Joining the army - Page 2

Flouro_Joe · 06-06-2007, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Envious

Unless you do Special Forces Direct Entry Scheme (which im not even sure if they do it anymore) you will have to do 2 years in a Battalion before you can try out for Commando (4RAR). All the Bn's have their fit people and their unfit people, 3RAR wouldnt be "the fittest" just because they jump out of planes, they actually probably have the least amount of people 'on the ground' because of the amount of jump injuries.
5/7 have delinked, yes. And if i were you, i wouldnt go to 5RAR, mech is not the way to go just because they drive around in APC's.
Things are pretty even across the board. Decide on what you want to do by locality. If you want to be out bush a lot and fight with another Bn everyday, try for 1 or 2RAR, if you want to ride around in rattly old chunks of metal, go for 5RAR, jumping out of planes your thing? join 3. Or cruising around in Bushmasters more your style, try for 6RAR. In the end its up to you mate.

Then again, you still might want to do your mechanic thing, in which case, go anywhere, hopefully you will still enjoy it.

My two cents.

4 cents actually

Psycho Chicken · 06-06-2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savagE

Specifically to those in Infantry/riflemen previously/currently.

What are the cons and pros of joining the Army as a Rifleman?

A lot of the pros are the same for the whole army. Pay is great for a 18/19 year old. Stay the full 4 years in infantry and you're bound to get a deployment at the moment. You'll make a heap of mates that's for sure.

Cons of the infantry; it can be boring at times and it'll wreck your body.

If I were to do it all over again I'd hit full time infantry straight out of school, do the 4 years, corps transfer, get a trade, do return of service then hit civy street. If you're smart with the money it'll set you up for life. If you're not smart with the money you'll end up with a brand new Ford/Holden V8 like 90% of the grunts have.

exrtnz · 06-06-2007, 10:14 PM

Also if join as a rifleman or any teeth arm corp and get atleast 5 or 6 years experience and a couple of deployments overseas , it opens the doors for security jobs overseas ie. Iraq, Afghan and some nth African countries. And some good paying jobs out there. But getting a trade is another good option.

Falcon Freak · 06-06-2007, 10:16 PM

Military life is good if you want to experience a regimented lifestyle and develop yourself both physically and mentally. It will either make you or break you.

Military life is no good if the prospect of being sent to fight somebody else's war and running the risk of being blown up by somebody screaming "Allah Akbar" does not appeal to you.

FF

JG66ME · 06-06-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

Kapooka is a joke! It was soft the first time I went through. It got even softer in the 3 years between I did it again.

My platoon at Kapooka last year was half ARA inf/half direct entry 4RAR. I was lead to believe they were the last direct entry group.

3RAR haven't been doing any jump training for FNGs for a few years now.

Forget getting into 6RAR. It's next to impossible. My guess is most planes from Singo will be going to 5/7.

When was it you went through the first time mate?

Psycho Chicken · 06-06-2007, 10:37 PM

August-October 2003.

BOOSTDEF · 06-06-2007, 10:51 PM

my old man was in artillery for 26 years. Hes now RSM. I think he has formed a great career from enlisting in his younger days. He has many advanced training diplomas, been overseas an abundance of times and has formed many great friendships over the years.

I joined as a Lt, but packed it in and went out and got a university education, for the reasons mentioned above.

I reckon go for it mate. you will love it. It is usually families which are effected with army life. Some love it, some dont.

Envious · 06-06-2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flouro_Joe

4 cents actually

Yeah yeah, i hit post twice accidently, so sue me... :P

56L · 06-06-2007, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

A lot of the pros are the same for the whole army. Pay is great for a 18/19 year old. Stay the full 4 years in infantry and you're bound to get a deployment at the moment. You'll make a heap of mates that's for sure.

Cons of the infantry; it can be boring at times and it'll wreck your body.

If I were to do it all over again I'd hit full time infantry straight out of school, do the 4 years, corps transfer, get a trade, do return of service then hit civy street. If you're smart with the money it'll set you up for life. If you're not smart with the money you'll end up with a brand new Ford/Holden V8 like 90% of the grunts have.

