Considering the R.A.F
Discussion
Hi guys i am currently studying public services at college on a Level 3 Extended Course . I am predicted distinction on this course and wondered what related jobs i could get with this qualification. I saw an R.A.F job called Regiment Officers which took my fancy . If i got this job i would be living at an R.A.F base as the rent and food is cheap. I would expect to do 20 years service providing there is nothing that would stop me doing so as the pension package is pretty impressive. So to you guys,have any of you been in the R.A.F? what did you do? did you live on base? what was your overrall experience of the career?. Thanks for reading i look forward to responses. Over and Out 
not to be rude but the qualification you are doing is a waste of time. to be an officer in any of the forces you will need to join up and then move across from the ranks, or as a minimum have a degree to go straight in as a commissioned officer. I spent 10 years as an avionics tech and loved it. the pension is getting steadily worse.
chrisxr2 said:
not to be rude but the qualification you are doing is a waste of time. to be an officer in any of the forces you will need to join up and then move across from the ranks, or as a minimum have a degree to go straight in as a commissioned officer. I spent 10 years as an avionics tech and loved it. the pension is getting steadily worse.
You need 5 GCSEs and 2 A-Levels (or equivalent) for the majority of Officer Branches. Go and ask in a careers office they will give you the latest gen.Speedy, Regiment Officer is a VERY competitive branch. Have you looked at other branches as a backup? Or any of the ground trades?
I've been in 8 years so if you have any specific qs then fire away. Ill update this tomorrow.
Edited by ben_h100 on Sunday 20th January 00:02
Speedy, learn about the RAF first and current affairs! And know Afghan inside and out. Seriously, you'll need it for the P2 and OASC if you get that far.
You don't seem to be clued up on anything to do with the forces, i.e. officers vs airman. Officer is 18yr engagement for example. Airman is 22yr.
An officer, more or less, is a desk manager with all the hooty tooty lardy daa that goes with holding the queen's commission. It's not 'just' a job. Especially Regiment (ok, not fully desk bound but still).
You don't seem to be clued up on anything to do with the forces, i.e. officers vs airman. Officer is 18yr engagement for example. Airman is 22yr.
An officer, more or less, is a desk manager with all the hooty tooty lardy daa that goes with holding the queen's commission. It's not 'just' a job. Especially Regiment (ok, not fully desk bound but still).
Most of us in here btw, are airmen, most of us cpl's too. I'm an Av Tech too.
We'll b
h about officers, but don't let it put you off, but certainly don't discount the ranks. Some of my mates have gone officer from in the ranks, most love it, one's an Admin Officer now from being a techie- he loves the paperwork and writing SSO's and SROs, wierdo! Other is a air battle manager, he loves that. Another is an EngO, this is what I'd do aswell if I were too remuster but your a man manager and desk bound with only one 2yr flying Sqn tour in your career, the rest is bays, desks etc.
For your info, my experience is 12yrs on front line sqns, all tornado (with abit of harrier GR9, and F3 thrown in too on a certain sqn). I lived half of that time as a singley on on base accommadation, and half in my house with my missus. I currently live on base but travel home every two weeks to my house and missus. Accommadation is what you make of it, some bases have SLAM, some don't, mine currently doesn't and it's abit rough but liveable for £23 a month!
Officer's accomm are larger and you do pay almost double what us runts pay for accommadation, and you'll live in the Officers Mess and you pay a mess bill on top too.
Pay as you dine now in nearly all messes (even Cosford goes PAYD in Feb, there in for a shock, lol!), and it's um crap! Maybe because most of us are used to the messes before ISS took over.
Yes, officer and pilot is a 'top' job to go for, other officers branches are rewardable, depends what you put into it and the pay is pretty decent. As a civvie coming into the raf, you'll be a flying off after trade training and £29k a year, after five yrs from trade training I think it is you'll pick up your FLT LT and circa £37.5K a year, topping out at £45K, further progression to sqn ldr (£55K) and beyond is upto you and the promotion lottery.
An officer does about a 2yr tour in every role in your trade in the early years, so you get experience and move around alot, be it same base or lots of different bases.
Whatever you choose, you'll enjoy it I'm sure.
