600 Squadron & reserves recruitment

[Stevienics]

Rec'd.

countless emails and telephone calls to said sqn, no replies to my friends enquires, sent one on her behalf, no reply. She s##t canned the idea of joining the Auggies now, she did an expression if interest with the TA, within a day she got a call back and has a tour around the local TA Int Sqn in the next couple of weeks.

Whilst i appreciate its the military there must be some kind of service charter for Auggie sqns to adhere to, even a basic "we'll get back to you, we're very busy" email. If anyone would be kind enough to PM me the SO3 Reserves Recruiting email I would be very grateful.

Very disappointed and dare I say it embarrassed with the whole Auggie recruitment experience she's been through.

They are not all that good. This is true.

 

[Mag2grid]

What about the Sqns in Oxfordshire as an alternative, all in an easy commute from NW London. Is there any specific trade that your friend is after specific to Northolt?

Int Analyst she was after, 606 don't have that trade nor do 4624 or 2624. Like I said she's gone to the STAB's now as a result of how she was ignored. Are we that well off for recruitment of reserves at the moment we are just ignoring people who want to join?

 

[YO8102]

Int Analyst she was after, 606 don't have that trade nor do 4624 or 2624. Like I said she's gone to the STAB's now as a result of how she was ignored. Are we that well off for recruitment of reserves at the moment we are just ignoring people who want to join?

I was under the impression she wanted to be a Flt Ops Asst? Sounds like it's too late now, but if I'd known it was int I would have suggested one of the nationally recruiting squadrons; they have well organised recruiting staff within HQ Int Reserves who would almost certainly have responded to her query and invited her to an info day. It's still an option, if she gets threaders with the TA (I transferred from TA to RAuxAF and have never looked back; 10 weekends a year with all dates planned well in advance and flexible ACT – instead of weeknights, back-to-back weekends at short notice and a regimental camp that's rarely in the school hols).

 

[Harby1]

600 sqn recruiting?

600 sqn recruiting?

Hi, I'm considering applying for the reserves and Northolt is my preferred station as I stayed there with the spacers years ago (I'm 37 now). I'm considering applying for an Int Analyst role at 600 sqn. However, I'm struggling to make contact with the recruiter, George, during office hours (who has kindly left a voicemail for me). Does anyone know the answers to the following killer questions: if they're recruiting? If there's an info day planned? Whether they recruit from as far afield as Dorset? Comments gratefully received. Kind regards, Harby.

 

[Stevienics]

When I visited I spoke with one woman who commuted from Devon. Other sans have people lining in Eire and France.

 

[YO8102]

Hi, I'm considering applying for the reserves and Northolt is my preferred station as I stayed there with the spacers years ago (I'm 37 now). I'm considering applying for an Int Analyst role at 600 sqn. However, I'm struggling to make contact with the recruiter, George, during office hours (who has kindly left a voicemail for me). Does anyone know the answers to the following killer questions: if they're recruiting? If there's an info day planned? Whether they recruit from as far afield as Dorset? Comments gratefully received. Kind regards, Harby.

Int An is one one of the trades being expanded under FR20, so 600 Sqn certainly should be recruiting them. They're not a nationally recruiting sqn, however, and whilst they may well accept recruits from over 50 miles away, they won't necessarily pay your travel expenses in full.

The three nationally recruiting sqns are all recruiting and have a full time recruiter within HQ Int Reserves.

 

[Mag2grid]

600 Sqn are shocking for recruitment, if you can why not consider one of the national Int Sqns at Waddington?

 

[Harby1]

Int An at Northolt

Int An at Northolt

Thanks all for all of your comments re the Int An trade at Northolt, which is pretty straightforward to travel to from Dorset/Hants so I'll persist with the recruiting/admin coordinator there. Having to cover travel expenses myself would be a bit of a demotivating factor though.
It feels like it’s now or never. If I can get on to an info day at 600 sqn then I’ll know for sure whether to apply but I am really keen to do a 5-year stint (or more) and serve with the Reserves. (By the way has the term Reserves replaced Auxiliary?)
Are all 3 nationally recruiting sqns are based at Waddington? That is a good 4 hours away from where I live. My 2nd pref would be flight ops at Benson but I am really keen on the IA role in terms of personal interest, challenge and also due to the similarities with my civvy role (regulatory/business analysis/policy/risk).
Cheers, Harby.

