Joining as a RAF Reg Officer

[tommy494]

Hi all, strange question possibly...

I'm just finishing my third year of a degree and am interested in an officer career with the RAF Reg. Upon enquiring with the AFCO I said I was interested as a Gunner but was promptly told as a graduate I would be better suited to an officer career. Problem is I'm in two minds about this. I will be a graduate (hopefully, as long as I don't balls it up) but I wouldn't call myself your typical uni student.

I feel I'm just one of the lads lads whose got his head down and done the work to get a qualification but feel I can be good a leader (did cadets etc). I'm not really sure of the typical officer sort nowadays, I know there's the typical stereotypes about officer types i.e. daddy owns half of Chesire, filthy rich etc. Is this a true stereotype of the officer types nowadays? I know a few lads in the Army and they say most of their officers are pompous blokes with spaniels and moustaches but I have a feeling this view may not be well founded lol

Any info would be greatly appreciated

Tom

[tommy494]

Cheers for the good (advice) , studying Adventure Tourism at Essex Uni at the moment, had an initial interview with AFCO got to mull over my options and complete my application form now

Tom

[Long Timer]

Having seen both sides of the fence. If you have the option to go officer, then go officer. Ability is what you will be judged on, not whether or not you speak with a toffee in your mouth.

LT

[wannabe_rock]

I have a friend who was a Reg officer. He is a working class lad from the Midlands, granted he worked on losing his strong accent, however this wasn't because he wasn't "posh" enough but o aid communication.

Anyway the point - he joined at 18 and had a succesfull career with QCS and 2 Squadron. He is without doubt just one of the lads.

At OASC they want to see you, and how you work, if you are good enough you get selected not if you are posh enough.

Apply for your commission, if you're selected fantastic, if not you can always go in as a gunner, then when you feel happy with your leadership skills applyu for your commission from the ranks. This way you get to know how a gunner thinks and how he wants to be led, and you can use that to your advantage once on a squadron.