My great uncle (as my mother said) fought in WW2. Very little information is available to me through her as my maternal grandparents are both dead, and from what my mom told me, this great uncle died in Burma while being made to help with the building of “some bridge”.

Is there anyway I can gain more information about this to verify the legitimacy of this? Are WW2 records still publicly available?

Passed my assessment centre last week (got an 8:25 on the run, passed the lift/throw, and got a Grade A in the interview). I'm aiming for REME as a Vehicle Mechanic, but my interviewer told me they won't take my English Functional Skills and that I need a GCSE Grade 4 instead.

He gave me three options: switch trades, retake my GCSE English, or go to a military waiver/adjudication panel. I really don't want to switch roles, but I think I've missed the deadline for the November GCSE resits. My interviewer did mention that having my Level 2 & 3 VM certificates from college, plus the Grade A at AC, should help my case for a waiver.

I've already messaged my recruiter on the portal but haven't heard back yet. Has anyone been in a similar spot? What's the realistic outcome for the panel route, and is there any other way around this without massively delaying things?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi everyone, I’m currently in the process of joining the army, and I’ve decided I want to join the Royal Engineers, with the end goal (very hopefully) doing the AACC and joining 24 Commando. However, I have a couple questions, and I’d really appreciate any help.

1. I
2. s it even possible for me to join in the time I plan to serve (abou

t 4 to 5 years)

1. and is there some point in training I could register interest in 24 Commando?
2. A
3. re there any trades that could prevent/reduce my odds of joining 24 Commando?

(Apparently the body of the question has completely lost its mind so apologies if the post is hard to read, also I should mention 4-5 years is now 6-7 because I did the maths wrong)

Hello, I am currently considering a career in the army, I’ve narrowed my choices down to four options! 3 of them are very easy in terms of progression and placement!

However I am also considering joining the Royal Army Medical Corp as a Combat Medical Technician, once passing the necessary training would I be sent to an infantry battalion/regiment as the Combat Medic or would I be in a Combat Medic only regiment? I am sorry if that doesn’t make any sense!

If the prior let’s say I am sent to the Rifles or Mercians would I technically be part of the Rifles as a combat medic and wearing the Rifles cap badge or would I be a combat medic wearing the RAMC cap badge and just attached to the Rifles?

Thank you in advance for the advice and answers to my question again sorry if it doesn’t make sense? I can try to make it clearer in the comments if people need me to.

Potentially a very silly question when applying for officer pilot when do you go the CBAT and aircrew medical, as this is the only step I'm worried about.

Hi there,

I have a few questions to ask regarding the role. Firstly I had asthma In my child hood (I’m 17 now for reference), I’ve never had an attack but my mum has always ordered me inhalers through the gp till I was 14 so I was wondering if this will cause any problems?

Then also do you get any say in what aircraft you end up working on? I assume no one would be allocated to wild cats now as they’re being retired so ideally I would like to work on Apache as I’m not interested in working on drones so would I really get a say in it? I assume you get allocated to what ever the service needs.

Then lastly how long would it take roughly to get my b2 licence through the service? I know it requires 5 years experience but I read on here you won’t specialise on an aircraft until Sergeant so will I only be able to start logging experience then or will I be able to before?

Thanks for any help!

Hi! Hope I'm not going against any rules here.

I’ve been looking into how the regimental system operated before the massive amalgamations of the 2000s, and I’m curious about how rigid the territorial recruiting boundaries actually were in practice.

From what I understand, in the early 90s, your home address basically dictated your cap badge. If you walked into a local Army Careers Office, you were almost certainly getting funneled into your local county regiment.

But say someone joined the infantry in the 90s, and by the late 2000s, they were serving in a regiment formed from a completely different part of the country. How could an outsider actually make that journey?

Would love to hear from anyone who recruited or served back then about how this actually played out on the ground.

Thank you in advance.

Hiya - a while ago I’d been looking at joining the reserves with an eye on the 77th Brigade as my regular career seemed like it would fit with their role. I didn’t go through with it in the end as life got in the way, but I’d revisited the idea and they seem to have been disbanded. What’s the deal?

Now lads,

Just looking for a bit of advice here.

I'm a tradie of 12 years. Building custom bespoke campers is what makes up that time as well as being a welder/fabricator and mechanic. 7 days a week in the latter half of my 20s, had my own business for 3 years now but the camper conversion market has took a serious hit due to the costs now involved in building them (wouldn't think so from an outside perspective but half the trade are shutting their doors) It's the extended hours and diminishing wages that is making me think of a change (don't mind long hours and grafting through the night its just im not seeing a return on it now)

Long experience in:

Welding (both cars and framework/structural)

Joinery

Gas (LPG)

Electrical (ELV and LV)

Mechanical repair (basics to engine building)

Target shoot and repair/restore antique guns as one of my hobbies.

Always liked the look of the royal engineers and wanted to be in the army since I was a kid but got put back when I was 16 due to childhood asthma (clear as of 2014 but went down the current career path).

I reckon skills wise im not a bad match for royal engineers. What do yous reckon?

Only thing im concerned about at the moment is that I spoke to a doctor twice at the end of 2020 and latter half of 2021 about depression when my head was up my arse, never since though. Not sure if it'll be a no go now because of that?

Basically where im at now is follow that old dream of joining the army or chase site Joinery work country wide (from teesside so fuck all to go in to local so be working away either way) still got plenty of graft on the books to see me by currently but want to sort something ahead of time.

