To All Prospective RM Officers

[Doc]

They tend to do the washing up, mind you used to have a blast at Chivenor at the Sgts Mess, ex Mrs Doc loved it so much she met the future Mr Ex Mrs Doc there, thank god he did the decent thing and let her move in to his gaff, the front garden was looking untidy with her stuff and her constant sobbing was getting on the neighbours nerves I can tell you. Nearly broke my neck tripping over her on the way to the car

[RM Recruiting Officer]

It depends upon the function really, they are usually invited to mess events such as the Summer Balls etc but may not get invited to events that the Officers and SNCOs have together such as the piss up after the Boot match. It depends upon the Mess and whoever organises these events.

[lil_dinger_bell]

Doc, Classic!

funniest thing I have heard all day. And I thougth my night with the bottle of Crown Royal and Gangs of New York couldnt have gotten better.

Cheers

[tweighman]

(sorry for the lengthy post but the forum wont let me pm it for some reason)
Hi Captain,
I am thoroughly interested in serving as a Royal marines officer after graduating from university which should be in about three years. i have been able to contact numerous advisers as regards to military careers and feel pretty clued up as to a career in the royal marines, and am very convinced that i would thoroughly enjoy it.
However, I have not been able to meet anyone who could definitively awnser one issue of paramount importance to me.
I would simply like to know what the first appointment of a young officer usually is. I am very keen to serve in a rifle troop in one of the commando units, as a combat role is what has attracted me to the military to begin with (40,42 or 45). The Marines website states, however, that a YO could serve in FPGRM or the Commando logistics regiment. Given that, at the moment, I only really envisage serving in the military for a short term commision of around three to five years, I am extremely concerned that I may miss the oppurtunity to command a troop of riflemen in one of the three commando units (a role which attracted me to the corps in the first place). Does the corps focus the YO into commanding rifle troops, or are there YO who may miss this role altogether?

[druadan]

I believe from speaking to my bosses over the years that the majority of YOs go to a rifle troop as their first draft to cut their teeth; they then may get another draft doing the same job after the initial couple of years or be drafted into another role. Indeed one Lieutenant on his second draft was heard to comment that the system favours those who do not perform so well, as it is these who are more likely to get a second draft immediately in a rifle troop in order to prove themselves, whilst those who perform well often go on to other things. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of that statement however.

I wouldn't mention you're only looking to do 3-5 years, I get the impression most Bootneck officers are career men, and with very limited places and more applicants than they can take successfully passing AIB it probably wouldn't help you. I'd also check how quickly you can get out, certainly as a Marine you have to do a minimum of four years, and YO training is quite a bit longer!

[tweighman]

The only reason I am mainly considering a short term commission is on advice from a former marines major who commented that the fault he felt in his service was that once he was promoted past captain he felt he had been distanced from what he had actually signed up and trained for. I would personally hope to cut my teeth in a rifle troop then maybe attempt something like mountain leader, aim for an Ops officer position or maybe recon troop. I wouldnt mind other roles after a rifle troop, its just serving in a combat role is my main incentive for joining (something I felt would be compatible with the marines given they affirm their role as combat soldiers first and foremost).
So under what circumstances are people usually appointed to fleet protection or logistics? If I were to perform well at Officer training is my first draft likely to be away from the rifle troop role!?

[druadan]

Again I can only go from past conversations, as I'm not an officer! But as I said, certainly the majority of first drafts are with a rifle troop. It's your second draft that you may end up elsewhere. But then, you may not. It is true that beyond the rank of Captain you won't spend much time on the ground, my last tour I think the OC went out three times in six months. But then by the time you get to that stage you may be happy to have more of a desk job and wait for the pension to build!

If the recruiting officer sticks his head in I'm sure he'll be able to give you more accurate figures as to how many go where. Or at least tell you what you want to hear to apply

[tweighman]

Do you know what a troop commander would do in logistics? Is he purely a logistician? or a kinda security/escort/counter-ambush for the specialists in the same squadron?
Had a closer look a fpgrm and to be honest would probably really enjoy a draft there, loads of cqb and ship boarding. Logistics just kinda scares me cause you cant find info on the regiment for hell or high water!

[druadan]

Varies, several roles. On ops, mainly resupplying FOBs, providing force protection for those resupplies, providing Viking support (as davo does), provide first and second line vehicle support (repairs/servicing), etc. So even if you get a draft there, it may not be that bad! A lot of jobs there are filled by Army or Navy officers as well, so I guess that cuts down your chances of a crap draft. You'd be unlucky to get it out the box though. At the end of the day, even if you do get something you don't like, it's only a couple of years before you go on to something better.

[officer_in_waiting]

Hi RMRO, I am really interested in joining the Marines. Ideally this would be as an officer, I have been told previously there is a minimum points requirement needed from a-level subjects.

But I just lifted this from the Marine website

Graduates
Direct graduate entrants must have a UK degree and English and maths at GCSE (A-C)/S grades (1-3), or equivalent qualifications. They should be under 26 on 1st September of the year of entry (refers to all officer entrants not just graduates).

I struggled doing my a-levels, and didn't get very good grades. So I decided to take a year out and go back and then re-take them. After the year however I wanted to go straight to university the grades, I had allowed my to do a foundation degree and then top this up to a full degree. This course will be complete in July, the statement above seems to indicate that if you have a Uk degree and the required GCSE's you can apply to be an officer. Is this the case or do you still need the ucas points even if you have a full degree?

Thankyou for any help you can offer.

OIW

[davidemmerson]

I've finally decided to bite the bullet and join Uni in 2009, going to have a gap year first and do some travelling, dig wells in Africa, build a school, that sort of thing.

When I'm at Uni, I want to join the OTC. Anybody have any experiance of this? What's it like? What sort of things do you do?

Cheers!

Edit: Mods, please can we make this thread a sticky?

[RM Recruiting Officer]

If you are still looking to contact me, go to www.prmc.co.uk. I have got my own section there and it's easier for me to get back to you.
All the best,
RMRO

[pedro]

if you were to specialize as a pilot, how long would it be before you got moved to another job/posting?

[Tenka]

Hello

I am 24 years old and I am considering joining the military as an officer. I have looked at the Royal Marines, the Army and the RAF Regiment. I am leaning more towards the Marines and Army at the moment. I am keen to find out which suits me best. I understand that it is highly competitive to become a RM Officer.

I was wondering if I could apply for both the Marines and the Army at the same time as I don't want to wait around until July (providing I make it to the AIB) to find out if I'm in the Marines, then be told I'm not and have to start the entire application with the Army. I am concerned about this due to my age as I know I'm nearing the upper age limit for Officer application.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Guns]

You can apply and go through the selection process for the Army and RM concurrently. If you are accepted to train at Sandhurst you can defer your entry for years (I'm unsure of the exact amount of time), so can have that in your back pocket while you go for the Batch.
In response to a previous question regarding first drafts of Officers, it's certainly been the case for the last 3 Batches that no one has been sent straight to CLR. FPG must be manned as a priority, and generally 8 YOs are sent there. The remainder are spread between the Units - again around 8 to each. Performance is also no guarantee of where you will be sent, as the Corps needs to spread its talent. As always the needs of the Corps come first. As you near passing out you get a chance to cite your top 2 preferences and a 'Unit avoid', but the rest becomes luck and a numbers game.
The Corps does acknowledge that YOs feel seen off if they go to FPG for their year of Troop Command, and so these YOs are more likely to get a Gucci second job in FSRT, SFSG, FSG in Unit etc. This second job will most likely be for 2 years. Proffs and dips.