Decision time

[Djcuk]

Disclaimer: not royal marines related.

I need to make a decision about what role i want to do in army. I am torn between royal engineers and guards. Royal engineers appeals to me because of the variety of options available within the engineers ie; airborne sapper, commando sapper, diver... The civilian qualifications side of things would also be an advantage. The guards im interested in because of the combat side and also the guards para platoon, another option within the guards. I would of gone for paras but it’s highly unlikely ill get a start day until next year. Thoughts and opinions appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[SCOTTY6]

If it were me I’d go sappers. The guards have to do that guarding thing. Involves a lot of polishing, brassoing, marching and ironing. The sheer amount of drill and ceremonial duties they have to do is enough to put me off for life. If you really want to go paras why don’t you just wait it out and go next year? Itl show commitment to the Reg and they love that. This kind of thing happens a lot, lads get told they will have to wait a while for a start date and decide to go engineers/gunners instead. It’s not a lesser decision or anything but it won’t be the experience you had wanted in the first place.

 

[Djcuk]

If it were me I’d go sappers. The guards have to do that guarding thing. Involves a lot of polishing, brassoing, marching and ironing. The sheer amount of drill and ceremonial duties they have to do is enough to put me off for life. If you really want to go paras why don’t you just wait it out and go next year? Itl show commitment to the Reg and they love that. This kind of thing happens a lot, lads get told they will have to wait a while for a start date and decide to go engineers/gunners instead. It’s not a lesser decision or anything but it won’t be the experience you had wanted in the first place.

Ive been in the application process for a year now, cant be doing another year of nothing. And engineers was my first choice when i applied, (which was naive of me). The more i looked into the army the more i wanted that maroon beret, but without being disrespectful, i think it was more of an ego thing with the paras for me. Royal engineers does seem like the sensible option.

 

[SCOTTY6]

Fair enough! Then yeah I’d give the sappers a bash and then you can lid collect all you like! They also offer the dive quals which I thought was pretty cool.

 

[Chelonian]

I am torn between royal engineers and guards.

Paging @Hyperhippo and @Xerath
Both might offer opinions if they spot this.

 

[Vine]

Ive been in the application process for a year now, cant be doing another year of nothing. And engineers was my first choice when i applied, (which was naive of me). The more i looked into the army the more i wanted that maroon beret, but without being disrespectful, i think it was more of an ego thing with the paras for me. Royal engineers does seem like the sensible option.

If you go engineers mate get yourself a decent trade don’t go something like bricky or carpentry there half baked quals that don’t go on civvy street with a trade you’ll barely use. Guards is like my idea of hell now absolute hate drill genuinely would rather run round the parade square the whole time than do it. To think there was once upon a time I wanted to be a DL.

 

[Vine]

Fair enough! Then yeah I’d give the sappers a bash and then you can lid collect all you like! They also offer the dive quals which I thought was pretty cool.

Parammando diver PTI underwater knife fighting champion

 

[ThreadpigeonsAlpha]

Ive been in the application process for a year now, cant be doing another year of nothing. And engineers was my first choice when i applied, (which was naive of me). The more i looked into the army the more i wanted that maroon beret, but without being disrespectful, i think it was more of an ego thing with the paras for me. Royal engineers does seem like the sensible option.

Got some good mates that are ex engineers. They enjoyed it and some ended up with decent civvie jobs after.
Your more likely to end up with a stint in EOD as Engineers instead of ATO with the Royal Logistics.

 

[Vine]

Got some good mates that are ex engineers. They enjoyed it and some ended up with decent civvie jobs after.
Your more likely to end up with a stint in EOD as Engineers instead of ATO with the Royal Logistics.

EOD is quite difficult to get mate. All depends on your postings etc. Your almost guaranteed to get 23/24, divers course isn’t too difficult to get on same with PTI (depending where you are in career). Lads all want the extra pay from being EOD trained plus from what I hear it’s pretty enjoyable as a whole to do.

Engineers is good lad, I really enjoy it here we seem to get quite a bit of ex infantry trading over but making the mistake of doing like a plumbing course or something. Best things you can get off the top of my head is EOD, plant op, surveyor and fitter (mechanic) one is the main ones that have pretty good transferable skills think the geo tech lads do pretty well. Best idea is speak to someone in the engineers/guards that has some experience under there belts and pick there brains for a bit (I’m just a sprog but can help with basics ones) whatever you do don’t base your career choices on your ego big lad you’ll regret it.

 

[Hyperhippo]

Despite the Royal Engineers historically being my sworn rivals, I’d choose them over joining the Guards 10/10 times, simply for the trades they offer. Of course AACC/P Coy is an option. Even if you didn’t go down those routes, you’ll still get your fair share of the Infantry stuff. Choose something, research it and truly commit to your cap badge, do your job to the best of your ability and look after your mukkas along the way and you’ll go far.

 

[ThreadpigeonsAlpha]

EOD is quite difficult to get mate. All depends on your postings etc. Your almost guaranteed to get 23/24, divers course isn’t too difficult to get on same with PTI (depending where you are in career). Lads all want the extra pay from being EOD trained plus from what I hear it’s pretty enjoyable as a whole to do.

Engineers is good lad, I really enjoy it here we seem to get quite a bit of ex infantry trading over but making the mistake of doing like a plumbing course or something. Best things you can get off the top of my head is EOD, plant op, surveyor and fitter (mechanic) one is the main ones that have pretty good transferable skills think the geo tech lads do pretty well. Best idea is speak to someone in the engineers/guards that has some experience under there belts and pick there brains for a bit (I’m just a sprog but can help with basics ones) whatever you do don’t base your career choices on your ego big lad you’ll regret it.

Yea EOD is definitely a competitive billet to go for.
What’s the Dems side of things like?

 

[Vine]

Yea EOD is definitely a competitive billet to go for.
What’s the Dems side of things like?

You’ll do dems on you’re B3 that’s your combat engineers course that everyone has to do for there stable belts. Personally loved it do a confidence charge on your own with like a fist size of PE and set up on a bigger scale for dems day as far as actually letting things off but you’ll do thing like setting bridge dems as well. As far as doing it at unit I’m not 100% they have brought out a combat engineer trade now that’s mainly dems bridging that sort of idea. mainly down to unit trade etc how often you’ll actually get to do it.