Attitudes to young officers

Pilot Officer · Post by **Pilot Officer** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 2:44 pm

Im just turning 17, am 5ft 4, have a very distinct baby face but im really mature and resposible for my age.

I am starting my application to be an officer when i turn 17.

What will the attitudes be from people who have been in the Army for like 15 years towards me?

I dont even look old enough to be in the cadets, will this be a problem for me in The Army or the TA??

Artist · Post by **Artist** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 2:59 pm

If your 5 foot 4 inches you are going to have a real problem joining anyway unless the minimum height requirements have been lowered.

Artist

Pilot Officer · Post by **Pilot Officer** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 3:00 pm

i have to be 158 cm tall, (according to army recruitment 2004), im not talking bout the height tho, more the baby face and stuff?

lew · Post by **lew** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 3:18 pm

Do you still have a squeaky voice

and are you potty trained.

lew

got1 · Post by **got1** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 4:26 pm

Pilot Officer,
If you are only 5ft 4ins how can the men look up to you?
Sorry coudn't resist.

Pilot Officer · Post by **Pilot Officer** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 4:44 pm

no probs pal!

how tall are you got1.

Height means nothing when you have a pip (chip) on your shoulder ???

matt · Post by **matt** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 5:07 pm

got1 wrote:Pilot Officer,
If you are only 5ft 4ins how can the men look up to you?
Sorry coudn't resist.

ROFL.

6'5 here, just for reference.

Artist · Post by **Artist** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 6:00 pm

You can have a Pip/chip on your shoulder but if the blokes don't respect you, you will find life very unpleasant indeed. Be you 5 foot 4 or 6 foot 4.

As for the Baby Face thing When I passed out and joined my first Commando unit my nickname was "SKIN" as in I was 18 but looked 14/15 years old.

If you work hard and prove yourself to both your fellow Officers/Mnes/Privates/AB's/AC's you will get on alright. try the old "I'm an Officer, your not" crap and a fair few SNCO's and Warrant Officers will soon "SORT YOU OUT" They have ways and means Pilot Officer. You had better believe it.

Artist

Sticky Blue · Post by **Sticky Blue** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 8:33 pm

It depends on your attitude towards them, your character... not them, YOU!
If you have the 'I'm a ossifer and therefore always right' attitude you'll get zero respect, response or help. People will be queing up to see you fall flat on your face. If you have a good attitude towards the lads, are firm and fair, listen to people and decide for your self, take advice when it is right... you'll get on just fine. The 'Nasty' officer gets cock all!

Pilot Officer wrote:What will the attitudes be from people who have been in the Army for like 15 years towards me?

Seven · Post by **Seven** » Wed 07 Jul, 2004 1:34 pm

As a junior officer, you will always work with SNCO's who will be 20 or 30 years older than you are. It doesn't matter to them wether you're 17 or 23, you will always be young in their eyes. Just listen to what they have to say and use it to your advantage. It's not very different from civvie life, if you are a university graduate you will probably be 25-26 when you start working. You will lead people who have worked for that company for 20 or 30 years, and you will have to earn their trust just as much.

got1 · Post by **got1** » Wed 07 Jul, 2004 5:30 pm

[quote="Pilot Officer"]no probs pal!

how tall are you got1.

Height means nothing when you have a pip (chip) on your shoulder ???[/quote]
I'm 5ft 10ins but used to be 6ft 1in when I joined.

Got a new officer when we were in Aden, after a week he aked me why the blokes wouldn't talk to him, I explained that once he had proved himself they would speak. He did and they spoke to him.
His name was David Purley [racing driver]. Got to know him very well, sadly now gone. RIP Dave.

Tab · Post by **Tab** » Wed 07 Jul, 2004 6:26 pm

Have you tried wearing high heels, that should give an edge.

:drinking:

sneaky beaky · Post by **sneaky beaky** » Wed 07 Jul, 2004 7:25 pm

I've always found that most YO's get respect, until they start to prove that they don't deserve it. Any SNCO worth his salt, will go out of his way to bring up a YO in the way he should. Unfortunately - there are a few who do not want to be brought up in that way and want to prove that they are "in charge", - so there is a lack of respect from everyone. Sticky Blue put it extremely succinctly.
Sneaky

druadan · Post by **druadan** » Thu 08 Jul, 2004 4:16 am

Is the attitude to YOs different in the Army and Royal? I would assume that Royal YOs command a certain respect simply because they've proved themselves to be better than a Marine (well, they've had to meet higher targets in the same fields), whereas Army ruperts have a completely separate 'toff' training and therefore would have a lot more to prove from the off with their platoons?

Artist · Post by **Artist** » Thu 08 Jul, 2004 11:04 am

In The Marines Most straight out to the box Young Officers were "Tolerated" The officers who had been in a while were "Respected".

The Tolerated ones seemed to think that it was all a game untill the sh*t hit the fan then they became respected. i.e. they grew up and realised that the NCO's and a good few of the Marines were a Font of infomation which could only serve to help them.

If an officer carried on being Tollerated he would find himself still being a Lt whilst his Respected counterparts got steady Promotion

But remember being "Respected" is a world away from being "Liked". Any Officer who trys to be "one of the boys" will soon lose respect.

Artist

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