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Joining the TA-Need advice

Discussions about the Territorial Army.
aneesh99
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Joining the TA-Need advice

Post by aneesh99 »

Hey guys! I'm new around here so I'll introduce myself real quick, I'm Aneesh, from Wales. I was interested in joining the TA in about a year (when I'm 17) and had some questions (a lot actually.) Just for the people, I was looking at joining in between Year 12 and 13 at school. I'm going on for further education. I don't know if this means anything, but I am academically strong (predicted all A*'s and A for GCSE.) I speak Hindi and can understand Urdu and various dialects passably well (understand Islamic laws and stuff, and just for the books, I'm not Muslim, my parents are from India and are Hindus.) I am a British citezen (born here.) I'm well into computers and mechanical stuff (cars.) My dad is a orthopaedic surgeon and I wouldn't mind having some type of medical role. I'm more of an endurance athlete than a sprinter, play basketball, mountain bike, love extreme sports (snowboarding.) I wanted to ask what viable options ( if any) are possibile if I did join. I've already talked to my mum and dad (dad was cool, mum was angry as hell!)

*I have no idea about the apllication process (apart from a BARB test.)

*What are the chances of me being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan?

*Can I fit this around further education? (I am looking at doing law at one of the top universities in UK.)

Any othe relavent advice?

Thanks guys!

Aneesh
Chas
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Post by Chas »

Aneesh, :lol:


Shabash Chokra. Hindustani /Brit jawan izaart ek dum atcha hai.
Jaldi TA kero. Lekkin apna Ma Bap soono.

Um log abhi bahot boudha hogia. :wink:

Gora Sahib. :evil:
RM., Colonial Police & Queen's Regt HSF.
harry hackedoff
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Post by harry hackedoff »

Peshwari Naan with the chiken madras and can you do a really hot vinders, shove the mint yoghurt, cheers Dave :wink:
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Sarastro
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Re: Joining the TA-Need advice

Post by Sarastro »

aneesh99 wrote: *I have no idea about the apllication process (apart from a BARB test.)
Depends on the unit (BARB test is for regs, I never did one), but most run LookAtLife days, so work out what you want to do / who is nearby, give them a call and go talk to them.
*What are the chances of me being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan?
Fairly high if you want to be deployed. Zero if you don't want to be deployed - there is no compulsory deployment for reserves here like there is in the US. Chances of deployment also affected by your trade / skills / experience. If you do want to go, however, don't worry that lack of experience may rule you out - several lads from my recruit cadre less than a year ago are out in Afghan right now.
*Can I fit this around further education? (I am looking at doing law at one of the top universities in UK.)
Yes. Won't be easy however, and more importantly, your weekends won't be particularly pleasant compared to that of your peers - this isn't a reflection on you (or anybody), but you might look back later wishing you had spent more time doing the stuff you can only do while at university, rather than TA weekends you can do for the rest of your life. I would suggest having a look at the university OTC, some of them are actually quite good, and strike a better balance between university life & green stuff.
Any othe relavent advice?
Sort out your spelling if you want to do law! Look left, right, then left again. Brush with an up and down motion. Don't eat yellow snow, unless it was white before you got there.

Er.

That's it.
Sarastro
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Re: Joining the TA-Need advice

Post by Sarastro »

PA0578 wrote:This is now standard across the TA as of the beginning of this year when potential TA were required to undergo the same Selection as regulars at an ADSC. The difference with TA candidates is that they will do their BARB at the ADSC rather than at the ACIO/TA Centre
Hah, well that goes to show how quickly knowledge goes out of date in the forces, was only a year ago when I did it! ;) I stand corrected.

& yes, you are encouraged to mobilise in the infantry (it's the job after all), but was assuming that aneesh was asking with ref. to his degree, not wanting to be plucked out at a bad time - if that is the case, should know that you get a veto in when & where you are deployed.

[On the other hand, if you are intending to go into any area of law except being a barrister or working in military / IR related law, I don't see how you would possibly be allowed time off for deployment from any legal firm I've run into, so if you do want to deploy, best do it while you aren't working.]
anglo-saxon
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Post by anglo-saxon »

Talk to Recruiting. No doubt they'll find you...


wait for it, wait for it...


...a niche!


Get it? Get it?

