Afternoon All
So, my current dilemma is this.
I joined the ACO last February and have done a lot since my first day. I have sorted out the Squadron’s IT problems (I run my own IT Business and there were a lot of issues!) and I have just finished building our own Flight Sim, (which looks the dogs danglies if I do say myself! :)).
I am now looking at going into uniform, but I am torn on whether to go SNCO or Officer. Initially, I was going to go Officer, but after some thought (and there being no staff NCO’s in the Squadron) I decided to go NCO to learn a little bit more about the training, get some experience and then fill a small void that the Squadron has, to then look at going Officer in the future. However, after bumping into one of our officers on the weekend, he thinks I would do better to go straight into the VRT. So, now I am a little unsure what to do.
I am having a meeting tomorrow night with the OC and the Adj to discuss this further, but can anyone give me some suggestions or thoughts based on their own experience? I like aspects of both roles and would be more than happy to do either, but with the idea of eventually taking a commission in the future, would this be hard to do going down the NCO route first? Either way, I am able to dedicate the required time and then some on either role.
I can only speak from a ‘Regular’ SNCO’s point of view, but going SNCO first gives you the choice, going Officer first might limit your ability to go ‘back’ to being non-commissioned if you don’t like it.
I do like the idea of getting some experience of an NCO before taking a commission in the future. I feel it would give me a better standing should I ever be in the position to take command of a Squadron in the future.
The answer to that is because the organisation does not need officers who are more likely to be useless and inexperienced. Better to have those qualities in an SNCO where they can do less harm
Because this organisation offers nowhere near enough training in making an Officer (and what we do have seems poor at developing leadership and management skills) and our selection processes don’t provide an adequate filter either, there is certainly a justification for coming into uniformed service as an SNCO and learning the art in that role, even if the desire is (perhaps) to go for a commission later.
The paths are not distinct and the choice is not black-and-white, despite what some at various HQs may claim to be the case. Officers are allowed to step out of the office at times other than parades, and SNCOs may be the best people to look after the training programme.
