Help!

[bootneckorpara]

sorry

[harry hackedoff]

Join the Para mate, you`ll love it

[SO19]

What Harry said.

[JoJo82]

Dude, you only want to join for the fighting? Use that line in the careers and your be booted ASAP. Yes, pro boxing, kick boxing, Judo are sports that the military compete in. Also if you are on a team, the military will give you time off to enter tournaments (if it is military or if you are representing England).

[Archie]

Hi,

Trying to decide between enlisting for the marines or the paras. I'm more interested in joining the boots as a unit, however I also compete in ultimate fighting! lol and the main shows and training teams are around the London area, which the paras Colchester base is nearby.

However as far as I know the marines are only based in Plymouth, Taunton and Arbroath? Is there any chance of being based near London?

Also once basic training is over, do you have time to do your own thing (ie go and train sport outside of the gates)

Cheers,
Neil

Ps as part of a military unit I am also looking to continue to compete, there isn't much money in this sport so I need a job as well.

I agree with Harry, sorry H but there had to be a first time.....

Bootneckorpara

You are real Para material, you should get on down to AFCO soonest. Be sure to have your wings tatooed on your left shoulder along with your bloodgroup

If you do choose the Royal Marines I'm sure they'd consider locating you near London, they have access to a very useful facility in Colchester, although this is only for special individuals.

You will have plenty of time for your own interests once training is complete, though getting a long weekend leave pass from Helmland to compete in England may prove to be a problem.

That said you should find plenty of opportunities for ultimate fighting if you just pop in to the nearest Royal Marine base and callout "Bootneck Bootneck, can't catch me" that should give you all the fighting you can handle

As for getting some extra money, one word, Beefers!!!!!

[Archie]

Re Ultimate fighting


Don't know about you but I'd not bet on him.............




if he was around

[commando-or-para]

looks like me and you have the a bit in common.as you can tell by my name and i too love mixed martial arts, if you do compete pm me your name so i can search for you on sherdog, if your not on there you aint an mma fighter, or at least not a good one, one of the guys on www.mfat.co.uk/forums is a pti in the paras and a cage fighter, ... sandy

at the moment i think i am going to go for the paras, i was more for the marines because of the image they get, everyone knows who and how good they are, but they can both get the job done they are given, the marines were in my local paper not so long ago for being at a local barracks, i am sure the paras have been there too, the only difference is when the marines go they end up in the paper.............. big deal

[Archie]

Perhaps I was too subtle for you. Read my post again from the view point of a former Royal Marine, one who spent his time trying to keep people safe from the violence of others.

BTW the facility is Colchester I alluded to is a Military Prison!

Mind you, I still think displaying an interest in Beefers could be a good career move for you.


Starters anyone?

[Frank S.]

Two songs keep going through my head reading this: "Relax" by Frankie goes to Hollywood and "dogs of war" by Pink Floyd.
How did Elvis die, again?

[Archie]

Hey Frank

You know I'm sure he's really a bootneck looking for a bite , I mean he must be, surely he can't be serious, can he?

[exgreenjacket]

Archie, Is your friend now in the Provost staff now or is he still a Marine working on the training wing?

When I was in the MCTC there were a couple of Marines (staff and detainees) who it was an absolute pleasure to train and work with. They seemed to carry the imaginary ethos that we were told about in the Green Jackets, but it never really existed. We were told we were 'thinking riflemen' but it was countered with 'youre not paid to f***ing think!'.

Working in STANTA (I think thats the name of the place) the lads (prisoners for want of a better word) were always quick to point out where the instructors were going wrong or were missing a trick in the FIBUA village, and the RM instructors were always keen to hear our different methods and thoughts. RM and RAF Reg were both like that.

The Provost staff were different though. They stood for everything that was wrong with our Army.

Paul.

[Archie]

Friends Greeny I ain't got no friends apart from Eric my pet frog and he's dead, no mate I'm Billy no mates.


I did know a few who had visits to Hotel Colchester, most for being stupid and thinking they'd get away with it or work their tickets, wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!

Personally I've only ever been there as an escort for a dopey one who went AWOL and then believed the firms solicitors who told him he'd be better off giving himself up..

He got 2 years and a dishonorable.

[harry hackedoff]

Are you saying HM the Q never had you at her pleasure Arch
Kin amazing
Army not paid to think? What is the world coming to?

Paul, we respect the differences between "our way" and the Army way. We often take the piss about it, but the reality is we are not in the Army. We come from a totally different standpoint. The biggest difference is the Commando Course.Thirty two weeks at the moment, to train a young lad straight off the street up to the basic standard required in a fighting company in a Commando Unit is pretty amazing mate. At every stage in that process there is only one standard. We didn`t ask you, you asked us.
Even when lads have been a bit naughty and ended up in Colly they cannot keep that out of the way they behave. It`s in us forever. And the Green Lid is a great equaliser as far as rank is concerned. " Er, yes Boss, but you do realise what a cnut you will look like if we actiually do that?"
I can`t imagine that conversation ever taking place in the RGJ, can you?
Capbadge games aside, we are a different animal.
Here`s to the RGJ,

[exgreenjacket]

Well I can only speak from personal experience Harry, and while that kind of exchange might have been pretty common before my time in the RGJ the Regiment definitely was moving away from the old ways and getting more and more bogged down in the bullshít that we used to take the mick out of other units for. I could notice the changes even in my relatively short time in the Batallion.

I think it might have something to do with respect though mate. If you know your blokes have been there and done it, then you will obviously value their opinion and listen to what they have to say. 2RGJ has spent years sitting dormant in Germany with the odd sunbathing and adventure training tour of Bosnia and a couple of months in Kosovo. The Batallion was dying and I think the difference in attitudes between SNCO's to Rifleman was a sign of that.

The RM staff at the MCTC despised the Provost staff though, and it was brilliant to get out on the area doing fieldcraft and FIBUA with them and really earning your £3.60 a week instead of scrubbing bog seats while some limp wristed desk jockey shouts at you!

Paul.

[Rogue Chef]

Ahoy there!
I decided on the Royal Marines.
When the Chief Petty Officer at the recruiting office asked me why, I explained that I had visited the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge as a boy.
He didn't understand.
If you ever have the opportunity to stand at that statue you will understand.
Take a peek at these pics.
viewtopic.php?p=168831&highlight=#168831

I expect the same could be said if your first impression was when you visited Pegasus Bridge or something similarly connected to Para Reg or indeed any other branch of HM Armed Forces.