thinking of joining up

[burleigh]

hi, i'm 16 and from greater manchester. i've seriously been considering joing up to the army, maybe in the infantry ever since my mate decided to move back from canada. so we're going to be signing up together (if i choose to go). i just have a few questions.

what will be the odds of me and my mate being together? both in training and after. also, what's the deal with contact lenses? my sight means everything so i was wondering what the situation is about them. do you have to wear glasses instead? because i can't see them sending me my dailies or something. and finally, how old do you have to be before you can get sent over-seas?

thanks for your time.

- adam.

[Nomess]

I am sorry that I am late in responding to you but I for one do not think he should go in at such a young age. Yes. the military need as many volunteers they can get at this time but I truly think he is too young to go in. If he can get his education first and then go into the military he would better off because he would have experienced life a little bit. He will then have the tools he needs to deal with military life per se. Life in the military is very hard, make no mistake about that. Therefore, the older you are going into the military will help you deal with the military without too much problems.

[flo]

Now i beg to differ, I joined up at 16 and had no problems adjusting, if anything joining at such a young age helped me stay on the right path. But it does affect everyone differently.

[RAF Reginald]

Alright Burleigh,

glad you're interested in doing the good thing and joining up. Don't know about the Army infantry but with the RAF Regiment you can't join up until the age of 17 and a half, that way you pass out of training around your 18th and are then legal to carry out certain armed duties. Personnaly, i reckon late teens/early twentys is the best time to join up. That way you have a bit more life experience and things seem a little less 'intimidating'. As for the glasses, there are plenty of people using contacts in the infantry. You will however be issued 'NHS' style specs, which are what you would be re-supplied with in theatre, and most probably expected to wear during recruit training for insurance type purposes. After that its up to you, just make sure your own glasses are insured if you want to wear them on duty!

Good luck mate.

[Sticky Blue]

I joined at 16 and would do it again.
Never did me any harm at all...

[sneaky beaky]

Are you sure Stix? Last time I saw you, I thought it had done you a lot of harm!!
Having said that - it was after a night on the piss in Nantwich!!
Sneaky