DaveSupTT Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I have been thinking of joining the Territorial Army (TA) for a while now, and i was just wondering if there are anyone on here that is in it. What job do you do? Do you enjoy it? and is there any particular job you would choose to steel clear off. I have done a fair bit of research on it, but if anyone has any info they wish to share on it then feel free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I was thinking about it, seems like a nice idea, but we won't have the time now. I also looked at AuxRAF, but a LOT of people said not to do it because the regs will treat you really badly, I'm not sure if the TA will be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 I looking at doing some sort of engineering of some sort, but when I went in for a chat, they said that the only way i could do that is if I currently had engineering skills, as they wont train you up. Where as the brochure I got sent to me and the DVD they send out gives you the impression that they will train you and you can apply for over 140 different jobs? What they would do though is train you as a soldier, and also if you wanted to become an armoured driver or a gunner then you would get training for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraAyf Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I have been thinking of joining the Territorial Army (TA) for a while now, and i was just wondering if there are anyone on here that is in it. What job do you do? Do you enjoy it? and is there any particular job you would choose to steel clear off. I have done a fair bit of research on it, but if anyone has any info they wish to share on it then feel free. Join now and you'll be in Afghanistan or Iraq in 2009:) The TA are not great at soldiering when they deploy on operations but a 6-month period with real soldiers normally kicks them in to shape (well, almost:rolleyes:). The TA guys that I have seen in action have been f--k--g liabilities on operations and should really be used to backfill the spaces that the regular guys leave behind in their normal peacetime locations:Pling: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 Join now and you'll be in Afghanistan or Iraq in 2009:) The TA are not great at soldiering when they deploy on operations but a 6-month period with real soldiers normally kicks them in to shape (well, almost:rolleyes:). The TA guys that I have seen in action have been f--k--g liabilities on operations and should really be used to backfill the spaces that the regular guys leave behind in their normal peacetime locations:Pling: Are you in the Army then, what do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Join now and you'll be in Afghanistan or Iraq in 2009:) The TA are not great at soldiering when they deploy on operations but a 6-month period with real soldiers normally kicks them in to shape (well, almost:rolleyes:). The TA guys that I have seen in action have been f--k--g liabilities on operations and should really be used to backfill the spaces that the regular guys leave behind in their normal peacetime locations:Pling: I've never been in the TA or the Army but i agree 100% with what you say. Something as serious as life and death situations should not be handled "part time". No offence to the guys in the TA, big thumbs up for taking the time and effort to help out in the forces, i just wouldn't want someone with 6 months training helping me in my engineering job... let alone something life threatening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Are you in the Army then, what do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I get the point you guys are trying to make, but I have 100% respect for the guys in the TA. If our armed services were in a good state, we wouldn't have to rely on so many 'part timers'. Instead of complaining I would just be glad that they're making up desperately needed numbers. Same goes for our police force with these 'hobby bobbies'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Same goes for our police force with these 'hobby bobbies'. That's slightly different, from what I understand they aren't allowed to write up reports on anything they've done, because they don't have the appropriate legal training, so 'real' officers end up doing all the paperwork for specials and CSOs, meaning that there are in fact LESS 'real' police on the streets and more wannabies who the scrotes don't tend to respect at all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Until these support officers appeared I hadn't seen a policeman do the rounds near my home. Now I see them at least once a week. Again, they might be taking a few officers off the street, but the general poilce presence round here is much higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolarbag Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Try the Royal Marines:) My uncle was a para, got discharged after going awol for the birth of his first daughter, and fought for years to get back in as he loved the life, he was a fit mofo and sent umpteen letters to different regiments e.t.c He finally got into the Royal Marines and loved it, rumours have it he was in training to join our elite group but we'll never know, sadly he died in a car crash along with 2 friends:( I thought about joining, but my thinking is lifes too short to pretty much start off a new life at 40, the 20years or so I would have spent in the forces I'll use to make something of myself and hopefully be in a better position financially and mentally than what I would be coming out after the 22years service, But then I've rarely heard a bad word about the forces especially from folk who have served their 22years, its a life and experiences that you can't pay for and probably wouldnt imagine, I regret not joining up but the thought of having nothing to come out to after the 22years terrifies me, I see so many guys go this way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 Regaurding the TA, from the resaerch I have done, you sign up for 3 yrs and complete all the basic training that a regular soldier would have to do. I read somewhere that this will take around 2 yrs and in the 3rd yr you could be