The Student Room Group

Life in RAF

Alright,

Possibly should of asked this before lol. I've applied for ICT CQ (failed first AST by 3 marks -.-, second on 18th March).

Anyways I was wondering...I know what RTS is like having read a lot about it and watching a couple of video diaries about it as well. But after RTS when you go to P2 training...what's it actually like?

Do you get time off much? (obv apart from when you go on dets or are posted overseas). Just asking because i'm very close with my family and girlfreind and just wondered if I'd get to see them much...not that it would affect my application as they are supporting me in it 110%.

Thanks guys :smile:
Reply 1
Weekends will be free I think mate. But remember you are joining the armed forces you are told what hours you work. You might not end up with the cushy 9-5 Monday to Friday. You could have to work weekends and in some instances you could end to working 7 days of days 7 days of nights and 7 days off, repeat. I also have a girlfriend and we will be pretty much taking it as it comes


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Reply 2
Thanks for the reply mate :smile: I figured it would be something like that just wanted to make sure! Yeah that's what me and mine are doing just gunnah take each day as it comes - i'm just glad she's supporting me through it and not moaning about it lol.
Reply 3
I don't mean to put a downer on the situation, but make sure this is really what you want before going for it. And make sure they really understand the stresses involved and how lonely it could end up being for them.
The reason I say this is because I have two examples, one short term, one long term.

First is a mate of mine expecting to go into the RAF and get every weekend off to go home and see his missus, except the flight he was a part of kept screwing up and their weekend leave was being revoked. This was just during their training. The few weekends he did get leave he decided to stay at Halton to study. The one weekend he did get off she was away on a hen weekend and they didn't see each other.
Needless to say things went down hill pretty sharpish which affected his next phase of training. End result was he walked away from his trade training to try and save his relationship of 6 years (and they were strong before, not ever spending more than a few days apart) and it still went to pot, no job and no girlfriend.

The second is my girlfriends brother who is in the Navy. He goes away on 13 week tours with no communication whatsoever for pretty much the duration. No Skype, no messaging, no nothing. They've been together for 15 years, and met in the Navy, so she knew what she was getting herself into from the start. But his last tour really took it's toll. She heard from girlfriends of his mates that he had got his Chiefs whilst away, so she drove herself mad thinking about having to move to Pompey from Scotland and having just bought a new house and the kids settling into a new school, her finding a new job, it just all got too much for her. She couldn't cope, and this is someone who has dealt with it all for 15 years. It has crippled them and they are having to sort it all out and consider their options about what to do next.

All I'm saying is make sure you know you can handle it, and plan what you'll do if you realise things are heading south. Sit your missus down and explain that this is just the beginning of a long road in the forces and things can and will change meaning they may get pulled from pillar to post. And make sure they have a good support network around them, friends and family, to help out if things get a bit rough.

I know everyone's circumstances are different, but it's better to be prepared than not.

It's them that make the sacrifices in my mind, we move where the job needs is, they're the ones who follow and have to settle again somewhere new, or look after kids while we're away, or have to break the bad news to us when we get back that something awful has happened.

I just think they deserve fair warning of what they are letting themselves in for lol.

Sorry to be so downhearted on a Monday morning haha
You are joining the Forces and that isn't the sort of job that lets you go home every weekend. You haven't got that many RAF bases within an easy drive to Leeds. A big part of joining up is meeting new people and living in a different place. I'm not saying it is impossible but if you run back to Leeds every chance you get, you'll miss out on so much of Service life and it will cost you a fortune in petrol and car maintenance!

Phase 2 training is more Mon-Fri 8-5 learning with most weekends free. Once you work, then it depends on the role of the Unit you are in / on and what is happening ie working up to an exercise etc.
Reply 5
Thanks for you replies guys really helped me get an insight :smile: I thought it would be like that I've read a lot of stuff that's said pretty much same and it won't affect my decision of joining up! This is something I really want to do, I was just wanting to get an idea of how much I'd get to see my family and girlfriend. They both understand that joining the forces means less time to see each other and all of them are supporting me in it!

Main reason I'm joining is because I want to be proud of myself for doing something and I want everyone else to be proud of me too :smile:

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