Not going to comment on some of the guff already posted on this thread. I've served 8yrs and still going strong, it's still a good career if it suits you, yes 2015 pension isn't great (full pension point will be 20yrs instead of 18 for officers) but it's free to you so nothing to stop you having a private one as well as I do.
Short service commission is 3 years guaranteed once you commission out of Sandhurst extendable to 8yrs then conversion. Don't know anyone who hasn't been able to extend.
As a career you get a huge amount of responsibility very early on, more than any grad scheme civvy job- for example 6 months out of Sandhurst I was serving in Afghanistan solely responsible for the lives of 38 men/women in my Troop having to make life/death decisions, you've either got that or you haven't........I've done the top 10 things I ever wanted to do in life/the Army but I've also seen/done the bottom 10 that no one would willingly want to do or see.....
The discipline is a good thing it teaches you a lot about yourself and work life ethics....
My 2nd job and back in the desert I was responsible for 6 fig sums $$$$ for reconstruction and development all after only 3yrs service....your ability to deal with things and make decisions when everything around you is literally chaos is one of the strongest things going for you when if you eventually go back to a civilian job..
I'm about to start working towards my Chartered status in the next few years all paid for with a 12month stint in Aus working for a civilian company before taking on a Technical Officer role
With regards selection just make sure you can pass the physical element, it's the only thing that's a sure fire pass if you prepare for it and it's not actually that difficult for averagely fit to pass. Be up to date on current affairs, other than that it is you've either got the ability to lead or you haven't, command doesn't suit everyone.
Yes there's some Bullsh!t and you'll eventually end up behind a desk the higher you go but there is everywhere...and no civilian employer pays for sport & adventurous trg like the Army does....for example I've managed to get all my mountaineering quals and mountain bike leading quals paid for with the Civilian ticket too...
On that note I need to go and start packing as I'm being paid to take a group MTBing in N Wales next week all week....
It is not the officers job to solve all technical problems or be the best engineer
I was trying to highlight that the Officers do far more than just man management. Of course you are correct - the SNCOs are the senior trade specialists and even they have some skill fade as they get away from the tools.
coopersport1 - do you have a conical head then? Live in Nottingham?
Join the senior service, i'm off to hms raleigh in february 🙂
I say why not? By the time you are out of your training conflicts will have moved on to a different arena or you'll be in a lull.
Some people will hate you, some people will have immense respect for you.
You can always go to civie street after the army. PLENTY of time.