As an ex soldier for 9 years served with 103rd mdm bty,A fld bty and 5/7RAR
i would agree that field force units having there toll on the body especially airbourne units.
One thing i noticed is that every year the army gets softer and softer and seems to let the peasents thrive,to be quite honest the money is totally crap and alot of guys are miss lead by watching young soldiers drive around in new cars thinking they have money ,the fact is finance companies love soldiers as thier pay is a guarenteed income so anyone will lend soldiers money.
I personally would do 4 years as a young bloke and then look at a trade but not necessarily an army trade .Army mechanics service land rovers and unimogs and the bigger equipment and major rebuilds are contracted out to civilian departments.
I make more as a civi tradesman in one day than an army tradesman gets in a week,the more work i do the more i get paid,i have friends in the army still in there 15th or so year and unless they get deployed overseas to get descent money they can barely get by considering they now have families.

Join as a single young bloke and make some friends and set yourself up for civi street during that time.

Dont worry about being to fit as most civi tradesman are way fitter than some of the slobs i come across in the services

ORSMF6 · 07-06-2007, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exrtnz

Also if join as a rifleman or any teeth arm corp and get atleast 5 or 6 years experience and a couple of deployments overseas , it opens the doors for security jobs overseas ie. Iraq, Afghan and some nth African countries. And some good paying jobs out there. But getting a trade is another good option.

Got to love those 2k USD a day jobs in Iraq and Afghan .. but will be the last 2k ya get, Just dont stand near or go in a HUM VEE!!!

Rwanda ya dont get as much money but the condition are a lot worse than living in one of saddam'a old places but is a safer and ROE .. what ROE ..lol

exrtnz · 07-06-2007, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ORSMF6

Got to love those 2k USD a day jobs in Iraq and Afghan .. but will be the last 2k ya get, Just dont stand near or go in a HUM VEE!!!

Rwanda ya dont get as much money but the condition are a lot worse than living in one of saddam'a old places but is a safer and ROE .. what ROE ..lol

haha! yeah true , ROE,s are for the army . better safe than sorry.

mayhem1982 · 07-06-2007, 03:30 AM

can ya get a trade certificate in the army or are the t.v adds full of sh**?

Armageddon Designs · 07-06-2007, 05:53 AM

Yes you can but it will cost you about six years. And they have more than just VM's (Vehicle Mechanic) they have sparkies, plumbers chippies etc

As a few of the guys have said the pay is better on the outside, my trade lost a pay case which left us at the bottom of the pay scale, I get $20 000 more a year working where I am now and I know what is going on, work, Monday to Friday!!! If you do go in to Infantry you will make money as a single bloke, with all the field time you get topped up a bit with field pay etc, just don't do what they all do as young blokes, 'yeah heaps of cash in my account, lets hit the clubs!' Monday - 'Where did all my money go?' Be smart with it. I know to many blokes that drank away there Timor cash and now have nothing.

Watch out for the banks etc as they will right you a blank cheque for a car, for the reasons mentioned before by 56L. Seen to many guys with brand new XR8's and SS's that have to leave them sit at home as they can't pay for the fuel!

Depends where you go, but it would be more than likely Townsville, half the population up there hate the Army, I remember being spat on a few times while in uniform! The other 1/4 see you as a cash cow, and the final 1/4 seem to like us, usually ex Army or family of Army.

It can be good but there are pit falls, have a goal and stay focused on it, seen to many blokes loose the goal from spending the money, they then have to stay in because they can't make it out side.

Soundwarp · 07-06-2007, 06:35 AM

Bah forget the reserves, i did that and i should have went full time straight away. You can get out when ever you want they just won't tell you that, i've been in for 11 years i know.

sprjenkins · 07-06-2007, 12:05 PM

Thats true, you can get out whenever, If you get a trade then someone in civvy street offers you more money the army can't keep you. If i was an 18 or 19 year old and didn't wan't to go to uni, i'd get a trade through the army.

