Joining at 17

I'm 17 next month and am planning on joining. Have spoken with Careers and am pretty sure that this is right for me and am waiting for the formal interview. I don't see any point in waiting any longer when I know this is what I want to do.

Just wondering if there would be any differences in what happens (during training) if you are under 18? I wasn't told anything about that and I doubt there is but just though I'd check. Also is the strating pay the same? I do smoke but I presume there's no problem with that. Like most people my age I drink as well - assume that's not 'officially' allowed during training.

If there is anything else I should know or take into account, it would be good to find out.

Thanks.

 

Waterboy.....have a sqiunt in the newbies section and most of your questions will be answered ..good luck and welcome to RR

 

Well I joined at 17 and 10 months-----all that meant was that I 'gave ' the RN 2 months of extra time! I presume the same applies today-----service starts at 18.

 

Hi Waterboy,

Whether you're 17 or 27, the training is identical and you should be on the same pay scale and terms of service as all other new entries in your branch.

The only difference will be if you're still under 18 when you get to Phase 2 or in your first job, in which case there may be restrictions regarding being armed and being sent into an operational area.

You won't be allowed to drink alcohol in the Raleigh Club - the staff know which trainees are under 18, so you can't lie about your age :wink:

 

Do they still have a thick blue stripe through your ID card of you are under 18?

 

Well ya won't have to wait to get your tot ( at 20) lol !!

 

Thought they'd have something about drinking - but where there's a will, there's a way I'm sure. As long as they don't do something like that if they raise the smoking age too :wink:

 

That's not very nice!

Welcome aboard Waterboy. Training these days is identical to the training the so-called grown-ups receive :lol: Not like in the days of yore! Whatever you may have read about naval training in the past, the contrast with today is as dramatic as comparing life today with what you see in the BBC drama 'Life on Mars'!!! :lol: Just remember whatever you might read about the G Spot here (HMS Ganges) no longer applies to Juniors, who in any event join as ABs nowadays (very confusing to the older generation here).

Steve.

 

The trainees had to show their station card to get a drink, but that system may have changed in the last year or so since I last visited.

 

AB's ? wot no OD's ?

 

Best of luck Matey , I was 15 when I joined [Raleigh just] , just go for it , if It's in your heart you will just do it , did 24 years some bad times but you dont remember them , all my mates are Matelotes [no such thing as an ex Matelote or ex RMs] , once you've done it thats it . welcome to RR ,

 

I know a Bandie in Training at the moment, he was advised to hold off joining until he was 18 because of the Drinking situation, in that most of his oppos would be out on the lash whilst he was stuck in bulling his boots!

However he went for it, as he was going to be 18 a few months after, and I don't think he regrets it.

So it depends on the person, if you think you won't be bothered by sticking to coke, then go for it. What else will you being at home?

If I could I would go tomorrow!

 

That's the drinking type of coke of course! :wink:

 

Well I joined as a baby bootie at 16 and 1/2, no favours given, we had to do the same training as the guys who where 27, exactly the same standards and training program..*twitch* there's fcuk all *twitch* wrong with me now *twitch*...go for it.

We got shedded every time we could....you aint joining a nunnery.

 

The only problem with joining up at 17 is that if and when and go on a run ashore, youll have to be back by midnight while the rest of your oppos are out having a good time and youll have to make your own way back all by your tod!! Which is horrible especially when you are in a foreign port!!! And female!!!

When you reach 17 1/2 (dont know why the extra 6 months makes any difference!) you are then allowed out after midnight.

And yes they do undertake bed searches at night to make sure that you are in bed if you are under 17 1/2!!!!!!!! :cry:

 

Well I joined as a baby bootie at 16 and 1/2, no favours given, we had to do the same training as the guys who where 27, exactly the same standards and training program..*twitch* there's fcuk all *twitch* wrong with me now *twitch*...go for it.

We got shedded every time we could....you aint joining a nunnery.


My god straight on to a full size drum kit or bugle. I think now adays you would start on a snare and they would add more as you progressed through. Its all about retention ..........

 

Sorry mate, not a bandie...we had a horrendous retention rate so I think my troop and the following one was the last junior Marine troops to go through Lympstone.

 

Bloody hell... Cinderella leave still in operation these days??!! 8O

Pity the ROC isn't still around. At 16 I was allowed to drink with the rest of my Post (the second youngest on our Post was aged 20) until I was usually very merry/semi-conscious and never allowed to pay for a round - or nosh when we dined out! Grrreeeeaaaat!

Had I joined at 15, which I would have done had I known I could, I still think I'd have been encouraged to drink!

 

Although it was officially frowned on, I was never picked up for drinking under age. The gate staff usually worked on the basis that if you could stand up straight and state your name and watch when asking for your station card, you were OK. I enjoyed many a free drink whilst playing the joanna in the "George and Dragon" in Wetherby, and providing we were back in Ceres by 2300 there was no problem. I joined RNB Portsmouth in Oct 52, aged 17 yrs 1 month, and went staight onto all night leave. Might have been something to do with living on the Wardroom side, although, having handed our cards in to the duty reg. PO on our side, we had to collect them from the main barracks when returning. Went from there to the Staff Officers' Mess in Pompey Dockyard, where we didn't even have station cards, so by the time I joined a ship, I was over 18 anyway.

2BM

 

The under age drinking is only really enforced on a Shore base, I speak from experiance from my time and also my son who is not 18 until August this year and is currently on deployment way down South for 5 months and he sends me pics home and he is definitely not drinking Orange Juice down there at MPA by the looks of him !!