Hard Descision

[Sig657]

Hi guys got a bit of a dilema on my hands ive applied for royal sigs option 1 paras option 2. Been to rsc intervies barb etc all set to start 31st august and cant wait! Although now the time is getting closer im not sure wether paras should be my primary option. im extremely fit and not sure if it rather be learning loads of technical stuff supposed to running many miles a day. Can anyone let me know what the score will be once ive actually joined if i wished to move from sigs to paras?. i mean after full training it would be hard i know but would it be easy to swap at end of phase one if i wanted ?

[Tab]

You can always transfer across if you can complete the P Course. We used to have all the trades in the Para's from their parent Regiments.
In fact at one time you had to be a trained soldier or tradesman before you could apply for the Para's.

[Mal]

Well mate. you can change yur mind any time between now and when you enlist which will be about 1 week before you join. If you join paras and think yur fit. yeah it will help you out, but trust me you will be as knackered as everyone else. The training here is extremly hard. and the first couple weeks are hard to ajust, especially for them who have travelled from down london and things. Depends what yopu really really want I guess. At times during training such as Tabbing or PT u will continually think to yourself what the fk am i doing here, this is too hard, but at the end of every session u are glad you have done it. Depends what you personally want to do mate. Sigs or Paras. If you ever change to paras let us know mate, might be able to help u out a bit with fitness tips n stuff.

[Sig657]

I see. Tab if i did wish to change my mind would it be better to do it now, end of basic or at the end of phase two trainning then do you think?

I was thnking if i was full trained in sigs they would not like to transfer me at any point due to time being spent on me tranning up, i know im open to 216 reg 1ce trainned up but would be as tough as para trainning etc? plus nobody looks at you the same because you wernt para from 'the start'..... descisions ey

[Tab]

The Choice is yours mate, what ever happens you will remain In Signals attached the Para,s. A few well chosen questions and you should be able get to those answers. I can only tell you how things where a few years back, so ask those questions where it matters.

[Sig657]

Thanks, maybe ill ask at my AFCO when i go for the oath n all. Just i dont want them to get the impression im not 100% ommited, i wont actually know untill im in i suppose. Thanks for your answers anyway looks promosing even if it was a few years back. thanks again.

[dannyd]

Para_Recruit, I had a mate who was in the same dilemma a few years back. He knew he wanted to join the Army but couldn't decide whether to go R. Sigs or Para Reg. His heart told him Para, his head told him R. Sigs. In the end he went for the R. Sigs as he thought (very similar to you) that it would be better for when he left the Army.

He got through basic training fine (he was a very fit & switched on guy). He then moved on to his trade training. He found this very boring (to the extent that he used to prop his head up on a sharpened pencil to stop himself falling asleep in lectures). In the end after a few months he said "sod this" & transferred to the Paras. He was told all kinds of crap by his OC at the R Sigs. Stuff like "you'll have to start basic training all over again", "you'll have to wear the R Sigs beret until you pass P-Coy whereas everyone else will be wearing the maroon beret", "you'll get bored in the Paras", "no-one will like you because you didn't start in the Paras".

To his credit he ignored all this and got his transfer. He went into Para training at the point after basic training (week 12/13???) and soon found that all the stuff he had been told by the R Sigs was utter balls. He loved Para training and was fully accepted as one of them from the start. He passed out & is in 1 Para (he served in Iraq on Op Telic). He doesn't regret transferring one bit & says that it was the best thing he could have done. All though I haven't spoken to him for quite a bit now, the last I heard he was still loving being in Para Reg.

My advice to you mate would be to follow your heart. If you want in your heart to be a Para then join the Paras. You're not going to be in the Army forever & what would you rather be able to say when you left, that you were in the toughest Regiment in the British Army or that you were a signaller? What you do when you leave is largely up to you. You can make pretty much anything of yourself & the Paras will have given you the confidence to go out & do it.

Sorry for the long post but I thought it was worth it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, but I think that ultimately you will regret it if you do not join the Paras (you could even transfer to the R Sigs after being in the Paras for a bit if you really wanted). Please also note that I'm not a recruiting agent for the Paras (I actually want to be a Bootneck myself).

Good luck.

[Sig657]

Thanks for taking the time to post that. Your freinds dilema sounds identicle to mine and like the same kinda person. Im still unsure a little. Time money and occomodation is scarece for me though untill im actually in so i think ill take the path ive chosen and switch in time if their need be. Thanks anyway but its already too late for me to chnage my mind.

Much appriciated post.

[dannyd]

That's OK mate. I thought it was worth posting because the circumstances are so similar.

As I said before, good luck with whatever you choose to do.

[Sig657]

Likewise with the bootnecks mate.

[Tab]

You don't know or will ever know just how good you are unless you go for it, and never back down.