As for HSV and FPV's all the blokes up north have traded them in and are now buying brand new beemers, at least the engineers anyway, but I think the grunts are doing the same.

Kapooka can be soft or hard, it just depends on who your section commander/platoon staff is, the general rule is that the new blokes seem to be great as they haven't been ingrained yet, the blokes that have been there a while/on their second rotation can be right pr!cks.

As for your website, you do get the occasional pineapple but you gotta take the good with the bad. Some days you do some really cool stuff civvies never get to do, you get to shoot big guns, blow stuff up, get on the **** all over the place. Other days you get stuffed around, you gotta remember that in the Army, things change and just because your superior said it would happen doesn't make it so as the situation may have changed, his boss changed his mind whatever.

I would have never ever gone to Malaysia if I wasn't sent to Rifle Company Butterworth, but that was pretty cool and Lankawi sh!ts all over Thailand.

Then you could go to Timor, Solomons, Iraq, Afganistan, ok your not gonna do much sight seeing in Iraq or Afghanistan but the army will send you there and there's heaps of stuff you would never see or do otherwise.

So yeah to sum it up, it has some really great moments and some sh!7 ones but if its something youv'e always wanted to do, go for it, if you pm me your email address i'll send you some photos of some of the stuff we get up to.

terra australis · 07-06-2007, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armageddon

Depends where you go, but it would be more than likely Townsville, half the population up there hate the Army, I remember being spat on a few times while in uniform! The other 1/4 see you as a cash cow, and the final 1/4 seem to like us, usually ex Army or family of Army.

Wow we lived there for two years and enjoyed every minute of it....the locals were wonderful and the lifestyle was fantastic....

Hubby was in the Army for 17 years...we had a fantastic time. Army paid for him to get is masters in IT. This was great as he was bascially a uni student for a year and they paid for the course as well as paying him his salary..

There came a time when hubby could get paid alot more in civvy land. Plus the kids really needed more stability. So hubby got out about six months ago. We are now living in Canberra, he has a fantastic job (not defence related at all) and its all thanks to Army.

Hubby maintains that its a young mans game and I have to agree with that statement....

Just remember Army can offer alot (trades, bachelors, masters) alot of areas have critical shortages (geeks) dont limit yourself to being a rifleman, speak to your recruiter about other options. Remember its a career path so dont look at the short term choose something that not only gives you a career in defense but also a pathway in civvy land.

Good luck

If you want to talk to hubby about career paths just pm me..

Good luck

sleekism · 07-06-2007, 07:02 PM

Don't do it dude the pay is crap for the work you have to do.

My mate was a helicopter pilot in the Army and he absolutely hated it.

I have a mate who went in infantry and he came out really gay and hates women and i quote "would rather hang out with guys they should just kick women out of the army"

He subsequently tried to make out with another mate got smashed and now is excommunicated.

If you HAVE to go in do something decent but remember the private sector pays a lot more for working a lot less remember the pay sounds good but you have to divide it by 24 hours a day realistically they tell you where to live (probably in darwin) and the Army is rife with corruption and incompetence.

I have nothing for respect for the defence force but it has become a shadow of it's former self they have lowerd their standards drastically and their equipment is faulty as it was bought for political reasons not strategic.

The Howard strategy has been to move away froma professional high tech force centred around the navy and army to a Americanised cannon fodder strategy revolving around highschool dropouts.

I think the SAS is probably the last bastion of professionalism.

That's my 2cents anyway we are in a minerals boom at the moment and the private sector will pay anything.

primo · 07-06-2007, 09:25 PM

im wanting to move to queensland so what are the chances of getting posted somewhere there over say darwin (and other places for that matter)

Armageddon Designs · 08-06-2007, 04:53 AM

Your chances of a Queensland posting are very good, if you ask for Townsville you will more than likely get it, they are very short on numbers there. When I went through we were told we wouldn't get Brisbane (Enogera), but a few did, you also have Oakey and Cabala in the South East Corner. But Townsville is your best bet.

mcnews · 08-06-2007, 12:20 PM

Life in the Australian Army...

