Whats it like in the RNR?

[Blackberry]

Hi guys,

I'm interested in joining the RNR whilst finishing my degree. In fact I have my PJFT next week.

I'm just wondering how people manage the commitment of attending drill nights at the unit whilst working as well?

Are there struggles or do you fit it all in when told what to do when your in?

Thanks
BB

 

[finknottle]

I was in the shit on a number of occasions if that's of any use?

 

[Blackberry]

Hi Fink,

:-?What happened?

 

[SimpleReservist]

Blackberry, good luck.
Many under grads join simply as a source of additional income, then find that it's a good crack and stay. Where's your nearest unit?
im sure you will enjoy the RNR.

 

[CmdKeen]

Depends on the job, 9 to 5 in an office should mean you won't have any dramas getting along. Drill nights also aren't an "turn up to every one" commitment. Drill nights start fairly late so unless you live miles away and work late that shouldn't be a problem.

If you have a job that means you work shifts and can't attend every drill night / training weekend that doesn't disqualify you, it just means you'll take a lot longer to reach trained strength.

 

[trehorn]

It is recommended that New Entries attend 3 out of every 4 drill nights to prevent skill fade. No point in us teaching you something if you don't come back for four weeks. You will be required to do 3 compulsary weekends as a New Entry, Marinisation, Militarisation and Assessment. Each of these is run around three times a year so you can pick and choose which one to attend to a certain degree. You'll then do 2 weeks basic training a RALEIGH. Again, these two week courses are undertaken several times a year so once you've completed your in unit N/E training and weekends you can choose which two week slot suits you best.

Once you've completed RALEIGH and joined your branch you can ease up on the drill nights. It's very flexible and you can almost do as much or as little as you want - so long as you do the minimum to maintain your bounty - KERCHING!!!!!!

Hope this helps.

 

[2_deck_dash]

It's very flexible and you can almost do as much or as little as you want

This also extends to when you're deployed.

Don't fancy turning to in the morning? No worries shippers, you're only a part timer.

Cant be arsed to go on watch tonight? It's cool, one of the regulars will cover for you, remember it's only a hobby.

Wanna go home? Just ask Navs and he'll turn the ship towards shore.

 

[Blackberry]

Blackberry, good luck.
Many under grads join simply as a source of additional income, then find that it's a good crack and stay. Where's your nearest unit?
im sure you will enjoy the RNR.

Hi Simple, the nearest to me is HMS Eaglet (about 60miles/1 hour away).

So once your trained in your branch is there a choice if called up for active service? Is it taken seriously or is it a grown-up sea cadet club? What are the regulars general impression of you when you mention your a reservist?

 

[trehorn]

This also extends to when you're deployed.

Don't fancy turning to in the morning? No worries shippers, you're only a part timer.

Cant be arsed to go on watch tonight? It's cool, one of the regulars will cover for you, remember it's only a hobby.

Wanna go home? Just ask Navs and he'll turn the ship towards shore.

Sorry 2DD, forgot thos bits, but they won't come into play until much further down the line. Let's not spoil it by ruining all the suprises eh ;-)

 

[trehorn]

Hi Simple, the nearest to me is HMS Eaglet (about 60miles/1 hour away).

So once your trained in your branch is there a choice if called up for active service?
Yeh, you only go if you've not got anything else on.

Is it taken seriously or is it a grown-up sea cadet club?
It's just like sea cadets only the women have more pubic hair.

What are the regulars general impression of you when you mention your a reservist?[
See 2DD's comments above ;-)
/QUOTE]

You've kind of walked into 2DD's trap there shippers.

The RNR used to be a bit of a drinking club with a few jollies thrown in. It's changed considerably over the last ten or so years and I would say mostly for the better.

The RNR is fun. The people you will meet and the opportunities you get will be unlike anything you can get in civvy st. People wouldn't do it if it wasn't enjoyable.

Lot's of people think that we're just a grown up version of the sea cadets which is incorrect - they have loads more kit than us and get to go to sea more often. Most of the courses you will do are RN courses. You will do them alongside your regular counterparts and expected to pass the same standards as them. Because most of the branches in the RNR are different to the RN we also do some courses which are only applicable to us.

The RNR is taken very seriously by those involved in it and by those who have worked closely with us. Yes there are still some regulars who look at us as puddle pirates but they tend to be the ones who've had little or nothing to do with us over recent years or they're just bitter that we do the job that pays their mortgage for the fun of it and a few extra beer tokens.

I've met many RN types who fit the description that 2DD has put in his post. Not interested in the job, don't turn up for watches, turn up p*ssed. you cant tar them all with the same brush.

 

[CmdKeen]

I believe RNR ratings only have to do two compulsory national weekends (though many units run their own training weekends as well) . The assessment weekend is an officer only affair.

