"It'll make a MAHN of you son!"

[Monkey_Man]

But will it?

I've been considering joining the armed forces for quite a while, if I do I'd try to join the Royal Marines. But what are everyone's opinions with regards to temprement and attitude that gets through? I know it (in general, not just RM) makes some men and breaks others.

The thing that's making me hesitate to try is a combination of not being near fit enough *yet*, and not being sure wether I have the right kind of temprement or attitude. I don't wanna join for the wrong reasons or end up regretting it, but I don't wanna not try and regret that, it's a bit of a pickle really.

As a side note, if you can join as an officer, should you? Apparently I have enough UCAS points to do so, I know this is probably a good discussion to have with an armed forces careers officer, but the way I see it the more input the better.

Thanks for any opinions/help/verbal abuse from Paras guys.

[Doc]

Hate to be harsh (why do I say that when you know Im going to be and if I hated it that much I wouldnt!! )

But anyway, by asking the question I would gauge you havent the mentality, if your umming and arghing it isnt for you, either do it with a full heart or dont bother cos only a strong heart and mind will get you through.

Maybe that will help you make up your mind bud

Doc

[speed freek]

I think you just have to want to do it, Giving 100% is hard enough without having to do it when your in second thoughts about if its what you want to do.

[JC]

Monkeyman don't think you are the only one because joining as an officer is extremely difficult. Don't decide that you can't do it, just go and do it and hang in there for as long as you can. You will never know until you are there. Always think to yourself "what the hell else am i gunna do?"

[markthestab]

try the T.A


seriously though, might not be a bad idea if your unsure, whilst the t.a is 60% full of half arsed muppets(the rest are ex-or current regs ) theres always the oppertunity for you to do stuff like P company which im attempting and there are a few like minded individuals who take it seriously enough to take responsibility for there own training and become usefull to the army, and if i pass p company i'll be half a REME and half a para which combined should just about make me a full soldier

after that im going to go for the proper thing and pass p company again later in the regs and be REME attached to paras hopefully

you can always use T.A P company and AACC to see if your capable of doing the real thing

[CheesePossessed]

Bit of a difference between a few weekends of phys with 5 days to recover and 5 weeks solid of it. Fcuking Walt.

[markthestab]

Bit of a difference between a few weekends of phys with 5 days to recover and 5 weeks solid of it. Fcuking Walt.

ok matey

never compared the two did i , just thought if someones not sure about joining the armed forces the T.A could be an eye opener for them

if they dont even know if they want the armed forces life it might be a bit better than going in at the deep end and dropping out wasting time and money

you miss-understood but never mind eh chap

[Edwards159]

Bit of a difference between a few weekends of phys with 5 days to recover and 5 weeks solid of it. Fcuking Walt.

Nice to see your back

[willgoodman]

Its lovely to see that things have changed and people are being so kind and helpful to eachother.. sorry to use your post to have a drip monkey_man but i feel it needs to be said. These forums are for people searching for help and advice so if you have nothing constructive to say then take your pathetic bickering elsewhere! Everyone in the Armed forces has their place and their own talents, therefore get of your high horses and show the respect that people deserve!

Anyway..Monkey-man. As you have undoubtably heard, RM training isn't for the faint hard, it's not always fun and its certainly never easy. But that what makes it what it is. In my opinion you would be missing out not to give it a try.
To pass the training you need to be determined and self motivated and certainly be a team player. The friends you would make in the corps will stay with you for a long time and you develop a type of friendship that you wouldn't get elsewhere.
My advice would be to go for officer selection if you have the potential, if you pass the POC and for some reason don't make it into the batch, you can enter as a recruit, it sounds to me like a bit of self doubt on your part rather than a doubt of wanting to join.

Good Luck!

Will

[Daveb]

These forums are for people searching for help and advice so if you have nothing constructive to say then take your pathetic bickering elsewhere!

Well said mate

Markthestab, that's exactly what I did mate. I joined the TA to see if I enjoyed military life. I know the TA is only on weekends and one evening a week, but it still gives you at least an insight on what military life is.
I'm not expecting the Marines to be anything like the TA, but I think at least, the TA has prepared me 'slightly' for military life.

[JC]

Its lovely to see that things have changed..

True, certainly this place is now serving its purpose

[markthestab]

These forums are for people searching for help and advice so if you have nothing constructive to say then take your pathetic bickering elsewhere!

Well said mate

Markthestab, that's exactly what I did mate. I joined the TA to see if I enjoyed military life. I know the TA is only on weekends and one evening a week, but it still gives you at least an insight on what military life is.
I'm not expecting the Marines to be anything like the TA, but I think at least, the TA has prepared me 'slightly' for military life.

it'll take them months to undo the damage done to you by the T.A on the drill square

yeah thing is mate, even though we all know the T.A is slack on things like drill, fitness, you still do the very basics like go away on courses and exercises, iraq etc with regular soldiers and have to do things properly

i mean some people get out on excersice, freeze their b*llocks off doing hour on hour off stag in a tempory harbour, and realise the army isnt what they thought it was and fook off, if they cant manage that what the bloody hell are they going to be like doing 32 weeks at lympstone

[Monkey_Man]

Thanks for the advice guys, I think being a "weekend warrior" would be beneficial for me, even if I don't decide to go on to be a regular. I'll be able to squeeze an appointment with a careers type person around work next week so I'll have an even better idea of things after that.

With regards to the doubt etc, a lot of that is down to my current lifestyle being really laid back and having no military background in my family since my gramps who fixed Wellingtons for the RAF in WWII. I have a lot (relatively) of disposable income, few responsibilities and obligations, and I guess it's just a long, long way from a military life...but it's also bloody boring, with a military career I would feel like there was a point to what I was doing beyond making sure I got money in my pocket for a few pints of the black stuff on a Saturday.