Text of a letter from a kid from Eromanga to Mum and Dad. (For Those of
you not in the know, Eromanga is a smalltown, west of Quilpie in the far
south west of Queensland)
Dear Mum & Dad,
I am well. Hope youse are too. Tell me big brothers Doug and Phil that
the Army is better than workin' on the farm - tell them to get in bloody
quick smart before the jobs are allgone!
I wuz a bit slow in settling down at first, because ya don't hafta get
outta bed until 6am. But I like sleeping in now, cuz all ya gotta do before
brekky is make ya bed and shine ya boots and clean ya uniform. No bloody
cows to milk, no calves to feed, no feed to stack - nothin'!! Ya haz gotta
shower though, but its not so bad, coz there's lots a hot water and even a
light to see what ya doing!
At brekky ya get cereal, fruit and eggs but there's no kangaroo steaks or
possum stew like wot Mum makes. You don't get fed again until noon and by
that time all the city boys are buggered because we've been on a 'route
march' - geez its only just like walking to the windmill in the back
paddock!!
This one will kill me brothers Doug and Phil with laughter. I keep
getting medals for shootin' - dunno why. The bullseye is as big as a bloody
possum's bum and it don't move and it's not firing back at ya like the
Johnsons did when our big scrubber bull got into their prize cows before the
Ekka last year! All ya gotta do is make yourself comfortable and hit the
target - it's a piece of ****!! You don't even load your own cartridges they
comes in little boxes and ya don't have to steady yourself against the
rollbar of the roo shooting truck when you reload!
Sometimes ya gotta wrestle with the city boys and I gotta be real
careful coz they break easy - it's not like fighting with Doug and Phil and
Jack and Boori and Steve and Muzza all at once like we do at home after the
muster.
Turns out I'm not a bad boxer either and it looks like I'm the best the
platoon's got, and I've only been beaten by this one bloke from the
Engineers - he's 6 foot 5 and 15 stone and three pick handles across the
shoulders and as ya know I'm only 5 foot 7 and eight stone wringin' wet, but
I fought him till the other blokes carried me off to the boozer.
I can't complain about the Army - tell the boys to get in quick before
word gets around how bloody good it is.
Your loving daughter,
Sheila

sleekism · 08-06-2007, 01:11 PM

LOL

No wonder they don't want women in the army

mowog · 08-06-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by primo

hello all

as ive had enough of my current job (automotive mechanic) im now looking at other careers, one that has spark some interest is joining the army. My question is if anyone on this forum has or is in the army and what they think of it as im getting mixed respones from people i no that haven't actually being in the army.

cheers
Primo

If your looking at a direct entry with a trade try the Airforce.

But before you do look at how the Department of defence and Veterans affairs treats injured servicemen and women. You will have a great time in the ADF just dont get injured.

TCK-098 · 09-06-2007, 12:47 PM

A few years back i joined up with 4 RAR yes the fittness level is extreme i was there for a short time due to a running in with the commanding officer.

So transferred to 1/15 to be a assault trooper was good fun while it lasted but due to issues arising from previous unit i had a dishonourable discharge which isnt very nice to do.

Army is great to teach you things but life becomes hell if you get on the wrong side of a nutter.

sprjenkins · 09-06-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleekism

Don't do it dude the pay is crap for the work you have to do.

My mate was a helicopter pilot in the Army and he absolutely hated it.

I have a mate who went in infantry and he came out really gay and hates women and i quote "would rather hang out with guys they should just kick women out of the army"

He subsequently tried to make out with another mate got smashed and now is excommunicated.

If you HAVE to go in do something decent but remember the private sector pays a lot more for working a lot less remember the pay sounds good but you have to divide it by 24 hours a day realistically they tell you where to live (probably in darwin) and the Army is rife with corruption and incompetence.

I have nothing for respect for the defence force but it has become a shadow of it's former self they have lowerd their standards drastically and their equipment is faulty as it was bought for political reasons not strategic.

