Rejoin - Forum Members input would be appreciated.

[tkdvipers]

Hi

Well I haven't posted for a ages as I thought I'd left it behind. But....

Short story

2004

Chest infection in week 10 of training, taken to med centre, inhaler given tried to med discharge me but I managed to PVR.

Re-applied 2006 - Told had to wait until feb 2008 because of 4 year rule.

Re-applied 2008 - Passed initial medical, got told it wasen't looking good because of inhaler! Civvy doc passed me onto lung specialist at INM Hasler.

Got back from there yesterday after perfroming about 1 hours worth of deep breathing tests and what not. Passed all of them and have been passed medically fit for training. Just got to do prmc.

The trouble is I have a well paid secure job and loads of stuff going for me now, this is what happens when your waiting and waiting and waiting.

Now, it has been the Navy's decision up to now and now its mine. Obviosly you can't make the decision for me and I understand all that, however some input from people would be good.

I know many of you are set on becoming a royal marine so your answer maybe "its the marines if you want it, you'll do it" or "theres no choice, do the marines". However I'm 26 now a young 26 mind but this will definatly be a life changing decision for me, so I need some constrcutive answers if anyone can be btoehred.

I've been in training before it is hard but I did enjoy it, sometimes, I hated it but who dosen't at times? I just want to make sure I'm not giving the life I have now up for a romantic notion that will not be realised.
However I'm 26 now a young 26 mind but this will definatly be a life changing decision for me, so I need some constrcutive answers if anyone can be bothered.

Cheers everyone.

[marinewannabe]

I can understand what it's like mate as i was given four years until i can rejoin .Obviously with me been alot younger and not really having a well paid job the decision to re-join will be alot easier and in my favour. You have to really want this and willing to give up what you have at the minute to give it one last shot, But to be honest if i was in your position i wouldn't rejoin . I have alot of friends who are bored or p*%@xx of in the marines and alot that are enjoying it and to give up a well paid job for something you may not succesfuly complete or even enjoy i know i wouldn't unless of course you were 100% sure this is what you want to do . Thats just my two cents mate hopefully you'll come to a decision.

[tkdvipers]

Thankyou very much your honest response.

When are your 4 years up? I have had it in my had to go back in since I left, but time goes by and all of a sudden your driving a nice car witha good job.

But then theres a niggle, anyone can buy a nice car aslong as they have the money and thats easily done really. Not everyone can get the green lid, I think thats my niggle.

I have the opportunity again, many people either medically never get the opportunity so I am lucky.

Cheers again.

[GGHT]

Oh mate this is a tough one. I left training at week 15 back in 2006(wrapped over a girl basically) and there isn't barely one day when I don't think back to CTCRM with fond (rose tinted!) memories.
I am seriously thinking of rejoining myself.

You are about to make a serious life decision so you need a thorough answer.

Lets look at both sides. We'll start with the minus'. I know you've probably already thought of these but you asked for opinions!

If you were to look at it from a purely financial point of view, can you afford the drop in pay assuming your in a good job?

(1) Let's be honest as ex recruits we both now that a good chunk of your meagre first few payslips ends up on kit. At a year older than me your bound to have some sort of commitments now? For example I remember one of my pays was £600 for the month! That's for 18 hr hard days. Granted you get food and accomdation within that but that's still a gash pay for months hard, hard graft. Some would argue that if you really really into joining then this wouldn't matter, I would argue these people are still quite young. One of the things that doesn't fill me with nostalgia was spending hours tramping around lining the pockets of the Kit Shop in Exeter when you should be earning a well earned rest.

(2)
Can you handle the sheer grind of training after by your own admission a comfortable life at present? I know at that stage in my life I couldn't or else I wouldn't have left. If I rejoined now I would go home as little as possible.

4-6 hrs sleep a night, away from women or your girlfriend, sometimes surrounded by lads you haven't got much in common with. They say RT on camp has eased up a bit now but im sure the Training team make up for this in the field. If you left at week 10 then you know you got a long way to go. I bet you used to love all those lovely locker inspections when nothing was really amiss, or the heart pounding just before you entered the gym!

Now for the positives!

First off you could argue that my entire last paragraph was a plus, if you enjoy the life. At first I did because I went into Lympstone after being unemployed and with no girlfriend.

(1)
I got more self respect and confidence even as a Nod than I have ever had before or since. By far and away that's the main thing I miss.
Unlike you I haven't managed to get a decent job since, and we both know how good a feeling it is to say go on weekend leave after a harsh exercise knowing it's out of the way. The camaraderie in a troop is excellent (even though there are some w***ers in RT, I learnt that Marines attracts a certain sort of up their own arse types).

Not to mention you get phys people would usually have to pay dearly for, huge amounts of good quality food.

(2)
I can't even begin to imagine how good it must feel for a rejoin to earn their green lid after either wrapping or MD. I would argue that it would feel better than one who went through straight off.


On paper the negatives outweigh the positives I would say, especially when you take into account the duties you will inevitably do a Marine.

But, and it's a big BUT!

Without even getting to passing out (which I didn't reach) those individual feelings of achievement in RT make you so so confident and happy. Getting out of the accom block, first troop pissups, gym passouts, train home on leave for a long weekend, chuckups of the training staff. All the good feeling these and other things bring in RT are rarely matched in civvie world. I can attest to this as I still miss Lympstone now. Not to mention the feeling of beloning in some small but significant way to one one of the worlds best fighting forces.

I would say it boils down to:_

Can your present relationship take the strain.

Can you afford it (not just paycheck wise, but have you got an impening promotion etc)

If you have the slightest doubt then I'll be honest and think about it if both those things pale into insignificance then go for it.

Long winded but we are in fairly similar situations. Hope it helps.

