MilitaryForums.co.uk

Hey guys, first post here, I've got a question that's been bugging me for the past 3 years.

I've pretty much grown up wanting to be a fighter pilot (fast jet pilot). I'm 21 now and applied when I was 18 almost 19. I'm British born, but was raised and lived in Barbados (little island in the Caribbean) to the age of 14 and then proceeded to Canada for boarding school and college.

I sent in my initial application letter (can't remember what else was required) near the end of my first year at uni because I realized I was not enjoying it at all. I applied knowing only what the RAF website told me.
You must be a British/Commonwealth citizen and apply before you turn 23 years old.

I was devastated when I received my reply in the mail weeks later and was told my "application could not be considered as I had not resided in the UK in the past 3 years".

I was so shocked, I couldn't believe I'd missed the fact that I needed to live in the UK for 3 years prior to applying.

Soo suddenly I'm deciding weather to immediately leave uni in Canada and fly home to the UK to do a 2/3 year college program and then join.
But for some god awful reason and the pleading of my parents, I simply stayed in Canada and just went a different college there forever regretting my decision.

But today I am still confused by the requirements required to join. I'm British born and lived in two commonwealth countries my entire life (Barbados and Canada). I visit family in England almost every summer and personally felt like I was "British enough" without having lived there for 3 years. If the RAF accepts commonwealth citizens, why not me!?

I'm pretty sure my dreams are shot to shit now as I'm 21 which means if I left to England RIGHT NOW I would be 24 by the time I meet this 3 year residency requirement and the RAF doesn't want you after you're 23 years old...

My brother who's currently on his first year of uni in England says he knows a girl in his residence who's brother just joined the RAF and hes 25 or somewhere around there...

Basically I've never really been sure weather or not I still have a chance. I love to know some of the cold hard facts on the age and residency requirements. I know I have the academic, fitness and hopefully eyesight qualifications to make it.

It's 2:15 in the morning here so I honestly cant be bothered to read over this for grammar right now, so I apologize.

Thanks

It's 2:15 in the morning here so I honestly cant be bothered to read over this for grammar right now, so I apologize.

You're not really making a good impression there are you?

ofens wrote:

It's 2:15 in the morning here so I honestly cant be bothered to read over this for grammar right now, so I apologize.

You're not really making a good impression there are you?

Does my first reply on my first post on these forums really have to come from a grammar nazi who has nothing useful to say.
I was excited upon discovering this website because it looked like these forums really had some legitimate community members who knew their stuff and had some useful information. Jeez...

As the Raf website states:

You can call the RAF careers information line at anytime between 7am to 11pm, 7 days a week.

0845 605 5555

Does my first reply on my first post on these forums really have to come from a grammar nazi who has nothing useful to say

Grammar nazi?
It's about your attitude buddy, your post wasn't bad in terms of grammar.
You were painting a bad picture of yourself by saying "I can't be bothered to do this properly" - you could have taken the advice but now you've made yourself look temperamental as well as lazy.

I don't know where you got your information on cut-off age for joining the RAF, as I didn't join until I was 26, and I was nowhere near being the oldest on my course. The difference is, I didn't join as a pilot.

The issue you have with residency is because the MoD need you to have been resident in the UK for three years in order to carry out security checks on you.

I would suggest speaking to somebody at careers information, as they'll give you all the right facts and figures.