I don't know how to put this

[Stinky]

So I'll just blurt it out, I think I am joining the army (air assault) and it feels bad. Long story short, deep down I just don't feel I am cut out for the marines , even when I am running I would happily stop after a mile. At the moment my life is at a stand still and I have been the lazyist sod I know, I haven't had a job in about 5 months now and since my last PRMC my fitness has gone down the drain. This was not going my fastest but I was really tired out after 1.5 miles in 12.29 minutes. Now I know I could get my fitness up again and attempt the PRMC, but I think I have had that chance already and I didn't do anything about it. Now my mum and dad are sick of me sitting around all day and I've got to the point that I can't wait untill I get a job. I have countless showers everyday and sometimes clean my room more then once a day I have nothing to do and I hate it. And as far as my mum and dad are concerned, the quicker I get into the forces the better and at the moment the army looks definaly the best option for me because I know I am definaly capable of entering. I think my mum and dad are convinced I will be going into the army now but it feels so bad, the PRMC alone just seems such a big part of my life.
Now to be put into a force where the standards are not as high worrys me (I know the army is also a great force), also I think I am sexist when it comes to women in the forces and I can't stand them, ok if their in the admin or nurses or something but in combat it dosn't seem traditional (I'm not saying I think women should do all the housework etc) but it's just one of my pet hates along with listening to people eat, now I am going off the subject I think. Point is I don't think I can go to my friends and say 'I am going into the army now', I am hoping to join the marines later on in my career when I hope to be more motivated and fit but I feel I am letting everybody down here and that I have wasted the marines time at the AFCO.
Anyway if you see me asking about the army, now you know why. (please don't be to angry )

[Pvt Doughnut]

Stinky, have you really thought about this mate?
Do you have another date for your PRMC? What makes you think you're going to be more motivated about joining a force you are not as interested in?
If anything your going to be less, and that is going to reflect in your attitude during your pre training and later recruit training. Are you really gonna be satisfied with second best?

[SNiDE]

So I'll just blurt it out, I think I am joining the army (air assault) and it feels bad. Long story short, deep down I just don't feel I am cut out for the marines , even when I am running I would happily stop after a mile.

I wouldn't say that in your Army interview.. I failed my first prmc on the 3 miler too, I know how humiliating it is, thing is if you start quitting everytime something gets tough it will become a bad habit. If you really want to go Army then I'd say go for it if it's the right thing for you and you reall want to do it then it should be every bit as rewarding as being in the Marines; having said that they aren't looking for slobs, so one way or another you'll have to pickup your act.
Take that with as many pinches of salt as you want, as I've got virtually zero expeirnece.

[Chrisbrum]

Stinky, I'm sorry to have to be blunt, but I think you have a few issues which you seriously need to address.

Firstly, you say you don't feel you can achieve the standards for the PRMC, yet you wish to join the army and become part of Air Assault - correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that will mean passing P-Coy, a course which is said to be just as demanding as the Commando Course (although having done neither, I couldn't even begin to compare the two myself). If you don't feel you are capable of passing your PRMC, the basic entry test for the marines, what makes you think that you can pass P-Coy, the culmination of the Paras physical training?

Secondly on the motivation front - if you can't motivate yourself to do what you really want to do, train for PRMC, what chance do you have of motivating yourself to train for the Army, your second choice? From what I've read of your posts, motivation seems to be the thing you are really lacking in terms of preparing yourself to join the military. Looking back to your PRMC, if I remember correctly you failed the 3 miler because (by your own admission) you didn't give it 100%. Since your PRMC you say your training has lapsed and your fitness has gone way downhill. I hate to say this but to me it seems that in your head you want to join the forces but in reality you're not prepared to put the effort in. The Army is no different from the marines in that you will be expected to put in 100% at all times, so don't think that in opting for the Army you are taking an easier option.

