First meeting July 4th, a few questions

[newtothis]

Hi All,

Been thinking about joining the TA for a long while and finally have called them this morning and have a meeting on the 4th of July.

My only concerns are with my job. If i join and i am called up will this affect my current job as this is what pays for my mortgage and so on.

The 2 weeks training would that come out of my holidays from work?

Im just bored of the same job behind a desk, driving me mad. I would love to join the regs and may do at a later date depending on pay, family and so on .

Any advice regarding the TA would be brilliant.

Any help would be much appreciated and thank you for your time.

Thanks

[Wholley]

I moved this from the RN section.
So,come on all you rubber blades spill the beans.
All I can say is your two weeks WILL count as vacation time and if the TA works the same way as the National Guard Reserve unless you are already in your employer doe's not have to recognise a change to your circumstances(ie,the company will probably fire you if you have to deploy)
As said above I can only speak for the NGR not the TA although I think they run along similar lines.

[JunkBox]

Hey, I found this

http://www.aff.org.uk/ta_and_reserve_force.htm#guide

have a look at that, the links are all about deployment so have a read through those and you should get the info that you need mate.

[Wholley]

Good effort Junky,maybe that should be a sticky.

[newtothis]

Thanks for the info going to have a look at the url now. Cheers for that JunkBox.

[JunkBox]

No problem, happy to help!

[kweowusu]

Thought I'd point out that the TA is currently in a period of intelligent mobilisation, therefore you wont be called up, you will have to volunteer for deployment.

[newtothis]

Oh brilliant thanks for the info.

Just worried about my current job as i have a young family and loads of bills to pay.

Do you know what the fitness test involves. Ive heard different distances of running some say 4 another 8, just so i know what level of fitness i have to be.

Thanks again for al the info guys.

[RA_Tom]

Oh brilliant thanks for the info.

Just worried about my current job as i have a young family and loads of bills to pay.

Do you know what the fitness test involves. Ive heard different distances of running some say 4 another 8, just so i know what level of fitness i have to be.

Thanks again for al the info guys.

Your employer doesn't have to give you time off for CIC or CMSR (recruit training). Many employers will let you take two weeks unpaid leave on top of your holiday allowance. Mine doesn't! But its quite nice being paid twice for two weeks although the salaries are a little different!

Army recruits fill places in all walks of army life... so in recruit training in the TA you start off having to do 1.5 miles in under 14.5 minutes (or there abouts) the exact timing is irrelevant because hey presto you've soon done your CIC/CMSR and you need to do it under 10mins 30, if under age 30. So you don't get the gradual build up that the regulars do, but they keep it the same for TA recruit training.

Your unit should make you do it frequently and aiming for under 10 min 30. If you're new to running and are skinny and light you can smash this, if you're bigger and heavier you may need to work at it. If you're overweight at all it'll be a struggle but I have seen some over 30 chunkies put in sub 10 mins!

For the TA and life in general running at least twice a week is a very good idea. You should practice pressups and situps too, I dont know the minimum and cant be bothered to look for it, but 50 presups in 2 minutes 50 situps in 2 minutes is your target.

From your first meeting you're a long way off a deployment so don't worry about work. Best to tell them what you're up to. But you can wait till after recruit training when you're 'in'.

A lot of TA soldiers are a disgrace physically.... many are absolute phys freaks and smash all the fitness tests and TABs... be the latter!

[newtothis]

Brilliant thanks for all the info.

1.5 miles thats no problem, i can do 4 miles in about 55 mins so well happy with that.

Pressups and situps also very comfortable with that.

I suppose i can ask all the questions regarding deployment when i go speak to them but you have shed alot of light on that RA_Tom so thank you very much for that.

Cheers

[RA_Tom]

No probs.

Aim for 8 min miles i.e that 4 miler in 32 mins and you're laughing.
Remember post recruit you'll need to be under 10 min 30, i.e less than 7 mins per mile.

The fitter you are, the easier it is. But the build up should be progressive at your unit. As a TA soldier you have to beast yourself a bit in your own time.
What capbadge are you looking at?

[newtothis]

Hi RA_tom

Thanks again.

Going to start training tomorrow to hit that target.

also sorry but not to sure what you mean by Capbadge?

Tried to google it but couldn't find exactly what it meant.

So basically as long as i can run 1 mile in 8mins im laughing. Dont think that should be to much of a problem.

thanks again mate.

[kweowusu]

Sorry I couldn't reply in time. I'll only echo what RA_tom has said, with your current fitness, you should be absolutely fine. You will be fitter than most of the recruits that turn up to Malta Barracks.

By capbadge he means, what regiment/corps are you joining?

PS. You need to be able to do 44 press ups, 50 sit ups and a number of heaves at selection. Not being able to reach these number doesn't mean a definite failure if you show that you have given your ultimate best. Good luck