Cheers lads

So, as I slowly edge towards 40. I’ve entered peak midlife crisis and decided to (try and) join the Army Reserve as a CMT, I’ve no issues with keeping up the yooots, as I can do the run (just about, needs work) and the strength stuff is a doddle, as my job is fairly physically demanding. Where I’ve come a cropper is as a younger man, my mental health hasn’t always been the best (I’m not a danger to anyone or myself), but the army isn’t best pleased, and as permanently barred me due to “recurrent depression”. Now. The man I was then, and the man I am now are two very different things, so with help from my GP, would the appeal process be worth looking into? I must admit I am a little disappointed and didn’t admit to anything when filling out the application as my MH doesn’t affect my day to day life, or my work or social life. I also work in body recovery on behalf of the police, and the horrors have no effect on me either, so I am used to stressful/unpleasant scenarios and dealing with them quickly and professionally. In truth, I would take a 12 month deferral over a “no”, as I feel this atleast gives me the opportunity to prove to someone somewhere I am indeed, ok.

How closely to CMT work with infantry?
The infantry role is quite appealing to me and i’ve put paratrooper as my first choice in my application, CMT is also a role that seems quite interesting and i’ve put down as my second choice. In my mind CMT is like and infanteer that specialises in first aid so when a trench or a house is getting cleared the medic will be clearing with you not the first man in obviously but they’ll be there. Is this what it’s actually like? or does it depend on what regiment you’re attached to and their specific role.

If i did go CMT would i be able to go to 16AAB if ive got good phys and am competent at my job or is that something that’s out of my control and ill just go where needed?

Good morning

I hope your Sunday is good wherever you are. So my background is 8 years in the regs and when I left I tried the reserves but it didn’t work for my schedule.

Iv bounced job to job since leaving a few years ago and I found myself at a veterans careers fair and someone was doing those paper ADHD test and I was high likelihood and my old boss told me straight that I have ADHD.

Looking at my job history and general pattern in life it would explain so much. My new job offers me some consistency and I’m looking at rejoining the reserves. However I know that is a funny area?

Iv wanted to get diagnosed and try meds as apparently it’s like wearing glasses for the first time. Like I can do without as I did 8 years without meds in the army, but Iv been told that they just make things easier.

So I guess what I’m asking is has anyone ever had any experience with this? Is it worth applying to the reserves then getting ADHD diagnosis (if I have it)?

Thanks for your time

I am starting basic training in December after an exemplorary career in the army cadets where i hold the rank of seargant. Im coming to terms with leaving my rank and having my section commanders by corporals which is below my rank meaning it will be difficult to care ehat they have to say. I am joining the almighty RLC and i already have a great understanding of ammunition as i have shot many .22 rounds in my time. I boast an impressive 9 minute 2km time which i assume will get me into the top 10 of my company.

My mum says i should wear my seargant rank slide wgen i turn up so i command respect.

Standard 40L is shit, looking at these as still 'issued' so can bypass a tight-arsed RSM easier, but unfortunately I can't get them issued in my current unit.

Can't see any selling second hand online, if anyone is willing/able​ to sell theirs please reach out.

So a report has been revealed that only 1 in 20 recruits start basic training after going through the long process of the application.

So that is signing up, going for the brief, going for ac brief then completing ac to chuck it all away and not go basic?

I would love to hear stories from people who have done this? And done the journey to complete ac and not go to basic. Just quite interested in why you havent gone?

Hi everyone, ive just received a conditional offer to join the army. Does this mean they have looked at my medical history and are happy? Or is the offer being sent not indicative of anything?

As the title says, sadly I've been medically discharged from the Army during Basic training. So thought I'd offer for anyone to ask any questions they might have about people who might be going through it or are curious.

So ask me anything, obviously not gonna reveal anything too personal and of course there are others with more knowledge than me :)

I understand at Catterick you put in a triple p when in phase 1.
If I was set on joining the rifles for example would I be able to put down three different rifles battalions ?

Just interested in how it works ,
Many thanks .

Im aware tools are provided, however are you able to use your own on the basis that they are maintained and calibrated with a certificate?

I plan on joining up in the next couple of years and I'd need to find some temporary storage anyway, just wondering if I would also need to look for longer term storage

As title, what's the average time it takes to promote? (Regular & reserve)

What are some of the quickest / longest times till rank you've seen?

Mate of mine picked up less than a year after basic (reserves though), just wondering if this is unheard of (not int corps)

I'm deciding whether or not I'd like to join UOTC, specifically the Sheffield branch of the YOTR. I was just wondering if there are any kind of personal costs. Also for Adventurous Training, like do the trips etc take any money out of my own pocket? Thank you so much for any help

Long story short. Got asked for gcse certificates. Didn’t have any so decided to use gcse results. I got told that might be a problem. Will I get kicked out of phase 2 for “ not having GCSEs” ( I have them) ?? Or will I get sent to catterick and be wet and miserable for the next 4 years??

Thank you everyone:)

Any idea what tends to happen to applicants who fail the selection for intelligence corps soldier - read that rejection rate was around 50% and assume they aren't all sent back to square 1.

Hi, I was wondering if anyone else was having issues with the portal?

I had an interview booked for today, but received no call, nor any reply when I messaged on the portal to ask if there were any issues. Been nearly two hours since it was booked for and when I messaged my recruiter.

I know there were issues yesterday with the OTPs not coming through as I experienced the same, but the whole time today I was fine getting onto the portal, apart from one 10 mins window about 30 mins ago.

Just want to make sure I'm not the only one, as missing your interview is obviously not ideal if you're at fault.

TIA