I think the time has come where you need to have a serious think about your choice of career. Look at the options available, be it Army, Marines, Navy or whatever, and decide which job you feel is the most suitable for you. Don't look at the entry requirements, just decide what you actually want to do, and then set yourself the task of acheiving it, and make sure you stick to it! At the end of the day if you're not prepared to put the effort in to get yourself up to standard then perhaps you're not suited to the military after all. If you really do want it, then get off your arse and do it!

Sorry that's been a bit of a rant but I think it's time you were given a wake up call. I'd like to give you one more piece of advice which I have mentioned to you before. If you decide to go for the services, regardless of whether it is army, marines or anything else, I would seriously recommend joining the reserves as part of your preparation. I'd also advise that at this moment in time you consider the TA rather than the RMR, even if you decide you want to go into the Marines in the long run. With the RMR you'll have to wait until the next selection weekend, whenever that may be, and for that you'll have to be at PRMC standard anyway, so you may as well just go for the regulars. With the TA however, if it is the same as when I was in, the major fitness tests come at the end of Phase 1 training, which means you can get involved with all the gucci stuff (out in the field, or live firing on the ranges) whilst you are working on your fitness, a factor which should improve your motivation considerably.

I've just written all that as it came into my head, so not sure if it makes complete sense. However I think the major point is that you need to have a real think about whether you have the motivation to join the military at all. If so, then I wish you the best of luck with your application, regardless of which service you go for.

EDIT: As for your views on women in the forces, I think you're being ridiculous. There are valid arguments for not having women in front line fighting units, such as the infantry, however in other roles there is no reason why women can't do just as good a job as the men. I'd get over that 'pet hate' sharpish otherwise you may find yourself in unnecessary conflict at a later stage.

Regards

Chris

[Stinky]

Don't look at the time I am posting this , I remember I used to have so much determination, I think it was determination, that I just wanted to explode. I really feel the marines is right for me, but now my mum and dad think I am going into the army I can't really change my mind, again. I think if I made it to RT, I'll be such a happy bunny, i'll enjoy every minute of it and even though I'm not really a team leader, I think I will succeed in raising the moral of all those around me, hopefully. The little time I spent at PRMC (1 night) I miss and I had already made 3 good friends there (an asian guy, and two others from Manchester I think). I loved the general atmosphere there and peoples sence of humor.
But I see myself as a pawn really on a chess-board, If theres somebody there to motivate me in my training I'll happily do it, but since my PRMC in Feb it's just been me, my MP3 player and those thoughts in my head saying 'why am I running, why am I running'. And as much as I want it, just these thoughts alone make me wonder if I have enough to get into the marines, and there I am doubting I might not make it into the marines.
Thinking about it now I am quite happy I haven't filled in the application yet for the army, but convincing my parents to let me have more time will be hard and I totaly agree with them why they think I should be going into the army. On one hand I still have plenty of time to go into the marines, but on the other I don't want the army as much as I want the marines.

Thankyou Chrisbrum for your very long post and I am glad it is long because it was great to read. I thought air assault was attacking using helicopters but I am probably wrong as I only saw the title and what did on a DVD.I think it is only now I have realized that I often like your posts but never put them to your name if you see what I mean.

I hate to say this but to me it seems that in your head you want to join the forces but in reality you're not prepared to put the effort in.

I think that sounds like me, although I am tired but what can I do to make this right, it feels like a question in my head that is impossible to answer.

I am glad I am not the only one who has failed the 3 miles SNiDE , I can see where you are coming from and lately I have definitely felt like a slob even though I don't want to. I think it's because of my unemployment and just doing nothing all day almost puts my life on pause. My mum told me the other day I'm like having a child that never grows up, like Peterpan .

Do you have another date for your PRMC?

Not yet, I have to phone back in September and do my PJFT again (I am even worried about this )

P.S. How did you fail PRMC last time? Fitness?

