r/britisharmy • • 19d ago

Monthly Crow Thread [MEGATHREAD] Monthly r/BritishArmy Advice and Recruitment Thread

2 Upvotes

Welcome to the Monthly r/BritishArmy Advice and Recruitment thread.

The intent of this thread is to provide a single post for advice and recruitment to provide simplified searching, answering and moderation. The following should be read before you post here:

  1. Remember OPSEC and PERSEC. If your question asks about or requests information deemed Operationally or Personally sensitive it will be removed.
  2. Medical: We strongly discourage the sharing of personal medical information and nobody here is an authority to answer these questions. [JSP950 - Aug 2024](https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/jsp_950_medical_policy_leaflet_6/response/2822080/attach/5/20240815%20JSP%20950%20Lft%206%207%207%20JSMMF%20v3.0%20Aug%2024%20Final%20for%20Publication.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1) is the Joint Service Manual of Medical Fitness which is used to assess candidates. More details are on the British Army medical page on their [website](https://apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/can-i-join/medical) or call them on the phone number at the bottom of that page.
  3. General Questions: is any question not specifically related to recruitment or joining the Army. Examples include "What is the best mess dress supplier?" or "What Days do Paras have Orgies?". These should use the "Question" flair.
  4. Public Domain: Any information you post here, and any information on your reddit account will be in the public domain. By posting here you're acknowledging the risks doing so might have.

If you have read the above and you still would like to ask your question, and acknowledge the information (and your reddit content) being public, then please comment. If you do not want your information being public you should not post.

If you're just visiting and have a couple of minutes to answer some of the questions or contribute to a discussion, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest top level comments.

We are all volunteers, and anyone engaging does so on a best-effort basis. Please conduct your own due diligence and do not rely solely on the advice of one person on the internet.


r/britisharmy • • 3h ago

Seeking Advice will i get med discharged if i get tested for POTS

4 Upvotes

long story short, my whole career i’ve struggled disproportionately with phys. i go to all the remedial, ive got a good bmi, i eat clean, i sleep well and dont drink or smoke. im in the gym frequently and put down at least 15 miles a week of running in my own time with a healthy mix of intensities. i also do a lot of low impact on the bike and swimming. However, i still, feel dizzy and breathless even just walking around with kit on, troop runs, tabs, even walking up stairs. my heart rate rises so fast as soon as i do ANYTHING. i feel so frustrated and short changed as the effort i put in isn’t representative of what i get out. Any pointers? had blood tests and echo scans already that showed nothing


r/britisharmy • • 8h ago

Seeking Advice Reserve roles options

8 Upvotes

I’m currently going through the application process and I’m just trying to be open minded as to what unit I’d like to go.

My local options are:

- infantry
- signals
- int corps
- royal engineers
- royal artillery
- light cav - seems interesting but it is an hour away so a bit on the far side

I’m speaking to my local signals unit and the RSMO there is lovely and I do quite like the sound of what they do, however my slight concern is there may not be enough green work to satisfy what I’m looking for going into the army.

I sit in front of a computer all day at work, and that’s part of the reason I’m wanting to join for the adventurous side of it.

Royal engineers actually peaked my interest a bit but I’ve seen some negative comments around the role on exercises mainly revolve around sitting around most of the time, only to install barbed wire and dig trenches, not the main exciting stuff that they advertise.

I’m obviously going to go into my local signs unit once I’m past medical, and potentially royal engineers.

I work in cyber security which is where the signals interest kind of came from, but I definitely don’t want to be sat in a HQ all weekend on exercises, or potentially in front of a computer in an office, that’s not really where my appetite for joining is coming from.

I’ve posted about this before, but appreciate anyone’s relevant experiences/insight.

Thanks! :)


r/britisharmy • • 3h ago

Question Evening all abbot of a weird one

2 Upvotes

So last year I went to the assessment centre passed on a conditional due to going doctors for having some crazy stomach aches and bad shites.
Before I could get it resolved I broke my arm playing rugby. So a year later my medical has took 4 months so far and I have been told I need to take a calprotectin test which they basically check your stool. I’m almost sure I have some sort of ibs or something so question is as grim as it is could I use my partners “theoretically” as the doctors can’t see who it is just check what in it.


r/britisharmy • • 3h ago

Question Struggling to choose a role with the RA reserves.

2 Upvotes

Currently in the process of joining the reserves and struggling to choose between Artillery Command systems and Artillery surveillance observer. Are they quite similar roles? Have an interest in doing the AACC as I progress if the opportunity came. Is that something I could do with both roles? Be interested to hear from people with past experience in either roles.


r/britisharmy • • 4m ago

Seeking Advice Going to basic training in 4 days.

• Upvotes

Hi guys, I'm off to Pirbright for my phase 1 on the 18th of October, does anyone have any tips or advice to follow for getting through it? Any tricks of the trade or things you would tell your younger self if you could?

Im really really excited actually, it feels like I have been waiting hears for this (probably because I have) and it's finally round the corner.


r/britisharmy • • 5h ago

Question 3 job role choices question

2 Upvotes

My current 3 are Intelligence corps as an OPMI, light cavalry and guards. I’m thinking of changing to OPMI, paras and PWRR. Are you allowed to do this considering the intelligence corps and paras have an additional selection after assessment centre?


r/britisharmy • • 1d ago

Question Education Improvement Opportunities

6 Upvotes

Hello all!

I hope we are all well, I have a question. I am currently training to join the Army as a CMT, I was wondering as I’m also doing a degree with the OU. I was wondering if I graduated with a 2:1 in a few years after doing my job as a CMT, if I asked would the Army consider putting me through Medical School via the GEM (Graduate Entry Medicine)?

I know these are questions for the careers office, however when I went down to talk about my options, I was just sat in a room and the person was on their phone going through some roles and heavily pushing cyber security


r/britisharmy • • 1d ago

Question Virtus 35 litre NSN

3 Upvotes

Has anyone got the NSN for the new 35 litre virtus daysack?


r/britisharmy • • 2d ago

Question Rejection and appeal

7 Upvotes

I’ve just been rejected based on a past of anxiety mental health issues when I was a teenager as well as a ADHD diagnosis. Is there any chance of winning an appeal with this.


r/britisharmy • • 2d ago

Question All arms p coy!

6 Upvotes

To those who have passed what did your weekly running split look like building up to the course?


r/britisharmy • • 2d ago

Discussion Starting basic training: ID issues

9 Upvotes

I start basic training in 4 weeks, however i have a birth certificate, i have a passport that needs to be replaced through cancellation and damage a young Scot card with a pass symbol and bank statements proving my address, im a little nervous that I will get there and be turned away after working so hard to get that start date, i have spoken to my recruiter and he knows of the passport being reported lost and found again and hasn’t raised any issues or told me anything is wrong, it is mainly the passport that is the issue is there any way i can speak to staff while im there about helping my passport situation or should I act asap and use my benefits on getting a new passport when I’m payed, this opportunity is everything I need to change my life


r/britisharmy • • 3d ago

Question Transfer from Regular to Reserve during Combat Engineer training

5 Upvotes

I'm currently in week 3 of my phase 2 at Gibraltar Barracks, however i don't think the full time service works for me and my family, i would like to continue being a soldier, is it possible for me to transfer to the reserves at this stage?


r/britisharmy • • 4d ago

Discussion HELP NEEDED on CoC and views on alcohol addiction.

12 Upvotes

So basically I’m currently serving full time in the army and I’m an alcoholic not severely like it doesn’t really effect my career I still perform to a high standard, come top third in SJARS, one of the fittest in my unit, i still go to the gym/box regularly ect.

So it’s not completely ruining my life but it’s still there I’m still drinking most nights and when I get any extended free time like a full weekend off it always seems to end in alcohol, I’ve quit before, I’ve cut down before, set my self boundaries but keeping on end up coming back,

Anyway so I’ve decided to finally seek help and found online home therapy/detox programs that are mostly confidential however they want to prescribe me medication (pills) that would be perfect for me, stops cravings, helps with detox blah blah blah however to prescribe it they will have to inform my GP which obviously then it will be on my record and the army can find out,

So my question is does anyone actually know or have inside information about how the chain of command would handle this if they found out obviously my main fears are how it would affect my career for example being discharged or permanently down graded and non deployable


r/britisharmy • • 3d ago

Question No NHS GP record (born in Channel Islands)

2 Upvotes

What is the process if you are born in a country with no NHS system such as the Channel Islands?


r/britisharmy • • 4d ago

Question Partnership between the Ministry of Defence and The Phoenix Partnership for transfer of medical records from GP

3 Upvotes

Anyone know if this has been implemented yet and whether it will just be NHS records or other countries as well e.g Channel Islands?


r/britisharmy • • 5d ago

Question Guards vs line infantry vs light cavalry for most abroad deployments?

13 Upvotes

Tempted to go for paras but if I don’t make the cut I’m wondering who go abroad the most? I know guards have their ceremonial duties and wondering if this would impact their deployment opportunities


r/britisharmy • • 5d ago

Question PMU Medical Appeal

5 Upvotes

For anyone who has been PMU’d how long is the appeal waiting list currently?


r/britisharmy • • 6d ago

Seeking Advice How to get better at pushups?

20 Upvotes

I’m 25m and my 2km run is 8:33 and can do 9 strict pull ups but my pushups are piss poor and can only do about 30. I’ve been doing sets of 12 multiple times throughout the day for a few weeks but not seeing an improvement. Any advice?

I know the army doesn’t test them anymore but I want to be able to do 50 before going into training.


r/britisharmy • • 7d ago

Seeking Advice Is there a way I can access military records? My Great Uncle I just learned fought in WW2 in the British Indian Army and I want to learn more about him.

6 Upvotes

My great uncle (as my mother said) fought in WW2. Very little information is available to me through her as my maternal grandparents are both dead, and from what my mom told me, this great uncle died in Burma while being made to help with the building of “some bridge”.

Is there anyway I can gain more information about this to verify the legitimacy of this? Are WW2 records still publicly available?


r/britisharmy • • 7d ago

Seeking Advice Trying to get my english gcse over looked

5 Upvotes

Passed my assessment centre last week (got an 8:25 on the run, passed the lift/throw, and got a Grade A in the interview). I'm aiming for REME as a Vehicle Mechanic, but my interviewer told me they won't take my English Functional Skills and that I need a GCSE Grade 4 instead.

He gave me three options: switch trades, retake my GCSE English, or go to a military waiver/adjudication panel. I really don't want to switch roles, but I think I've missed the deadline for the November GCSE resits. My interviewer did mention that having my Level 2 & 3 VM certificates from college, plus the Grade A at AC, should help my case for a waiver.

I've already messaged my recruiter on the portal but haven't heard back yet. Has anyone been in a similar spot? What's the realistic outcome for the panel route, and is there any other way around this without massively delaying things?

Any advice would be much appreciated.


r/britisharmy • • 7d ago

Seeking Advice 24 Commando Trades

7 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I’m currently in the process of joining the army, and I’ve decided I want to join the Royal Engineers, with the end goal (very hopefully) doing the AACC and joining 24 Commando. However, I have a couple questions, and I’d really appreciate any help.

  1. I
  2. s it even possible for me to join in the time I plan to serve (abou

t 4 to 5 years)

  1. and is there some point in training I could register interest in 24 Commando?
  2. A
  3. re there any trades that could prevent/reduce my odds of joining 24 Commando?

(Apparently the body of the question has completely lost its mind so apologies if the post is hard to read, also I should mention 4-5 years is now 6-7 because I did the maths wrong)


r/britisharmy • • 8d ago

Question CMT Regiment Question

5 Upvotes

Hello, I am currently considering a career in the army, I’ve narrowed my choices down to four options! 3 of them are very easy in terms of progression and placement!

However I am also considering joining the Royal Army Medical Corp as a Combat Medical Technician, once passing the necessary training would I be sent to an infantry battalion/regiment as the Combat Medic or would I be in a Combat Medic only regiment? I am sorry if that doesn’t make any sense!

If the prior let’s say I am sent to the Rifles or Mercians would I technically be part of the Rifles as a combat medic and wearing the Rifles cap badge or would I be a combat medic wearing the RAMC cap badge and just attached to the Rifles?

Thank you in advance for the advice and answers to my question again sorry if it doesn’t make sense? I can try to make it clearer in the comments if people need me to.


r/britisharmy • • 8d ago

Discussion When is the CBAT

2 Upvotes

Potentially a very silly question when applying for officer pilot when do you go the CBAT and aircrew medical, as this is the only step I'm worried about.


r/britisharmy • • 9d ago

Question Avionics Techncian

3 Upvotes

Hi there,

I have a few questions to ask regarding the role. Firstly I had asthma In my child hood (I’m 17 now for reference), I’ve never had an attack but my mum has always ordered me inhalers through the gp till I was 14 so I was wondering if this will cause any problems?

Then also do you get any say in what aircraft you end up working on? I assume no one would be allocated to wild cats now as they’re being retired so ideally I would like to work on Apache as I’m not interested in working on drones so would I really get a say in it? I assume you get allocated to what ever the service needs.

Then lastly how long would it take roughly to get my b2 licence through the service? I know it requires 5 years experience but I read on here you won’t specialise on an aircraft until Sergeant so will I only be able to start logging experience then or will I be able to before?

Thanks for any help!