RMR, 21 SAS, or 63 Signals SAS

[piggy]

I am currently looking at my options for joining a reserve force, and would appreciate any opinions which way to go.

I am nearly 30yo, and have previously done PRMC and passed, but didn't join at the time because of various personal circumstances.

I would like the best chance of seeing active service.

I cant find much info on 21 or 63 so if anybody who is or was in could advise on selection etc would be very helpful.

[mfat_man]

Hi mate

http://www.mfat.co.uk/forums/viewforum.php?f=18

Have a look at the threads here and anything else just ask

[Skiffle]

I am currently looking at my options for joining a reserve force, and would appreciate any opinions which way to go.

I am nearly 30yo, and have previously done PRMC and passed, but didn't join at the time because of various personal circumstances.

I would like the best chance of seeing active service.

I cant find much info on 21 or 63 so if anybody who is or was in could advise on selection etc would be very helpful.

63 Sig's are based at Portsmouth (HQ), Southampton, Chichester and Bournemouth. I used to share the same drill night as them down in Bournemouth. While they do carry the SAS name in their title, they don't do selection and earn the SAS badge.

They have their own selection course which they run over 4 weekends and having seen the size of the lads (and ladies) that have and were doing it, they would never have survived RMR PRC.

As for their training, I thought they must be bored out of their skulls just practicing setting up radios, doing radio checks and learning morse code (prob only unit that still did then). Definitely wasn't my cup of tea.

63 SAS sigs is mainly a support element to 21 and 23 so while 21 and 23 are away playing 63 are sat listening to the deafening silence of a radio long into the night.

My parachute jumps course was sponsored by 21 and 23 SAS(R) and the lads on it were a great bunch and reasonably fit. Up until the reforming of SAS and SBS units under UKSF, the SAS(R) didn't have to do the same harshness of Selection that they must do now. They used to do 3km an hour while SBS(R) did 4.5km/hr. This meant SB lads could join the regular SBS but the 21 and 23 lads had to do the full regular selection to be accepted with 22SAS.

Most the lads would have to turn up to wherever their training took place (sometimes a bit of a drive). For you they would draw upon lads around the M3/M4 corridor. The training is probably harder now than when I saw the lads who'd completed it back in 98. 21 did do a web site for recruiting but that was taken down after it led to news scandal. The official site is here but you'd have to phone your local unit to get any more info.

http://www.army.mod.uk/uksf/index.htm

Personally i'd have said take a shot at RMR. There is a much better training program and more opportunities for training after you have completed your recruit training and the commitment is nowhere near as high as with SF units.

Take a look at the RMR Scotland Recruiting thread for an idea of RMR London's training (pretty much the same). Hope that gives you some more info.

Oh, and your eyesight needs to be perfect. One point out on the medical and SAS won't take you.

[piggy]

Thanks for the help, RMR has always been the way I was leaning, but you need to explore all avenues.

Cheers

[piggy]

Would I be too old for a chance at officer training in RMR at 30?