RAF Officer or Airman

Been wanting to join the RAF for a number of years now with only having one thing holding me back, my age… The position i've always wanted to apply for is 'Police Officer' but on the application page is states that you must be of 21 years of age or higher, since i'm only 20 i'm unsure on what to actually do!
I'm really eager to join the RAF and have been considering putting my foot in the door and simply apply for the role of a standard 'police airman' since i'm too young at the minute and then apply for the position of an officer in the future.

I'm interested in all points of view, whether you're an airman, officer or even a civi, please tell me what you think is best!

Reply 1

ryan9900

18

There are a few important things to conider here. If you were to apply as airman, the time you would spend applying, training and then working up to the rank which makes you eligibile to apply for a comission would take you way past 21 and there is no guarentee an Officer application later on would work out.

Also, if you wait a year, provising the role is still open, you can apply as an Officer. If this doesn't work out, you can just go in as airman. It seems to me that this would make more sense as you're giving yourself two chance here, rather than potentially only one from the first option (joining as airman now).

I would do something worthwhile in the meantime and give yourself a year of preparation and then apply at 21. You can always register before then, and then appply as soon as you're 21. By 'something worthwhile', I baically just mean boost your CV if it isn't strong enough already. If anything is worth doing, then it's worth overdoing. Get involved in ome local leadership activities and things like that.

It up to you what you do but I really do think this year would be better spent preparing for an officer application next year.

Reply 2

jebbadiah

9

Like Ryan said by the time your application is complete and your trainin then you'll be 21 anyway I'm guessin, depending when your birthday is! Personally I'd spend the time till your 21 doin somethin to get experience of leadership and stuff. Lots of volunteering opportunities for that sorta stuff, which the RAF loves! Don't rush into a career that you might have to spend the next 3/5 years in before you can go for commission when you could apply for officer in a few month. Spend that time making yourself a better candidate at OASC. And if you don't quite manage it as officer then go in as airmen. Your still young, no need to rush it.

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Reply 3

morriso8D

OP

Original post by ryan9900

There are a few important things to conider here. If you were to apply as airman, the time you would spend applying, training and then working up to the rank which makes you eligibile to apply for a comission would take you way past 21 and there is no guarentee an Officer application later on would work out.

Also, if you wait a year, provising the role is still open, you can apply as an Officer. If this doesn't work out, you can just go in as airman. It seems to me that this would make more sense as you're giving yourself two chance here, rather than potentially only one from the first option (joining as airman now).

I would do something worthwhile in the meantime and give yourself a year of preparation and then apply at 21. You can always register before then, and then appply as soon as you're 21. By 'something worthwhile', I baically just mean boost your CV if it isn't strong enough already. If anything is worth doing, then it's worth overdoing. Get involved in ome local leadership activities and things like that.

It up to you what you do but I really do think this year would be better spent preparing for an officer application next year.

My other concern is the possibility of both the position not being available this time next year, this is the first time i've seen it open in the past 3 years!
Why is it so difficult to apply for a commision once you're an airman?

Reply 4

ryan9900

18

Original post by morriso8D

My other concern is the possibility of both the position not being available this time next year, this is the first time i've seen it open in the past 3 years!
Why is it so difficult to apply for a commision once you're an airman?

That is always a possibility whatever you go for. Like many things, it's just a calculated risk that you may have to take.

It's not particularly difficult to commission, you just have to be good. You can't really afford to slip up or make huge mistakes for a few years before you apply for a commission because you'll want your annual appraisals to be excellent.

I can't give you figures because I don't know them but airman to commissioned officer rates probably aren't very encouraging for the simple reason that, you really have to be determined and have an overall aim to get that far. You can't just decide 'Actually, I fancy a bit more money, I might apply for a commission'. Also, if you decided to take airman now and apply for commission in a few years, they may wonder why you didn't want to wait 12 months in the very beginning (now) and apply for Police Officer then.

Reply 5

Drewski

19

Original post by ryan9900

I can't give you figures because I don't know them but airman to commissioned officer rates probably aren't very encouraging for the simple reason that, you really have to be determined and have an overall aim to get that far.