The Howard strategy has been to move away froma professional high tech force centred around the navy and army to a Americanised cannon fodder strategy revolving around highschool dropouts.

I think the SAS is probably the last bastion of professionalism.

That's my 2cents anyway we are in a minerals boom at the moment and the private sector will pay anything.

No offence dude but you've got no idea what your on, get some time up before talking crap

WPN XR6T · 09-06-2007, 11:45 PM

Yeah, Jenko I agree. Your mate was not a helicopter pilot in the Army or he would not have hated it.

If you are going to dribble crap make it belivable.

I am an Army Recruit Instructor at Kapooka, and people who are willing to shoot off their mouths with no idea what they are talking about should not bye into a conversation they know nothing about.

Mate, if you have a Trade, persue it in the military, don't even worry about an Arms Corp., let alone Choc's (Reserves).

If anyone has any BURNING questions and wants a no bu!!s#!% answer, I will answer it for them to the best of my ability.

As you can probably guess, there are some comments in this thread that have got my goat, as I dead set love my job and can't wait to get back to a unit so I can return to actually making a difference in the world, if only within the scope of what I can control and immediatly infulence.

Cheers

Weapon

Armageddon Designs · 10-06-2007, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WPN XR6T

Yeah, Jenko I agree. Your mate was not a helicopter pilot in the Army or he would not have hated it.

That's what I thought, every Pilot I knew loved it and all they wanted to do was fly!! If you want some credibility give us a name, unit and types flown and I'll see if I know who he is!!!

Envious · 10-06-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WPN XR6T

Yeah, Jenko I agree. Your mate was not a helicopter pilot in the Army or he would not have hated it.

If you are going to dribble crap make it belivable.

I am an Army Recruit Instructor at Kapooka, and people who are willing to shoot off their mouths with no idea what they are talking about should not bye into a conversation they know nothing about.

Mate, if you have a Trade, persue it in the military, don't even worry about an Arms Corp., let alone Choc's (Reserves).

If anyone has any BURNING questions and wants a no bu!!s#!% answer, I will answer it for them to the best of my ability.

As you can probably guess, there are some comments in this thread that have got my goat, as I dead set love my job and can't wait to get back to a unit so I can return to actually making a difference in the world, if only within the scope of what I can control and immediatly infulence.

Cheers

Weapon

Please dont tell me you enjoy being an RI ?...

What corps your from?

Psycho Chicken · 10-06-2007, 05:22 PM

Please tell me you weren't there last year from April-June! One of my RIs had a blue BA, but I don't think it was a turbo.

WPN XR6T · 10-06-2007, 07:35 PM

Envious- didn't say I enjoyed being an RI, said I enjoyed my job (I don't consider being an RI MY job, I am doing it for 2 years until someone else comes along).

I am a Combat Engineer (THAT is my job) / EOR (Explosive Ordnance Recon.) Tech and M113A1 Crew commander, so as you can see, you don't have to stick to one job IOT be in the Army.

I have one of the most diverse roles in the military, we build and destroy Bridges, emplace and breach Minefeilds, Repair and deny roads, build and breach battlefeild obsticals, conduct High risk search and CBRN detection, purify water and a meriod of other tasks that fall outside of regular operations too numrious to mention. And that is just my base trade.

Yes I was conducting the Advanced Soldier Cse last year (now Defunct) but only got hold of the T this year, had a Green XH ute before.

Like I said before, if anyone wants to ask, I can probably answer the question, or find out for you.

TURBOTAXI · 10-06-2007, 07:51 PM

I was in support co 6RAR Recon/Sniper pl.

Support co is the place to be. We were the CO's personal gaurd party (read access to nice venues and food), we also had plenty of discretion in discharging our duty/missions.

We also had the nice kit.

The Recon course will test you but to know you passed will put you on a high.
The best bit is in recon you GET TO RUN AWAY from poeple shooting at you. (lol)

I miss the army and if I stayed in I would be able to retire in 7 years. BUGGER huh?

I think we should have compulsory 2 years of service for all able bodied men and women.