Following on from my intial interviews a number of years ago I've always assumed that if I made the attempt to join the RM I'd do it as an Officer. I have the brains for it, and of course there's the extra challenge physically. However, I've recently been wondering if it wouldn't be a better choice to enter as a recruit and then set might sights on becoming an NCO. I don't aim to make a full career of the RM, instead serving for maybe 6 years or so. The chance to utilise my potential for leadership seems to be there and so maybe this is the better choice.
The pay isn't as good of course, and I'm not sure how long it takes to move through the non-commissioned ranks, does anyone have any experience as regards the difference in roles between commissioned officers and NCO's and the pros and cons of all this?
Share This Page:
Officer or NCO?
-
sneaky beaky
- Member
- Posts: 1273
- Joined: Mon 09 Sep, 2002 8:09 pm
- Location: 19th hole
Galant
I don't think you will make it. You are not committed to being a Royal
Marine. It does take a lot of effort.
If you ever joined - then you should (by the sound of it), join as an Officer. Anybody with a good education should join as an Officer. Their career prospects are so much better, especially if they go on until they are 55 years old.
The pension prospects are also so much better!!
Sneaky
It seems you are are using the RM as a "stepping stone" for a further career.I don't aim to make a full career of the RM, instead serving for maybe 6 years or so.
I don't think you will make it. You are not committed to being a Royal
Marine. It does take a lot of effort.
If you ever joined - then you should (by the sound of it), join as an Officer. Anybody with a good education should join as an Officer. Their career prospects are so much better, especially if they go on until they are 55 years old.
The pension prospects are also so much better!!
Sneaky
Former RM of 23 years.
I have just over the amount of qualifcations needed to be an officer and my AFCO stated that in my interview and asked if i would rather go for officer, but i would rather serve a few years at the bottom and gain some experience in the corp and then try and get recomended for officer a few years later. Just so that if all went well and i did become an officer at least i would have some real experience to make my decisions from.
915 trp every womans pet, every mans regret.
Fair enough Beaky - but how many RM's do then go for career?
I don't think I'm underestimating the challenge, or taking it lightly. I'm not viewing it as a stepping stone but as a challenge and an accomplishment in itself. I do though intend to do other things in my life also.
As an officer I'll have to join before next September, I started training a few weeks ago and intend to use these next several months to work hard at it.
I don't think I'm underestimating the challenge, or taking it lightly. I'm not viewing it as a stepping stone but as a challenge and an accomplishment in itself. I do though intend to do other things in my life also.
As an officer I'll have to join before next September, I started training a few weeks ago and intend to use these next several months to work hard at it.
-
Artist
- Guest
Galant
I think Sneakies trying to tell you that for a lot of us it was a Career Choice.
In my day a few guys joined for just three years but, once in a unit extended their time to nine years or more owing to the lifestyle. It gets in your blood and never leaves the vast majority of us you see.
Quite a few of my Oppos joined at 16 or 17. They did the nine years and left as still young but, very fit 27 year olds (service time does not start until you reach eighteen). The majority going on to carve a name for themselves in whatever career they choose in civvy Street.
As to Officer v NCO. if you have the quals and get though the various steps then go Commision. The NCO option can be a pain if you choose a Branch in the Corp where it's basically Deadmans Shoes. By this I mean that you may pass the junior command course and later the senior command course with flying colours but will have to wait for someone to either get promoted themselves or someone leaves the Corp resulting in a promotion spot.
Most Officers reach the rank of Captain within five years or earlier. And could find themselves as a Company Commander. Tis up to you really commision wise.
Artist
I think Sneakies trying to tell you that for a lot of us it was a Career Choice.
In my day a few guys joined for just three years but, once in a unit extended their time to nine years or more owing to the lifestyle. It gets in your blood and never leaves the vast majority of us you see.
Quite a few of my Oppos joined at 16 or 17. They did the nine years and left as still young but, very fit 27 year olds (service time does not start until you reach eighteen). The majority going on to carve a name for themselves in whatever career they choose in civvy Street.
