II Squadron RAF Regiment

[Hostage_Negotiator]

Hostage_Negotiator hu asked 4 ur opinion no 1 so keep ur stupid pointles bs 2 urself

p.s every1 undastud most of it so wat the problem

Dry your eyes!

I don't remember it being a forum rule that you have to be invited to give an opinion!
As for my "stupid pointles bs" if you took the time to check you'd find I'm already in the Mob and have been for over 20 yrs..in fact I happen to know a few of the DS at Depot rather well!
Your attitude complimented by your superior grasp of the written word will serve you well. To be honest I believe you should stick to C.O.D, however should you actually ever get on to a Sqn please feel free to look me up and say hello!

[Hostage_Negotiator]

What' no snappy comeback 1Fordy1?
I thought you'd have been poised to reply with your charm and wit...or was the thought of having to post in English for the benefit of the adults just too much for you?
If you're still lurking, do enjoy your time at Depot and like I said feel free to look me up, I'm always happy to help out a Sprog and even to make new and interesting friends!

[Tenka]

Just wondering if anyone knows what II Squadron pre para test involves? Is it the same as the Army's P-Company?

Any replies would be great

[gunner75]

Iv done P-company with the army and whilst in RAF Regt was primed to get on and do pre-para. Unfortunately an eye problem cut short my career so never really done owt with the Rocks let alone sample the joy of their pre-para course for 2 Sqn. I have heard however that where as the test events in P-company are a bit more team orientated the test events in RAF Regt pre-para are more all out individual effort. Not sure what events are done exactly though, Im sure the older or wiser can answer for me.

[gunner75]

check this windows media player link.

http://www.rafregiment.net/video/2%20sq ... giment.wmv

personally id assume most of it is beat up phase or the footage doesnt convey how 'intense' it really is phys wise.

my m8s a sniper on 34sqn. keep sending him airborne stuff as as a recruit i had to rescue him of the assault course as he was scared of heights, but he is yet to bite. not bad for someone now going for 22 selection lol.

[Tenka]

Thanks for that reply. Am I correct in guessing that video was of RAF Reg pre para and not P-Company? Just it didn't say either way but I didn't see any red berrets and I'm fairly sure P-Company don't do the Fan Dance (I thought that was just used by the SAS and SBS). Speaking of berrets, P-Company get red berrets when they pass pre para, the regular RAF Reg officers and gunners wear an light blue berret if I recall correctly, do 2 squadron get a different colour berret to signify passing pre-para?

Sorry for all of these questions, its just that I'm considering joining either the Royal Marines, RAF Reg (then going 2 Squadron if I can) or P-Company. They each have their pros and cons from what I've found out/heard so far.

RAF Reg are said to be the least elite of the elite (I was thinking 2 Squadron would be just as tough as P-Company) and only get to guard air bases. I hear they get slated a lot for this by paras and marines.

P-Company are tough guys, but I've heard they may have some screws loose though.

Royal Marines are tough and are generally more interlectual than the paras.

I want to try and get a well informed description of what each of them are like. I should get a decent insight into the paras because I've got a place on one of their insight courses

Any opinions on what I've heard?

[ofens]

Any opinions on what I've heard?

Only that it's not as black-and-white as what you've heard...
You'd probably find similar blokes in each, despite the overall differences.

[gunner75]

The link sort of gives an inkling to what you are getting linked to 'Raf Regt'. Its a video on 2 sqns pre-para beat up, although I think one or two of the actual test footage has also been included.
I'll assume from your answer your only a young un so I'd say don't take too literally what you hear from other people or books about different regiments or units stereo typed characteristics.
Iv served for a few years with 4para when i was younger then the RafRegiment as I went back into service at an older age. Both units had blokes who were very intelligent and some who were not so intelligent. EVERY unit has aggressive blokes some can switch it on and off better than most. Its just the nature of the beast and the environment you are in.
I'd say rather than judge on who you should join based on individual qualities based on what you have been told, you should research the roles and responsibilities of each unit and make a carefull informed decision based on what stands out and is best suited to you!

By the way paratroopers dont have 'screws loose' although it helps when you fall out of a plane loaded up with equipment roughly same weight as another bloke - whats that all about?? ;o)
Besides I prefer 'loose cannon' its far more butch....

[Daggers]

Who told you this information that the RAF reg was elite???? they want to be but are sertenly not.

THE ELITE by far go's in order

SAS - SBS

Paracute Regiment - Royal Marines

If you want to sit guarding base's then go ahead but if you want to be the best you have to train the hardest etc RM...Paras

[MrC]

If you want to sit guarding base's then go ahead but if you want to be the best you have to train the hardest etc RM...Paras

The point is that they are all the best at their respective roles...Everyone has a job to do, and I'm sure they all do it well.

I'm sure the RAF reg are considered elite, and they probably are in their own right, though their job is different to that of the RM and Paras

[Daggers]

I know what you are saying and your right but they shouldnot and do not have the right of elite by their name....i do not see it anywhere accept people saying that they are where as rm's and paras earn the right and do have it.

They are good at their job because thats what they are trained to do but the pilots etc are good at what they do because they train for it...they are not elite you see what im getting at?

[mr_man_2168]

I know what you are saying and your right but they shouldnot and do not have the right of elite by their name....i do not see it anywhere accept people saying that they are where as rm's and paras earn the right and do have it.

They are good at their job because thats what they are trained to do but the pilots etc are good at what they do because they train for it...they are not elite you see what im getting at?

Not wishing to start a 'my dad's bigger than yours' argument here (my dad's only 5'3 anyhow!) but... You've basically contradicted yourself in your own post. If pilots/Gunnners/whoever in the RAF aren't elite because they're only doing what they've trained to do, then RMs and Paras are equally only doing what they're trained to do and thus by your reckoning, not elite.

To be honest, I don't really care who's 'elite' and who isn't. Different Corps', different roles, as long as they're each as well trained and committed to their respective roles, then they're doing us proud.

[Tenka]

I didn't mean to cause a big debate over the RAF Reg being elite. Thats just how I've heard them called.

Thank you gunner for your input. I'll make sure I use the term "loose cannon" in the future . I'm taking everything I have heard at face value, I understand that people big up their own regiment and that the marines and paras seem to have a respectful rivalry going on so will slag each other off in a humerous manner.

I'm going on a P-Company insight course soon, anyone know if the RAF Reg and RM do anything similar as I haven't seen anything on the internet about them. I intend to go and speak to the RM and RAF at the careers centre about them but I want to make sure I haven't missed anything obvious before I go in.

Thanks again everyone for your input

[mr_man_2168]

I've done the Paras insight thing, it's not bad.

Closest thing the RAF Reg do is PGAC, but that's for those who have already applied and passed an interview and medical.

Marines have PRMC, but I have no idea how that works so better to ask over in the RM forum maybe?

[MrC]

I know what you are saying and your right but they shouldnot and do not have the right of elite by their name....i do not see it anywhere accept people saying that they are where as rm's and paras earn the right and do have it.

They are good at their job because thats what they are trained to do but the pilots etc are good at what they do because they train for it...they are not elite you see what im getting at?

Their Pre-Para selection is pretty much identical to P-Company, infact until the 1970s they used to do P-Coy with the Parachute Regiment.

I guess they are generally considered elite because of this entry selection, and a bunch of them have earned the right to work within SFSG so they must be doing something right.

Fact is, nowadays all three services are fighting the same wars, Airborne, Amphibious, Rockapes etc, it matters not when the choice of destination is Balkans or Afgan.

I really don't think we on this forum are the ones to be deciding who is better than who, and who should be considered elite. Perhaps when serving we may be able to offer that opinion.