Yes, to be honest at the end of the 3 milers I was sprinting it fairly fast at the end, and I missed the deadline by just a few seconds, and I felt I could have easily started sprinting earlier but in the end I didn't, and as somebody said when I came back, that time is the minimum requirment and I shouldn't be struggling to make it. I am definitely still in the thinking process of it all but as I said before my mum and dad are now convinced I am going into the army and I don't want to say I have changed my mind again. I think it would be harsh to delay it for 2 more months untill I am 18 and then say they have no power over it.
Anyway thats 1 hour of writing and I can't really think of anything else to say, if anybody have any tried and tested ways to hypnotize mums and dads please let me know as it might come in use. I'll see how everything goes and then report back, over.

[LostandFound]

Stinky, I'm sorry to have to be blunt, but I think you have a few issues which you seriously need to address.

Firstly, you say you don't feel you can achieve the standards for the PRMC, yet you wish to join the army and become part of Air Assault - correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that will mean passing P-Coy, a course which is said to be just as demanding as the Commando Course (although having done neither, I couldn't even begin to compare the two myself). If you don't feel you are capable of passing your PRMC, the basic entry test for the marines, what makes you think that you can pass P-Coy, the culmination of the Paras physical training?

Secondly on the motivation front - if you can't motivate yourself to do what you really want to do, train for PRMC, what chance do you have of motivating yourself to train for the Army, your second choice? From what I've read of your posts, motivation seems to be the thing you are really lacking in terms of preparing yourself to join the military. Looking back to your PRMC, if I remember correctly you failed the 3 miler because (by your own admission) you didn't give it 100%. Since your PRMC you say your training has lapsed and your fitness has gone way downhill. I hate to say this but to me it seems that in your head you want to join the forces but in reality you're not prepared to put the effort in. The Army is no different from the marines in that you will be expected to put in 100% at all times, so don't think that in opting for the Army you are taking an easier option.

I think the time has come where you need to have a serious think about your choice of career. Look at the options available, be it Army, Marines, Navy or whatever, and decide which job you feel is the most suitable for you. Don't look at the entry requirements, just decide what you actually want to do, and then set yourself the task of acheiving it, and make sure you stick to it! At the end of the day if you're not prepared to put the effort in to get yourself up to standard then perhaps you're not suited to the military after all. If you really do want it, then get off your arse and do it!

Sorry that's been a bit of a rant but I think it's time you were given a wake up call. I'd like to give you one more piece of advice which I have mentioned to you before. If you decide to go for the services, regardless of whether it is army, marines or anything else, I would seriously recommend joining the reserves as part of your preparation. I'd also advise that at this moment in time you consider the TA rather than the RMR, even if you decide you want to go into the Marines in the long run. With the RMR you'll have to wait until the next selection weekend, whenever that may be, and for that you'll have to be at PRMC standard anyway, so you may as well just go for the regulars. With the TA however, if it is the same as when I was in, the major fitness tests come at the end of Phase 1 training, which means you can get involved with all the gucci stuff (out in the field, or live firing on the ranges) whilst you are working on your fitness, a factor which should improve your motivation considerably.

I've just written all that as it came into my head, so not sure if it makes complete sense. However I think the major point is that you need to have a real think about whether you have the motivation to join the military at all. If so, then I wish you the best of luck with your application, regardless of which service you go for.

EDIT: As for your views on women in the forces, I think you're being ridiculous. There are valid arguments for not having women in front line fighting units, such as the infantry, however in other roles there is no reason why women can't do just as good a job as the men. I'd get over that 'pet hate' sharpish otherwise you may find yourself in unnecessary conflict at a later stage.

Regards

Chris

Cracking post - made a lot of sense there. Stinky, think long and hard mate. If this is the way you feel, is the armed forces really for you? Maybe another career choice is the way to go?

