First AFCO visit

Hello All,

Should be getting a date for my first 'interview' at the AFCO soon, just wondering what the dress code for this first stage is? Obviously i want to impress but i don't wanna go OTT, would a suit (forgive the pun) be suitable? or is it a bit much? I people could let me know what they wore, or what id expected that would be great.
Thanks

Well i went there yesterday (not a proper interview) to get the application process started and i just wore a black long sleeve shirt, black trousers and shoes. No suit, had my coat on which he said i should leave on because in the room it was freezing but that wasnt a real interview persay.

I'm going to sound like a freakoid, but here we go, confessions time ... when I went for my interview, I made a conscious effort to look as much"the part" as possible, to make it easy for them to picture me in the role ... that meant a darkish blue/grey suit, perfectly ironed mid-blue shirt, 15-denier barely black tights, smart but sensible well-polished black heels, and hair in a very neat bun. I like to think of it as paying attention to detail!

OTOH, the first time I wandered in off the street, I was only in a tweed skirt and jersey with a winter coat (God, I sound like a complete sloane!), and the cpl said there were no issues with my standards of dress ... so certainly don't panic if you've already been in without a suit!

I have been in the Army 3 years. When I was going through the joining process I had no concept of dress codes and would turn up to interviews dressed completely inappropriately (6 inch heels, low cut tops?)

Despite this I was accepted no problem and no issue was ever made about my standard of dress. Your ability and potential to be a good soldier are far more important than wearing a nice suit!

I'm not saying don't dress smartly, just don't worry about it too much.

By the way incase you're wondering what I'm doing on a student site I'm considering leaving the Army to go back to studying.

Thanks, TonyL - do I owe you a drink for that?

"Mr Yoof The Fifer, the Wg Cdr will see you now"

Perfectly sure Wg Cdr Kennedy never addressed you as above!

I took no chances during the whole process and turned up in either a suit or a smart jacket and trousers to pretty much everything, from the initial chat with the Wg Cdr, to OASC.

I remember sitting in the waiting room of the Edinburgh AFCO during the early stages when a couple of lads applying for the Army turned up, wearing.....probably no more than tracksuits, jeans and trainers.

"Do you go tae ah private skool" came the question.

"No, just your bog standard secondary school" (I was actually at uni at the time)

"Aww well ye look like ye go tae ah private skool tae us!"

Hmmm, standards, i thought.

"Mr Yoof The Fifer, the Wg Cdr will see you now"

"Good luck lads" I said.


P.S I am simply observing how these two guys didnt have a clue, and I am in no way saying that the Army have lower entry standards than the RAF
Ok maybe i am a little....."Incoming!"