Leaving University For a Career In The RM?

[bigbart]

P.S the lad from the TA did the 3 weeks AFS then handed in his discharge papers. Said he was going back to the TA. He said the TA was completely different and didn't think he was going to like the regular Army.

[rabby]

Yes but I think we can both establish that RMR is a little different from the TA. The whole point of the RMR is that its members can, when needed be slotted into the regular corps. Take Iraq for example, as far as I'm aware the reserves out there felt right at home straight away without the need for 32 weeks of CTC first. Perhaps Skiffle can give his comments on that one...

He said that a lot of people join the RMR thinking that it will be an easy option into the regs but thats not the case.

Don't think of RMR as "an easy way into the regulars", because it isn't by a long way, and in some ways it is a harder route to a green beret. As a reserve you have to find time to train in and around other commitments to the same standard that regular recruits are at when they have done 32 weeks. At CTC you have PTI's at every phys session to beast you, in RMR you dont, you have to find that determination yourself.

[bigbart]

But if a fully trained TA infantry soldier can't go straight into regular Infantry (same regiment) then why can RMR go straight into regular RM? Ok, so they have to pass the same tests, but so do TA Infantry. Plus in any reserve force training, you get a lot more time to recover and catch up on sleep, therefore recharging your batteries for the next session. Troops at the end of full CTC for regulars will be much more exhausted when they take their commando tests than anyone going for the same tests to get into RMR. TA and RMR may be worlds apart...but TA infantry and regular Infantry are as far apart as RMR and regular RM are. Reserve forces and regular forces are completely different. Anyone who has done both will tell you that.

[rabby]

Bigbart, in regs training, recruits spend 26 or 28 (not sure but about that) weeks getting ready for the commando tests. What makes you think they are going to be exhausted by that stage, in fact at that stage they will not only be ready, but one of the fittest men in the country. Nods at CTC aren't zombies, they don't spend all 32 weeks on 2 hours of sleep a day. Reserves dont just do nothing for a week then turn up at the weekend, try working all week then get on a training weekend then get back to working for another week, and tell me that isn't exhausting.

I suggest you try RMR training and at the end of it let me know if you think you are any less of a Royal Marine than a regular.

[Seven]

Read "The Quiet Soldier" by Adam Ballinger. He did 21 SAS selection in the late 1980s. Of course that's not the same as RMR or TA infantry, but it gives you a fair idea what kind of commitment it takes.

[craigzed]

I suggest you try RMR training and at the end of it let me know if you think you are any less of a Royal Marine than a regular.

That's an extreme way to settle this particular discussion, but the best solution!

Sandman, as regards the RMR, RM & uni, I reckon the RMR is the way to go. I know a retired RM Captain who went RMR during university and then went and did his officer's course. He did, however, have to go through the whole thing again from scratch, but then that was Officer Training.

As far as I can remember RMR are high readiness troops that can backfill the regs at any given point, but I'm sure that I recently heard (much to my surprise) that you have to do basic again if you want to join the regs after uni.

That doesn't matter though. Joining the RMR will enable you to understand what commitment is and if you can complete that plus your degree without making a total hash of one or the other then you can pretty much do anything, I guarantee it.

I've seen a bloke get within 5 days of his lid in the RMR and go down with exhaustion because he had just finished his finals in uni.

Bummer.

Whether you have to redo basic or not is academic I think. If you're into it, you'll do it again if you have to. Stick at uni & join the RMR. That's the best plan in my book. Get in touch with the local RMR detatchment TODAY! Have a chat with them.

[willgoodman]

At the end of the day if you do RMR then at the end of uni you decide you want to go in as a full time Royal theres nothing to stop you doing it again if thats what you want. You could have a crack at officer, after all should you not make i through, the whole selection phase, then you POC will allow you to go straight in as a recruit.

Just be sure about what you want to do and then throw everything at that decision, and don't worry we all get little doubts now and again. At the end of the dayits your choice and in my opinion you shoudl always go with what your gut instinct tells you"

Will

[Sandman]

Cheers for all of the replies guys. Ive been in contact with RMR Portsmouth for about 6 months now. I had a medical in April but failed it cos i had a torn ligament in my ankle from skydiving. So annoying!!!

I called the RMR yesterday and the colour sergeant has just called me back. I asked him about transferring to regs after doing a few years of sevice and he said you cant do it, you have to go through basic again at CTC if you want to be a regular. Thats ok though, at least ill have a damn good idea of what its all about.

Also, i know quite a few people in the RMR (training at least anyway) from when i went to the medical. The guys that passed their entry tests say that the training is so amazingly hard. A few have dropped out already 9either that or dropped dead from exhaustion LOL). Therefore i think that the training must be on a par with Regs training. And like has ben said before, RMR have to find thier own motivation and determination to get through it as their are no PTI's around to beast them if they dont do enough training.

Mikey

[craigzed]

Well said fella,

Whatever you decide, good luck with it!