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RAF Regiment Opinions? Bad Promotion?

Hey guys I am thinking of joining the RAF Regiment, but some people are saying it's a bad job with bad promotion, is that true? This guy called "Clip" said that the RAF Regiment are awful and he seems a respectable poster on the forum..

What are your opinions on the RAF Regiment?

And before prostacker and drew but in and tell me to search the forum, I want recent opinions etc and not to be linked to another thread where they have said "use the search" to another person xD
(edited 9 years ago)

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Reply 1
So, you've already applied, "had your application accepted" and now you're only "thinking" about joining?

I don't mind trolling. I mind awfully thought out trolling.
Reply 2
Original post by Drewski
So, you've already applied, "had your application accepted" and now you're only "thinking" about joining?

I don't mind trolling. I mind awfully thought out trolling.

I
I applied to the RAF as a Gunner and have my selection test in 2 weeks, but that doesn't mean I have to choose to become a gunner there are lots of role available (based on appitude test score).

So what do you think of the RAF Regiment Drewski?
The RAF Regt is a good job for people who want to do that job ie be the 'infantry of the RAF'. Clip has a downer on the RAF Regt but a lot of people in the Army have. They have become more skilled and varied in their role of Force Protection and they do a job that is needed. Promotion in the RAF is always slower than that of the Army because you can stay in longer - most people in the Army expect to leave aged 40, but a full career in the RAF is to age 55. So, people are longer at each rank as they potentially have 15 more years.
If you like the role of Gunner, why are you not looking at the Army? Similar in many ways. Someone will ask you that - best you have an answer.

You asked a reasonable question and I wanted to make sure you got a more balanced andwer than Clip would have you believe.
Reply 4
Rather than provide an analysis or set of facts - I shall simply articulate the reasons that the Army have a problem with the RAF Regiment. I'm not saying this is justified - but this is the situation.

1. The Army have a problem with everyone. Even themselves. For every time they have ripped into the RAF Regiment, they have ripped into themselves 1000 times.

2. There is an amusement at the way the RAF Regiment portray themselves - as an elite fighting force. The RAF already has a superbly trained elite fighting force - they are called pilots.

3. The RAF Regiment major roulement is one of essentially defending static positions. The Army do not understand why this qualifies them to be an elite fighting force.

4. The RAF Regiment are infantry who do not deploy as infantry. When the RAF Regiment was very large, years ago- they were never on the arms plot. Today, all they do is guard air bases and annoy the rest of the RAF by telling everyone how ally they are.

5. The one major shooting match that the RAF Regiment engaged in during recent times was marred by one of their gunners shooting his own body armour up to try and dramatise the event. How the Army laughed.
Reply 5
Original post by ProStacker
The RAF Regt is a good job for people who want to do that job ie be the 'infantry of the RAF'. Clip has a downer on the RAF Regt but a lot of people in the Army have. They have become more skilled and varied in their role of Force Protection and they do a job that is needed. Promotion in the RAF is always slower than that of the Army because you can stay in longer - most people in the Army expect to leave aged 40, but a full career in the RAF is to age 55. So, people are longer at each rank as they potentially have 15 more years.
If you like the role of Gunner, why are you not looking at the Army? Similar in many ways. Someone will ask you that - best you have an answer.

You asked a reasonable question and I wanted to make sure you got a more balanced andwer than Clip would have you believe.


Thanks for the information and not considering me as a troll again! Would you say that the promotion is drastically slower than the army? I have looked at the army and I was interested in the Parachute regiment and was about to apply but seen as though the RAF responded I have chosen to go through with the Gunner application process. Protecting air bases and patrolling around them interests me :smile:
one of their gunners shooting his own body armour up


Do you have anything that isn't ARRSE on that?

Also, do you have anything where a specialization in any Branch of the military does not describe itself as 'elite'? REME are elite at being REME. Again - you are perpetuating banter or the unfortunate activities of a minority and using it to tar everyone with the same brush. It would be like me saying the Army are all thick because entry standards for infantry are lower than most anything in the other 2 Services. I don't, because I know better and don't see the point in perpetuating stereotypes.
Reply 7
Original post by Clip
Rather than provide an analysis or set of facts - I shall simply articulate the reasons that the Army have a problem with the RAF Regiment. I'm not saying this is justified - but this is the situation.

1. The Army have a problem with everyone. Even themselves. For every time they have ripped into the RAF Regiment, they have ripped into themselves 1000 times.

2. There is an amusement at the way the RAF Regiment portray themselves - as an elite fighting force. The RAF already has a superbly trained elite fighting force - they are called pilots.

3. The RAF Regiment major roulement is one of essentially defending static positions. The Army do not understand why this qualifies them to be an elite fighting force.

4. The RAF Regiment are infantry who do not deploy as infantry. When the RAF Regiment was very large, years ago- they were never on the arms plot. Today, all they do is guard air bases and annoy the rest of the RAF by telling everyone how ally they are.

5. The one major shooting match that the RAF Regiment engaged in during recent times was marred by one of their gunners shooting his own body armour up to try and dramatise the event. How the Army laughed.


The RAF Regiment operate the defence chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear wing and also support various special force units. Surely this makes them elite in what they do?
Reply 8
Original post by Trapsters
The RAF Regiment operate the defence chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear wing and also support various special force units. Surely this makes them elite in what they do?


Maybe it does.

I won't argue with you on this. All I will do is ask a simple question : why the RAF Regiment?
Reply 9
Original post by Clip
Maybe it does.

I won't argue with you on this. All I will do is ask a simple question : why the RAF Regiment?


I have applied for the PARAS and RAF Regiment as you can submit applications to both, then more of a chance but paras is main option. RAF Regiment seems a good career!
Original post by Clip
Maybe it does.

