Joining the RNR

I'm currently going through the process of joining the RNR and I just feel like having a bit of a moan right now over how much of a pain it's turning into.

In March of this year I came the end of six years in the mob and before going on terminal leave I was at sea in a pussers gray for a few weeks. So why in God's name am I having to sit the joining test, go to a formal interview and have an eye test. And, to do all this I'm having to take time off from my new job to go to the AFCO. A job I've only been in for half a dog watch.

A girl I was on resettlement with from the Royal Sigs practicaly walked in to the TA with none of this hassle.

If I'm going to join the RNR, something which operates mostly at weekends and evenings then why can't all this be handled in those hours??

 

The AFCO see their job as recruiting mainly full time RN and RNR was a bit of an after thought. I know that you get the impression that they make you feel that they are doing you a favour.

It may be best to just contact your local RTC, it won't make AFCO any easier but at least you will get to know the people you will be working with in future and hopefully make you feel the effort is worthwhile.

Stick at it, the RNR need more ex RN like you. Good luck.

 

If it's any consolation, we're told it's going to get a lot easier. Doesn't help you, I know, but it does mean that the powers that be acknowledge there is a problem and are doing something about it.

 

As a matter of interest - when you left the RN you should have had the full discharge medical (including an eye test) - which presumably declared you fit otherwise you could have a claim against the RN for whatever they did to you during the 6 years to turn you from the fit recruit who can see to the unfit Discharge Shore who can't see.

That medical should still be valid since it was only 6 months ago - ask the AFCO why they need to go through the rigmarole - have they actually read your application and noted your previous experience?

The pragmatic (big word that the RN/RNR doesn't seem to understand) answer should be that you walk in off the street and back into rig unless the background Service checks suggest that there is a problem.

 

Seems rather silly to me having to sit the joining exam again. I had many years between leaving regular service and joining the RNR. I had the interview and the medical because obviously in that time alot will have changed. I didn't have to repeat basic training either, just went straight into my branch.

Could it depend whether you are going into the equivalent RNR branch or going for something different. A friend of mind in the Aussie TA had to retake their entrance exam and got better marks and has been able to train in a more technical branch so it may have its advantages.

 

Thing is, just supposing I had a bad day when I did the test, would that mean I can't do the job for the RNR that I've been doing for the RN for six years?

 

It's all supposed to be improving!! Ex RN types should be able to 'seemlessly' transfer in.....if I were you I'd get in touch with the recruiting SO1 who'll probably take this up for you. Good luck. :?

 

The big problem that the RNR has with taking in ex-RN is that the system is only designed for taking in people off the street to be AB2s. Anything else is treated as an exception and something that's not happened for years. So it comes as no surprise that many ex-RN Officers, SRs and JRs who are thinking about the RNR are put off by the utterly stupid way that they are treated by the RNR recruiting process. You'd have thought by now that someone would have sorted out a way to get these people in. How hard can this be?

 

The stupid thing is that I bet there already is a well documented 'system' with a clear laid down set of procedures in the middle of a very big BR somewhere that either hasn't been made public or, more likely, has not been handed over to those who need to know about it. Understandable given the rapid pace of rotation of recruiting personnel in RTCs (and AFCOs in some cases) but not really an excuse.

 

Unfortunately mate its one of them things that for some reason never seems to have been addressed.

As others have mentioned, please stick with it. The RNR needs experienced hands like never before. Once you get through all the bullshit at the beginging it really is worth it.[/quote]

Take a look at the "why do you stay in" thread when you start to get really pissed off with it.

 

BR60 has a section on joing the RNR from the RN and the options that ex-RN have.

 

Sound advice phil. AFCOs are the worst way to join the reserves. Unfortunately, they're the only way.

Having said that I haven't read BR60 so ex RN may have other options.

 

erm, its my understanding that you can pop down on a training night, it was like that when I joined the TA. Some units have regular open evenings, HMS President is having one on the 16th November (might have to recheck that) so I am going to just tip up and go through the motions there.

Admittedly you might have to have your medical etc somewhere else unless the unit has an in-house mo. When I joined the TA it was in the HQ Squadron of an RLC unit and we had our own MO there, I think guys from other SQNs had to come to us but am not sure.

stab

 

Popping down on a drill night or visiting the open nights are good, but that's generally just for information. Except for giving you a few forms, the RTU generally cant do anything to recruit you.

It all depends on the unit as to your medical exam. Mine was done in the unit but organised by the AFCO. A lot of RTUs dont have much of a medical branch now so it very much depends on your local situation

 

Smudge is unfortunately right - you can't bypass the AFCO. They are an unavoidable part of the joining process. However once you have contact with the unit they can at least try to help you with the process and press the AFCO when they are dragging their heels.

If anybody out there is reading this, is in the RN and interested in joining the RNR - make sure you tell the MO at your final medical to add the words 'fit for RNR service' to your medical file. It wont stop the AFCO trying to send you for a medical, but if you then draw the AFCO MOs attention to it it can short circuit the issue.

 

Not entirely true, and mainly irrelevant. The medical branch are not permitted to do new entry medicals, and haven't been for a very long time.

While yours may have been done at the unit, the individual doing it was a Final Examining Medical Officer contracted via the AFCO, and would have been the same on who does regular entry medicals - nothing at all to do with the RNR Medical Branch, unless there were a few MSAs around, and the loss of these means the FEMO may have to do their own prelims.

APN

 

I cant see what difference writing "fit for RNR service" would do.

There are very few RN types who join the RNR streight away. Most of them wait a few years and anything could have happened in that time. Either way you will still have to do a medical unless you come streight in.

I failed the medical and wrote a letter to the RN expressing my disapointment and was sent down to London to see a specialist. The specialist passed me fit but i still had to go through the medical all over again. This time when he told me that i wasn't medically suitable i showed him the report from the specialist passing me fit.

He wasnt happy!

 

Unfortunately, how much the AFCO does for the Resereves very much depends on the personalities involved. Up until a year or so ago, the AFCO at a certain major naval port on the south coast would remain open on a Thursday night to allow entrants from the Tuesday night recruitment evening to take their tests. A new persopn took over and all that stopped - after all they weren't paid to do it!

As others have said though, the AFCO are trying to fill billets in the regular service - one entrant we had told us he was called 'scum' by an AFCO person whe he said he was joining the Reserves. Needless to say a few words were said about that.

I'm always astounded by some of the stories about recruitment. Some seem to fly through with ease - while other spend 2+ years trying to join - and we wonder why we have recruitment problems?

Our unit has a lot of ex-regulars, by dint of its location - in fact unlike the days of pre-94 'direct' RNR entrants are a minority!