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hi guys, basically i would like to join one of these two units but i am totally undecided so could anyone give me any opinions of these two and also good points bad points of the jobs (if i was in the artillery i would like to be a light gun/as90 gunner, an op assistant or gunner special observer). thanks

parker

hi mate after spending six years in the artillery as90, and am re-enlisting i would have to say to you go for the artillery....its one of the biggest regiments in the british army lots of different jobs, if you still have the infantry bug you always got 29 or 7th or special observers or if you just want a nice stable job where you always know what your gonna be doing from one day till the next go for the artillery,and trust me first time you get behind the wheel of an as90 you'll be glad you chose artillery.

I'm currently going through the process of applying to go to Sandhurst and my first choice is royal artillary for just those reasons. I originally thought that Infantry was the biggest but its not its actually one of the smallest.

Also when your not actually supplying artillary support, you will be mostly doing infantry roles anyhow.

thanks for the replies, i would like to be in the artillery but at the same time i would like to be a trained combat infantryman, however i dont know why, i think its because if i was on patrol or anything i would like to feel i had some of the best training i probably could, by the way can someone in the royal artillery choose to do combat infantryman training in catterick but still be in the artillery, i am also thinking of going to the RM after about 5 years or something, either that or the parchute regiment so what is best for them, also would i be able to join the infantry and after about 4 years transfer to the artillery, can infantrymen do the AACC or would they be best leaving the army and joining RM, last question, if i was an infantryman and did the AACC, which part of the marines would i be in, eg 539 assualt squadron or the marines who are on the naval ships that go and raid other ships, if you go 29 are you infantry trained or would you just fire artillery all the time. thanks for replies parker

parker wrote:thanks for the replies, i would like to be in the artillery but at the same time i would like to be a trained combat infantryman, however i dont know why, i think its because if i was on patrol or anything i would like to feel i had some of the best training i probably could, by the way can someone in the royal artillery choose to do combat infantryman training in catterick but still be in the artillery, i am also thinking of going to the RM after about 5 years or something, either that or the parchute regiment so what is best for them, also would i be able to join the infantry and after about 4 years transfer to the artillery, can infantrymen do the AACC or would they be best leaving the army and joining RM, last question, if i was an infantryman and did the AACC, which part of the marines would i be in, eg 539 assualt squadron or the marines who are on the naval ships that go and raid other ships, if you go 29 are you infantry trained or would you just fire artillery all the time. thanks for replies parker

Right, sit down and listen in, a matelot is going to tell you all you need to know.
1- All soldiers undergo some elements of infantry training, that is because you are a soldier first and trade second. Now in reality after you have been in a few years and are a trade, your infantry skills will slip as you spend more time on your trade stuff.
2- The RA have more jobs than just firing guns, and arent exactly remfs so infantry skills will be used. ie.what if you were overrun, you cant sit down and say "sorry not infantry trained cant fight!"
3- You will annually undergo BFT/CFT/APWT which test the core basic skills of every soldier. You will also undergo "infantry" training on exercises.
4- If you do the AACC from any branch of the UK armed forces and serve in 3 Commando Brigade , there has to be a job for you to do. You cant just pop along to CTC and do the course. So if your RA you will go 29 (148 etc) if you are an engineer you will go 59, if you are a chef you will go 29 or 59, if you are REME or RLC you will go 29, 59 or Logs depending on you trade. The list goes on. Very rare for an infantry lad to do the AACC as guess what the RM have them already in the shape of bootnecks.
5- Ditto my last for Para Units (except substitute commando units for airborne ones)
6- Infantry enhance and utilise the skills all soldiers use and become experts in them, Whilst they are doing that you are trade training in the RA and doing that job. You remain a soldier first.
7- Get the idea of swopping and changing out of your head, it wont work. If you want to go AACC or PCoy then get a trade like RA, RE, RAMC, chef etc, jobs these units use.
8- If by some quirk you are infantry and do the AACC, you wont serve in the brigade as theres no job for you, why would they send you to 539 to drive boats, or put you on a ship when they have marines that do that.
9- I suggest you spend some time thinking on what job you want to do, as oppossed to capbadges and arm badges, and then see what role fits what you want.

If you want to join the RM or Paras in 5 years, why go elsewhere first? Join them first and then do a trade within, if you want to.

Showing your age and/or lack of IQ in your post really. Research and go for one thing with one thing in your head, or else you'll soon be a civvy again as you wont pass anything.

Doc

thanks for the reply doc, i asked about infantry doing AACC because in this brochure i have from the army it says any soldier can do AACC and was just wondering what role infantry soldiers would have in 3 cdo brigade because when i read it i thought why would they need infantry from the army when they have bootnecks, and my reason for wanting to go in the army first is that i want to get some experience of soldiering before i join (in my eyes) the best part of the armed forces (RM) (except for SAS but thats a regiment not a corps, correct me if mistaken). thanks

Why not join the RM's first ?

Rich.

i would just like to get more soldier experience to make me more ready for the 32 weeks basic.

Fair play mate - I was just wondering.

Rich.

So your going to join the Army, learn all they teach you, then transfer to the RM and undo all the army have taught you and then re-learn what the RM teach you? They do things differently mate, joining the army wont give you that much of a heads up to join the RM. Waste of time if you ask me.

If you want to go RM then go RM, if you want Army then go Army, neither is a stepping stone to the other. And neither will appreciate the fact the way you are going about things.

A better option would be to go RMR before RM or TA before Army.

I think your so far off the mark with your thinking that its unreal.

Only my opinion though.

if i was in your position and still didnt have much of an idea i'd get some time in with the TA beforehand if its the army you want, RMR might not be as convienient as they dont recruit as regularly.

this way you will have some core skills and have time to think about what you want.

We had one guy on our PRMC who was ex-army in the guards or something for 3 years, he though he was the dogs bollocks telling us how he was going to piss all the tests, the training team took a real shine to him they called him perce throughout the course aswell and guess what, he failed The only thing his army experience helped him with was settling in on the first night and that was it.

Just go for RM straight up, you dont need experience or a mega high level of fitness, they do all that for you. Most people in training have no experience at all. Just get some balls and go for it

If a man does not know to what port he is sailing, no wind is favourable - Seneca

Think about it...

Sonne

I'm in the grenadier guards! Join the guards but not a line infantry regiment, dont get looked after like you do in the guards. Guards are like a family to me. However better in than out of the army eh!