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druadan wrote:Speculation, but obviously 2 and 3 Para deployed to form the main battlegroups of summer 08. 1 Para deploy in smaller divisions as and when they're required to support various SF elements; therefore there's more scope for shifting manpower around to ensure deployable companies are up to strength whilst those just back from a tour (and therefore likely to be in the UK for a year or whatever) get the younger lads in.

I know a few Para lads and it sounds like 1 Para isn't any guccier than anywhere else, just different work.

Probably the same with any unit, no matter how high speed, work is work, wheather it's sitting in a hole in the ground for a few weeks watching a road, or slogging through a jungle....none of it sounds particularly "fun"

I think it's more of what us civvies seem to make out what these various units do, we see the secrecy the kit the traing ect to a certain degree and think it's all James Bond/The Unit/Bourne ect fast cars action excitment......most of it's more likely tedious and routine.

just my uninfomed .2 cent

Probably the same with any unit, no matter how high speed, work is work, wheather it's sitting in a hole in the ground for a few weeks watching a road, or slogging through a jungle....none of it sounds particularly "fun"

I think it's more of what us civvies seem to make out what these various units do, we see the secrecy the kit the traing ect to a certain degree and think it's all James Bond/The Unit/Bourne ect fast cars action excitment......most of it's more likely tedious and routine.

Nice post. Truth is if you showed a recruit what they really were going to be doing most of the time in Cyprus, Germany, Eastern Europe, N Ireland etc some would think twice about joining up. Looks great on the TV adverts however.

That said, I would take it over sitting in the control room of a solvent plant for 12 hours..............well I would if the money was the same.


I remember guarding Hess in Spandau Prison really looking forward to it I was. Until it started to snow, and then I waited until out shuffles this old man and his helper.

Not sure what I expected, a Tiger Tank maybe.

Looks great on the TV adverts however

Yeah... late night kit musters with quick changes, followed by polishing your brasses in your boxer shorts at 4AM Saturday morning wasn't in the brochure...

All good fun though, I've not done anything yet I couldn't laugh about with my mates later!

i wasnt trying to imply that just because they came from harrogate they were all shit i was was just trying to point out that it wasnt merely down to wether or not they were good and fit that joes get sent straight from depot to 1 para . but saying that i did personally find the afc platoon to be immature as f@#k plus you have to remember that they may have not even had a single lesson off a para reg full screw untill week twelve of depot which is where they join catterick . i think that those first twelve weeks in depot especially the first six get rid of alot of time wasters. Plus i think that there is something to be said about actually going out and getting a bit of civvie life experience before joining straight into the army so young i joined up at 22 after working as a qualified electrician from school and the help that gave me in the army is endless.

AFC guys are always going to get a slagging, but it's what you make of them. I've got 7 of them in my FSG and they're very good blokes given the chance. Our policy now is that all the guys straight from the depot go to the rifle coys first, my lot were lucky they got to come to support coy.

Right thanks I'll take that into account.
Personally, their maurity and that aside, what do you think of their soldiering skills as a whole? The same as an Adult entry joe or what?

Thanks.

They're fine, if you didn't know they were AFC you couldn't tell.

Sitting around for days on end just watching what is going on may sound boring, but the pay off is when it all comes together and you are sitting there still watching when the when the shells and bombs come in wiping out out the opposition.

Okay thanks Airbourne Legend.

No dramas

going out and getting a bit of civvie life experience before joining straight into the army so young i joined up at 22 after working as a qualified electrician from school and the help that gave me in the army is endless.

Fair point.


I did 11 months as a junior and was serving in South Armagh by the time I was 18. Year later I was selected for Support Company. I always found that a good soldier was a good soldier. I was disappointed with some junior recruits and adult alike I met at Battalion. Many soldiers in Vietnam and the two world wars were very young men who played a great contribution.

I think the beauty of a successful Platoon or company etc is a mix of experience young and old.


Our policy now is that all the guys straight from the depot go to the rifle coys first, my lot were lucky they got to come to support coy.

Sounds a sensible policy. Always use to be in our Battalion that all new recruits had to go to a rifle company first.

sorry for the necro psot, but some guys on another brit military forum (you know the one ) were talking about a possible name change from SFSG to SOR?

gossip or more then that.?

Standing for...? Special Operations Regiment??

At 18, I was called up and after 10 weeks, training was considered well enough trained to be sent any were in the world to fight under a variety of conditions. What regiment did I wind up in, well this one of course

druadan wrote:Standing for...? Special Operations Regiment??

supposedly, yeah.