doctor dilemma - army/navy

[Twoleftfeet]

Hi, just doing the polite thing and introducing myself. Am a medical student and would like to join the forces - either Army or Navy. Am not a spring chicken, and have done all the acquaint visits and tried to check them out as best I can. I was hoping to pick any exisiting Drs brains about how to chose which one, and what the general differences are apart from the blatantly obvious (ship/land and uniform!) .

[Greenronnie]

Depends what you want out of joining up, are you after qualifications, travel or just something different? Obviously the type of trade you go for will temper the type of quals or experiences you recieve, I'm sure both services can offer many rewards.

Remember that as an Army medic you may be spending more time outdoors, however I'm sure it's no picnic aboard a ship. Of course, in either service you may end up working in a Med centre at a camp.

If you haven't investigated this in depth, you may want to check out the relevant websites or visit the respective career offices. Just don't let them talk you into anything you're not interested in!

PS I personally think the Navy would be the better choice! Just my opinion!

[Twoleftfeet]

Thanks for that, I appreciate any insights. I have investigated it as far as an outsider can, I've spent 2 days with each service on their PR visits hearing about what they offer and how great they all are compared to each other! Its just so hard as as a medic we commit so much time to them and I don't want to make the wrong decision based on PR stuff, but won't know the real picture till I've joined. I felt the army maybe had a bit more to offer in terms of travelling but can see that after a while you could get sick of being sent all over, but the army does seems to offer more variety in terms of medical training (like you could be a obstetrician in the army but not in the other two). As its so much bigger I wonder if resources are stretched a little thinner and the person on the ground suffers in terms of not getting their promised courses and adventure training etc. I felt that maybe with the Navy you get more of what you're promised, but don't know if thats a bit of a naiive view. Any ideas?

[Artist]

Join the Royal Navy. Serve for a couple of years as a Ships Doctor then apply to do the Commando Course and serve with the Royal Marines.

They ain't the Army true. But go to all the same places as the Army and are damn good soldiers to boot. Each Commmando unit has a medical staff. Mind you, you had best be very fit in order to Hack the All Arms Commando Course.

Doc Jolly was a full Surgeon Commander in charge of the Medical Sqn of CDOLOGREGRM before and during and after the Falklands in 1982. One cracking good Bloke so he is.

Artist

[Twoleftfeet]

Thanks for that. A query though ... I thought I couldn't do the Commando course as a woman - or at least that women are welcome to do it but just that no one has ever passed. Have I got my wires crossed?

[Artist]

An Army Captain (female) earned her Green Lid Doing the AACC so why not a Naval Doctor?

You never know until you try as they say.

Artist

[Twoleftfeet]

ta, I take it the AACC is a shortened version that allows you to accompany them so you don't embarrass yourself or them by being a complete numpty? how come only one woman has passed it?

[Artist]

Twoleftfeet

In all honesty I reckon she was going to pass it regardless. PC had a lot to do with it.

As it is I was an Instructor with the AACC twenty odd years ago and it's not an easy course. The Training Team don't really care if you pass or not. As most instructors would rather be training Royal Marine Recruits instead of a collection of people from all over the place.

Basically you are in the hands of Royal Marines and best your soldiering skills are up to scratch. The course is from start to finish one big Hurry Up job. The Marines take it as read that all the people who attend it are up to the standard of a fully qualified Soldier/Sailer/Airman as in you know your onions regarding Soldiering. A lot of AACC bods did a beat up proir to going to CTCRM so that the various units knew for a fact that the bods they put forward to do the course were up to the required standard.

The blokes at CTCRM just don't have the time to re-teach basic infantry skills as the course is so intense. A large proportion of the guys are just out of basic training anyway (which helps) I suppose the average age is late teens early twenties for most on the course's. Saying that mind people in their forties have done the course. Normally Senior ranking officers up to full Col/Cdr. Most of the people on the course are Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery bods. With a few REME, RLC, Royal Sigs and so forth. Plus a few Matelots and quite a few Foreign Bods.

We had a lot of US Army Green Berets do the course ditto Rangers and a few USMC bods. Some were top rate guys some were walking disasters.

I've just got to mention Staff Sgt Hank Marzella. US Ranger Combat Engineer. He really was unique! He had two left feet, two right arms. And the intelligence of a block of waterlogged balsa wood!!! This "Superman" once shot himself with a blank round!! The PRONG thought it would be interesting to see how the Blank Firing Attachement worked. Eijut didn't secure it correctly onto his SLR. Pulled the trigger........Factured his cheekbone and got an instant Tattoo of black spots all over his fizzogg. Thank God he was wearing glasses or he would have been blinded for life. We send him back to wherever it was he came from. Fort Lostcause was his base I reckon!

Anyway back to the real world. As I said before it's all up to yourself regarding choices. If you have the bottle then have a bash at it. You never know until you have a go.

Artist

[Greenronnie]

Without trying to undermine Artists suggestions, I think you might just want to concentrate on which medical career path you want to follow before thinking of attempting the Commando Course!

You need to be one seriously fit and motivated woman to even think of attempting the AACC. Remember only one female has passed it so far, and in your original post you were asking what level on the bleep test you needed to achieve, not to set a record, but just so that you didn't embarrass yourself. So might just be best to focus on the basics first.

[harry hackedoff]

I`ve been biting my tongue till there`s none left.
Did Cap`n Pip, God Bless Her, actually pass? Did the same rules apply to her as to say, a male member of two nine? Did they fork.

Ronnie, imagine some lady passing P Coy but not doing the trainaisium because she didn`t like heights. Wouldn`t you feel like the system had been abused?
Just like The World Cup and Marradonna`s "hand of God"
One day soon, a girl will manage to pass the All Arms Course, fairly and squarely. When that happens, as it surely will, I`ll be the first to say well done. Cap`n Pip, God Bless Her, has seen us off.

[Greenronnie]

HH, I couldn't agree more oppo. And that includes the fact that one day a female will probably pass P Coy. It is gradually getting easier anyway. Apparantly the 20 miler was binned recently. Also when I did it, we had to live off rations and stag on at night out in the ulu between events. It's a bit harder when your kit is getting heavier by the day due to the horizontal rain in Brecon lashing through one's basha.

Anyway, getting off thread a bit here, Leftfeet, get yourself in the Navy and enjoy life more!

[Ruth]

Hi, if it's between Army and Navy, I'd say Navy (as an outsider!).

You'll get better opportunites (including for training options) in the Navy. I know one guy who wasn't being allowed to do what he wanted to progress his medical career in the Army and who then changed to the Navy and hasn't looked back.

Also, as one of my old colleagues (Army) put it "The Army make the NHS look like a kind, caring and considerate employer"
I've never heard any of the Navy docs say anything like that

[Twoleftfeet]

sorry may have confused things referring to wanting to be a 'medic', I've changed the title - I meant Dr ... another example of civilian incompetence!

[harry hackedoff]

Either will sponsor you at Uni/Med Skool and you get to join TA or RNR and get a decent intro to service life before you actually join up. Go to your AFCO in the Morning ang get the gen from him.
Go Navy, unless you look like Anne Widdycome in which case Greenronnie will have you in his Army like a shot

Good luck whichever way you choose, Ma`am

[Greenronnie]

Go Navy, unless you look like Anne Widdycome in which case Greenronnie will have you in his Army like a shot

Fair one, some right stunners in the RAMC, remember the doc in The Paras series? Shwiiing!