Role of a sixteen year old

[Stokey_14]

Just done a search and couldn't find to much on this... If I (or anyone for that matter) where to join at 16, what would be your actual role, I mean as far as I’m aware you can't go into a war zone until your 18. So what would you actually be doing?

I know it is common for you to also do two years GD before specializing so would these two year GD be spent when you turn 18 or could you specialize at 18, if you get my drift

Just so you know I’m not planning on join till I’m eighteen anyway but I was just interested to see what the role of a 16 year old would be in the Royal Marines.

All the best

Stokey

[surfingdream]

My best mate was 16 when he joint the core. He got a draft to diego garcia ( Tiny british island in the middle of indian ocean ) some of the pictures he has sent me are insane. Hes helping doing customs says it amazing and is saving a shit load of money because there is only one bar and one spar like shop. Hes Just finished his diego Garcia draft and is now on the Commando Display Team. Suits him really as he is Chad as feck.

[Artist]

It's not uncommon for 16 year olds to join the Corps. Back in the Seventies the Corps had Junior Marine Troops, all were under the age of 17 and their training took up to 9 months as nearly half of it was at RM Deal in Kent.

Don't forget that you may be 16 when you join but your going to be at CTC for at least 7 months if you include leave periods. The normal routine for a young lad under the age of 18 passed out of training is to be pinged for rear party if the unit is away on active service or they go onto SQ/TQ training such as Sigs, Driver and the like.

Artist

[davidemmerson]

Stokey,

My dad joined up at 16 but didn't pass out until he was 18 due to glandular (sic) fever. He was pinged early on as being a signaler becuase he had 2 O-Levels. As he put it, "more than the rest of the troop put together!" So like Artists has said, you would probably find yourself on a training course or the like. You know you said 18 year old couldn't go into combat, when was that passed as a law? Was it in the 80's because I'm sure I read somwhere that a 17 year old lad had his foot blown off in the Falklands.

Heres one for you Artist:

When he passed out he thought he was off to 41 Commando (now defunct) and the sunny sights of Malta. What a fantastic first posting he thought! Then on the parade ground when they were receiving their postings, he was asked

"Where do you think you're off to Emmerson?

"Malta Sgt"

"Wrong. Double over to the Signal and Clerks Training Wing"

Needless to say, I don't think he was massively impressed!

[Mitch]

The law that only 18 year olds can go into combat was passed after the Falklands I think. Don't know about the RM units but definitely know that in 3 Para there were at least 4 possibly five 17 year olds. One died on his 18th birthday on Longdon, 2 of his mates also died at 17 and the other 1 survived one has written a book; Mark Eyles-Thomas Sod That for a Game of Soldiers.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... ge_id=1770

That's the link to the story in the Daily Mail.

Mitch

[TomClarke]

My uncle was 17 in the Falklands I would like to know the exact age for not being allowed in combat if anyone knows.

Tom

[Mitch]

Pretty sure it is 18 now for going into combat. Before it was only the rule that you had to be over 18 to go to Northern Ireland. Or at least this is how I understand it. If anyone can go into detail that would be great!

Mitch

[Spence]

Unfortunately I can't offer any definitive answer, only what I can recall. I'm sure it was late 90's when the rules changed regarding under 18s in combat.

I remember there being a big hoo ha over it all because Britain was the only force in NATO who still used under 18s in a front line role, so to bring it in line with the rest of NATO the rules were changed.

But it was (relatively) recent.

[Spence]

Here you go fellas: click me

The move comes as a voluntary United Nations protocol on young personnel, signed by Britain in September 2000, is due be put before Parliament after Easter.

Although it looks like it wasn't until 2002 that it actually became enforced.

[Artist]

Stokey,

My dad joined up at 16 but didn't pass out until he was 18 due to glandular (sic) fever. He was pinged early on as being a signaler becuase he had 2 O-Levels. As he put it, "more than the rest of the troop put together!" So like Artists has said, you would probably find yourself on a training course or the like. You know you said 18 year old couldn't go into combat, when was that passed as a law? Was it in the 80's because I'm sure I read somwhere that a 17 year old lad had his foot blown off in the Falklands.

Heres one for you Artist:

When he passed out he thought he was off to 41 Commando (now defunct) and the sunny sights of Malta. What a fantastic first posting he thought! Then on the parade ground when they were receiving their postings, he was asked

"Where do you think you're off to Emmerson?

"Malta Sgt"

"Wrong. Double over to the Signal and Clerks Training Wing"

Needless to say, I don't think he was massively impressed!

He wasn't!

Artist

[misterpurple]

It's unthinkable now that anyone younger than 18 would be sent to Afghanistan, Iraq or wherever the trained monkeys decide to send HM Forces. Even still, if my mate had told me over a pint they'd sent 17-year olds to the Falklands I'd have told him to pull the other one.

[Artist]

It's unthinkable now that anyone younger than 18 would be sent to Afghanistan, Iraq or wherever the trained monkeys decide to send HM Forces. Even still, if my mate had told me over a pint they'd sent 17-year olds to the Falklands I'd have told him to pull the other one.

Keep Pulling then! One lad stowed away on the Canberra to be with his Oppos. Just 17 and a bit so he was. Member of 42 M coy.

Artist

[TomClarke]

My uncle was on canberra in 42 m coy dont think he stowed away though

[Stokey_14]

Cheers for the replies, didn't know the no under 18 law was such a recent thing.

All the best

Stokey

[misterpurple]

Keep Pulling then! One lad stowed away on the Canberra to be with his Oppos. Just 17 and a bit so he was. Member of 42 M coy.

Did they let him fight?