As to Officer v NCO. if you have the quals and get though the various steps then go Commision. The NCO option can be a pain if you choose a Branch in the Corp where it's basically Deadmans Shoes. By this I mean that you may pass the junior command course and later the senior command course with flying colours but will have to wait for someone to either get promoted themselves or someone leaves the Corp resulting in a promotion spot.
Most Officers reach the rank of Captain within five years or earlier. And could find themselves as a Company Commander. Tis up to you really commision wise.
Artist
-
Artist
- Guest
Most guys who go Corp Commision are recomended by their Bosses.
You can have half a Dozen Degrees and still be considered by the higher ups to be unsuitable for Commision. It is not just Qualfications that count but also a guys general demeaner.
As in a guy that shines out from the norm and has just the minimum quals is far more likely to go Corp Commish than someone who has an over abundance of quals but is frankly a Disaster Waiting to happen.
Artist
You can have half a Dozen Degrees and still be considered by the higher ups to be unsuitable for Commision. It is not just Qualfications that count but also a guys general demeaner.
As in a guy that shines out from the norm and has just the minimum quals is far more likely to go Corp Commish than someone who has an over abundance of quals but is frankly a Disaster Waiting to happen.
Artist
-
sneaky beaky
- Member
- Posts: 1273
- Joined: Mon 09 Sep, 2002 8:09 pm
- Location: 19th hole
Galant.
Go for the officer route. You won't have enough time for anything else and anyway a very good friend of mine ( excuse the name dropping!), Paddy Ashdown, did a fairly short time in the RM's, before going on to different and better things!!
Of course, when you do join, you might just find the cameraderie and the social life just too much, to enable you to leave!!
Hope this doesn't help!!
Sneaky
Go for the officer route. You won't have enough time for anything else and anyway a very good friend of mine ( excuse the name dropping!), Paddy Ashdown, did a fairly short time in the RM's, before going on to different and better things!!
Of course, when you do join, you might just find the cameraderie and the social life just too much, to enable you to leave!!
Hope this doesn't help!!
Sneaky
Former RM of 23 years.
weather you join as an officer or other rank, you will be much needed by the corp in whatever role. And remember its what you can give the corp over what they can give you. so if you can grace them on a YO course then go for it. I mean they train around 60 officers a year, thats the best 60 that apply from i dont know how many. so just go for it chap!
-
Bliartheliar
- Guest
Im no longer planning to make a full career out of the Marines either, unless of course i like it. Im initially planning to serve for about 7 years and then leave and pursue another career (eg: journalism, politics). Surely that does not mean that I lack committment or that I am simply using the Royals as a stepping stone? I want to join because its apersonal ambition of mine, not because I want to add something to my CV!sneaky beaky wrote:Galant
It seems you are are using the RM as a "stepping stone" for a further career.I don't aim to make a full career of the RM, instead serving for maybe 6 years or so.
I don't think you will make it. You are not committed to being a Royal
Marine. It does take a lot of effort.
If you ever joined - then you should (by the sound of it), join as an Officer. Anybody with a good education should join as an Officer. Their career prospects are so much better, especially if they go on until they are 55 years old.
The pension prospects are also so much better!!
Sneaky
A lot of people do that anyway, they join up for the challenge, and once they have achieved this challenge (i.e. passed the commando course) they want out because the challenge no longer exists and have proved to themselves that they can do it, so have nothing to work towards that was as great as the challenge they initally signed up for.
But I'v only spoken to a handfull of marines and that's what they say about people they know. And incase your wondering, I'm not by any means saying that life in the corps is easy once you have passed out.
But I'v only spoken to a handfull of marines and that's what they say about people they know. And incase your wondering, I'm not by any means saying that life in the corps is easy once you have passed out.
-
Bliartheliar
- Guest
Saying that though, I may join and like the life and stay on for a long time. Im interested in doing both ML2 and ML1 so I dont think that the challenge will all be used up by the time I pass out. However Im not longer planning to stay for a full engagement, as I would have liked when I was younger.
Though I still have to pass a PRMC/POC first, and then training!. So really I should stop planning my long term future and concdentrate on short term goals.
Though I still have to pass a PRMC/POC first, and then training!. So really I should stop planning my long term future and concdentrate on short term goals.