:roll:
RA_Tom
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Re: Joining the TA-Need advice

Post by RA_Tom »

aneesh99 wrote:Hey guys! I'm new around here so I'll introduce myself real quick, I'm Aneesh, from Wales. I was interested in joining the TA in about a year (when I'm 17) and had some questions (a lot actually.) Just for the people, I was looking at joining in between Year 12 and 13 at school. I'm going on for further education. I don't know if this means anything, but I am academically strong (predicted all A*'s and A for GCSE.) I speak Hindi and can understand Urdu and various dialects passably well (understand Islamic laws and stuff, and just for the books, I'm not Muslim, my parents are from India and are Hindus.) I am a British citezen (born here.) I'm well into computers and mechanical stuff (cars.) My dad is a orthopaedic surgeon and I wouldn't mind having some type of medical role. I'm more of an endurance athlete than a sprinter, play basketball, mountain bike, love extreme sports (snowboarding.) I wanted to ask what viable options ( if any) are possibile if I did join. I've already talked to my mum and dad (dad was cool, mum was angry as hell!)

*I have no idea about the apllication process (apart from a BARB test.)

*What are the chances of me being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan?

*Can I fit this around further education? (I am looking at doing law at one of the top universities in UK.)

Any othe relavent advice?

Thanks guys!

Aneesh
Hello Aneesh,

Application Process is turn up! Best to phone up the unit in advance just so they can advise if that week the unit are all away on camp or something.

You can be deployed, but you need to be fully trained and a good ambassador for your unit and keen as mustard to go! Believe me its not easy to get deployed you have to be very keen and committed to even be considered, plus have completed your trade training or combat infantryman course if joining the Infantry.

Yes you can fit it in round education, many do, I waited till after uni to join myself, as there are plenty of other distractions for students!! your choice of course.
Languages are very useful and my unit regularly has positions for full time service as linguists (again voluntary)

Good luck.

Tom
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Re: Joining the TA-Need advice

Post by RA_Tom »

PA0578 wrote:
RA_Tom wrote:Believe me its not easy to get deployed you have to be very keen and committed to even be considered, plus have completed your trade training or combat infantryman course if joining the Infantry.
Tom, I'm going to hazard a guess (based on your moniker) that you're a gun bunny. I know that many Signals guys have the same degree of difficulty in getting mobilised and I wonder if this due to your roles and trades or simply the limited requirement for manpower from your respective capbadges?

Certainly in the infantry you'll have no problem getting on a tour, for the time being anyway. That's entirely down to the demand for manpower both as Force Protection Companies (FP Coys) and as Individual Replacements (IRs).
Hello,

Yup am a Gunner. The problem is we have to be MOD 1 and 2 trained, and those courses are run annually and either clash with each other or CMSR etc.. can take a while to get trained up.
Interesting though that Infantry are in high demand, some of us have been considering transferring to the Infantry on the assumption that it would be the quickest way to find a deployment.
Paradoxically our unit have a quota to fill and wont send us prior to completing MOD1 and 2, so don't want to lose willing soldiers to other units but still wont send us! Despite the fact we often deploy in our secondary infantry role... :roll:

Tom
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Post by RA_Tom »

Hello again,

Yeah true, although the Royal Artillery are the only corps unit it that can be deployed in their own right as infantry. I.e an RA Regiment should be able to deploy in the same role as an Infantry Battalion rather than supplying troops to augment one.

When I initially joined the TA in 2001 I was a recruit at an infantry unit but lost my civvi job, relocated and then joined the RA in 2006 I love the infantry side of things, we do a lot of infantry training. However I am reluctant to be chopping and changing.

MOD 1 and 2 are the basic trade training courses that corps units do to become fully trained . Thats why infantry do more weekends prior to CIC, when we finish our MOD 1 after CMSR we are effectively as useful as a CIC trained infantryman to our corps.

Will have a think about it all though. Have you had transfers from Corps units? Do they have to do CIC if already trained soldiers?

Tom
aneesh99
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Post by aneesh99 »

Sorry, I haven't been on in an age! Thanks for the advice, I was looking at something in the Medical Services, but as I have to be 17, I was looking at joining in summer 2009. I have a fairly good idea about life in the military, two cousins in the US served in the armed forces, one dead ( USMC MSOB, the assault on Sadr City) and one paralyzed when caught in RPG fire (US Army Rangers.) I remember my mum's brother was killed in Mogadishu, Somalia. I have a pretty good idea what I'm getting my self into. If I was deployed, how long is one tour for the TA? Have any of you ever been deployed whilst in education? Thanks again for the advice.
snakey_wakey
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Post by snakey_wakey »

Evnin all. Another question under the same banner.

I seem to have gotten confused. I thought that on the application form when it said about having metal plates in your lower limbs, back problems and torn cartlige I thought it meant you HAD to have them so subsequently I went out and got em'! Obviously I've mis-read the form...

Is there owt I can do?? Could I bribe em?? Do you think they might give me a chance or am I being super hopefull there?? :roll:
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