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thinking about paras
Posted: Mon 24 Mar, 2003 5:56 pm
by Charlie Boy
Hi,
Currently looking into joining the forces as an officer and thinking of paras cos i skydive regulary. Careers advisor i saw said not to bother with the paras because they were difficult to get into(not in a physical sense) and prob wouldnt even consider most. Is this typical of them and would my skydiving experience stand me in good stead??
Any help would be apprieciated
Posted: Mon 24 Mar, 2003 6:15 pm
by joe
The skydiving won't make you any different to anyone else joining, but at least you know what it takes to actually make a jump. Bear in mind it's different jumping so low, and of course, it's static line not skydiving (did you learn via AFF or were you a static line progression?).
My recruiter didn't mention anything about being harder to get a slot for the Para's than other units, and I saw him last week.
Posted: Mon 24 Mar, 2003 6:55 pm
by Sven
Recruiter proberly meant that Para Reg wont sponser people through the RCB process, but that doesn`t matter. Just get any unit, (154 Mess Tin Repair Battalion
) to sponser you through, then once you`ve passed RCB, and completed the Commissioning course at Sandhurst, swap to the Para`s !
Posted: Tue 25 Mar, 2003 12:26 pm
by Charlie Boy
Thanks for the words of wisdom, i am going to persue the paras as my mind is set on joining. Hopefully going to Warminster in the summer will help me a bit.
By the way it was a static line progression course
Posted: Tue 25 Mar, 2003 6:45 pm
by ABI
Charlie Boy
Go for it, if your lucky enough to get in you will never regret it.
Posted: Mon 05 May, 2003 10:26 pm
by theparamancan
Go for the fam visit and if you're good enough the POC but realise they have so many applicants they can fail you for anything. Don't get down about it.
2 months til my P company!
Posted: Mon 26 May, 2003 7:32 pm
by wOoKiE
I think what the recruiting guy wanted to say is that since the Paras are such a small unit and have such a massive amount of applicants (plus theyre overstrength at the moment) that no matter how good you are, the 'numbers game' might mean you're not needed.
I got told this by the PSO at the end of recruit selection, since she said I had 'officer potential' but warned me not to get my hopes up of staying with the regiment if I get commissioned.
4para...good luck
Mine's in about 30weeks, I keep trying to forget
Posted: Mon 26 May, 2003 7:36 pm
by wOoKiE
joe wrote:My recruiter didn't mention anything about being harder to get a slot for the Para's than other units, and I saw him last week.
But it is
On P Coy, the officers have to shine amongst the men and the Para Reg Officers have to shine within the officers (i'm quoting a DS from a documentary I've seen)
It makes sense too.
Plus, like i said before,they're overstrength right now.