Marine to Officer

[Jonny10]

I am 22 and have just left Uni. I was hoping someone could tell me the realities of becoming an Officer through the ranks?.

I was recently tunred down as an RAF Regt officer despite scoring highly on the PROAC (Regt version of POC) - Im just not Officer material yet!!

Also would be good if someone knew the average age of recruits into the Marines - at 22/23 will I be much older than everyone else?

Thanks

[stripey588]

Did the RAF give you a reason why you were turned down??

As far as i am aware, if you were to join the RM as a recruit and then decide to go corps commision, providing that you passed the criteria needed, i couldn't see a problem, but stix will be better placed to advise you as he is based at ctc (lucky blighter).

Those who do pass the officer training after serving in the ranks, would make a better officer in my opinion, as they should know what the lads look for in an officer.

Any person who does the basic at ctc, then volunteers to go and do it again for longer, must be mad in my opinion, but damn good luck if you do mate.

As for age, that depends on the ratio for the group joining.

When i started my basic, the oldest was 29, but there were more younger lads than elder lads. 22/23, is middle of the road mate, me thinks.

Again, stix is better placed to answer this for you.

[Sully]

I'd forget about Corps Commission or SD Commission if I were you. I was given loads of crap about how it can be done on merit at the careers office but when you get there you realise that these are very few and far between and unless you are a warrant officer (stripey at least) or have some connections you won't get a SD post. You'll also realise how high calibre most of the 'grunts' are if you join and elbowing your way to the front of these for a Corps Commission won't be easy and will win you few friends.

Check out the age limis for direct entry as an officer - it used to be 23 but I think it may have gone up.

[harry hackedoff]

Sull. Corps commish is for Gravs with the requisite ed quals and is as common as rocking horse shit, SD Commish is for Seniors whose face fits. I`m not knocking blokes who make either route, but the system seems a tad less than egalitarian.

Stripey , is that cadet stripey btw, thanks for your unqualified input. The stix you refer to is not "based" at CTC. He is a civilian employee there and is not"best placed" to offer advice in this regard .
Anyone seriously considering a Commision in Her Majesty`s Finest would be best served by the direct route.

[stripey588]

my appologies harry, i thought stix was serving and based at ctc.

consider my neck wound in.

[Sticky Blue]

I'm serving but not based at CTC.
Did me juniors and seniors there plus a couple of other courses (one being the farkin endurance course the bazzas!) and enjoyed my short jaunts there to be honest. I'd not want to make a habbit of it even if it is one of the best messes in the Corps

[Doc]

Which Stix? Confused me now

Sticky is a Serving RM

Stix is ex I believe but now a driver down there on the civvy side.

Why has a cadet stripey got save dutchy website? If he is a cadet stripey that is. Oh the drama of it all, headache nosebleed tantrum bed ............

[harry hackedoff]

Sticky Blue= "our very own Sticks/Stix" is a serving RM Senior in Portsmouth, and a bloody good looking one at that .Stix@ctc is the gentleman to whom stripey 585 refers.
Currently, there is one large batch containing half a dozen or so Corps Commish hopefulls per year. The Corps does not set a limit on the number, there is no cap but the figures for recent years are in the order of six to ten.
Ref SD there is an increasing requirement because, with the popularity of the Short Service Commish all the young thrusters are leaving early and there aren`t the number of young Captains etc. Hope that answers your question Johnny and the advice I gave earlier still remains. There has never been a better time to join the Corps as far as you are concerned

Anyone seriously considering a Commision in Her Majesty`s Finest would be best served by the direct route

Sticks, youm`s correct ref the mess, just you remember that differant coloured jeans are still jeans and you won`t go far wrong mate

[stripey588]

Again, my appologies for the mix up between Sticky Blue and Stix.

Harry,Doc,

Im not a cadet stripey.lol

Although i do get told i look young fr my age.

Oil of ulay is damn good stuff.

(awaiting more incoming)