Joining Up

[partymarty1987]

Hola,

Ive just come back from the USA coaching football and have decided to join the army i was due to start playing football "soccer" in march next year over there. I applied for Para Reg when i was 17 (im now 21 in 10 days) and had a bad ankle injury when i was drunk, i then met a girl and so on and so on, i never ended up following up my application. So after watching my brother pass out at Sandhurst last week it gave me the hunger to join again, and i'm going to sack off america. I got myself straight to the AFCO, he said i would have to do the BARB again because mine had expired, so im booked in for the 8th Jan. I'm picking my med docs from the GP tomorrow and dropping them straight of at the AFCO.

So I've just start running on monday, and running 3 mile Mon-Fri to break into it, Im as stiff as a brick, walking around like john wayne. Ive got football matches Sat and Sun aswell, not too fit at the minute, but reckon ive got 5 or 6 weeks until ADSC. My BFT is at 10.35, so i will be able to shave that down in time i reckon. It used to be 8.40, long way to go i no.

But i just thought i would send a post and tell you and tell you step by step whats happening, i no i get a little buzz reading other lads storys so..

Cheers Marty

[Paratrooper01]

Areet,

I think i remember you from a while ago. You were debating weather or not to go to the States.

Glad to hear you have decided to join. There are a few lads on here who have recently gone through CIC (PARA) in Catterick as im sure you are aware.

I had a guy in my platoon in Depot who was really into his football and he found it difficult to handle the physical side of things. Sprinting, he would beat everyone hands down. A quick run more than 100M and he was hurting. Something to do with fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibres. He failed p-company 4 times and passed on his 5th attempt. Dedication i suppose.

[partymarty1987]

haha aye thats the one mate. Ive never been a one for sprinting to be honest, when i play i just tend to stay in the centre circle haha

Its hard getting back into to training, but should start seeing changes within two weeks i imagine, ill start pushing myself next week. My goal at the minute is just to get fit for Glencorse and pass my fitness tests. Im nervous thinking about CIC, excited and kackin my pants. I want to try and get away to the cheviots for a couple of days and train up there.

Basicly all im im doing when im training is Press ups, Sit ups and i need to buy a bar for heaves. Anything else you recomend mate? Im only planning on doing P-Company the once like , think i would be in the graveyard after 5 attempts

[partymarty1987]

Dropped my Med Docs off yesterday, the careers officer said its just a waiting game now. Hopefully i here back sooner rather then later. What happens now? ADSC have a look at my med docs, see if im ok, then tell the AFCO im good to go?

[just_me]

More or less. If you everythings okay they will tell your AFCO who will call you in for interview dates etc.

If there is a problem you will get a letter with details on the problem and what needs to be done about the problem (ie getting a test) or they may just want more info on a specific part of the medical.

[Hyperlithe]

Don't worry too much if you get asked to do the blood test again, it seems to be fairly common with military medicals, and there is usually absolutely nothing wrong.

[just_me]

Don't worry too much if you get asked to do the blood test again, it seems to be fairly common with military medicals, and there is usually absolutely nothing wrong.

If that's aimed at me (because of my current sig) it's just a cholesteral blood test that needs getting done because of some dodgy family history with heart disease that was noted on my RG8. Should be sorted soon and app back on the road!

[partymarty1987]

haha well cheers for the info, had a days rest yesterday and went for a run the day, my times were much faster Hopefully AFCO get my docs sent on monday. Are ADSC also closed over xmas time? would be nice to hear from the AFCO on the 5th Jan, when they open again, that they've got everything.

Once again cheers for the feedback

[partymarty1987]

So ive got my BARB test on Thursday, I don it January 2008 but i got told i would have to do it again as my score had expired as its been more then 12 month. Hes letting me keep my Maths and English test results though, so thats abit of a bonus.

Now all im waiting on is my medical results back from Glencorse, I hope they dont take ages. I still havent told people in the USA that im not coming, thats going to be a fun conversation lol well thats if i pass my army medical.

The Recruiting Officer reckons ill be going to ADSC in march, which seems miles away. The way im training at the moment i'll be like Paddy Doyle by the time of march. (thats a joke by the way)

[partymarty1987]

Done my BARB Test today and beat my last score which was 81, he forgot my score, but aslong as i beat the last one thats a bonus. He said it should only be a week or two too hear back from ADSC with my medical.

He was also telling me that theres a Stattic Weight Lift, which if you lift over a certain amount, you get given 10 minutes to run the 1.5 mile in and he said something about there wont be the 2 minutes best effort in sit ups and press ups? First ive heard of to be honest.

He gave me a list of 48 jobs i could do in the Army, I did have all my 3 choices down as Para Regt. He sat me down and tried to get me in the Coldstream Guards, i said that it wasnt for me, but ended up talking me into a 2nd choice and i put RA something about 29 Regiment? He said if i fail the tests and the offer me that, i could still turn it down and go back too ADSC and try again for Para Regt.

Fingers crossed for medical

[just_me]

Yes if you lift (118KG I think) you will be able to get away with a run time of 9:40 for the Parachute Regiment but obviously if you can do it in the 9:00 you are safe.
They don't do press-ups and sit-ups at ADSC anymore but rest assured you will get time to practice them at depot! Good luck with your medical mate, and the rest of your application.

[druadan]

Just out of curiousity, what is this 'static weight lift'?

[just_me]

You stand legs wide and pull at a bar attached to the floor. Pull as hard as you can and it gives out a reading of what kind of weight you can pull. You get (as far as I remember) one practice and two real gos. I would submit a quick drawing if you can tell me how to get one in a post.

[partymarty1987]

Cheers mate, Yeah ive done it at college before, cant remember what i got like but... Iits like standing on some scales and you bend down and pull up a little bar, the more force you pull up with the better your score is etc.

Ive booked myself on a insight course, just a another goal i can train for. I went on one when i was 17, i was a little pig then lol ran it in 11.45 if i remember correctly. Still got through it though, some people were dropping out during warm ups, the staff just told them to pack there bags and they were going to drop them off at the station.

When you get to ADSC, do people still try and persuade you to join different regiments? It gets abit boring when you keep telling people all you want to join is Para Regt and they keep coming back with stuff like, fusilers, signals music section all that milarky

[druadan]

So more or less in deadlift form? Or more like a full squat? Or any form you like?!