The 'right' age

[designervision]

Hello hello..

Well I'm 16 now and thinking about applying for the Royal Marines early 2009 - by which time I will be 17 and have finished school.

Does anyone have any advice on age - I know it depends on the person, but does anyone have any good reasons as to why it is or isn't an OK age to join?

Sam.

[marmaduke80]

I'm 16 and joining the RAF Regiment. The TG course starts on the 6th of Jan so I guess you can join whenever you like but I think the Marines are a little harder.

[davidemmerson]

The right time is when you are ready. Well, obivously you have to be 16 or over, but it doesn't matter if you are 17 or 27, join up when you feel you are physically and mentally strong enough to pass whichever course it may be.

David

[Stokey_14]

This may or may not be help full (hope it is ) but I’m 15 my self and I’m in my last year at high school. I personally would love to join up at 16 ASAP... But from the people I’ve spoken to who have done that, only one has said it was the right thing for them to do and that was for iffy circumstances at home. Not saying there aren’t people who join up at 16 and find its the life for them but I personally think it would be wise to at very least go to collage.

This is what I personally am doing, going in for a course I will hopefully enjoy and really doing it more for the life experience than the qualification's.

Think about it two extra years to "do what young lads do", more time to mature as I’m sure the growing up you do between 16-18 is huge and finally two years to Prepare mentally and physically.

The way I see it now personally is I’m very, very close to reaching the level of fitness people say is required for the marine, I'm happy to say I can max out on all the test except press ups (due to chest strain few months back ), does that mean that by the time I’m 16 I’ll be ready for RT, in my opinion no. I wont be mentally ready. Two more years and I will be much more fit and way more mature.

Plus don't for get the countless numbers of the fairer sex that will be at collage Much better looking than a PTI

Hope I’ve helped a little, just my opinion, we are still young the opportunity to join up isn't going to pass us by in a blink of the eye...

All the best, do what right for you

Stokey

[misterpurple]

Think about it two extra years to "do what young lads do", more time to mature as I’m sure the growing up you do between 16-18 is huge and finally two years to Prepare mentally and physically.

It's bigger than huge. It's massive. Looking back at the skinny 16 year old runt I was when I left school there's no way I would have been ready for a job at the local mill shop much less the Royal Marines.

[AshersUK]

I'm 16 and I'm at the Medical stage of my Royal Marines application. My 3 days in Lympstone should be mid January. I don't think it's too early personally but most people seem to join between 17-21, from what people have told me.

Mentally I don't care about being away from home, I'm not a mummy or daddy's boy and I've spent a hell of alot away from home and it's been my dream since I was 5.

Physically I get worried because my running isn't all that good, I'm just hoping that when I do my 3 mile test I can latch onto someone that's a good strong runner.

Overall, I belive I am ready.

Ash

[hemmingwayIII]

DesignerVision

Thats a tough one to answer. When I was 14 I was certain that I was going to be ready to join the RM in 2 years after finishing secondary school, and I wouldn't let anybody tell me otherwise. But when I got to 16, as much as I wanted to join right then, I knew I was nowhere near ready for it.

I'm 17 at the moment, in my last year of 6th form, and I personally feel that by the time I've completed 6th form I still wont be ready to join the RM. So I am going to be taking a gap year of getting myself fitter, maturing (I need alot! ), working to get more experience of civvy life before joining, and to make my CV look better than it is at the moment. This is after being advised by current and ex servicemen.


You may feel that you are ready to join when you finish school, only you can make the decision mate.

it doesn't matter if you are 17 or 27, join up when you feel you are physically and mentally strong enough to pass whichever course it may be.

Hope I've been of help to you mate.

[add01]

For you lads that are going to be leaving School ,

When I left school I did a ND in public services and it was great, Its for people who want a job in the services, be it the armed forces or the emergency services. The one I did involved several trips doing hiking, kayaking and a trip to lympstone . Equal to 3 A levels aswell, good alternative to doing A levels. I would recommend it.

[Dave_1987]

For you lads that are going to be leaving School ,

When I left school I did a ND in public services and it was great, Its for people who want a job in the services, be it the armed forces or the emergency services. The one I did involved several trips doing hiking, kayaking and a trip to lympstone . Equal to 3 A levels aswell, good alternative to doing A levels. I would recommend it.

Totally agree! Some of the stuff you do looks really in your interview.

[Wholley]

So I am going to be taking a gap year

Good idea.
But as I've said elsewhere don't let that gap year turn into ten

[marinewannabe]

I joined the Marines at 16 and to be honest ........ I wouldn't advise it . For me I wasn't mentally tough enough , allocate enough time in your life for the teenage things and then when youve done everything you want to ...head to Lympstone

[PhilB]

I couldn't imagine myself joining up at 16. I'm now 23 and only feel now that it's the right time for me to get serious about it.

Of course it's everyone as an individual. I've met some very mature 16 year olds.

Best of luck anyway.

[davidemmerson]

Yeah it's different for everyone. When I first applied I wanted to join up in order to get into the 2008 YO batch for when I leave school. However now I've realised that I need to get some more life experiance and do stuff that I can show the Corps I have learnt a skill by doing this and a skill doing that. If I was to try and join up at 18 for a Commission there is no way I would get through because I just haven't had the life experiance.

Still everyone is different though, like you say Phil, this is just what I have found.

David

[mm1306]

What sort of life experience do they want?

[davidemmerson]

1) Times where you have lead a group or demonstarted leadership. This could be coaching, or a fitness group, RMR, TA etc. About how you were able to assert your authority and what you did when people didn't listen to you.

2) Where you have shown examples of working in a team. The most obivous example would be a sports team, hopefully with a physical element. For example rugby or football. My main sport is cricket and no, we don't stand around in the sun all day! Things such as DoE, Cadets or Ten Tors would be good.

3) Having a job is always useful too. It gets you out and about, not sat at home watching TV all day! It gets you into contact with other people and how well you react around other people- social skills!

Although I think there is a heavier emphiasis on Officer to have more life experiance etc, It's good for anybody joining the forces to have a bit more of the outsie world.

I have written these from an Officer point of view because this was what was explained to me at my AFCO. Even if you aren't going for a Commission, you will do your chances no harm to have particpated in a team sport and so on.

Phew! Hope I haven't missed anything out?!?!?!! Does it answer your question at all?

David