mobilised. Apparently you can leave any time you like as long as your not mobilised at the time. Other info I have found out is that you must do min of 27 days a yr, and your traing is onceor twice a week. However, all this is a bit misty to me and after been in the the army career office, they didnt really know much at all, except about the regular army. So if anyone else has other info that would be good. Cheers for all the posts above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy-No-Knee Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I'm in the TA. I have been for over 15 years. Nice to see that the Regs really apriciate our efforts. Shame that the same can be said The TA are not great at soldiering when they deploy on operations but a 6-month period with real soldiers normally kicks them in to shape (well, almost). The TA guys that I have seen in action have been f--k--g liabilities on operations and should really be used to backfill the spaces that the regular guys leave behind in their normal peacetime locations about some of the Regs I have been on Ops with, as with anything though it does depend on the unit and the role. Ok, it is a 3 year engagement, but you can leave at any time if you want to. There are various units and trades near you so your best bet it to visit each and find out what they offer and what they want time wise. As a rule of thumb it will be one eve a week and one weekend a month, with a 2 week 'camp' every year. Some units will require a lot more and some less. Depending on the trade you want if you can get time off aboe the 2 weeks a year then you may be able to get on trade course that you will find more interesting. Mobilisations... well it isnt a guarentee that you will be mobilised but if you want to go then there will always be a space (due to the state of the Army, and its overstretch), and depending on the unit there may be individual mobilisations or large scale of 10 or more soldiers. You will then be mobilised for usually 4 months before a 6 month period in theatre, again depending on your role/trade. You can only be mobilised for 11 months though (at the moment) but there are possibilites that the time will be extended to increse the pre mobilisation training time. What is life like in the TA normally??? Well I love it, all the good points of the Army but without having to live in a Squaddie town, did that, got bored and left. But things are changing now, some for the better some for the worse, the good changes are the chances to mobilise, the bad changes are the cuts in funding due to the MOD having to pay for 2 war's without getting war funding from the Govt. So with the funding cuts come training cuts, and therefore creating a bigger skills gap between the Regs and the TA. Hope this helps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy-No-Knee Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Also, go here and look on the TA forum, there is a part about joining the TA, you can ask as many questions as you need and get the best answers. http://www.arrse.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 Also, go here and look on the TA forum, there is a part about joining the TA, you can ask as many questions as you need and get the best answers. http://www.arrse.co.uk Cheers for the info bud, so what is it you are do? As for the training (fitness etc) is it down to yourself to make sure your fit etc, only as you said said its only one evening a week, which im guessing may be used for other training? How is it stuctured, eg do you spend all your time at the begining working on your fitness or is that expected of you in your own time, and the time spent in the evening is other training. Sorry for all the questions, only I have been given 2 dvds and a brochure on the TA, ontop of going into the careers office and to be honest, all the details is very vague. It generally just concentrates on what jobs you can do in the army, and very little about the process and training regaurding the TA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alan S Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I'd like to know the answer for the above, as when I looked there was very little info as well. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 Thought there would be more TA members on here considering the amount of members we have If anyone can help with my questions on post 15 that would be helpful. Cheers guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonahjones26 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 When i was younger i was in the cub scouts then got my link badge and progressed to scouts but got thrown out for smoking and breaking a window with a football. Join the navy much safer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboBrett Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Join now and you'll be in Afghanistan or Iraq in 2009:) The TA are not great at soldiering when they deploy on operations but a 6-month period with real soldiers normally kicks them in to shape (well, almost:rolleyes:). The TA guys that I have seen in action have been f--k--g liabilities on operations and should really be used to backfill the spaces that the regular guys leave behind in their normal peacetime locations:Pling: most of the TA (from what i have seen) is run by ex regs trying to teach thick twats that otherwise failed entry to the regs, most of them are compleeeetly useless, the guys that go on a deployment and return change alot a couple of our 'less than ideal' guy that got called up and left(the ta) the day they returned it changed my whole life completely when i joined (i was the type who knew the army was for me but was too fat and lazy to go and grab it) i weight 20 stone when i joined and absolutely loved it i lost 5.5 stone in 4 months and toned up the muscles (have always been big built ) became realy fit, absolutely could not wait for deployment whitch i knew was coming (nov 07) and unfortunately fell into a catch 22 situation at work (civvi) and was made to choose job or TA needless to say i had a flat to pay for and i made the worse decission of my life:( (not to mention the nagging other half) during my time in the TA (18 months) i did all the