RAF or Army officer?

Hi,

So I'm basically after a little bit of advice. I have recently been offered a place at both Sandhurst and Cranwell and the decision is much more difficult than I thought it would be!

Obviously I've taken into consideration the role I have been offered in the RAF (personnel) and equivalent roles available in the army but this has left them both on level footing really.

I'm looking for some advice as to which service offers the most and some more insight into life as both to help make this decision easier?

The RAF's IOT is more appealing than Sandhurst, but I must say I am being swayed by the opportunity to graduate from RMAS.

Thanks for any help,

Reply 1

Euci

20

Which roles do you have your eye on?

Reply 2

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

20

Original post by Anonymous

..............,

What do you mean by 'the opportunity to graduate from RMAS'? It's exactly the same as 'graduating' from either of the other Service officer training establishments, it's a parade and a commission.

What previous experience of the military do you have, have to visited either and RAF station or Army unit and had a look at the environment, ever been to an Officers Mess etc?

Reply 3

Drewski

19

Original post by Anonymous

I'm looking for some advice as to which service offers the most and some more insight into life as both to help make this decision easier?

Impossible to say. Both have broadly similar opportunities, especially in the ever-decreasing military world.

It can only come down to which side appeals to you more.

Neither training is easy, they're just different. That Sandhurst is longer doesn't inherently make it better, and judging a potentially life-long career on what you do in the first year is shortsighted at best.

Reply 4

teasin_tina

8

My understanding of the army training system is that you don' necessarily leave IOT in the role you applied for, as it's all performance based. The RAF operate differently and providing you graduate and pass phase 2, you stay in your chosen branch.

Reply 5

SomeWelshGuy123

19

What strange question, what role do you want to do? For example if you want to do something with intel, both are good choices, if you want to do a more infantry focused role the Army would be better, even though the RAF have the RAF Regiment.

Reply 6

Sarahh48

Original post by threeportdrift

What do you mean by 'the opportunity to graduate from RMAS'? It's exactly the same as 'graduating' from either of the other Service officer training establishments, it's a parade and a commission.

What previous experience of the military do you have, have to visited either and RAF station or Army unit and had a look at the environment, ever been to an Officers Mess etc?

Hi,

Sorry, what I mean is that my application was always for the army, until I looked more in depth at the RAF and it started to become appealing. Since the beginning, I have always wanted to challenge myself by going to Sandhurst and becoming an Army officer. But the careers office sold the air force to me aswell.

I have absolutely 0 military experience in terms of OTC etc and no family in the military. Because I am looking at a confirmed cadet status with the ETS, I have been on visits with them but not any other regiments. As I have been offered both last week, I now have around 3 weeks before my fam visit at Cranwell and firm offer and it's going to me hugely difficult to visit many places (I live in the very north of Scotland and would mean begging my boss for unpaid time off).

Thanks,

Reply 7

Sarahh48

Original post by NBingham

Which roles do you have your eye on?

Hi,

It would be Personnel Support Officer in the RAF or hopefully ETS in the Army. Although as I have been talking to more people, troop officer has become quite appealing!

Thanks

Reply 8

moonkatt

19

Original post by Sarahh48

Hi,

It would be Personnel Support Officer in the RAF or hopefully ETS in the Army. Although as I have been talking to more people, troop officer has become quite appealing!

Thanks

A troop officer in what though? There are scores of different units and roles where they're divided into troops which have officers as their leader.

Reply 9

Drewski

19

Original post by Sarahh48

I have always wanted to challenge myself by going to Sandhurst and becoming an Army officer.

But the careers office sold the air force to me as well.

How? What was it about PersOff that appealed? It's not exactly the most racy of branches...

If you've always wanted Army, what changed your mind enough to consider and go through all the hoops to be offered a place at Cranwell? It's no small feat, with at least 4 different selection points, albeit no aptitude test.

Reply 10

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

20

Original post by Sarahh48

..........,

Lossie (RAF) and Kinloss (Army) would give you good perspectives. Ring them up and ask if you can visit.

Reply 11

Euci

20

Original post by Sarahh48

Hi,

It would be Personnel Support Officer in the RAF or hopefully ETS in the Army. Although as I have been talking to more people, troop officer has become quite appealing!

Thanks

Cool, I would like to become an Air Traffic Controller

Reply 12

J nunnz

2

Original post by Anonymous

Hi,

So I'm basically after a little bit of advice. I have recently been offered a place at both Sandhurst and Cranwell and the decision is much more difficult than I thought it would be!

Obviously I've taken into consideration the role I have been offered in the RAF (personnel) and equivalent roles available in the army but this has left them both on level footing really.

I'm looking for some advice as to which service offers the most and some more insight into life as both to help make this decision easier?

The RAF's IOT is more appealing than Sandhurst, but I must say I am being swayed by the opportunity to graduate from RMAS.

Thanks for any help,

How long do you want to stay in for? Speaking from having family that did both. Sandhurst route will get you more combat experience and be helpful if you want to stay in the military longer term. From what I've heard Cranwell gives you FAR more employability afterwards. My great uncle ended up running a bunch of defence infrastructure in Oman after leaving the RAF as a Wing Commander ended up making A Lot of $$$.

RAF or Army officer?

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