Alternatives to the Armed Forces
Discussion
Hello,
My friend can't join the Army or indeed any of the forces due to a medical problem with his ear. In reality it doesn't effect him but it does prevent him enlisting.
So if you wanted to join the Forces as an officer but you were prohibited, what would you do instead? I think he wants a job that is active, exciting and basically not a 9 - 5 office job.
My friend can't join the Army or indeed any of the forces due to a medical problem with his ear. In reality it doesn't effect him but it does prevent him enlisting.
So if you wanted to join the Forces as an officer but you were prohibited, what would you do instead? I think he wants a job that is active, exciting and basically not a 9 - 5 office job.
Merchant navy? Commercial airlines? something engineering/ science like that gets to go to dangerous places?
I was always tempted by working for the UN. Get to move round a lot, go to interesting places on the edge of civilisation sometimes, might be worth a look. Failing that a local 4x4 response group?
I was always tempted by working for the UN. Get to move round a lot, go to interesting places on the edge of civilisation sometimes, might be worth a look. Failing that a local 4x4 response group?
If your friend is still keen on working with/around the military I think one of the closest things would be the RFA. When I was forced to take a year out of uni due to a Crohns flare up that hospitalised me for a month, I was considering it. The recruitment process is quite lengthy however and you're not guaranteed to get in, training pay isn't great either 14-15k a year.
dmulally said:
I don't recall them looking in my ear when I joined the army.
Anyway, if he wants adventure then tell him to look at volunteering abroad in impoverished countries. He'll do more good to the planet than joining the army.
Volunteering abroad? I hear Oxfam has some vacancies....Anyway, if he wants adventure then tell him to look at volunteering abroad in impoverished countries. He'll do more good to the planet than joining the army.
I could feel them pressing the buzzer when I had my Army medical so I passed with flying colours. Pretty sure I made up for that with various incidences without ear defence though.
OP, lots of good suggestions on here. Tell him to think outside the box a bit, there are plenty of jobs that offer excitement, travel and avoid the office monkey lifestyle it sounds like he's steering himself away from. Heading abroad for a while and gaining life experience would be my recommendation too. Good luck to him.
Good at doing what he's told and lacks imagination??? Any middle management role would suit him. 
(FWIW I gave up on the military when I realized that having asthma would stop me doing anything interesting and after a few years dossing about stumbled into a career as a physio. It isn't as glamorous as a lot of the options I considered but has the flexibility to go travelling on a semi regular basis and live and work pretty much anywhere I speak the language (Currently Dorset, but the principle is sound
)
(FWIW I gave up on the military when I realized that having asthma would stop me doing anything interesting and after a few years dossing about stumbled into a career as a physio. It isn't as glamorous as a lot of the options I considered but has the flexibility to go travelling on a semi regular basis and live and work pretty much anywhere I speak the language (Currently Dorset, but the principle is sound
)Did he want to be an officer because he liked leading people in difficult times (or at least the concept) or because he liked the idea of having a sword and exciting stories to woo fit posh birds with?
Or was it because he liked the idea of being an officer in general?
His motivation for wanting to attend RMAS should be where he starts with regards to finding a new job. Once he understands what he was hoping to achieve he can then go and replicate that in civvy street.
Or was it because he liked the idea of being an officer in general?
His motivation for wanting to attend RMAS should be where he starts with regards to finding a new job. Once he understands what he was hoping to achieve he can then go and replicate that in civvy street.
If I had my time again I’d have joined the MN/RFA and f
ked any idea about joining the armed forces off. He probably would have issues joining the MN as you also need to pass a medical.
k software and trying to work with other departments who are more interested in skivving.
As an officer his job would mostly be boring as fk managing the men and batting off other officers crazy ideas at meetings. My officers and seniors regularly work 8:30-6/7 in their offices. They rarely have the “proffs” that the junior ranks enjoy such as work time phys, Wednesday “sports” and early finish on a Friday. I’ve also know some to go in during their leave just to catch up. Saying that I’ve had some I’ve hardly seen as they just chinned the work off to do AT all the time.
ked any idea about joining the armed forces off. He probably would have issues joining the MN as you also need to pass a medical. Chainsaw Rebuild said:
I think he wants a job that is active, exciting and basically not a 9 - 5 office job.
9-5 is underrated and after a while the armed forces is boring and monotonous too. I joined up because I didn’t want to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life, the challenge, see the world etc. Irronicly I now spend half my day sat behind a desk, using wk software and trying to work with other departments who are more interested in skivving. As an officer his job would mostly be boring as f
k managing the men and batting off other officers crazy ideas at meetings. My officers and seniors regularly work 8:30-6/7 in their offices. They rarely have the “proffs” that the junior ranks enjoy such as work time phys, Wednesday “sports” and early finish on a Friday. I’ve also know some to go in during their leave just to catch up. Saying that I’ve had some I’ve hardly seen as they just chinned the work off to do AT all the time. 
)matthias73 said:
Did he want to be an officer because he liked leading people in difficult times (or at least the concept) or because he liked the idea of having a sword and exciting stories to woo fit posh birds with?
I was an infantry officer in my heady youth and the only women interested in my cool uniform were aged over 80 on ANZAC day. Sigh. I almost read a degree in International Disaster Management (at Coventry). The course had a sandwich year at the fire college in Moreton-in-Marsh. Sounded like some really interesting NGO work could be possible after that. Ended up the forces route anyway and went for the more conventional (i.e. boring) Civil Engineering course instead.
Now work on Super Yachts which offers a similar lifestyle and variety to the forces, but without the shooty bits, and a lot less of the cold and wet bits.
Now work on Super Yachts which offers a similar lifestyle and variety to the forces, but without the shooty bits, and a lot less of the cold and wet bits.
Edited by LimaDelta on Wednesday 14th February 20:51
dmulally said:
matthias73 said:
Did he want to be an officer because he liked leading people in difficult times (or at least the concept) or because he liked the idea of having a sword and exciting stories to woo fit posh birds with?
I was an infantry officer in my heady youth and the only women interested in my cool uniform were aged over 80 on ANZAC day. Sigh. kGassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff