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I have come to a point in my life where I am being moved house by social services, I am not under a care order but my current foster family are no longer offering their services as a placement. Well, this got me thinking about my life atm or more to the point the lack of my life. I want to join the army, I know that much, but as far as my life atm I am unorganized mess.

Due to the current high influx of applicants to the army there is no way I will be in by the time I am moved on. I have found lodgings with a friend until social services manage to find a suitable placement for me. But this got me thinking about the coming year. How long will it take me to actually get into the army? what could I achieve in that time while I wait?

A few options sprung to mind right away, firstly pure training so I could enter the army super fit and ready for anything they throw at me. Second was getting a job earning some money and having some fun for a few months. Thirdly was a mix, part time job and then training half the time.

Then another option struck me. College again. Yes I have done college before but last time I had no goal in life it was purely what did I want to do for a year or 2 to keep me going. If I went back I would have a goal to achieve, I would have a reason to be going and I would be improving my qualifications either to help me get into the army or to help me once I finally leave the army.

My only doubt is whether it would slow down my army application if I took the year to do college. I have already done my BARB test and handed in my medicals ( still waiting for the docs) so I wouldn't be going from scratch to intake. I would basically like to know if it would be worth speaking with my recruiter to halt my application process for me to go to college for a year and then once college is finished I then slip back into top place on the list and join the army right away ( well a lot quicker anyhow) or if I go to college I would have to start right from the beginning again once I complete my year at college and by then the job I am after ( Ammunition Technician btw) might be fully booked for a while.

For Ammunition Technician I needed a Science or Physics based GCSE that I do not have, but due to my BARB score and a chat with my recruiter he applied for a waiver and it was accepted. However if I went on to get these GCSE's in college I think it would help me during training and provide a foundation for further career when I do leave the army.

I guess I am asking a fair bit here, hopefully some of you may have been in the same sort of position and can offer some advice to help me. Thanks in advance to any and all answers.

The waiting list for training is long, We can pick and choose our intakes at the moment.

If you go back to college for a year then you HAVE to start your application again and this would include your waiver for AT, Why not get a job and train?? It can be done.
You still have ADSC to complete yet and the wait after that might be anything up to twelve months from there!!

Hope that helps, I know it isnt good news but it is the truth!

Go to college and get qualified, also keep fit. Once you have got your qualifications look around and then see what you want to do. With your qualifications they will help you in the forces and will still be of use to you when you leave the forces.

i applied in March 09, i go and start basic on the 11th oct. it took 3months for me to get up to scotland and do the final tests at the selection centre its just waiting for your start date that adds on the time!! but they did say to me in the careers office i have been the fastest women in a long time through the application process. all depends on your job choice how fast you get in to

good luck

3 months!!!! jeez i applied arround the same time and am only just getting to do my look at life course and interviews straight after that, got told my intake will not be till january anyway back on topic it all depends if your patient or not really i mean if i was you i would carry on with your army application.