Royal Navy waiting list

[sparks_E39]

98elise said:

sparks_E39 said:

April 2014

Good luck. Providing you have the following qualities you will love it;

A sense of humor
A thick skin
A good drinking arm.
Professionalism
Ability to live/sleep in an average size bedroom, with 20 other people!

Lack any of those and you will hate it.

During basic training don't forget that its not like the real Navy.

Think I'll be ok.... not much of a drinker nowadays, I cut right down to help get fit enough to pass the fitness tests.

[98elise]

sparks_E39 said:

98elise said:

sparks_E39 said:

April 2014

Good luck. Providing you have the following qualities you will love it;

A sense of humor
A thick skin
A good drinking arm.
Professionalism
Ability to live/sleep in an average size bedroom, with 20 other people!

Lack any of those and you will hate it.

During basic training don't forget that its not like the real Navy.

Think I'll be ok.... not much of a drinker nowadays, I cut right down to help get fit enough to pass the fitness tests.

The will be plenty of time to restore old habits once you're on a ship

[sparks_E39]

Not long to go now!

[junglie]

I sent you a PM earlier (not related to this) and your details page now makes sense!

Congratulations on getting a date to join - it is a fun life.

[sparks_E39]

junglie said:

I sent you a PM earlier (not related to this) and your details page now makes sense!

Congratulations on getting a date to join - it is a fun life.

Thanks mate, just read it. I'll reply tomorrow evening, need to get some sleep!

[The Lordflashart]

Good luck mate.
It's lots of fun.
Keep your sense of humour. Basic is a laugh if you see it the right way.
I'm a retired Lieutenant commander and I started at Raleigh as an AEM.

Best job in the world

[sparks_E39]

The Lordflashart said:

Good luck mate.
It's lots of fun.
Keep your sense of humour. Basic is a laugh if you see it the right way.
I'm a retired Lieutenant commander and I started at Raleigh as an AEM.

Best job in the world

Thanks! I'm going in as a rating so it would be a good few years before officer training would become available to me. Obviously I'll take it as it comes but it's what I want to work towards.

[sparks_E39]

Off to PRNC tomorrow, with a cold. Joy!

I'm looking forward to it, but I know with this cold I won't be 100%

[stevenjhepburn]

Well done!

[sparks_E39]

PRNC passed! It was hard, but I loved every minute and would honestly stay another week. I've got 10 or so weeks till Raleigh, just going to hammer the fitness.

[scotty_d]

sparks_E39 said:

PRNC passed! It was hard, but I loved every minute and would honestly stay another week. I've got 10 or so weeks till Raleigh, just going to hammer the fitness.

PRNC? Pre something test I take it? Never had that when I joined up. Good luck Raleigh is great fun head down dig in work hard and enjoy.

[98elise]

scotty_d said:

sparks_E39 said:

PRNC passed! It was hard, but I loved every minute and would honestly stay another week. I've got 10 or so weeks till Raleigh, just going to hammer the fitness.

PRNC? Pre something test I take it? Never had that when I joined up. Good luck Raleigh is great fun head down dig in work hard and enjoy.

Nor did I. From a quick read it sounds like a taster of basic training.

Well done sparks, if you liked the PRNC then you will love the Navy. Once you get out of training the real navy is a bit more relaxed. Its more about professionalism and self dicipline than someone shouting at you.

[sparks_E39]

Thanks guys. The PRNC (Pre Royal Navy Course I think) has being going since 2012 I believe to give a taster of life at Raleigh for the 10 weeks basic. Mine was at HMS Collingwood in Hampshire, not sure if there is a base up north that does a similar course. Also I visited HMS Dragon, one of the new Type 45's which was brilliant. I'm sure you guys remember hospital corners, they're a bugger but I got them in the end. Did a bit of phys, my swimming needs work but I'm okay. I loved it and would quite happily still be there. Instead of quietly stting myself about Raleigh I'm now really looking forward to it.

[scotty_d]

sparks_E39 said:

I loved it and would quite happily still be there. Instead of quietly stting myself about Raleigh I'm now really looking forward to it.

Don't get to worked up about it, hard work but great fun, doubt I could get through it now I was straight out of school when I joined up and don't regret it at all. I was on small ships and they have a great crack.




I left about 7 years ago to persue other career paths, but I still keep in contact with some of the guys I joined up with and served onboard with.

All I can say is good luck and you get out what you put in to it, they look after you well.

[98elise]

sparks_E39 said:

Thanks guys. The PRNC (Pre Royal Navy Course I think) has being going since 2012 I believe to give a taster of life at Raleigh for the 10 weeks basic. Mine was at HMS Collingwood in Hampshire, not sure if there is a base up north that does a similar course. Also I visited HMS Dragon, one of the new Type 45's which was brilliant. I'm sure you guys remember hospital corners, they're a bugger but I got them in the end. Did a bit of phys, my swimming needs work but I'm okay. I loved it and would quite happily still be there. Instead of quietly stting myself about Raleigh I'm now really looking forward to it.

I was an Artificer so I spent years at Collingwood. Honestly if you liked the PRNC then Raleigh will be easy. Hospital corners were a pain. Do you still box bedding as well? Just remember life on a ship is nothing like that though.

[sparks_E39]

We were told past Raleigh we will never have to do hospital corners again. Beds just have to be as neat as possible, and there are certain parameters and measurements to abide by.

[98elise]

sparks_E39 said:

We were told past Raleigh we will never have to do hospital corners again. Beds just have to be as neat as possible, and there are certain parameters and measurements to abide by.

On board, most peope just use a sleeping bag (or did in my day). Its just simpler all round to clean, transport, stow etc. You also get your kit cleaned in the chinese laundry so no more washing and ironing kit

[scotty_d]

98elise said:

sparks_E39 said:

We were told past Raleigh we will never have to do hospital corners again. Beds just have to be as neat as possible, and there are certain parameters and measurements to abide by.

On board, most peope just use a sleeping bag (or did in my day). Its just simpler all round to clean, transport, stow etc. You also get your kit cleaned in the chinese laundry so no more washing and ironing kit

Sleeping bags??? Sound like you served with Nelson on the victory shippers!

Not sure about big ships as I was always minehunters but we all used our own personal duvets to give a little more home comfort, as long as it was neat when you got up and for evening rounds all was fine. And if at sea we some times had to zip it all up in our bed bags.

No Chinese laundry on plastic ships

[sparks_E39]

Well.... I start on Sunday. Oddly not stting myself. I feel I should be nervous... I definitely thought I would be. The acquaint course helped a lot.

[98elise]

sparks_E39 said:

Well.... I start on Sunday. Oddly not stting myself. I feel I should be nervous... I definitely thought I would be. The acquaint course helped a lot.

No need to be nervous. If you breezed the aquaint course then you will be fine. Basic is as crap as it gets, so if you get through that then it just gets better.