I'm in abit of tizz at the moment with decisions to make, I'd love to go for Officer and be an Engo, but my real experience of them has always been flying sqn, and I know they only do one tour (two if their super lucky) as a Jengo in their career, even then it's still a desk job and paperwork heavy, regulations heavy as you are a Level H (and special J) authoriser. In a bay or a some other hole, maybe stuck at Wyton or similar I just can't see myself there. It maybe more that I want the rank and the status more than the job. I also like my job at the moment, and i'm quite a practical engineery type of person and only have 10yrs left until my pension and gratuity payout. As an officer I need to do another 18yrs again and the play the game trainingfor 6+months... don't think I can bare myself to do it!
Your best foot forward now, would be just go into an afco and get some first hand information from the afco peeps, just don't get drawn into their quota matching games as you'll come out of there having joined up as a chef and pers admin!
We'll b
h about officers, but don't let it put you off, but certainly don't discount the ranks. Some of my mates have gone officer from in the ranks, most love it, one's an Admin Officer now from being a techie- he loves the paperwork and writing SSO's and SROs, wierdo! Other is a air battle manager, he loves that. Another is an EngO, this is what I'd do aswell if I were too remuster but your a man manager and desk bound with only one 2yr flying Sqn tour in your career, the rest is bays, desks etc.For your info, my experience is 12yrs on front line sqns, all tornado (with abit of harrier GR9, and F3 thrown in too on a certain sqn). I lived half of that time as a singley on on base accommadation, and half in my house with my missus. I currently live on base but travel home every two weeks to my house and missus. Accommadation is what you make of it, some bases have SLAM, some don't, mine currently doesn't and it's abit rough but liveable for £23 a month!
Officer's accomm are larger and you do pay almost double what us runts pay for accommadation, and you'll live in the Officers Mess and you pay a mess bill on top too.
Pay as you dine now in nearly all messes (even Cosford goes PAYD in Feb, there in for a shock, lol!), and it's um crap! Maybe because most of us are used to the messes before ISS took over.
Yes, officer and pilot is a 'top' job to go for, other officers branches are rewardable, depends what you put into it and the pay is pretty decent. As a civvie coming into the raf, you'll be a flying off after trade training and £29k a year, after five yrs from trade training I think it is you'll pick up your FLT LT and circa £37.5K a year, topping out at £45K, further progression to sqn ldr (£55K) and beyond is upto you and the promotion lottery.
An officer does about a 2yr tour in every role in your trade in the early years, so you get experience and move around alot, be it same base or lots of different bases.
Whatever you choose, you'll enjoy it I'm sure.
I'm in abit of tizz at the moment with decisions to make, I'd love to go for Officer and be an Engo, but my real experience of them has always been flying sqn, and I know they only do one tour (two if their super lucky) as a Jengo in their career, even then it's still a desk job and paperwork heavy, regulations heavy as you are a Level H (and special J) authoriser. In a bay or a some other hole, maybe stuck at Wyton or similar I just can't see myself there. It maybe more that I want the rank and the status more than the job. I also like my job at the moment, and i'm quite a practical engineery type of person and only have 10yrs left until my pension and gratuity payout. As an officer I need to do another 18yrs again and the play the game trainingfor 6+months... don't think I can bare myself to do it!
Your best foot forward now, would be just go into an afco and get some first hand information from the afco peeps, just don't get drawn into their quota matching games as you'll come out of there having joined up as a chef and pers admin!
Edited by PaulG40 on Sunday 20th January 10:14
Can we lay a myth or two to rest please?
A) You need a degree to join the Forces as an officer.
Wrong. You need 5 GCSEs (C and above) and a minimum of 180 UCAS points, preferably from A levels. If they're from another source, you may struggle due to stiff competition for places. If you wish to apply as an engineering officer, then you'll need a recognised engineering degree. Medical officers/Surgeons need to be qualified doctors or already half way through medical college.
B) Public Services course will put you in good stead for joining the Forces.
Not necessarily. Can't speak for the RAF, but the RN doesn't recognise these courses at all.
A) You need a degree to join the Forces as an officer.
Wrong. You need 5 GCSEs (C and above) and a minimum of 180 UCAS points, preferably from A levels. If they're from another source, you may struggle due to stiff competition for places. If you wish to apply as an engineering officer, then you'll need a recognised engineering degree. Medical officers/Surgeons need to be qualified doctors or already half way through medical college.