[Brummielad]

Its a tough decision. But the way i see it is you can always get a good job later on in life and settle down and everything. But the time comes and goes to join the marines ,you cant join when your 35 or whatever. You dont want to look back and always think " what if " or i " should have done this". You will become a marine if you want it bad enough and if you gave up everything for it that would be added insentive.

Its not up to me to decide but if i was in your shoes and i wanted to be a royal marines commando id go for it while your 26 and get a good job when you leave. Nothing looks better on your c.v than a 4 year stint in the best british armed force.

[tkdvipers]

Well...

I am very much obliged to everyone that has given me and answer.

GGHT - You are brialliant, you don't know me and you have taken your time to write so much and think about your answer. I have no dobut that much of what you have written applys to you also.

You are right at every turn, I have got a promotion one that would allow me to buy a house I've a girlfriend of 5 years and a good job.

I can also remeber the tramping around Exeter, some of the biffs who really didn't havea clue and also some of their "i want to go to war" attitudes. But all the positives you point out are also true.

To be honest I like change and challenges and most of all I like to feel like I have achieved. This is the reason I would rejoin for stability is good but with my qualifications and my profession I can always get another job (I work in I.T).

This time its for real though as I'm pretty sure rejoins can't opt-out not that I would want to, just something to think about.

I believe I'm starting to answer my own question here. Thanks again everyone.

[xcj]

Hi, I'm not best placed to offer advice (so I wont) but what about the RMR or TA?

[Sully]

Hello bud,

Good response there from GGHT. I'm at work so I'll have to be more brief but I think its more straightforward. I was 26 at the start of training and had no particular problems with the phys or the culture - but unlike you both I despised every day of recruit training (so there's a plus for you ). I nearly didn't join because of personal circumstances that I won't bore you with but joining up changed my life. The day you pass your tests and then when you pass out is priceless and then bootneck life after training is something else - I can't replace it with anything else these days but I have my memories.

What I hope would be the clincher is that I meet stacks of people these days with good office jobs who say that they wish they had done something like that. Also when you go through the mill at CTC it makes you realise what's important in life like family and friends - nothing else. One great thing about my time at CTC was that I'd walk down the High Street in Exeter past hifi, telly and gadget shops and just didn't want anything. Without sounding a tosser about it I have a good job now with a decent company car, nice house, plenty of dough but f**k me do I miss being in the grot with the lads. Apologies for the rambling but must dash...

[GGHT]

Wow Sully didn't realise you were older going in, interesting.

The bit about meeting people with good jobs now who wished they had done it says it all tkdvipers, who knows mate I may even bump into you in the laundrette or in scran in a few months! (phys needs work though lol)

[tkdvipers]

Some excellent advice here guys. Sully thanks so much for your insight, your situation is very similar to mine so I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your take on things.

GGHT my phys needs work to, I'm a gymnast and martial artist so have always trained for short sharp bursts. Strength is fine by need to get the running sorted.

I'm pretty much set on the idea now, I was using this thread to test the water and I'm glas I did.

What date are you looking at jumping back into it GGHT?

[GGHT]

Arite mate. If I do I'll be looking at starting the ball rolling at the end of summer, but I want to be at half decent PRMC level by then. So the process will be as quick as possible. I've got a stable girlfriend and no job so I just start cracking phys shouldn't i?
I don't think id have problems with the application as I was always a "good" recruit in terms or effort which seems to be the golden currency when your a Nod.


Another thing I'd do if I was rejoining would be to buy all those niggling bits of kit straight off. (trouser twists, multi lensed torch, knife etc.)

[tkdvipers]

Tell you what having previous experience as a nod has got to help. I've got a mate who came out at week 21 and he has given me a load of good info coupled with the previous experience I've got I'm hoping I may be able to hit the ground running a bit better this time.

But yeah that kit list they send you doesn't have half the stuff you end up needing. I'd never heard of a trouser twist when I first went in. I think I will be looking at PRMC in september then join in Oct maybe.

I'm off to talk to my gf about it now.

If I were you I'd get cracking on that phys now like you said. I'm of the opinion that if you've got good phys when you go in, it leaves you more time to think about and study the various "academic" parts of the training rather than worrying yourself ***less about the run coming up and bottomfield. As you know your phys will carry you through.

[GGHT]

Yeah couldn't agree more mate. Weeks 1 through to about 9 would seem a lot easier knowing whats coming up. Hunters Moon is just a dangle! :p

Those IMF circuits don't half get you fit though, I was quite sceptical as I'd been quite into distance running but jesus you zip all over the place on leave!

I remember home one weekend falling asleep on the floor of my living room, the old girl comes and tells me to move and I answer half asleep "yes Corporal".

I hear one of my old Cpl's is in SF now also.

[Artist]

If you want to rejoin then rejoin. Endex.

They can say one of two things can they not?

Yes.

No.

Artist

[Taxman]

Heres my two bob:

Im going to be 30 in 16 days, I have a "ok" job, 7 weeks holiday (for being there 10 years), car and all the kind of possessions you have, except a house.

Im giving that life up to do better, to better myself, to do things most only dream of.
This is somthing I had always wanted to do but for relationships and having a comfortable life I never took any action.

Im applying, knowing i'll drop money, holiday time and most creature comforts I have come acustomed to, but if im completely honest I dont care, im certainly not a materialistic person.

For me, I look at the "end game", If I stay at my job for the rest of my life, I have and would always look back and wish I had given it a go.
In my job I might get promoted, might get all sorts of different projects, and one day buy a house some land and do the things I like to think I want to do. Cliche dream? Get rich, family, friends, land or whatever.

Thats certainly not why im applying, If I won the lottery (HIGHLY unlikely I dont play it) i'd still apply for the marines; Its a life you cant buy.