So, my (almost) 16 year old boy wants to join the army!

They even have accountants and clerks (AGC), police (RMP) and lawyers (ALS). Mind you, I’d steer clear of those three, but only because I am biased towards other parts of the Army (Royal Signals for example).

I personally think it is a good choice for a young man that wants to make a difference in some small way. It will give him a good opportunity to grow and develop himself.

Sounds like you’ve got a good boy there.

You’re also 16 times more likely to die as a fisherman than a soldier in a given year. Death rates in soldiers are almost exactly the same as painter decorators.

Not sure where you get that stat from. In the US (Only place I have stats for at hand but fairly similar to the UK only statistically better as large populations to report from), over 2000-2009 there were 58 deaths per year in the fishing industry (work related I presume!). The US armed forces reported 5700-odd service-person deaths in that period for the “war on terror”, which is ~570 per year?

Apologies for the thread resurrection but he’s just got back from ADSC Glencorse with a formal job offer to join the British Army! His first choice is The Royal Corps of Signals and he’s hoping to go to the Army college at Harrogate starting next month.

Mixed emotions right now for obvious reasons but I’m so, so proud of him. He has such a clear idea of what he wants to do with his life (far more than I did at his age).

Ha congratulations! I just read the thread, if you go back to page 1 college at harrogate was pretty much your best case scenario!

Fwiw my brother was an utter waster for 4 years after dropping out of a levels then one day signed up and he’s been a rock of a man ever since and I’m so proud if him (intelligence corps)

I joined the Signals 2 weeks after my 16th birthday (Army Apprentice College Harrogate as it was then) and left at 42. If I knew then what I do now, and was 16 again, I’d join again. Had a great time.

I joined the Signals 2 weeks after my 16th birthday and left at 42. If I knew then what I do now, and was 16 again, I’d join again. Had a great time.

that’s what I call a solid bona fides endorsement!!!

Good on him – making his own way in life and forging out a career, not that that stops you worrying as a parent. Signals is a good choice, as presumably he will leave with IT/comms qualifications to take onwards into civvy street.

Good on him. At least he didn’t end up being a Bizzie.

Good on him. At least he didn’t end up being a Bizzie.

Git. 😀

(RMP is his 3rd choice)

Seriously though, glad its turned out well for him.

*Like*

Best of luck to your kid, ive been serving for 10yrs in the infantry, i did my training in harrogate and have just finished a 2 year stint there as a section commander instructor, if you or your lad have any questions about the college and the training it delivers feel free to email me.
Rab

Fantastic. As for the wars bit. I doubt very much that Politicians would rush into such a situation again.

Look at Libya, non ground forces deployed and Syria…

Cheers all. Rab, I’ll let him know this. Thanks.

Not read all this, but if he’s keen surely he will join as soon as he no longer needs parental consent.

He has got his parental consent….

Great news, Harrogate is absolutely the right place for him to go. Hopefully he can get into the right trade in Royal Signals, REME or RLC, do few years there then decide if he wants to stay long term. If he works hard and keeps his nose clean he’ll have all the options open to him.

I quite like my job now and work with lots of nice people. But in the Army I used to laugh my t1ts off every single day and I miss it.

Good stuff it’s a great caree choice, and compared to civy street over the next 5 years at least he will have an income. He will also get the opportunity to learn a trade. Well done.

Why can’t he study Media at Trafford College?

Bloody public sector with their golden plated pensions.

It’s a shame people still join the army IMO.

What do you do Lifer?

Why?

I was in the Army.

(Salvation)

I wanted to join at 15 1/2 as a boy soldier (infantry). My dad wouldnt sign me over. So we compremised and i joint at 16 with a trade. It was great realy enjoyed myself.

Only done 6 years saw a lot of places and learnt alot about myself and what makes the world go round.

Its worth the experience and its a great life.

Let him go and find his feet in the world.

by the way, you can’t just walk into engineering posts,

Well, by way of a little update a very proud (if slightly emotional) Dad and a gibbering wreck of a Mum, dropped of our eldest boy at Harrogate Army Foundation College this afternoon (Mothers Day of all days!)

It’s a bit dusty in here….

Good luck and best wishes to your family. I’m sure your boy will thrive.

Great stuff! What Unit is he planning on joining? I can remember my parents dropping me off at the Junior Leaders Regiment in Bovington, Dorset, in June 1985 at the age of 16! I only managed to do 23 years, retiring at 40 😀
Hopefully, he will have a great time and get to see the rest of the world.

Cheers. He can’t wait to get on with it. I found it all a bit weird.

We were all led into a large theatre where we had a presentation from the commanding officer where they told us what our children would be doing over the next year. After the presentation the recruits were all led from the room and we then went into a further presentation where they simply referred to them as “our junior soldiers” 🙂

Popocatapetl, he’s opted for the Fusiliers (against my advice as he could have gone for the signals)

I’d have persuaded him to go in to the Armoured Corps. You get to fire big guns and brag about being a ” Tank Commander”‘ which was the best job in the world! And as the Army is now all “Bowmanised”‘ (their digital secure comms system), he can get decent IT stream quals as well. Plus Grunts have to do lots of walking! Hopefully he will change his mind!

Infantry / Armoured Corps – both the same thing these days.

i remember my dad dropping me off at the train station wishing me good luck, gave me £5 and off i went to ATR Pirbright. that was 9 years ago, im now a civvi. Wished i stayed in but family choices had to be made and my trade was dying (went from 35 to 20 in 6 months) not many small trades in the forces.

any way, good luck, have fun you will always remember your time as a RCT.

Good luck to him bregante…. He’s joining as a kid but will turn out a man during his stint. Hope my boy does the same.

He’ll have a fantastic time. Good on him!!

Best of luck to Breggie junior. And I’ll echo my earlier comments on the thread: At least he didn’t join the Bizzies. 🙂

Good luck to him.

Nowt wrong with being a ‘bizzie’ and serving/protecting your community

bloodynora, ignore dd, he’s only pulling my leg. He’s always there. Like toothache. 😉

Good on the lad he’ll have a great time make some mates for life.

I’ve not served in HM Forces, so I hope I’m not romanticizing it, but the camaraderie and sense of belonging that he’ll no doubt experience will be something special.

All the best to him.