The Army has an average reading age of about 14 years old

You know I had my ups and downs with the Army but one thing I never found was that my soldiers were stupid. Dishonest, aggressive, frequently drunk and regularly AWOL but also brave, loyal, hardworking and generally hilarious company.

Did you get carried away and make this up? Pretty insulting.

Anywaaaay….

nixon-fiend: have you considered the TA or whatever the RAF version calls itself? Probably a bit more receptive to the "I'm not entirely sure…" line of enquiry and will give you an idea of whether you want to go full-time or not.

mcboo – nope – fact. I have other sources, but this is a good link that you can believe:

"With up to 50% of recruits joining the Army with literacy or numeracy skills at or below levels expected of a primary school leaver (compared with 5-8% for the Royal Navy and 8% for the RAF"

Link to quoted document

Without getting carried away with an RAF vs. Army debate or allying myself with any particular camp here I agree with Ti29er to a certain extent… I would suggest (without consulting any figures and from my own experience) that there are certian trades within the Army's technical corps (Signals, Engineers, REME etc) where having a degree is by no means an uncommon feature within the NCO ranks.

I'd also argue that should the Infantry be excluded from a survey of the reading age of the average soldier, it would rise somewhat. I feel I should also make clear that I am in no way deningrating the Infantry (I'm sat between two of them at the moment)…I'm just stating that they're not known for having a high reading age.

Anyway, I think we're perhaps getting off the point…we were originally here to offer advice to someone considering pursuing a career in the forces…

Cheers for the input guys,

I appreciate the comments, very insightful !

Please don't mistake my open-mindedness for apathy. I am looking for a good trade within an organisation that I can grow with and do my damnedest… I give 110% and don't expect an easy ride. It's true that I don't have a one-track-military mind which is why I'm intelligence gathering before jumping in. I know the military would rather have indoctrinated robots but I'm not of that mindset (yet?)

At 24 I may be a little older than the norm but I'm fitter and faster than I've ever been

edit : Heh, I see the armed forces now have an ad on the right

I know the military would rather have indoctrinated robots

No they don't. You need to get down to the recruiters and talk to them really

I know we're not flavour of the month due to all the land based operations at the moment, but have you considered the RN? I'm just coming up to 21 years in, and on the whole have enjoyed it immensely. In fact I can't beleive how quickly the time has flown past. If being at sea for months on end would put you off then it's worth considering that with some trades you are as likely to be a part of land based ops as on a ship. In fact I find myself off to Afghanistan in October as my partin shot from the RN! (will at least give me a chance to save up for a new mountain bike).
I don't want to get into the Army vs RAF vs RN debate, I'll just say that each service has it's advantages/disadvantages and a certain way of doing things (and believe me I know – I have extensive tri-service experience).

Just a thought….Dave

Nick, I have been to my Afco a couple of times and spoken to people down there .. Although different personnel give you varying p.o.v and all seem to have a different idea of what I'd be good for.

My 'robot' comment was not meant as a slight, but I don't see that the fact that I haven't wanted this career since forever should put me behind.. I would rather be judged on my capabilities.

If 50% of Army recruits have literacy or numeracy equal to that of a school leaver, then that does not mean that the majority of the Army have a reading age of 14, does it? firstly; 50% is not a majority, secondly; recruits are not reflective of the army and are taught numeracy and literacy, which would bring the levels down below 50% thirdly; School leavers are not 14.
So your quote has merely proved you wrong, hasn't it?
For someone who claims sooooo much experience in joint services; you are criminally ignorant and why so down on the Army?
Ah, jealous of the history, or of the present sterling work done by the guys on the ground?

I am in the Royal Engineers, and i'll be at my 10 year point in November. I work as a Geographic Technician with a HQ in Germany at the moment. It can be very interesting and rewarding at times, at other times you feel like throwing the towel in. The hours can be horrendous at times, and you'll sometimes feel like you're forever on duty. I was also posted out of my trade for my last post (3 years), which has put me back a bit in comparison to some of my peers, with respect to skill fade, etc. I joined up very late too, just before i was 26, which was the age limit at the time. I think it has been upped to 31 though now.

Despite the above, i do love my job. The good things outweigh the bad. I used to work in the aerospace industry before joining up, and really could never go back to it now. Living and working in a town/city with the monotony of the ratrace would drive me mad now. The places i've seen and the things that i've done would simply not have been possible in a civvy life. It was probably the sense of adventure that the Army instilled in me that got me into mtb'ing and other outdoors type stuff too. I'd probably have been happy to continue with a work/pub/work/pub/gym/work/pub lifestyle if i hadn't joined up. So, i'm glad i did it, and i think that i'm a better person for it.

My first post after training was at a RAF base, i worked for 4 years with a photo recce sqn, so spent a lot of time working with RAF imagery analysts. I have to admit that it was my best time in the forces so far. Very good socially, the work was very interesting and you are treated slightly better too. I must however point out that the RAF were no more proffessional or intelligent than the Army in similar trades, just a different approach to things, that's all.

As others have said though, you definitely need to be 100% to it. It's not easy, and the forces really are busier than ever before at the moment.

