Page 1 of 10
Females Joining up.
Posted: Fri 28 Aug, 2009 10:22 am
by kelly696
Hiya everyone, Im thinking about joining up but I have a few questions first, well Im 28 (I know im old lol) and female. I want to join the RLC as a driver (I know that will depend on my BARB test which im taking next week) my questions are:
Do females have the same fitness entry tests as males?
I can do everything else they will expect me to do but pull ups, I am trying to do them but I just cant.
I have had cancer will I fail my medical?
The cancer was a year ago and was compleatly removed, I did not need chemo.
thanks for helping xx[/b]
Posted: Fri 28 Aug, 2009 12:52 pm
by HRH
Hey
They'll go through everything with you at the carreers office anyway
But no the entry requirements are not the same, the 1.5 miles has to be done only within 14 minutes so we get a leeway on that
(Not that you should aim for 14 minues of course)
Also you don't have to do heaves to pass ADSC not many girls can, I didn't, but it IS possible so keep trying!
Far as I know the basic training is the same as mens.
Don't worry about your age I am 24 and a friend of mine was 32 when she passed ADSC.
Good luck
Posted: Fri 28 Aug, 2009 10:14 pm
by kelly696
Thank you, I went for a run tonight and I managed a mile in 10 mins lol so I still have a lot of training to do but there was hale stone and thundering and lightning lol. I think the thing to do is to hit the gym first and try and boost my fitness that way. I also have 3 kids, and my husband has been in the army for the past 16 years.
Posted: Sun 30 Aug, 2009 12:05 pm
by MSI64
I have a feeling that having cancer in your medical history will be a complete BAR on joining up!
But check with your AFCO/ACIO
Posted: Sun 30 Aug, 2009 2:15 pm
by sky ninja steve
he he 14 min wot a joke
Posted: Sun 30 Aug, 2009 2:48 pm
by gpw2009
sky ninja steve wrote:he he 14 min wot a joke
Could walk round in that.....??

Posted: Sun 30 Aug, 2009 3:10 pm
by sky ninja steve
could do it backwards with a 45 pound bergan on in that
Posted: Mon 31 Aug, 2009 2:31 pm
by Hyperlithe
Go on then, I for one would love to see you try...
If you have nothing interesting or intelligent to say, then please don't bother.
Posted: Tue 01 Sep, 2009 1:44 am
by bored_stupid
Hyperlithe, I think they're poking fun at the 14min run time rather than at girls joining up. As you're a serving female I'd have thought you'd have agreed that's a poor fitness level to set for entrants simply because they're women?
Posted: Tue 01 Sep, 2009 3:44 am
by Hyperlithe
Actually no I wouldn't.
Women are built physically differently from men, they shouldn't be expected to be able to do the mile and a half in the same time.
I would have thought that the fitness requirements would be the same across the three services, and am somewhat surprised that it's harder for women joining the RAF than the Army though.
The Army obviously has some reason for saying 14 mins, and disparaging comments from silly boys does no good for the morale of any female training to achieve it. As you say, it's an entry level, they'll be running it faster by the time they've finished their training, having had several supervised PT sessions a week.
I would still like to see someone try and walk a mile and a half backwards with a bergen on in 14 mins...
Posted: Tue 01 Sep, 2009 7:42 am
by MSI64
14 minutes is a long time for a 1.5 mile, but please remember that all times from Infantry down is a benchmark for MINIMUM standard.
Im 39 been in 16 years and still run under 10 minutes. you should be looking at your best effort, Having served two years at an ATR as an Instructor some of my girls could run the guys into the ground.
Posted: Tue 01 Sep, 2009 10:19 am
by SandyTheGuvnor
Hyperlithe wrote:Actually no I wouldn't.
Women are built physically differently from men, they shouldn't be expected to be able to do the mile and a half in the same time.
I would have thought that the fitness requirements would be the same across the three services, and am somewhat surprised that it's harder for women joining the RAF than the Army though.
The Army obviously has some reason for saying 14 mins, and disparaging comments from silly boys does no good for the morale of any female training to achieve it. As you say, it's an entry level, they'll be running it faster by the time they've finished their training, having had several supervised PT sessions a week.
I would still like to see someone try and walk a mile and a half backwards with a bergen on in 14 mins...
I believe if a man and woman are doing exactly the same job say clerk or chef getting paid the same then the fitness requirements should be exactly the same.
and for the mile and a half backwards in 14 mins is maybe pushing it but i believe i could do CFT backwards in the alloted time
Posted: Tue 01 Sep, 2009 10:40 am
by kelly696
I can do 300-400 sit ups in 8 mins have been doing it every night for years , but its the running I have a problem with, I run like Phoebe off friends lol. I done 1.5 mile in 12 mins last night, been training every day since my last post. Im getting their, aiming for 9 mins now.
Posted: Tue 01 Sep, 2009 12:26 pm
by Zoe
gpw2009 wrote:sky ninja steve wrote:he he 14 min wot a joke
Could walk round in that.....??

Haha!! ok its no hard to see there is a BIG difference in fitness levels, however its definately not impossible for us girls to humiliate a few boys in a 1.5mile run.
Shame on you guys who see the back of a girl in a run!!

Posted: Tue 01 Sep, 2009 12:30 pm
by SandyTheGuvnor
Zoe wrote:gpw2009 wrote:sky ninja steve wrote:he he 14 min wot a joke
Could walk round in that.....??

Haha!! ok its no hard to see there is a BIG difference in fitness levels, however its definately not impossible for us girls to humiliate a few boys in a 1.5mile run.
Shame on you guys who see the back of a girl in a run!!

The only time i have seen the back of a girl on a BFT/BPFA/PFT was when it was on a running track and it was when i was lapping her
