army vet?
this is just out of interest really- but have any of you met an army vet? or know what it's like? it does seem like a better paid job to start with, but then are you at a disadvantage once you leave the army and try to find a job in the private sector?
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Yeah I spoke to one at crufts
its definately better paid once you leave - especially considering you get housing/medical/dental and phyio care all free on top of that
and you get a small amount of funding throughout your degree.
I dont think you are disadvantaged as you'll have treated so many dogs and horses (and goats) that you'll be pretty damn good at them, and you also treat any pets of the officers so you do get the variety.
You get to travel
You also get the animal owners who know their stuff and wont call up in the middle of the night when you're on call because their dogs just thrown up - they just call up in the morning and ask you to check them over unless it really is an emergency.
I'm seriously considering doing it.
its definately better paid once you leave - especially considering you get housing/medical/dental and phyio care all free on top of that
and you get a small amount of funding throughout your degree.
I dont think you are disadvantaged as you'll have treated so many dogs and horses (and goats) that you'll be pretty damn good at them, and you also treat any pets of the officers so you do get the variety.
You get to travel
You also get the animal owners who know their stuff and wont call up in the middle of the night when you're on call because their dogs just thrown up - they just call up in the morning and ask you to check them over unless it really is an emergency.
I'm seriously considering doing it.
I was looking into tht a while ago, they give you a £1000 pound year grant for the lat 3 years of your degree in exchane for i think a minimum of 3 yeas as an army vet officer afterwards. You would be surprised how many animals the army still use, tho most of them are dogs. You also have to treat local animals in wherever you get posted to help the local population i think.
i think you have to contact the vet corps once your a 2nd year coz they only fund you for the last 3 years i think... look on the vet corps website
http://www.army.mod.uk/medical/royal_army_veterinary_corps/ravc_index.htm
http://www.army.mod.uk/medical/royal_army_veterinary_corps/ravc_index.htm
well i like horses and dogs!! i think i might consider it as a career option once i'm at university - wait til i know a bit more about it. how much of it is being a vet and how much being a soldier?? the funding looks quite attractive, its just that noone seems to have a good word to say about thew army at the minute
My Dad was a vet to the American Army in Germany. Well paid, apparently.
But that was 25-odd years ago.
But that was 25-odd years ago.
AnythingButChardonnay
My Dad was a vet to the American Army in Germany. Well paid, apparently.
But that was 25-odd years ago.
But that was 25-odd years ago.
would he recommend it as a career?
maloreygorey
would he recommend it as a career?
He wouldn't recommend being a vet at all as a career!
(He's certainly put me off)Really, my Dad doesn't think like a normal person. His opinion is less than... useful. He seems to speak fondly of his time doing it though, probably because he only did it for a couple of years.
AnythingButChardonnay
He wouldn't recommend being a vet at all as a career! (He's certainly put me off)
Really, my Dad doesn't think like a normal person. His opinion is less than... useful. He seems to speak fondly of his time doing it though, probably because he only did it for a couple of years.
(He's certainly put me off)Really, my Dad doesn't think like a normal person. His opinion is less than... useful. He seems to speak fondly of his time doing it though, probably because he only did it for a couple of years.
oh well its too late for me anyways lol
Just be aware that it does take up a portion of your *free* time whilst at uni - you will be expected to attend training etc...
we had one girl who failed a year as she had taken too much on her plate- sport as well as army - basically worked out she had no weekends free - ended up behind on wrk - and ended up dropping down a year.
you don't get that money during your course for nothing!!!
we had one girl who failed a year as she had taken too much on her plate- sport as well as army - basically worked out she had no weekends free - ended up behind on wrk - and ended up dropping down a year.
you don't get that money during your course for nothing!!!
Is there an age limit for applying? (In 2nd yr Vetmed Id be 25) and do they only accept 'true' undergrads and not graduate students?
This may be a stupid question, but is there a risk attached to being a vet in the army? Surely you will be working in war zones and the like, how involved with the front line would you be? This sounds like an interesting opportunity, but I wouldn't want to be stationed in Iraq for 3 years!
My friends serving in Iraq at the moment, hes in the engineers and his camp is right next to the vet corps, so hes gonna wander over there and chat to them for me so if anyone wants any questions answered I'm gonna email him a load I think but hes given me a bit of info.
The dogs are just used to check vehicles and people for explosives, for example they're sent into Basra - the dog handlers go to the front line and send the dogs ahead of vehicles to check the roads are free of explosives - if the dog comes back then there is a bomb etc, if not then its clear and they go ahead until the dog returns (or is shot).
The vets dont go near the front line - they're based in the camps waiting for injured animals. In his words: ''the actual vets would not go out. ever.''
oh and age limit: you have to be under 31 when you graduate and enter the army.
The dogs are just used to check vehicles and people for explosives, for example they're sent into Basra - the dog handlers go to the front line and send the dogs ahead of vehicles to check the roads are free of explosives - if the dog comes back then there is a bomb etc, if not then its clear and they go ahead until the dog returns (or is shot).
The vets dont go near the front line - they're based in the camps waiting for injured animals. In his words: ''the actual vets would not go out. ever.''
oh and age limit: you have to be under 31 when you graduate and enter the army.
givvy
My friends serving in Iraq at the moment, hes in the engineers and his camp is right next to the vet corps, so hes gonna wander over there and chat to them for me so if anyone wants any questions answered I'm gonna email him a load I think but hes given me a bit of info.