[jezb]

I would keep you views on women in the forces to yourself. I have gone afemale friend in the army, and I wouldn't mess with her, she would probably kick the sh*t out of me. Butch doesn't cover it

My only advice is to just have a really good hard think about it. Joining any of the forces just because you are unemployed imo is a bad idea. You have got to want it.

Good luck with your decisions.

[Polynikes]

"Now my mum and dad are sick of me sitting around all day and I've got to the point that I can't wait untill I get a job. I have countless showers everyday and sometimes clean my room more then once a day I have nothing to do and I hate it"

Get a part time job. Train in your free time. Go out in the evenings. Get some hobbies. Watch some Blackadder ( http://www.tv-links.co.uk ) F*ckin' anything... Golf!? Porn!? Girlfriend!? Lego!?

And, as said earlier... Don't do something you will regret in 10 / 20 years. Can't be anything worse than wondering if you could have made it... but didn't go for it... That said, do what feels right for you. No one will hold anything against you.

[_chris]

This seems stupid to me stinky, alright your parents are sick of you not contributing, you feel bad about yourself, no motivation in life feel you're letting people down etc. But why get a job that you will be stuck to for at least 4 years if you know its not what you want?

Get a normal job, even if its just something shit like McDonalds, what does it matter? You can train around that, you'll bring some money into the house and it will give you something to do. Then come september you can phone for your PJFT, do your PRMC pass it jack in the job and do what you really want to do. If you join the army you won't be able to just say ''oh my fitness is high now, I'm off to the marines, laters!'' with a normal job the most notice you'll have to give is a month usually its less than that so you will be able to do just that.

[ADDiction]

You've got yourself into a rut Stinky, but it's nothing you can't get out of.
You are in desperate need of a job to provide solid routine in your life, you must get a job, it will do wonders for your self-esteem. It can be any job you can get your hands on. Factory jobs are always available mainly because they are shit, but it takes a very determined person to commit to one, it defintitely builds character.

You are not recruiting for the air assault, you are joining the Royal Marines. You post on this forum's RM related topics almost every other day, your desire to become a commando is merely being tested, the dream is not yet over.

The three Ultimate motivational tools.

1. Write one hundred reasons why you want to be a Marine, and what being a Marine means to you. They can be as deep or as shallow and vain as you like.

2. Find famous figures who inspire you, read and remember their quotes, put posters of them wherever you train. My old boxing gym was covered in Ali posters. Whenever I felt I had nothing to left to give I would look at the wall, and there would be those words "I am the greatest". We have quotes at my gym that range from Mandela, to Napoleon. Great men will inspire anyone, regardless of what they are doing.

3. Cover your walls in the hottest pussy, sorry young ladies you can find. When your arms are on fire, just gaze up at the wall. With every press up you pull out of the bag, you get one step closer to your ideal woman, it's true I swear.

You need a good boot in the ass mate, so remember AP's words.

"Just shut the f*ck up, and train".

[dwarfy]

What a typical stinky post, im not even going to bother picking any of it apart but i will say this.

Stinky, you 'appear' to have wanted to join the RM or at least attempt to for a fair while. Now you say you cannot get yourself motivated to get fit enough to pass even the PRMC, and you have let yourself slip a lot since failing the PRMC last time.Im sorry but to me that is not the actions of someone who wants to be a Royal Marine.FAR FROM IT.

Now you say you wish to join the Army because basically circumstances are forcing you to do so. That on its own is not a good reason to be placing yourslef in a situation where people will be relying on you to be 100 per cent commited to the task in hand.(basic training). You seem to think the Army is your second choice, yet you didnt motivate yourself to be fit for the PRMC, something you wanted to do, so how do you think you will motivate yourself to get up at 5.30 everyday for a day of doing many things you'd rather not be? Dont be so naive to think the Army (any part) will be easy just because it is not the RM, it will be far harder than what you have been doing for the past 5 months.nothing.

