TA 4 PARA to Royal Marines

[BULLETooTH]

I want to join the TA 4 PARA and am also a student. The thing is when my studies finish next year i would like to join the royal marines.

Would it be ok to apply and to do your PRMC even though you were in 4 PARA. Also could you wear your wings once you passed out as a full Royal Marine.

Reason i dont go to RMR length of time to get green beret would be after i finish my studies + really want to pass out as a full Marine.

Any info lads would be great.

[Scottish_Kiwi]

Right,

Yes you can wear your wings during training if you get them. However there is a lot of things to bear in mind before plumping for 4 Para. First of all expect a healthy dose of slagging at the least for being a perce B*stard. Secondly even though you may be able to pass all the necessary weekends and the P-Companpy 2 week thing at the end, this does not mean that you will be able to gain your wings. There is a lot of guys who have to wait upto a couple years after passing out before they get loaded on a jump course due to the demand for aircraft from on going operations.

I presume the reason your wanting to go 4 Para is the chance to get your wings before you start recruit training, which is a fair idea i suppose though i think you would gain a lot more if you just went RMR.
With the RMR you will at least know exactly what you are gonna expect when you start recruit training and be a wee bit ahead of the other lads which can only be a good thing.

K

[Foxtricks]

Not to sure they will allow you to just crack P Coy... Especially just to turn around and join the mighty marines 'tap three pause pause REAR...'
And on the flip side CTC training teams will give you alot of stick...

The Almighty Foxtricks RM...

[BULLETooTH]

so what would you recommend. would just like to get some military experience behind me without doing RMR.

so though 4 PARA would be best gets your fitness up and they have better rep for fitness training than TA infantry units. any ideas would be grateful.

Also 4 PARA are TA so it is voluntary i would be guesing you can leave when you wish as long as you give notice.

[Scottish_Kiwi]

Why would you not want to go RMR? Surely it fits all the criteria, though your perhaps not going to get your lid you will get a lot closer experience to what you'll get at CTC than you will joining 4para.


K

[BULLETooTH]

but would RMR not be pissed off if you went to do regular marine RT half way through you training. or could you let them know before hand that your intentions are to become a regular marine by doing RT.

[Alfa]

but would RMR not be pissed off if you went to do regular marine RT half way through you training. or could you let them know before hand that your intentions are to become a regular marine by doing RT.

Not as much as 4 Para will be pissed that you're joining them just to get some fitness in before you bugger off to the Marines.

I should imagine that the RMR would be more than willing to help you prepare for the regulars.

[Hantslad]

If you are in a rush to join the marines then do just that. Finish you studies and join up. There is no need for any prior military experience, and as has been pointed out by the others, you would have to stand by for a severe slagging if you turn up as a "winged up ex STAB PARA"

Just concentrate on your studies and your fitness and then apply to the Marines. (you will be able to jump out of aeroplanes later in your career if you do the right jobs)

Have you considered what would happen if you injured yourself with 4 PARA, so badly, that you never got to join the Marines anyway???

[BULLETooTH]

both very good points but would RMR be happy to help with preparing for a prmc and RT.

[Eagle]

If you joined RMR you would have to do selection anyway, you'd also get pretty fit, learn a bunch of stuff that will help when you go full time and get a taste of what it's like - how can that be a bad thing?

[Cobalt]

Joining 4 PARA while at uni would be a great idea if you had more time. If you finish your studies next year and intend on joining Royal regular then you wont get all that much from either 4 PARA or the RMR in that space of time. The chances are you wouldn't even have time to finish recruit training. Basically you wouldn't learn any more than you would in the first few weeks of regular RM triaining. Also, as Hantslad said, if you pick up an injury (which is very common!) then that'd set you back both as a reservist recruit and your plans to go regular.

[Beowulf]

Hi, all good points made so far. Something also worth bearing in mind is that RMR only have selections once or twice a year depending on location. If you are in Scotland the first question is when is the next intake? If like London they are just about to undertake one then the next one might not be until July. Bristol's is in March so you will have to weigh up how much training you'll actually be doing before you finish your studies and ready to go Regular?

As said you may just want to concentrate on building your fitness so when you are ready next year you can give it a crack, it's not that far away?

Good luck

[Foxtricks]

I know lads in my troop who left and went RMR and there seemed to be options there.. I am sure the Rubber Daggers would be quite happy if you began training with them and then moved to Full time.....
But think carefully you could neglect your education and its only for a little while.. longer plus uni is wicked......

whats this me being nice???

Almighty Foxtricks...