Rethink...any helpers?

Right then, first post away, Im ever so proud!

Deal is, having passed AIB and Flight Aptitude Testing with intention to join as WAFU, Ive been dropped due to to a fault with my Mk. 1 Eyeball. After a bit of thought Im not ready to kick it just yet and have turned my attention to earning a pair of Dolphins. Neither AIB, AFCO, ACLO, or anyone for that matter has offered me any advise (leave related?!) so Im hoping the upstanding RumRation contributors might be slightly less weighed down and have some solid advise.

Brown nosing over, having passed AIB, does anyone know if I would have to resit for a different branch? How competetive are the places? Ive heard that plenty of would-be aviators find their way into the Submarine Service, is there a trend in their suitability/performance?

Any advise would be great, before I do something drastic like sign on with the RAF :-/

Cheers all - UB out.

 

The WAFU's i know that are now submariners are only that due to failing further on in their careers.

You may be able to use your current score to be assessed for Submarines, but i have heard of people being recalled to AIB again. It tends to be the luck of the draw.

I knew one guy that had got to his final exam for ATC after going through the whole dartmouth and ATC training and failed it and rather than being just straight transfered to Warfare he had to go to AIB again. Hopefully however this was just a one off!!

 

I think I know this bloke, he was on is CFT on my last ship! I'm sure he told me that if he'd been RAF on his ATC course, he'd have had another chance.

As for your quesiton UB - As far as I've heard, we're pretty overborne with warfare officer candidates, to the point where potential warfare officers who've passed AIB and don't get selected are being offered aircrew as we're so short of pilots. I know that won't help you much.

Submariners are a different story altogether - If they're offering a golden hello after SMQ Wet and a further bigger one to warfare (SM) officers at a particular stage then they must be short.

I reckon if you contact your ACLO and tell him you'd like to be a warfare SM officer you'll be in like a flash.

Right - what can you do for me!!!??? How about a full and frank description of your AIB, with all the top tips you can think of for those of us on RR who are soon to undertake it???

 

it was 2 years since i did mine, but be fit confident and enthusiastic. that stuff about current affairs is overrated. to be honest you've either got it or you haven't. good luck

 

Right, first off, thanks for the reply's. Im stirring up as big a shitstorm as possible to try and get my existence noticed, its all a bit quiet.

Luckily my eyesight has me cleared for every other specialisation bar aircrew (depth perception... 8O ) so Im not worried about that. Again, I was just wondering how great the need was for X(SM) officers. They were more or less champing at the bit to get me in as aircrew, we shall have to wait and see.

SUYAIB:

First off, as far as I can tell, AIB is more competitive for SUY's than for civvy plebes like myself. As far as I can tell, all the SUY candidates in the board before me were excellent guys and really capable, but not all of them passed.
Along the lines of what Benjymo said. Forget current affairs as your main focus, just make sure you aren't in a hole and keep an eye on the easy ones i.e. Middle East, Trident etc.


For the whole AIB in general, stand out. Not the time to be the grey man, take the lead. Volunteer, have the info, be the voice of reason etc. Just remember that they are trying to spot potential officers the whole time, so thats what you wish to come off as.

MSFT - simple stuff, prepare responsibly & push hard. Here's a hint, get above the naval fitness standard for your age by a good margin.

Psycho's - Practise, Practise, Practise. Your service knowledge should be flawless.

PLT's - For both the practise and the practical, be enthusiastic as hell, be quick, volunteer and get your f#cking opinions in the open ASAP. If it needs to be said, you be the one to say it. If it needs to be carried...etc. Again, more about how you act than how you succeed. Simple mistakes, no probs, just lead your team through it: see above.

Discussion Ex - nasty! Designed simply to catch you panicking and to force quick and personality oriented reactions. Be calm, be cool, don't say 'um', look your Lt. in the eye. Above all things, LISTEN TO EVERY WORD SHE SAYS, ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE'S NOT TALKING TO YOU. I passed AIB simply because the guy next to me panicked and I could answer his q's. Keep thinking 100% of the time, and favour a decent guess over no answer. Dont be afraid to change a plan, if you think its bollocks then say so, as long as you don't scupper anyone else in your team you'll do fine.

Interview - Ne special tips here. Be yourself. The perfect example is what they want, not the perfect answer. Be honest, look em in the eye and sell yourself. You know what they'll ask you about, so have appropraite examples (plenty of them!).

AIB as a whole is a lot of fun. You are bricking it from day one, but its not particularly miserable. Just ask yourself what you have that they're looking for, then bloody well show them. Stand out, show some potential and enjoy yourself.

 

And, just on the side, they are champing at the bit for X(SM) applications, so they've put me through to the gene pool without having to resit.