203 form info

[Eddiek1989]

Hi guys and girls.

In 2008/09 i trained for the Paras but got injured and couldnt carry on training. I have now reapplied and have been waiting nearly 5 months for my 203 to come back from glasgow.

This is a form that says whether or not you can reapply, if its successful then you have to start from the beginning, ie barb test, interviews etc, cant just go straight back into training.

I was told that the 203 could take 4-6 months to come back. I was just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and if so how long did it take for you? The afco said there have been cases of waiting upto 18 months!

Thanks, look forward to hearing some responses!

Eddie

[Tab]

With all the cut backs going on can you see them rushing to take on more people at the moment especially when they have some many applicants.

[Eddiek1989]

Just an update, only been 5 days since i asked the question. I was expecting another couple of months before hearing back but today got a suprise call confirming my application is successful! Over the moon now, so happy!

So to answer my own question, i applied beginning of september 2011 and got my 203 back end of jan 2012.

Now to carry on the application and hopefully start training this year!

[Tab]

I hope all goes well for you

[Eddiek1989]

Little update for anyone interested:

So my 203 was passed, had an interview on friday and my recruiter decided to get me on my barb test at the same time, so i dont have to wait a week and go back so thats good. He also informed me that i DON'T need a medical! I thought this was strange seeing as i have had a knee operation but apparently no, i dont need 1. So thats more good news.

A bit of bad news, because im rejoining, i cant have dog handler as my 1st choice, i have to have my previous reg (Paras) as 1st, and dogs 2nd. Theres a chance that if i make it to adsc and pass, which i should, i can request the dogs as 1st choice in my interview there. But my recruiter being as good and helpful as he is, said he will ring glasgow on monday and try to change it now, because my barb score is so good he sees me as a better candidate for that trade than an infantry soldier.

Finally, i have my pre adsc on april 12th so after that i'll hopefully get onto adsc very soon and away we go!

[mike.dt]

Hi mate, my name's mike and i was medically discharged in July 2010 for having
Osgoodschlatter's disease in my knee. I've since had successful surgery 2 months ago
and was hoping to re-apply after the 12 month recovery period (so in Jan
2013).

I just wanted to ask a couple of questions really

How long did you wait after your knee op until you re-applied?
How serious a knee injury was it?
Do you HAVE to go for your original reg when you re-apply?
Do you know of any other way, aside from Form 203, to see if your eligable
to get back in?

Any answers would be much appreciated. I can't get any answers out of
the MOD to these questions : / They just say "You'll have to just re-apply
and find out."

[Eddiek1989]

Hi mike,

Sorry to hear you got discharged, hopefully your op will have sorted you out!

I had my op in august 2010 and handed my application in around august/september time 2011, so 12months after.
The injury wasn't the worst, but it was bad enough to stop me walking properly, getting up and down stairs etc. i had cracked the cartilage on my knee that was pushing my knee cap out of place a bit. Since the op it is loads better.
I wasnt aware of that you have to rejoin your previous reg until last week. My recruiter said that is just how it is, although he was going to ring up today and try to change it for me so we will see what happens.
No i dont think there is any other way apart from the 203 being sent off. That form goes to an office in glasgow that says whether you are eligable for reapplying or not. Until it has been there, you cant get back in, and even if they do say yes its still not guaranteed. You could mess up in interviews or on selection and fail. (not saying you would).

Best advice would be look after the injury, have physio and start getting back to fitness when you can butnwithout straining it to much. I was told it would take 6months for my knee to heal, but 18months to be 100% healed.

Hope everything goes well for you mate

[mike.dt]

Thanks alot mate, that's definitely cleared a few things up for me now. I was starting to think it was unlikely for me to get back in, but now I'm much more optimistic.


cheers

[Eddiek1989]

Had a phone call from my recruiter this morning, he told me im really making him work for his money as he has managed to switch my 1st choice over to dog handler! chuffed to bits, he has been such a helpful recruiter! So now its all upto me to pass my pre-adsc and the the rest after that!

[Tunni]

Good luck with the PSB Eddie.

I was previously discharged from the TA (Royal Signals) years ago. I'm applying to join the army as a Dog Handler and they told me I'd have to wait for my 203 to continue the app. Luckily, I only waited a week or 2 shy of 3 months (just got it back 2 weeks ago) for mine so for anyone else waiting for their 203, it can be as quick as that.

Just waiting for my ADSC date to come through and am preparing for that.

Mike - good luck on the road to recovery.

[Eddiek1989]

Had my pre adsc today, at Chetwyn barracks.

I am a bit shocked by the standard of people there to be honest! I wasnt very pleased with my 1.5mile run time todaybof 10.01, but i was the 2nd to finish! So the 2nd best on the day, the majority being 11, 12 even upto 15mins!

The ice breakers aswel, everyone has had at least a couple of weeks notice of being on the pre adsc and hardly any people prepared. The ice breaker consists of 30secs personal details, 90secs on a topic (current job, favourite hobby, best holiday, best day) that is given to you by the staff, 30secs on reason for joining army and 30secs on 1st choice.
Some people were literally "hi my name is.... Ermmmm ye ermm not got any hobbies, i dont do anything ermmm i dont know, ermm my 1st choice is ermm dunno, infantry i suppose cause my mate said its good and i like fighting and shit".
You could tell who prepared and who didnt! So advise to people going to pre adsc and adsc, practice your ice breaker! And DONT SWEAR ON THE ICEBREAKER!

This is afterall a job interview, prepare youself and conduct yourself properly!

The command tasks didnt go too much better, although i was in a pretty good team. A lot of people stood at the back in silence not inputting any ideas and not trying to make any contribution to the team. This wont go down well, as military roles always need excellent teamwork and communications!

Im not saying im the perfect recruit, i know im far from it, but i do try to be the best and can guarantee that i was in the top 3 today!
We were told that we would here from our recruiters tomorrow and depending on how well we did and what our scores were we could be going to selection in as little as 10 days! So really hoping this is the case.

I'll do another update after selection, for anybody who is interested, but for those who are about to go on pre adsc / adsc, just remember... (and this is proper cliche)

FAILING TO PREPARE IS PREPARING TO FAIL!

[Eddiek1989]

Got my date for ADSC.

Anybody else going to Lichfield Tuesday 22nd May? If so, see you there!

[Eddiek1989]

Had my ADSC at lichfield yesterday, and was extremely happy to be the only 1 out of 34 to get an A grade, which means i can go forward onto my specialist interview at Melton Mowbray. I got a run time on 9.21 so much improved on my pre-adsc run, and means i was in the run time for my 2nd job choice the paras.
So 1 step closer to being a dog handler now, and very excited!