It is very sad to have seen this degenerate into a p!ssing contest between the RAF and Army. At the moment both services are contributing a huge amount to operations world wide, both are feeling the pinch brought about by years of neglect by the government and both have unfortunately lost personnel through current operations and to suggest that one may be 'better' than another due to some morbid glance at casualty lists misses the point of tri-service ops, something that the armed forces are excelling at currenty even with forces within the current government attempting to create divisions for budgerty purposes. Also to briefly touch upon the 'average 14 year old reading age of the army' point, this shouldn't be considered a slight. Often for many lads who join the army its the chance to make something of themselves after being let down by the educational systems of this country, a chance to earn a living rather than sit on the dole and a very real opputunity to get that education they missed out on and one day leave the services with a raft of useful qualifications. Those that stick with a career in the army often (in my experience) 'better themselves' and leave the services in a much better position to gain further employment than they joined and this is something the modern British Army should be justly proud of. Now please, stop this pathetic capbadge blind bitching, it does the majority of those who serve in our armed forces a discredit at a time when they are more 'joint' than at any time in the past. If CGS and CDS can sing from the same song sheet to give GB a bloody nose then a bunch of mtbers on a website should be able to bury the hatchet.

My guys had pretty much all come from dirt poor backgrounds in Glasgow. Not having had a great education doesnt make you stupid.

Like the man says, Army, Navy, RAF all very different. Thing I like about forces folk is their confidence. Everybody looks you in the eye and tells it straight, really miss that.

One last thing on the RAF though before I go on hols. Why the f*** do your Officers' Mess always have fruit machines?

It is very sad to have seen this degenerate into a p!ssing contest between the RAF and Army.

You sound surprised sooty. This is STW forum – home of prejudice, bigotory, and sectarianism.

backhander. If you could read, you'd see my quote says 'primary school leaver' and not 'school leaver'. Thats about 11 – younger than 14. Your apology is accepted.

I'm not down on the Army – I work with them now and the guys are stars. I was down on the outdated hackneyed views of Ti29er up there and was just reponding to him and his downer on the RAF.

nixon – you don't need to have wanted it forever – you just need to want it enough and bone up and know what you want to do – and why. Your phrasing in your OP read like 'degree-based career not working out – want another career because downturn has screwed 1st choice'. Not saying that is how it is – just how it read.

mcboo – last 3 messes I've been in didn't have fruit machines.

Nixon

There are plenty of people that join the services (Navy, Army or RAF) either as Officers or as members of the ranks who only serve for a handful of years before leaving. It's only the minority who stay in for a full career. The points above about "you should only join if you really want it" would imply that it's only the most committed that manage to get through training.

As long as you have a sense of humour and you are fit you will get in.

My advice would be to go for it, either Officer or other rank entry. If you like it, stay in. If you don't then you can leave after serving for the minimum time. Whatever the length of your career it will be quite an experience.

Oh, and all three services have thriving cycling clubs / teams.

Ok fair enough, fair mistake to make.
There is currently far far more excitement to be had in the RM and the Army.
In the RAF if you are not a pilot, you're a REMF.

RAF here, 23 years so far as a pilot. Many positives, an increasing no. of negatives, especially over the last 5 years or so. It all depends what you're after as an individual. One thing to bear in mind is that it will ask far more of your family than most other career paths.

"In the RAF if you are not a pilot, you're a REMF."???

rivett – backhander is being a throbber either because he wants a rise or he truly doesn't understand current operations. I'd guess a combination of both TBH.

Fair mistake to make – missing a word from a sentence and getting chopsy with someone? I hope you never give or action any basic written or verbal instruction – do you have a bike without training wheels fitted?

Beamers… my comments regarding commitment are offered in the context of Nixon applying for a commission. For an NCO I'd agree, a sense of humour and the requisite level of fitness are 'enough', but for a commission something altogether more is required. A useful reference here would be the oft-quoted comment that the Commissioning Course at Sandhurst has been likened to studying for the third year of a degree whilst training for the olympics… therefore I would argue that 'just turning up' wouldn't be enough.

The RAF: it's for people who would like to be public servants but who don't fancy the discipline.

Dogsby

If you live in the SE maybe you should look at joining th RauxAF they have a media sqn which might be of interest;

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafreserves/squadrons/rafhaltonno7644mediaoperationssquadron.cfm

nixon
I've come to this late so shall ignore all the bitching back and forth that has gone previously (all good practice for you though, if you can't stand the banter the Forces aren't for you).
I don't like to go into details of my employment on public forums but safe to say that a successful career in the Forces is possible, even if it hasn't been your ambition since birth. As has been said though, it requires massive commitment (from you and a future family) but generally rewards in equal measure. Although your degree won't be directly relevant, one of the good things about the Forces is the sheer diversity of opportunities it offers if you're prepared to take control of your own destiny.
RN, Army or RAF are all good choices and manned by committed and entertaining individuals, if it doesn't eventually work out at least you won't think 'what if' for the rest of your life.

Good luck.

One thing I do know about current ops…if it weren't for the USAF we'd be fecked.
Gobby RAF shower.

I joined 4 years ago, promised the trade i joined up for was a techie trade, but its now its more computer admin, so my Engineering A-levels were a waist of my time, depends what trade u want to go for, just dont got for TG4, would leave but job markets as they are its not worth the risk.

care to go into that a bit more backhander??

I think perhaps 'backhander' is confusing lack of ability due to lack of funding with unwillingness to carry out a task. Chronic under-funding of the SH force is not an RAF issue, JHC is funded through LAND (an army controlled organisation) and its a combination of JHC being considered the poor relation of LAND and government under-funding for this most valuable of assets that has led to the situation the troops in Afghanistan currently find themselves in. Luckily though RAF units such as TSW exist to deploy forward and act as force multiplier, supplying the means to extend the legs of the few SH and attack helicopter assets, both British and allied, available.

Unfortunately he appears to be a typical 'Arrse' forum type armchair warrior and if he does actually serve I hope his marksmanship is more accurate with whatever weapon system he operates as his 'blame the RAF' mentality is way off target.

Also unfortunate is that unlike the Pprune forum we don't have the option to filter out his tripe.