officer in certain regiments

[NumnutzZ]

hi, im 16 and in a few years i wanna apply to be an army officer, and hopefully get in the infantry or RAC...

well one of the regiments that recruits in my county is the greadier guards, but i was also ineterested in some of the cavalry regiments but my dad said something to me along these lines:

"youve got no chance being an officer in them, u have to have gone to the right school, a private school, and then its all about the old boys' connections, wearing the old school tie" etc.

well see the thing is im not a toff with "old boys' connections" and i was wondering if what he said was true - that im not posh enough for the guards/cavalry?

[ABI]

Don't bother with the 'greadier guards' their all fat knackers. Seeing as your from Stafford why not try out for the Staffordshire Regiment.

Get to Lichfield or Stoke, they have recruiting offices have a word with the staff there they will explain the options open to you.

[Cronkilla]

Yup my dad said the same about all ranks in cavalry units when there was a series about them.

[NumnutzZ]

thanks, i have some idea now

btw, is thee royal tank regiment one of the posh ones, cos it was created in world war one, so it definately isnt cavalry, right?

[theparamancan]

I went on a visit to the armoured corps HQ.

You really do need the right connections, except for RTR.

I didn't get on with most of the people their so im going INFANTRY

[Twenty One]

4pararec,Why don't you approach the Jock regiments for some help,up there in Redford.Hospitality is great and they will make you very welcome.

[Aussie]

So can you actually visit RAC bases and get a feel for what it's like before you enlist? I was thinking of the RAC too ( maybe the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards or the Light Dragoons ). So there officers are pricks for lack of a better word. Are they competant or just a bunch of w@#k? How bout your average tankie?

[Cobalt]

Can't speak for officers but every Scots DG tankie I've met has been a diamond character. Never met a bad one.

[theparamancan]

The tankies are great guys, so are some of the officers just alot of them arent.

[Ulster Man]

I have that same problem, I am not a "toff", I do come from a school which has a kinda of "old boy" way of running things, but on the whole I am just a normal "5 8th" Ulster man. This has me seriously concerned that I may not be able to persue my career due to the fact that I am not a "toff". Is this true?? Can you shine any light on it at all?

Thanks

"Prosperity best discovers vice - but adversity best discovers virtue".

[Twenty One]

Ulsterman.You go ahead and make your career as you wish,as long as you have your educational qualifications that are required to become an officer,how you speak has got nothing to do with it.

Good Luck.

Tam.

[NumnutzZ]

Speaking of Ulster....(very obscure link coming-up here) the Royal Irish has Gurkhas in it...so..does anyone know if you have to be a toff to be a Gurkha officer? (in the actual Gurkha regiment, not in the Royal Irish)

Ulsterman...I'm pretty sure I that when i read this article about Tim Collins it didn't seem as if he was particularly posh (he's the Lt Col of Royal Irish)

Speaking of that regiment, can anyone tell me why they dont wear maroon berets? Because they are in 16AA brigade and it looks like they all have parachute wings.