls. Your timing looks good for 2.4km. Your press-ups are lacking and your sit-ups are adequate. What’s your pull-ups like?
My standard questions for anyone joining the Corps are:
What’s your BFT time like?
2.4km in 12 mins, 2 minute rest, 2.4km return, best effort (should be under 10:45)
What’s your bleep test like?
What’s your bleep test like after a BFT the same day?
What’s your press-ups, pull-ups and sitsup like? Have you done them to the beep?
One thing I will stress is DO NOT run with weight. Do not walk with too much weight in a rucksack. Leave that for Lympstone, they have procedures and medical infrastructure to deal with it. Do not damage yourself before you get there.
Mate, I really respect your opinion and what you have done, but that style of training and preparation doesn’t fit with CTC, and it’s not encouraged. It’s a tad too old school.
RT is there to do the mental toughening, it’s about getting the basics done and then coaching in RT.
Totally agree with you on the Uni front though. And while I would suggest RMR, RMR (and indeed any reserve forces) is not an easy way in or a backdoor or proving ground for regulars. It has a job to do.
While I hate the OTC and think their attitude stinks and they are full of people that need bringing down a peg or 2, they offer more in the way of Adventure training and opportunities.
RMR has its own inherent problems, the selection and training process is longer and has unique problems.
There’s a lot of information and advice to be given on this or indeed joining any other Branch of the military. So mods might consider splitting this thread?
I can do 3 pull ups but can’t remember what I did on the bleep test and no I didn’t do them to the bleep. Thank you very much for your help. Would you recommend the open university?
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Indeed, but you’ll never know which is which unless you try it.
If you go to University when you don’t want to then you’ll hate every minute of it and you’re more than likely going to pull out and/or not study and fail. It would be a waste of time and money.
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