The dogs are just used to check vehicles and people for explosives, for example they're sent into Basra - the dog handlers go to the front line and send the dogs ahead of vehicles to check the roads are free of explosives - if the dog comes back then there is a bomb etc, if not then its clear and they go ahead until the dog returns (or is shot).
The vets dont go near the front line - they're based in the camps waiting for injured animals. In his words: ''the actual vets would not go out. ever.''
oh and age limit: you have to be under 31 when you graduate and enter the army.
The dogs are just used to check vehicles and people for explosives, for example they're sent into Basra - the dog handlers go to the front line and send the dogs ahead of vehicles to check the roads are free of explosives - if the dog comes back then there is a bomb etc, if not then its clear and they go ahead until the dog returns (or is shot).
The vets dont go near the front line - they're based in the camps waiting for injured animals. In his words: ''the actual vets would not go out. ever.''
oh and age limit: you have to be under 31 when you graduate and enter the army.
could you find out if they joined the army at uni, and if so was it too much work for them??
cheers
I went to a RCVS careers day several years back in which they had a vet corp officer who did a bit of speaking and i asked a few questions so i'll comment on what i know.
Nah. If you were a medic you would go straight though Sandhurst and become an officer. In the vet corp you start as a grunt, you do basic training alongside the other squaddies and emerge simply as a soldier who is qualified as a vet. In my eyes that's taking the piss considering we're more qualified than most medics yet we don't get the recognition.
The upper bracket for initial pay may be £35k, but that is the upper upper threshold, it dips as low as £25k, maybe even less. It depends on your rank, responsibilities, etc. As a newbie expect to be earning nearer the £25k region.
As for career options, yes you start in the £25k region, but it doesn't increase that significantly if you still wish to operate and be hands on. As you go up the ladder and become an officer you become more and more detached from the veterinary profession and become almost solely concerned with logistics, organisation, bureaucratics, etc. Plus, when/if you get out, you have to start all over again by going in very low into the veterinary profession and then work your way up.
I think minimum service is 6 years? You can buy yourself out earlier, but you have to pay x amount of pounds for however many years you are short. Its quite a long commitment when you look at it.
Yes, its easy to apply for the £1k grant, but as someone else has pointed out you have to do training exercises, team building, etc on top of your uni commitments. Plus, after uni, when you apply and they decide they don't really want you and/or you fail selection, YOU HAVE TO PAY ALL OF YOUR GRANTS BACK. £1k a year is nothing when most vet degrees cost upwards of £8k a year for fees, accommodation, living, etc. They are taking the piss. Personally, £1k isn't that much to pay to keep my options open.
As far as i know 99% of the time the vets are stationed at a base, meeting the needs of the service animals and/or the service men and women's animals. As i was told you deal almost solely with dogs day in day out (personally it sounds pretty boring but that's just me). You are never put in any real danger and are kept far away from any battle lines. You may get taught basic military training but you very very rarely if ever that you use any of it.
00nay00
O and you go straight in as an officer and the pay is £35,000
Nah. If you were a medic you would go straight though Sandhurst and become an officer. In the vet corp you start as a grunt, you do basic training alongside the other squaddies and emerge simply as a soldier who is qualified as a vet. In my eyes that's taking the piss considering we're more qualified than most medics yet we don't get the recognition.
The upper bracket for initial pay may be £35k, but that is the upper upper threshold, it dips as low as £25k, maybe even less. It depends on your rank, responsibilities, etc. As a newbie expect to be earning nearer the £25k region.
As for career options, yes you start in the £25k region, but it doesn't increase that significantly if you still wish to operate and be hands on. As you go up the ladder and become an officer you become more and more detached from the veterinary profession and become almost solely concerned with logistics, organisation, bureaucratics, etc. Plus, when/if you get out, you have to start all over again by going in very low into the veterinary profession and then work your way up.
nickj
I was looking into tht a while ago, they give you a £1000 pound year grant for the lat 3 years of your degree in exchane for i think a minimum of 3 yeas as an army vet officer afterwards. You would be surprised how many animals the army still use, tho most of them are dogs. You also have to treat local animals in wherever you get posted to help the local population i think.
I think minimum service is 6 years? You can buy yourself out earlier, but you have to pay x amount of pounds for however many years you are short. Its quite a long commitment when you look at it.
Yes, its easy to apply for the £1k grant, but as someone else has pointed out you have to do training exercises, team building, etc on top of your uni commitments. Plus, after uni, when you apply and they decide they don't really want you and/or you fail selection, YOU HAVE TO PAY ALL OF YOUR GRANTS BACK. £1k a year is nothing when most vet degrees cost upwards of £8k a year for fees, accommodation, living, etc. They are taking the piss. Personally, £1k isn't that much to pay to keep my options open.
abcisthealphabet
This may be a stupid question, but is there a risk attached to being a vet in the army? Surely you will be working in war zones and the like, how involved with the front line would you be? This sounds like an interesting opportunity, but I wouldn't want to be stationed in Iraq for 3 years!
As far as i know 99% of the time the vets are stationed at a base, meeting the needs of the service animals and/or the service men and women's animals. As i was told you deal almost solely with dogs day in day out (personally it sounds pretty boring but that's just me). You are never put in any real danger and are kept far away from any battle lines. You may get taught basic military training but you very very rarely if ever that you use any of it.
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