B) Public Services course will put you in good stead for joining the Forces.
Not necessarily. Can't speak for the RAF, but the RN doesn't recognise these courses at all.
V88Dicky said:
Can we lay a myth or two to rest please?
A) You need a degree to join the Forces as an officer.
Wrong. You need 5 GCSEs (C and above) and a minimum of 180 UCAS points, preferably from A levels. If they're from another source, you may struggle due to stiff competition for places. If you wish to apply as an engineering officer, then you'll need a recognised engineering degree. Medical officers/Surgeons need to be qualified doctors or already half way through medical college.
B) Public Services course will put you in good stead for joining the Forces.
Not necessarily. Can't speak for the RAF, but the RN doesn't recognise these courses at all.
Pretty much this. If it's the public services course that includes visiting RAF stations, doing some outwards bounds activities, etc, then it could give you an insight into the forces lifestyle, but it holds no real academic value when applied to the forces.A) You need a degree to join the Forces as an officer.
Wrong. You need 5 GCSEs (C and above) and a minimum of 180 UCAS points, preferably from A levels. If they're from another source, you may struggle due to stiff competition for places. If you wish to apply as an engineering officer, then you'll need a recognised engineering degree. Medical officers/Surgeons need to be qualified doctors or already half way through medical college.
B) Public Services course will put you in good stead for joining the Forces.
Not necessarily. Can't speak for the RAF, but the RN doesn't recognise these courses at all.
OP if you are going for officer then you need to be really clued up about a whole load of stuff. Current affairs, the training you will go through (in depth!), your own personal history (achievements, education, employment, travel, leadership), the RAF as a whole, RAF aircraft, UK defence, the list goes on... You need to be able to communicate well, have leadership potential, be pretty decent with speed/distance/time calculations, work under pressure, take 'centre stage' and perform as a leader, have a very good level of fitness, etc.
Not saying you don't have the above, but are you willing to put the work in and prepare? As others have said, don't write off joining the ranks - just make sure you join as a techie
I've been through OASC and although its a pressurised environment it's actually rather enjoyable.
I will tell you now, Regiment Officer is not an easy path to take. The JROC course is pretty hard, so unless you are already at infantry level of fitness and resilience, I'd rethink it.
If you go to the Careers Office without prepping knowledge of the RAF business and facts/figures, you'll not be entertained. Bear in mind that is only hurdle one. Personally, I'd spend 6 months researching what we do and current affairs then approach the AFCO. Also, take a look at Engineering Officer, you will give yourself so much more chance when the RAF doesn't want you any more.
If you go to the Careers Office without prepping knowledge of the RAF business and facts/figures, you'll not be entertained. Bear in mind that is only hurdle one. Personally, I'd spend 6 months researching what we do and current affairs then approach the AFCO. Also, take a look at Engineering Officer, you will give yourself so much more chance when the RAF doesn't want you any more.
ben_h100 said:
myles1972 said:
Also, take a look at Engineering Officer, you will give yourself so much more chance when the RAF doesn't want you any more.
He's doing a level 3 public services course so EngO looks off the cards...Detecting some slight bitterness there Myles?
As for bitterness, I have had a great nearly 15 years, with an optional 15 to go. I just see how the military is going now, 9 years of service then out and the next guy will fill in. 22 years will be the exception not the rule.
myles1972 said:
ben_h100 said:
myles1972 said:
Also, take a look at Engineering Officer, you will give yourself so much more chance when the RAF doesn't want you any more.
He's doing a level 3 public services course so EngO looks off the cards...Detecting some slight bitterness there Myles?
As for bitterness, I have had a great nearly 15 years, with an optional 15 to go. I just see how the military is going now, 9 years of service then out and the next guy will fill in. 22 years will be the exception not the rule.
ben_h100 said:
myles1972 said:
ben_h100 said:
myles1972 said:
Also, take a look at Engineering Officer, you will give yourself so much more chance when the RAF doesn't want you any more.
He's doing a level 3 public services course so EngO looks off the cards...Detecting some slight bitterness there Myles?
As for bitterness, I have had a great nearly 15 years, with an optional 15 to go. I just see how the military is going now, 9 years of service then out and the next guy will fill in. 22 years will be the exception not the rule.
Good to hear you got signed on though.
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