UOTC-University Officer Training Corps*I think thats the name

Hi there,
I am looking to join the TA as soon as I fit the age requirement but a friend of mine said that I should join the university officer training corps to see if I want to be in the TA properly.

My question is...Is there anyone on here thats in the UOTC and whats it like and also my second question is whats it like being in the TA?

Thanks and Regards

Reply 1

NFI

Depends totally on which unit you go to.

Reply 2

MEIMEI

btw you wont be able to join if ur jamaican, as your flag suggests

Reply 3

Nayberay

Lol..No born and bred in britain my mums english and my dads jammo.
Whats the problem with that I didn't no that the TA was a 100% british thing
Talk about blunt
I hold a british passport all I wanted was a bit of info.

Reply 4

BBBBen

I am a member of Oxford UOTC and it is a quite awesome experience! You will challenge yourself every time you go out in the field (one weekend a month usually) and the feeling when you get back is second to none. You can also join and organise your own adventurous training/expeditions.. by the end of April I will have been taught how to ski proficiently and hopefully how to skydive as well, both VERY subsidised by the OTC!

From my experience the TA isn't too different but remember the focus in the TA is to create a force capable of fighting successfully for Queen and Country, whereas the OTC focuses on increasing awareness about the Army so you will have it rather easier! Bear in mind as a student even in the TA you do not have to go on tour so don't worry about that. Finally there on many different things you can do like the TA Sponsored Officer Scheme with your OTC, the Paras do a year-out during your time at uni (a couple of my OTC are deploying into Afghan) etc.

Best thing you can do is that if you know very roughly what uni you wish to go to, find the local OTC and email them.

Reply 5

Nayberay

BBBBen

Thankyou for that info someone who answered the original question.So how often do you participate like every weekend or so?
Also can you different parts of the UOTC like working in different sections like logistics or IT Lol or that the TA

Reply 6

GTi

Hey, im in the ULOTC (the london 1). just comin up to the end of my first year. Its been a pretty similar experience to bbben's. you get taught about all the equipment, how to live in the field, you learn about the SA80s, how to clean them and fire them. you also get taught drill and all that. Training is once a week, and one weekend a month. you get paid, about £35 a day, and get your travel paid for. you also have to complete a 2 week annual camp thing in the summer which sounds really good, i'll be doin this soon.

Reply 7

armyboy

The best bet is to do a google search on UNIVERSITY OTC and a few varaitions of that. I think all the OTCs have their own web sites - although of varying quality.

All OTCs do the same basic training programme although organised in different ways, so looking at a few of the websites will give you a very good idea of the sort of activities you can get up to.

OTCs have one entry a year - at the start of the Autumn term. Entry is competitive - although how competitive varies from unit to unit and year to year. However if you do want to join it pays to do a bit of research - read the web sites and previous threads on here first , as most of the answers are on there before asking loads more questions on here.

Oh and to the person who said you couldn't join if you were Jamaican - thats not correct. Entry to the British Army (and the OTC is part of the Army) is in principle open to all Commonwealth citizens.

Reply 8

cullmac

Im in LUOTC (Leeds), my advice to you is join if you either 1.) Want to be an officer or 2.) Just want to get a taster of the army.

By no means is the OTC anything like the real TA, while my unit personally does take its training and the weekends seriously the TA is by far a more professional unit. The way it works in Leeds is drill nights every Wednesday (followed by drinking/clubbing) and a field weekend once every 2 weeks (only during term time though). Also there is a 2 week annual camp at the end of the academic year.
There are a lot of opportunities, such as skiing for two weeks in the alps for £300 (including flight, accommodation and ski equipment rental), also there is adventure training in Bavaria for two weeks for around £150 where you get to do loads. Also once every four(ish) years your two week summer camp will be abroad and i know Leeds will be due theirs in a year or two. You also get to choose which wing you join, at Leeds we have Infantry, Engineers and Artillery (we used to have Signals too).

However what i have learned in the OTC is how much they water down the training. We do what are called "Military Training Qualifications" (MTQ 1, 2 or maybe 3) Which are equivalent to the TA's MOD 1,2,3 ect. However MTQ 2 is a joke compared to MOD 2 and doesn’t prepare you very well for MOD 3 then MOD 4 (Sandhurst). Yet you do get a lot out of them to be fair. Also the training (in the infantry anyway) is by no means easy and you can expect to be stagging for hours a night getting 3/4 hours sleep split up with patrols/QRF ect followed by dawn attack.

Oh and if you want more info, check ARRSE, they have an OTC forum.

Reply 9

Nayberay

Thanks guys at least you know what your talking about I want to be an officer so I think I'd benefit hopefully I can join when I go uni.
I'm dreading that fitness test I can about anything from long distance running to sit/press ups lol but I can't do pull ups lol. :frown: