Rum Ration
the Navy Network

**Nate_87** · 25-03-12, 16:09

Originally Posted by soleil

Nate, Why don't you give serious thought to applying? The waiting times vary - the 18 month wait quoted is just an example. Some jobs have shorter waits.

If at the end of waiting there is a full-time job available, isn't it worth the wait?

Cheers soleil. Yes it is worth it. I applied for the RFA ages ago because they were recruiting (a guy about 6 miles down the road from myself got in - he'd previously been in the navy and sailed down after the falklands in 1983!) He'd applied months before me and I was told the next intake wouldnt be for quite a while so I stopped inquiring about it. If I had kept my hat in the ring I could be a much valued member of the RFA by now

I know the name of the game is all about deferred gratification, still, when your long term unemployed and all you do it work sporadically in a paper factory for a few weeks with people who have no teeth and come into work half cut.... two years of THAT future before you can begin your idea of a new life is very difficult to see...

Originally Posted by Rem3pt

AFAIK steward is about the only SM branch that is less than 2 years. All others are way over so i'd get yourself in the AFCO pronto if you want to start the process and find out what the waits actually are. But don't just join any old branch with the shortest waiting time.

...So the best possible outcome is waiting two years to wait on and clean up and look after my betters. Gawd. I cant deny that's taken the wind out of my sails.

Thanks for the heads up rem3pt, I'll get the ball rolling asp.

When the navy (ships and boats) are at sea does the crew get paid extra? (I read on the navy website it was £6 a day but cannot find the page)

Also how often are you required to be on duty - when discussing the RFA they said it would be a sea for roughly 7 months a year. Is it similar in the surface and submarine fleet?

Cheers to any replies.

Nate.

**WreckerL** · 25-03-12, 16:35

Originally Posted by Topstop

Back dafties do or did, 3 on 6 off 3 on 6 off 4 on 8 off if I remember rightly.

Correctomundo, fwd ME's or outside staff (Wrecking crew) watchkeep fwd and do 6 on 6 off same as all the others who work in the crumple zone.

**wave_dodger** · 26-03-12, 07:00

Nate,

Get your arse along to HMS CAMBRIA the RNR unit in Sully. Two reasons: Firstly, you'll get a taste of what the RN is like, remember its just a taste but you can get too work with the RN and that can only help, secondly once you're in the RNR the guys along there are fantastic and have contacts - when I was down there we used to help people get better jobs all the time, its another way of meeting people with the same values and getting along.

There are lots of positives about the RNR and whilst it does have the weekend warrior image still, once you've got some training done and in your case that could be quite quick, you can work with the RN and get paid a decent wage.

Daft not to!

Now go and get ready to go along! and get your RN application in once you've considered which branch. No reason why you can't do the two together.