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Have to be honest with you Mikey, when I was at Raleigh "own time" didnt really exist as you now know it. Any time that we were not under instruction or close supervision we were working on our kit or scrubbing out. Perhaps things have changed....

Where are MAs used?

I know they are used on ships and a few NHS hosptials, and navel bases but are they used in field hosptials or bases in Iraq or Afanganistan? or does the Army and RAF fulfil the need of medical support there.

If someone could list all the places a MA could work I would be grateful.

Also what is promotion like for a MA? Would you say 6-8 years for promotion to Leading MA?

Cheers

Have to be honest with you Mikey, when I was at Raleigh "own time" didnt really exist as you now know it. Any time that we were not under instruction or close supervision we were working on our kit or scrubbing out. Perhaps things have changed....

Just I got alittle worried lol I would lose fitness at Raleigh as on this forum somewhere someone mentioned you only do fitness 3 times a week sometimes none a week, don't know if that is true or not.

MA Submarine service, sit on subs looking at gauges and going "hmmm" alot.
MA general Service, work in sickbays, ships, and Hospitals (hospital work can be clinical or admin based).
MA Commando, work with the RM usually in a field.
You can also specialise as a dental MA and work general service or commando, and ODA and work in operating theatres.
Some MA's with the FAA also get to do the baywatch thing out of a seaking.

Promotion depends on which part of the branch you work in, how switched on you are and luck. Usually looking at 3 to 5 years post training to become a LMA although you can get local acting rank sooner.

All officers in the MA branch are ex ratings and usually you need to be a POMA passed for chiefs and passed AIB.

MA's man the med sqn CdoLogregt and therefore if the regiment deploys to Iraq then med sqn with their field hospitals and RAP's will do so to. They also supply RAP's to other deployments. MA's served ashore with the RM in Telic, NI, Gulf One, Safe Haven, Op Driver, etc etc etc

Each commando unit also has RN MA's and these days a few RM MA's.

I served with commando forces as a MA within Med Sqn, 45 Cdo and 59 Cdo.

Passed all the tests by November. Still waiting for a start date though. Hopefully I'll find out soon, can't wait to go.

Maybe see you down there Mikey

Caroline

Good luck Caroline, any help needed just ask

Yea maybe . Are you going to the Acquiant course in Scotland? I am going at the end of April, they flying me and four others from Essex up there. I have not been Scotland before so will be good.

Yeaa i have not got my entry date yet but they phoned the other day and asked if I could enter the Navy in two weeks time but I had to decline so that I could finish my college course (college holds me back again). He said I will be defently be entering in July instead.

Caroline it would help if you started learning anatomy and physiology now as I have been told it will make the learning abit easier.

In addition to their medical training personnel receive special to arms training to prepare them for the military role in which they are to deploy.

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3777

What is the special to arms training and I assume this for when serving with royal?

Because MA's werent passing the All Arms course in the numbers needed, MA's started to do the full RM course minus Foundation and Kings squad and certain other weeks. The weeks they left a troop they spent in sickbay working.

The problem was MA's were spending so long on course when they went to a unit their med skills had diminished. So then the powers that be brought in a course at CTC for all MA's regardless of lid colour to get their military skills upto a standard that could see them attached to the Corps. This also helped with manpower incase the MA's then went onto fail the commando phase, but were now of a standard where they could still be attached and serve at logs or plug holes in units in the short term. So instead of joining a troop, MA's did the military skills course then if good enough went onto the commando phase.
The course structure has varied over time from AACC, full 30 weeks training, then certain weeks at CTC with a nod troop/sickbay, then military skills course followed by AACC, or joining a RM troop for commando tests.

I dont have a clue to the present structure but would guess from the RN sites comment that its military skills phase followed by commando tests with a nod troop if they pass miliatry skills well enough. The original military skills course was 15 weeks, but that may now have changed.

lol sounds confusing.

If I did the courses to work with the Marines would I have to wait till there is an attachment with them is avaible or would I only be offered the courses if they need RN MA's to work with Royal?

After I did a stint with Royal could I go back to working with matelots easily?

Also as I have more then 3 gsce's above C grade do not have to do the namet test at beginning of training?

Cheers again.

Theres always vacancies to work with Royal as a matelot MA

If you get your lid it can prove difficult to go back to the navy side of life, and trust me few want to.

NAMET I thought was 5 GCSE's

You don't need to sit your NAMET with three or more GCSEs' at c and above so you can fire straight in to training. avoid bootnecks they take advantage after plying you with drink all night and you wake up outside faslane in a bootnecks tshirt and your brand new jeans wrecked cos you decided to follow him through a field cos you don't want to be out done and you want to fly the flag for the blue half of the navy.