I won't argue with you on this. All I will do is ask a simple question : why the RAF Regiment?


They treat you better, they pay you better, they're less likely to do some of the crap dets the Army does and, if you show the aptitude, they're much more positive about you becoming an officer from the ranks.
Reply 11
Original post by Drewski
They treat you better, they pay you better, they're less likely to do some of the crap dets the Army does and, if you show the aptitude, they're much more positive about you becoming an officer from the ranks.


If I had 2 offers i.e I passed both fitness tests for PARAS and RAF Regiment which would you choose? And I though that the promotion for the RAF Regiment is slow?
Reply 12
Original post by Trapsters
I have applied for the PARAS and RAF Regiment as you can submit applications to both, then more of a chance but paras is main option. RAF Regiment seems a good career!


If you think it's a good career, then go for it.

Most people join a particular regiment as there is something there that they like doing, or some training that they will glean from it. Look objectively at what the RAF Regiment actually do, and if you think that is what you would enjoy - then why not?

In the RAF Regiment, no doubt there will be a camaraderie and an esprit de corps. No doubt one would make friends.

The Parachute Regiment is where people go if they want to have a life of relative excitement. There are always deployments and a lot of fighting, and there is a policy of trying to rotate soldiers from the regular battalions through 1 Bn for SF type skills.
This is only my opinion. I'm not a soldier and I don't generally work with the infantry so take it as it's intended.

If you want to be a soldier, then join the Army. The Parachute Regiment is undoubtedly the place to go if you want to be a high-level (no pun intended) infanteer but is a lot harder to join than the RAF Regt and the infantry. The RAF Regiment is still a good job to have but, as Clip said, they have a very different wartime role to the Army infantry units.

The RAF Regt defend the areas surrounding airfields. I don't mean they walk round the perimeter fence: It means they go around the local area either directly preventing people from attacking the airfield/ aircraft when they take off and land by destroying hostile threats, or passively prevent attacks by patrolling, engaging with the local populace and scoping out likely areas of attack. The key here is that they are tied to the Airfield. As a general rule they won't go and conduct any sort of independent ops (unless they're a protection team on the back of an Aircraft that is landing somewhere dodgy). The other role where the majority of people are exposed to the RAF Regt is in the training role. The RAF Regt trains the rest of the RAF in military skills at both basic training and on your yearly refresher courses.

I apologise if this seem rambly, It's late and I'm knackered but I'll tidy it up at some point!
Reply 14
I know a Gunner who is a good soldier, has stayed out of trouble and volunteered everything done everything he's been told.
It's taken him 14 years to get to full screw and over his time he's had a posting with QCS culminating in 5 days outside Buckingham Palace, one Telic and one Herrick. The rest of it has been hanging around camp or training wing at Halton.

I know soldiers in infantry battalions who have done that and more in half that time and are knocking on the door of sergeant before the 10 year point. I have friends in the corps who are staff sergeants at 12 years some of whom have 6+ tours.
When you talk about career you have to considee where you might be in your life in 10 years and how much you think you might need to earn. At nearly 30 do you really want to still be lookingat years in the block, stagging on and doing areas? Or do you want to be be at least close to getting in the mess if not there already?
Clip as has been pointed out the RAF rate of promotion is what people will have to get used to as the full career is extended closer and closer to a 50+age limit.

The Rocks exist because because the Army are frabkly corporately and ideologically a bit crap at FP, cinsidering it a job for 'STABs, biffs and mongs'...

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Reply 16
Original post by zippyRN
Clip as has been pointed out the RAF rate of promotion is what people will have to get used to as the full career is extended closer and closer to a 50+age limit.


Retrospective, much? This has been the case in the RAFRegt for as long as I can remember - not just now. Loads of people used to leave after years at SAC (or whatever it was then) with absolutely no prospect of promotion in the near future.

The Rocks exist because because the Army are frabkly corporately and ideologically a bit crap at FP, cinsidering it a job for 'STABs, biffs and mongs'...


It is absolutely true that the Army don't think the role is a particularly daunting one. However, it is quite a claim that the RAFRegt exist because of that.
Reply 17
Original post by Clip
I know a Gunner who is a good soldier, has stayed out of trouble and volunteered everything done everything he's been told.
It's taken him 14 years to get to full screw and over his time he's had a posting with QCS culminating in 5 days outside Buckingham Palace, one Telic and one Herrick. The rest of it has been hanging around camp or training wing at Halton.

I know soldiers in infantry battalions who have done that and more in half that time and are knocking on the door of sergeant before the 10 year point. I have friends in the corps who are staff sergeants at 12 years some of whom have 6+ tours.
When you talk about career you have to considee where you might be in your life in 10 years and how much you think you might need to earn. At nearly 30 do you really want to still be lookingat years in the block, stagging on and doing areas? Or do you want to be be at least close to getting in the mess if not there already?


Interesting, that's good that I have also applied for the paras too as I back up. But may I ask why as he served so long if the promotion is low, why hasn't he left and joined the army?
Reply 18
Original post by zippyRN
Clip as has been pointed out the RAF rate of promotion is what people will have to get used to as the full career is extended closer and closer to a 50+age limit.

The Rocks exist because because the Army are frabkly corporately and ideologically a bit crap at FP, cinsidering it a job for 'STABs, biffs and mongs'...

Posted from TSR Mobile


Okay thanks for the input. What are your views on the parachute regiment?
Reply 19
Original post by Clip
Retrospective, much? This has been the case in the RAFRegt for as long as I can remember - not just now. Loads of people used to leave after years at SAC (or whatever it was then) with absolutely no prospect of promotion in the near future.



It is absolutely true that the Army don't think the role is a particularly daunting one. However, it is quite a claim that the RAFRegt exist because of that.


What do you think about the paras?

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