RM Commando vs Officer

Hi all,

To all the Royals in this forum, have you ever regretted not going into training as an Officer?

I'm due to take my PJFT soon, and I'm revising all the ranks and structure... I'm really wondering what real difference there is between regular and officer. Who sees more action etc?



Richard.

 

Hi Richard!

Just thought you might find some interesting stuff on here too:

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/prmc/

 

Hiya,

I've asked there before and looked around but they seem to be pretty vague about the topic.

I'm just wondering whether the whole idea of 'Officers see the battlefield less' is an illusion.

 

In general terms that's true. Once you reach Captain you'll see less and less of the field and more of the Ops room / office.

 

Yeah. See, that's the thing... (I might change my mind if I get there!) but I want to join more to be out there in the field getting me hands dirty than sitting in an ops room.

 

Err no, but I served with plenty that could off. It's not a game, what do you want to do?

If you have the nonce you can go for a commission after serving in the ranks, but ask yourself, do you really want to do basic training twice?

 

Ideally, I'd like to join as a commando and become a Reconnaissance Operator with a view to Mountain Leader.

I understand it's not a game and I am serious about it... I just wonder if there's anything I will miss not becoming an officer.

 

Yeah. I spoke to them and they ran through the career possibilities and benefits which to be honest, kept me on the side of regular commando.

 

Officers are Commandos too. Dont worry to much about being a boys own hero just yet, concentrate your energies in getting in and passing out. You can't specialise in anything until that is done. If you are able to be a Rupert then go for it, believe it or not they are bloody good soldiers.

 

Okay.

Forgive my ingorance but... Rupert?

 

Rupert...Officers

 

Once you've done a tour or two as a 2lt / 1lt, you may find your ready for that ops room anyway mate.

My advice, if you have the academic ability, join as an officer. It really is as simple as that. You will get plenty of opportunities in todays climate to see all sorts of horrible sh1t. Officer or not.

 

I have recently just got back from ops, to be honest mate, it dont make any difference, officer or NCO providing you get in a fighting company you will see action. Even as a NCO you can still end up in a ops room depending what trade you go for. Why not be a NCO first then apply to go infront of the officers board. Its two weeks of a drilling but i have know of people that has done it this way, or do what the other people said just join up as a officer.

 

If you've got the ability go for a Commission from the get go, then if you fall at any of the Officer Recruitment hurdles apply for Marine.
If you get in as an Officer you'll do all the same Commando stuff in Training as a OR Recruit, plus learn how to lead men (Under the 'guidance' of a senior NCO at first .), plan and co-ordinate operations and eat meals with your elbows off the table.
As has been stated as you progress through the OR rank structure you'll get further away from the sticky end of the stick anyhow and with age and added responsibilities the attraction of lumping 100kg of kit around in the field and then 'Winning the firefight' will probably wane a tad.
Good luck with your decision and future.

 

Not trying to hijack the thread from Royal, but from a matelot perspective, bootie grunters are generally better than ours (IMHO). Everyone I've met has been, without exception, able to communicate with people properly and get what they want done without pi**ing people off or coming over all superior. I asked a bootie mate of mine why he thinks this so; "Easy, they go through with the nods."