Geo Tech question.

[grantdw]

Hi guys,

I've browsed the forums to get some background to what life as a Geo Tech is like? I've read up the description on the official Army website, but I was wondering if you guys could let me know what you think of it exactly.

At the moment i've just finished my pre-ADSC and will be speaking to my recruitment officer midweek to discuss how it went, so hopefully i'll be able to get an ADSC date soon!

Thanks,

Grant

[skidloaf]

hey. My first choice used to be Geo Tech....until I spoke to someone down the local TA centre. He said its a great job if you like playing on google earth and photocopiers all day.
AFCO or a TA centre will be a good place to ask if no one on here can help.

[sportbilly42]

My first choice used to be Geo Tech....until I spoke to someone down the local TA centre. He said its a great job if you like playing on google earth and photocopiers all day.

And so what did you end up doing instead? If you listen to every comment made by someone who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about, then more fool you.

Having said that, it's all changed since I was in Military Survey. Used to be five seperate trades, then it was shuffled around with some of the base plant map production work shifting to civvy posts at MOD. Remaining three trades have now been compressed into this one all-encompassing Geo Tech trade which is far more office based than it used to be. On exercise or Ops you'll be in the back of a Taciprint vehicle preparing visual flythroughs or terrain data (the Google Earth bit) for commanders briefings etc. Used to be a proper Heidelburg print press in the back of a box body, capable of running off large quantity tactical maps in the field (as well as 'Miss Exercise' posters for beer..... ) but Taciprint these days is a box body jammed full of computers and plotters.

Normally part of the G2 set-up, there was a move to transfer Geo from RE over to Int Corps a while back, as more of their operational tasks were gathering and presenting Int, but at the time the E-in-C fought to keep Mil Svy within his headcount. Understand that 42 Engineer Regt (Geo) may be moving from current base in Berkshire and may again be swallowed up by Int Corps or a general Defence Intelligence setup. Not sure what the latest is with this.

As for the job, it involves lots of data preparation/manipulation and plenty of time spent in front of Hi-spec GIS hardware/software. There's no doubt it's state of art end of the GIS techie arena and leading edge of much GIS development worldwide (the GIS software companies are booming currently with all these ops on) They come up with next new version of software designed to get better real time satellite imagery onto digitial terrain mapping (3D mapping) for instance, which the Geo tech presents to the commanders. Geo Tech learns how to use kit, becomes expert, is persuaded to leave army for well paid job with GIS software firm and then returns to Geo as a civvy instructing his old pals how to use new software. That's why there's a lot of turnover within Geo.

There are lots of opportunities for postings to HQ type roles. A fair number of one man postings to far flung areas and cushy numbers once you've got a few stripes up, where you are the resident expert on all things 'mapping'.


But at the end of the day, do you want to join the army to spend 90% of your time doing 'military skills' related tasks, (shooting guns n stuff) or are you after a trade that will see you OK once you're out? For many lads, there's no point joining unless they're being a sodjer first, second and third. Truth is though, most lads these days are more 'geeky' than they like to admit. X-Box 360/PS3, you name it.... everyone's an expert having spent 100s of hours in front of computers. THAT's all a bit computer nerdy. If you get enough of that at home then Geo probably isn't for you. If you want to do even more stuff on computers while you're in work, in the army, then give Geo a shot.

A bit more info here:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/About ... raphic.htm

.....it's great job if you like playing on google earth and photocopiers all day.

BTW.... it was COLOUR photocopiers we used to play with.....

[sportbilly42]

Edit to my post: Taciprint is no more (Tactical Information Printing )
The vehicle deployed on Ex & Ops is now called Tacisys (Tactical Information System) It's still jammed full of computers, whatever they call it these days...