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royal navy interview - will they ask why I do not want to be an officer?

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Reply 20
Avatar for Clip
Clip
19
Original post by Harpoon


That's exactly what I said. I don't understand your point here.

Just because you give a year's notice, it doesn't make it any different from most other jobs. If anything, there must be something of a reliance on people interested in short term careers.
Reply 21
Avatar for 2cool
2cool
OP
10
There seems to be some confusion. To my knowledge, you sign a contract for 20 years, but you can leave 2.5 years after you finish training ( a years noticed is required - not sure if this means you hand a years notice in at 1.5 years or 2.5 yeas)
Reply 22
Avatar for Harpoon
Harpoon
18
Original post by Clip
That's exactly what I said. I don't understand your point here.

Just because you give a year's notice, it doesn't make it any different from most other jobs. If anything, there must be something of a reliance on people interested in short term careers.


If you have a return of service of 5 years, you have to serve that 5 years before you can leave. If you have a 12 year contract, you can't leave 5 years into that, you have to serve out the rest of the time unless there is a serious issue that will be investigated. And as Drewski pointed out, most people do not go into the Navy or any of the Armed Forces for a short time, they go in there for a full career.
Reply 23
Avatar for Harpoon
Harpoon
18
Original post by 2cool
There seems to be some confusion. To my knowledge, you sign a contract for 20 years, but you can leave 2.5 years after you finish training ( a years noticed is required - not sure if this means you hand a years notice in at 1.5 years or 2.5 yeas)


You CAN leave before your return of service is finished but it's very hard to do. After all, having spend £500,000 to train you up, why would they want to let you go after 2 and a half years unless there is a very good reason. However, none of us work in the AFCO so the best place to ask would be there or http://www.navy-net.co.uk/ as there are two serving Careers Advisor on that forum. However, be warned, if you do go on that, you will most likely get some abuse as well as serious answers to your question.
Reply 24
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Original post by Harpoon
If you have a return of service of 5 years, you have to serve that 5 years before you can leave. If you have a 12 year contract, you can't leave 5 years into that, you have to serve out the rest of the time unless there is a serious issue that will be investigated. And as Drewski pointed out, most people do not go into the Navy or any of the Armed Forces for a short time, they go in there for a full career.


That's not what I was saying at all.

Plenty of people do join with the intention of only serving 5-8yrs, it's just that a majority of these people will then choose to stay on for their whole term.
Having said that, plenty of people still choose to leave early on. They get in, serve their minimum time, then decide to head out. Horses for courses.

Re your bold: untrue. You can leave 5 yrs into that, with relative ease. Yes, you'll take hits, you'll probably get a relatively rubbish posting for that last year, you'll get next to pension, etc etc, but they won't make someone who doesn't want to be there stay.
Reply 25
Avatar for Harpoon
Harpoon
18
Original post by Drewski
That's not what I was saying at all.

Plenty of people do join with the intention of only serving 5-8yrs, it's just that a majority of these people will then choose to stay on for their whole term.
Having said that, plenty of people still choose to leave early on. They get in, serve their minimum time, then decide to head out. Horses for courses.

Re your bold: untrue. You can leave 5 yrs into that, with relative ease. Yes, you'll take hits, you'll probably get a relatively rubbish posting for that last year, you'll get next to pension, etc etc, but they won't make someone who doesn't want to be there stay.


Fair enough, I stand corrected.
Reply 26
Avatar for MaceyThe
MaceyThe
14
Yep, if you've got a degree they'll probably ask if you've considrered the Officer route.
The AFCO's have manpower requirements to meet and are allways keen to try and get the best people for the job, but jJust tell them the truth, and they will be cool with it. There's allways a chance to get a comission later on if you wish (its a tricky route to go down,) BUT bare in mind the difference in SALARY!!

My reasons were the same as yours and they had no problems with it. I said I'd prefer to work my way up through the ranks than start as an officer, plus it's a different job role, and I wanted to be "one of the lads" so to speak.
Reply 27
Avatar for MaceyThe
MaceyThe
14
Original post by Harpoon
If you have a return of service of 5 years, you have to serve that 5 years before you can leave. If you have a 12 year contract, you can't leave 5 years into that, you have to serve out the rest of the time unless there is a serious issue that will be investigated. And as Drewski pointed out, most people do not go into the Navy or any of the Armed Forces for a short time, they go in there for a full career.


I might be totally wrong here, I can't remember properly,

But you sign an open engagement of e.g. 20 years or whatever it is these days.

BUT you can opt out after your minimum "return of service." The Marines are part of the Navy, and for us I think it's 4 years?
Sooooo, at the 3 year point, you can put your "chit" in (it has to be 12 months written notice,) and leave at the end of that year.

There's no penalties for it, you're perfectly entitled to.
Different specializations have a different "return of service."

I know HARDLY ANY Marines that plan on staying in for a full career (18-22) years etc. For most they just want to "tick that box."
Reply 28
Avatar for CurlyBen
CurlyBen
19
Officers will join on a 12 year Initial Commission. Ratings I believe generally sign on for 22 years or until they are 40. Both have the option to leave during phase 1 training or after completing their return of service (which varies by specialisation but is generally 3 years). An important thing to note is that return of service is calculated from the point at which you join the 'trained strength' (i.e. you've completed training and are joining a ship or boat as a member of the ship's company), which will be longer for officers (again, how long varies, I believe ME SM is one of the longest at something like 3 years). On the other hand, that's all valuable training, and the pay is significantly better! I don't think the return of service is any longer for those with sponsorship, but if you choose to quit before joining/during training or are thrown out for some misdemeanor or other you will have to return either all or part of the sponsorship money.
Anyway, to the original question - yes, if you're well qualified to be an officer they probably will ask you why you're not applying that route. That doesn't mean they're trying to change your mind, just making sure that your making your decision for a good reason and know the difference between the two roles. I wouldn't advise saying that you're reluctant to lead, as ratings are expected to lead as they progress through their careers, though not in the same way as officers are.
If you've got any other questions feel free to PM me, I know a bit about Naval careers.
Original post by Harpoon
Well why are you joining the Navy then? I hope you realise what commitment your letting yourself in for? And you don't need to go to University to be an Officer.


This isn't what you told me :pierre:
Original post by HornDirndlFest
This isn't what you told me :pierre:


Engineering Officers need a degree. Warfare and Logistics do not.
Original post by Harpoon
Engineering Officers need a degree. Warfare and Logistics do not.


What about deck officers?
Original post by HornDirndlFest
What about deck officers?


Warfare officers are the naval equivalent of deck officers, and no they don't need a degree.
Original post by HornDirndlFest
What about deck officers?


Deck officers are trained at maritime academies like Fleetwood, Warsash etc. in the UK. The navy is one of the few rich fields left that work as a meritocracy. It's a good thing that it isn't a field where a lack of a degree would strangle your progression.
Original post by marco14196
Deck officers are trained at maritime academies like Fleetwood, Warsash etc. in the UK. The navy is one of the few rich fields left that work as a meritocracy. It's a good thing that it isn't a field where a lack of a degree would strangle your progression.


Correct, but potentially a little misleading. To clarify, deck officers train at a maritime academy (plus sea time), and generally gain a degree or foundation degree whilst doing so, before working on merchant ships. Warfare officers have their shore based training primarily at Dartmouth and Collingwood, which are naval establishments, not maritime academies. There's also the potential to do a foundation degree if you don't have a degree when you join.

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