Joing the Territorial Army...

[wulfstan]

Your thoughts please, I am currently toying with joining the TA (Territorial Army in the UK, like the reserves in the US) and want some advice about what to expect etc. I visited a local branch, a signals regiment, and looked round etc, but i'm still undecided as to whether to join. TA basically involves a minimum of 27 days a year, incl. a 2 week boot camp with regular army, with regular regional unit meetings etc, but I want to get an idea of what i can expect, and i'd like to hear from serving or ex members of the millitary to see what they think, rather than what the recruitment corperal told me. (He basically emphasised that a lot of subsidised drinking goes on and everyone has a laugh etc...)
Any help grately appreciated...

[martinexsquaddie]

a lot of drinking does go on but it is fun BUT AND iTS A BIG BUT YOU STAY IN FOR 3 YEARS OR more so your basically procficent in your trade or you have previous experiance you may find yourself stagging on in basra or some other hellhole tony or his replacement as decided to send the forces to. When I was in that did'nt it happen.
Don't know a great about signals infantry myself but you got to learn drill and the basics of living in the field etc . The blokes are mostly pretty good if you get into it you can spend all you earn and more on gucci kit not that you need it but whatever. Check out what your unit really does it may spend the weekend tapping on keyboards in a tent.
If your local TA signals unit is thorney island you need your head examined thats the SAS ta signals and your spend every weekend running round the airfield with a bergan full of weight before it gets hard :lol:

[wulfstan]

Cheers Martin, that's a help. One thing that put me off was that on the tour round the unit i was shown the drill hall, where everyone just seemed to be pissing around like kids in the playground. I'm not driving 20 odd miles for that once a week!
The plusses are that I'll get fit (again), learn military craft etc and get some trips away on maneauvres etc. There did look like there was the possibility of sitting in tents punching in co-ordinates tho...!

[Sabre]

20 miles? is there nowhere closer? I suppose not if you live in the country, but in the town there are usually closer ones.

The TA's a good idea, the atmosphere is great and you could have a good time. The signals would also give you some skills you might not already have (comms, for one) and you could even get some recognition for it (civvy qualifications etc).

In terms of fittness, the TA puts a fair amount of emphasis on doing that yourself. Because they meet only once a week and for the odd weekend, much of that time is spent actually training, rather than on intensive PT sessions. Having said that, there is often a bit of PT on a night and multigym facilities for your own use afterwards, some units also run optional PT nights once or twice a week.

The best thing is to try it, or talk to any friends you have that do it. Also remember to find a unit that suits you. If you're particularly keen on green, why not try the infantry/Paras (or even the RMR, not many of them but worth a bit of a commute), the Royal Artillary are BIG drinkers, the RLC I wouldn't bother with (sorry lads)...there is probably a unit out there to suit you. Again, it all depends on the proximity of the centre.

The most likely choice you'll have is between 'teeth arms' (infantry etc), or a 'corps' (support service). Why not try the engineers? You could get both the infantry side (securing bridges, etc) and the special-to-arms stuff (blowing it up!!!).

[wulfstan]

Thanks Sabre,
I told them i was gonna wait for a while (working two jobs right now, but one's coming to an end) then get back to them. No doubt they thought that was bull****, but i think i will call them again and fill out the paperwork etc.
The two week boot camp with the regular army seems daunting, but I'll bite the bullet (excuse the pun) and do it. The two nearest units are both signals, so not much variety. The military training sounds good, but not sure about learning electrical engineering etc, if i wanted to do that i'd go back to college...

[Sabre]

Fair enough.

I wouldn't worry about the two week annual camp. If they say it's with the regs it'll just mean that you get the best in terms of resources and (possibly) training areas. With the signals, the TA often does the same training as the regs, as their war role would be the same. Opportunities to train with the regs are worth taking.

There will be a variety of roles within the unit, so you should be able to find something that suits you (of course, it depends on what they need!). If you want more of an active time, the Infantry or the Royal Engineers would be better. It's not too difficult to learn how to blow something up, and very fun!

If you don't mind me asking, where are you? I would have thought that with two Sig units nearby, there would at least be one Infantry unit.

[wulfstan]

I live in Leamington Spa so I think I'm in the middle of a signals unit in Rugby (the one I visited) and Stratford. There are infantry units in Coventry I think, but a bit further away...

[Sabre]

Looks like you've got Signals, infantry and engineers in Coventry (not too far), and just signals in Rugby. It isn't that much farther to coventry than rugby, so the choice is up to you (obviously).

I would suggest contacting the other units in Coventry, and seeing what they're like and how easy to get to they are. Then you can always compare.

Hey, if you felt like going a bit further away, there's always the SAS in Wolverhampton!

http://www.army.mod.uk/uksf/

Good luck!

:)

[wulfstan]

I went to the link and looked at the special forces TA site, a bit out of my league, plus you have to have already served in the forces, but maybe one day. What is the purpose of the SAS TA? You get to do all the training but none of the action?
Once things have evened out at home I'm gonna recontact the signals in Rugby and take it from there. If it does turn out to be all turning dials in the back of Landrovers and learning to get a HGV licences i'll try another unit.

Basically I want military training and adventure and some extra cash while having some fun, which is basically the way it was explained to me;)

[Gordon]

I went to the link and looked at the special forces TA site, a bit out of my league, plus you have to have already served in the forces, but maybe one day.

You don't have to have served previously to join the SAS(R). From what i'v heard quite a lot of SAS(R) were deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. There was an SAS(R) unit in GW1 for sure. It's also one way to get into the SAS proper, so i've heard .. this is how Chris Ryan got into the SAS apparently, as its possible to join the SAS from the reserve unit, a bonus of doing this is you wouldn't have to serve three years in the regular army. I'm not in the SAS ;) so if anyone knows different about the above please correct me.

[wulfstan]

But still, the SASR is still a bit hardcore for someone like me who's undecided about joining the regular TA. Running before you can walk i reckon...

[martinexsquaddie]

Theres an excellant Book on TA sas selection. The Quiet soldier by adam Ballinger. Apprantly these days theres two level of pass on Ta selection ONe good enough for the TA 2nd good enough for an invite to 22 and seeing the level of vacancies a refusal would'nt be taken kindly but if your mad enough to do SAS selection you'd probably want to go :D

[Sabre]

The blurb is that you need previous experience, but I don't think that's the case. A guy I know joined as soon as he arrived at uni. I think they take civvies straight off, so long as they're obvoiusly not wasters.

It can be used as a stepping stone to the regs. And they definately go on operations such as in Afghanistan. They mainly concentrate on typical 'war role' stuff. ie the green ops.

I just mentioned it for the crack :)

Good luck to you, mate. Let us know how you get on.

[wulfstan]

I keep telling myself I'll get back in touch with them and give it a go, so i better get on with it. After all if it turns out to be not what i expected I can always quit or transfer.
Cheers guys.