 

[Blackberry]

Sounds like a good time

I'd been watching some media videos about the two weeks training at Raleigh and theres a girl with the crown on her new entry epaulet, just wondering what rank that is? I never seen it before.

Also, are your qualifications put towards your rank in terms of seniority towards promotion? Or is that just for regs.

Is it possible to transfer to regular with the rank you got in the rnr after so many years?

 

[SimpleReservist]

Blackberry, phone Eaglet's recruiting officer, find out when their next recruitment evening is, and pop along. 99% of your questions will be answered professionally . Good luck.

 

[Rumrat]

I actually think you are quite wrong about the views of the RN regulars Trehorn.
A lot of their disrespect for RNR comes from remarks like yours about "doing their job for fun and more money"
The id of the average Matelot is very very complex. The possessive factor of his nature is greater than you can understand without being one.
You see it all the time in this forum if you want proof.
Example. a chief petty officer retired lets say four years makes a comment about the conduct of serving jack, and you will see a coming together of serving ratings quicker than a heard of elephants protecting their young.(And quite right so)
MY ships a load of shit.......yes it is....... is not the right answer...why? would be better.
You go aboard a ship for a few weeks or even months....its not your ship, it will never be.
You criticise the Navy, you ain't entitled is their view. But they can, its their family. They wont come to your place of work and trash the infrastructure,.
Jack don't give a ****??????? Don't you ever believe that for one second, he gives a **** alright, but you ain't going to see it.
Call your wife a fat ugly bitch. You going to let me join in? Didn't think so.
You may well train to do a job. So did he. You walk on the ship thinking you are as good as him. You ain't he does it 24/7, and when he first started as a regular he was told by the experienced hands how gash he was until he'd been doing it for months straight.
Six months after I left the Andrew, I would have been the handicap in my action station until worked up and into the crew.
Could take months, but I still knew the job like you know yours.
When new ships companies come together they need to work up, and that's after they have done a PCT in their own particular part of ship.

And now you think I'm a ex having a go. No not true, I was an instructor with the RNR as a PSI at HMS Forward, so have seen the view from both sides of the field. I concur the RNR are sometimes the brunt of the joke and the quickest way to stop it is roll with it and laugh at yourselves a tad, jack does it all the time.
Still I suppose opinions are like ********* we've all got one and that's mine.

 

[WreckerL]

Sounds like a good time

I'd been watching some media videos about the two weeks training at Raleigh and theres a girl with the crown on her new entry epaulet, just wondering what rank that is? I never seen it before.

Class leader, not a rank

Also, are your qualifications put towards your rank in terms of seniority towards promotion? Or is that just for regs.

Not sure what you're on about. Qualifications have no bearing on your seniority in RN, spookily enough how long you've been in a particular rate does though.

Is it possible to transfer to regular with the rank you got in the rnr after so many years?

....................................

 

[trehorn]

I actually think you are quite wrong about the views of the RN regulars Trehorn.
A lot of their disrespect for RNR comes from remarks like yours about "doing their job for fun and more money"
The id of the average Matelot is very very complex. The possessive factor of his nature is greater than you can understand without being one.
You see it all the time in this forum if you want proof.
Example. a chief petty officer retired lets say four years makes a comment about the conduct of serving jack, and you will see a coming together of serving ratings quicker than a heard of elephants protecting their young.(And quite right so)
MY ships a load of shit.......yes it is....... is not the right answer...why? would be better.
You go aboard a ship for a few weeks or even months....its not your ship, it will never be.
You criticise the Navy, you ain't entitled is their view. But they can, its their family. They wont come to your place of work and trash the infrastructure,.
Jack don't give a ****??????? Don't you ever believe that for one second, he gives a **** alright, but you ain't going to see it.
Call your wife a fat ugly bitch. You going to let me join in? Didn't think so.
You may well train to do a job. So did he. You walk on the ship thinking you are as good as him. You ain't he does it 24/7, and when he first started as a regular he was told by the experienced hands how gash he was until he'd been doing it for months straight.
Six months after I left the Andrew, I would have been the handicap in my action station until worked up and into the crew.
Could take months, but I still knew the job like you know yours.
When new ships companies come together they need to work up, and that's after they have done a PCT in their own particular part of ship.

And now you think I'm a ex having a go. No not true, I was an instructor with the RNR as a PSI at HMS Forward, so have seen the view from both sides of the field. I concur the RNR are sometimes the brunt of the joke and the quickest way to stop it is roll with it and laugh at yourselves a tad, jack does it all the time.
Still I suppose opinions are like ********* we've all got one and that's mine.