usual training i got to do some awsome stuff and some stuff that i missed out on, canoeing, parachuting, white water rafting, compitition shooting, i even did an inter regimental rally that i got a medal for:d me and my driver also saw a jeep rollover and the guys just go out and pushed it back onto the wheels using a winch then they just carried on as if its all good, we went on a huge deployment weekend with infantry, tanks the lot and there was 3 squads of sas who bumped us and kept on badgering us:( all night. i got to speak to them later on on the sunday and they was realy sound guys who was flying out to iraq 8 days later:) i was in the RLC then moved in to REME and all we did in the REME was drink... cant remember much else , as soon as i get a propper job i will be going back in, and hopefully getting that tour i joined for in the first place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboBrett Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 most of the TA (from what i have seen) is run by ex regs trying to teach thick twats that otherwise failed entry to the regs, most of them are compleeeetly useless, the guys that go on a deployment and return change alot a couple of our 'less than ideal' guy that got called up and left(the ta) the day they returned i dont mean that in a nasty way there are more guys and girls in the TA that have there head screw on than there is not, however when there is 5 or 6 guys that just cant be helped than it make it a whole world harder for every one else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 TurboBrett, or anyone else that want to answer: As for the training (fitness etc) is it down to yourself to make sure your fit etc, only from what I knoe already, you attend one evening a week, which im guessing may be used for other training? How is it stuctured, eg do you spend all your time at the begining working on your fitness or is that expected of you in your own time, and the time spent in the evening is other training. Sorry for all the questions, only I have been given 2 dvds and a brochure on the TA, ontop of going into the careers office and to be honest, all the details is very vague. It generally just concentrates on what jobs you can do in the army, and very little about the process and training regaurding the TA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboBrett Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 TurboBrett, or anyone else that want to answer: As for the training (fitness etc) is it down to yourself to make sure your fit etc, only from what I knoe already, you attend one evening a week, which im guessing may be used for other training? How is it stuctured, eg do you spend all your time at the begining working on your fitness or is that expected of you in your own time, and the time spent in the evening is other training. Sorry for all the questions, only I have been given 2 dvds and a brochure on the TA, ontop of going into the careers office and to be honest, all the details is very vague. It generally just concentrates on what jobs you can do in the army, and very little about the process and training regaurding the TA. right at the start thefirst weekend you are shown the standart that is needed most of the slimmer guys was at this standard anyway me at 20 stone was 2 minutes 9 seconds over mile and a half time 14 minutes to begin with... i was a fair few off on my situps but not far on the pressups, i passed the firsts weekend (sort of like selection) from then on i had a training program made up thanks to our sqdn's pti i followed that along with training (believe me when you have you full uniform on + burgan full of gear and your rifle carting it around for i dunno froughtly 10-15 miles over 48 hours you get fit fast and the weight drops off) 4 months later i was at the 10 minute mark on the mile and a half (and actualy enjoyed running:blink:) it wasnt untill we had an intake of new recruits that the co decided it was needed to have fitness training togeather an training nights (the new lot was realy lazy) then it fell every 3rd week for fitness, it was good for us all:) the fitness comes with the training, if your going away alot then you get fit without realising eating healthy is the hardest part:( at my sqdn every 4th weekend was stand down.. no training for any one how un fit are you (if you dont mind me asking).. if you can run for 15 minutes at a steady pace and i think its 50 pressups and situps 2 mins for each then you should be good i was well under that number when i joind one of the reasons i joined wanted encouragement and things to aim for people laughing at me when i stopped running because i couldnt be arsed it all goes to help, less than a moth and i could keep up, about 4 months and i was as fit as the next guy but alot stronger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSupTT Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 I can run at a steady pace (not particularly quick mind you) for 15 mins, and press ups, at the moment I could prob do somewhere around that figure with a bit of work and the pressure of someone stood over me lol. I generally do about 30 when i choose do them. Sit ups, again, im not to bad, better at crunches to be honest. As for lifting weights etc im not to bad at that. So basically what your saying is that ill get a fitness test at the beginning then they will do me a training program to work at in my own time. With a possible fitness session once every 3rd week? My diet is something I will definetlyt need to work on. At the moment I am fairly unfit - compared to what I used to be like). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboBrett Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 as the saying goes... with the sergeant majors (rsm) arm around my head on my shoulder and the other hand pointing at the main gate: The hardest thing you will do son is walk through that gate, i takes a special person to do that, an you have already done it. That to me shows you have what it takes i think thats what made me prove to every one i could do it, and hooking up with the hottest new recruit there just pissed on everyone else's bonfire:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.