So you havent had a job, and you've been lazy?? who's fault is that? Its simple really, go out and get a job, any job, go out and start doing phys and its problem solved. Stop lazing about the house and getting in your parents way, and doing nothing with yourself. If you really wanted to pass the PRMC and have a crack at RT, you would not have been doing jack for 5 months, and i have to say if you dont focus your mind and get some fitness up you wont have a chance of passing any course in the Armed Forces in my opinion.

This post may sound a little harsh, but what did you expect after your post. The Armed Forces are as serious as it gets Stinky and i think you should have a real hard look at yourself and ask if you really deep down want to be a part of it.

Best of luck with deciding what you want, and with going for it.

dwarfy

[Artist]

Stinky

In the end there is only one person who can help you and that mate is yourself. Do whatever you think is right lad.

Artist

[lodgi]

Stinky, get a grip mate. As people have said, get a job and start earning some money. The sun doesnt go down until about 9pm now, you can run after work. You say you really want to join the RM, but I don't think you do, or you wouldn't have let your fitness drop so much. I remember you saying you got 10mins36seconds for your 1.5m best effort, thats only about 40 seconds slower than me and I've just come back from lympstone after passing PRMC (I was far from the slowest that passed aswell), thats not a lot of fitness difference and if you'd have trained since failing PRMC you would have easily been fit enough.

Get a job and get your mum and dad off your back. Help them out with some jobs around the house and show them your making an effort.

Get a scheduled training regime, you don't seem to be very good at training when you feel like it. I'd do 4 good runs a week (3 milers, varied routes, when you finish each one you should feel f*cked). Do some circuit training maybe twice a week and on the other two days just do max press ups sit ups and pull ups.

You can do it if you really want to stinky, it's just you can't be arsed. If someone held a gun to your head while you trained you'd have no problems. As other people have said, think about some motivational phrases, it's all a bit american but it works. Get some eye of the tiger.

Good luck.

[fodd]

So I'll just blurt it out, I think I am joining the army (air assault) and it feels bad. Long story short, deep down I just don't feel I am cut out for the marines , even when I am running I would happily stop after a mile. At the moment my life is at a stand still and I have been the lazyist sod I know, I haven't had a job in about 5 months now and since my last PRMC my fitness has gone down the drain. This was not going my fastest but I was really tired out after 1.5 miles in 12.29 minutes. Now I know I could get my fitness up again and attempt the PRMC, but I think I have had that chance already and I didn't do anything about it. Now my mum and dad are sick of me sitting around all day and I've got to the point that I can't wait untill I get a job. I have countless showers everyday and sometimes clean my room more then once a day I have nothing to do and I hate it. And as far as my mum and dad are concerned, the quicker I get into the forces the better and at the moment the army looks definaly the best option for me because I know I am definaly capable of entering. I think my mum and dad are convinced I will be going into the army now but it feels so bad, the PRMC alone just seems such a big part of my life.
Now to be put into a force where the standards are not as high worrys me (I know the army is also a great force), also I think I am sexist when it comes to women in the forces and I can't stand them, ok if their in the admin or nurses or something but in combat it dosn't seem traditional (I'm not saying I think women should do all the housework etc) but it's just one of my pet hates along with listening to people eat, now I am going off the subject I think. Point is I don't think I can go to my friends and say 'I am going into the army now', I am hoping to join the marines later on in my career when I hope to be more motivated and fit but I feel I am letting everybody down here and that I have wasted the marines time at the AFCO.
Anyway if you see me asking about the army, now you know why. (please don't be to angry )

my personal opinion mate you shouldn't join the army as a substitute for ROYAL end of the day what dwarfy said was bang on mate if you join a force where your heart is not in it your not going to be motivated, and your just going to see your oppos off and then you will not like what happens then!

The end of the day you still seem young? so why dont you get a job in civvie street we all have to do it i had to do chefin the last two years which i hate but i keep in my head my end goal THE GREEN BERET but like artist said it's all down to you why not even go to college and do some sort of course ie public services?

good luck mate