Wo, wo, wo sweet child of mine! I didn't have the time to add all the smilies and sh*t on my post as the company's spam detector kicks you off the t'internet at 0830. I know how it works RR. Some of the RNR deserve some of the grief they get and some don't. Just like some regulars deserve some grief and some don't. I've never called a ship "mine" or even thought of a ship as mine, aside from the stone frigate we call CERES. And like you say, the paints falling off the walls cos of the damp, the IT rarely works and the plumbing sounds like the Brighouse brass band tuning up but she's my unit and I won't have a bad word said about her (do you even call establishments "her/she"?) I know that if you keep your nose clean, keep your mouth shut and show willing you'll get on. Turn too acting like you know it all is a sure fire way to get people's backs up.

I've only ever met one serious ar*e hole in the regulars. He wouldn't give me the steam off his piss and I wouldn't give him mine. I felt better when I realised that even his shipmates thought he was a throbber with an attitude. My comments were meant in jest towards 2DD - who is renown for his baiting of puddle pirates.
:love:

 

[trehorn]

Sounds like a good time

I'd been watching some media videos about the two weeks training at Raleigh and theres a girl with the crown on her new entry epaulet, just wondering what rank that is? I never seen it before.

Also, are your qualifications put towards your rank in terms of seniority towards promotion? Or is that just for regs.

Is it possible to transfer to regular with the rank you got in the rnr after so many years?

Like Wrecker says - she'll be a class leader, sometimes they get to wear a nice sleave thingy on their arm. Not sure what they're called, I never got to wear one:-\\\\\\\\

Qualifications have SFA to do with your rank. Quals might help you go for officer but you earn your rank through keeping your nose clean, getting the ticks in the boxes and showing that you deserve it.
I would advise against pushing for promotion just because you can. Ask yourself honestly if you could do the job of a leading hand/PO/CPO etc before grasping for the hooks etc. Too many units put people forward for promotion because it looks good for the unit instead of looking at the individual and assessing if they're actually suitable for the job.

You can mobilise at the rank you have in the RNR but mobilisation isn't perminant. You can also get Full Time Reserve Service contracts and retain your rank/rate but again this is not perminant. I have known RNR's go on long FTRS contracts and decide they quite like the RN life and have been lucky enough to transfer directly across. This is extremely rare and is even harder now that many of the RNR branches do not mirror the RN equivilant. You couldn't see a RNR Chief from the WARSEA branch transfer into the RN as a Chief gunner. The roles are nothing like each other apart from possibly handing the small arms.

Hope this answers your questions.

 

[Rumrat]

Wo, wo, wo sweet child of mine! I didn't have the time to add all the smilies and sh*t on my post as the company's spam detector kicks you off the t'internet at 0830. I know how it works RR. Some of the RNR deserve some of the grief they get and some don't. Just like some regulars deserve some grief and some don't. I've never called a ship "mine" or even thought of a ship as mine, aside from the stone frigate we call CERES. And like you say, the paints falling off the walls cos of the damp, the IT rarely works and the plumbing sounds like the Brighouse brass band tuning up but she's my unit and I won't have a bad word said about her (do you even call establishments "her/she"?) I know that if you keep your nose clean, keep your mouth shut and show willing you'll get on. Turn too acting like you know it all is a sure fire way to get people's backs up.

I've only ever met one serious ar*e hole in the regulars. He wouldn't give me the steam off his piss and I wouldn't give him mine. I felt better when I realised that even his shipmates thought he was a throbber with an attitude. My comments were meant in jest towards 2DD - who is renown for his baiting of puddle pirates.
:love:

You only ever met one ******** in the regulars?
You need to get out more, I met hundreds.
And stop winding 2DD have more respect for the aristocracy.

 

[andym]

Its like being in the TA but with less Green.

 

[TotalAlien]

Hi guys,

I'm interested in joining the RNR whilst finishing my degree. In fact I have my PJFT next week.

I'm just wondering how people manage the commitment of attending drill nights at the unit whilst working as well?

Are there struggles or do you fit it all in when told what to do when your in?

Thanks
BB

OP, I have recently joined the RNR as a rating and here is my 2 cents. Providing the unit you join is fairly organised, they should accommodate you quite well there, they certainly were at HMS Forward but all are different. You start with Initial Naval Training which in my opinion is mind numbing and a bit of a drag, I do wonder to myself "Why am I doing this" but then I remember that it wont always be filling in a taskbook and there may be a time when I might get deployed and start doing the work I volunteered to do. To pass the time whilst in INT I have joined the naval gliding school which gives a discounted rate to members of the RN, had my first flight today actually So many doors open if you join, you just need to be pro-active with your membership of the RNR, you get out what you put in! My advice would be to join anyway and see if you like it or not, at worst you wont like it and leave, no problem, at least you tried it which is more than most would!
Any Qns feel free to PM me.