 

[YO8102]

Don't get put off by the Waddington thing. Firstly, you'll spend your first year or two in phase 1 and 2 training at Halton and Chicksands respectively, regardless of which sqn you join, and you have all of Friday night to travel (I rarely arrive before midnight). Once trained, two of the sqns train of out of Wyton and Chicksands and the other is spread out over the country, with cadres or flights at places like Odiham, Benson and Brize Norton - your initial flight allocation is usually based on where you live.

As for your Reserve/Auxiliary question: we're still officially the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, known as Auggies. RAF Reserves is a brand used for recruiting.

 

[Harby1]

Don't get put off by the Waddington thing. Firstly, you'll spend your first year or two in phase 1 and 2 training at Halton and Chicksands respectively, regardless of which sqn you join, and you have all of Friday night to travel (I rarely arrive before midnight). Once trained, two of the sqns train of out of Wyton and Chicksands and the other is spread out over the country, with cadres or flights at places like Odiham, Benson and Brize Norton - your initial flight allocation is usually based on where you live.

As for your Reserve/Auxiliary question: we're still officially the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, known as Auggies. RAF Reserves is a brand used for recruiting.

Thanks, really good info. What you've said about the national recruitment approach through Waddington sounds really promising so I'll get an app submitted over the w/e. (I may pop up on this forum again with the odd question or two). I managed to get through to 600 sqn's recruiting sergeant at lunchtime but he said that there was an info day yesterday and the next one is in Jan, that the IA roles were pretty much full and that they would only reimburse travel up to 50 miles. So that's pretty much the kybosh on Northolt but to be fair, I think they don't need to worry about recruiting numbers being so close to London. He did say that the usual process is to go on the Reserves website, submit an app and then this gets all of your basic details through to the RAF. Thanks again.

 

[YO8102]

Glad it was useful to you. Happy to answer any further questions on here or by PM.

 

[Harby1]

Fantastic, thanks for all of your comments on the 'thinking of joining the Auggies' thread. I've submitted my app this afternoon. (I didn't add any free text in the comments relevant sections as I understand that it is more of an initial data gathering exercise). There wasn’t anywhere to name your preferred sqn.
After Int Analyst my 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] and 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] choices are Flight Ops Asst and Personnel Support given the some of the apparent similarities with my day job – I’m an office monkey and I know how to use a computer!
I'm still a bit apprehensive in terms of my current fitness levels (i.e. ranging somewhere between upright/mobile to lazy). Apart from running around after my 3 kids (all under 8) in the park, beach, the New Forest, etc and some walking, I'm not overly active. This is one of my reasons for wanting to join though - the challenge and some structure around maintaining a good overall fitness level.
I guess the next step after the app has been sifted is an invite to an info day, followed by; the aptitude testing and the Pre-Joining Fitness Test. Then the bleep tests, etc at Halton? (help)
Anyway, here are my last few questions for now. If you’re happy to, I’d be really grateful for your views:

• What are the likely timelines from application/info day stage before I would have to do the first fitness test i.e. the 2.4k run, sit ups, press ups, etc?

• For the Int An role and the personnel support role it seems that you can only enter as an airman which is fine. However, if those trade apps were unsuccessful and if you had the background, quals, etc for another role would they recommend you apply for a commission? Or am I getting ahead of myself as, generally speaking, applicants get put forward for commissioned trades on a like-for-like basis regarding their civvy trades - or ex-service personnel?

• Lastly, may be a funny question but, how well do the regulars rub along with the reserves? Do they value what you do? Is the banter good natured or do you get cold-shouldered? Do the regs see Reserves as good personal contacts to prep them for when they are coming out of the RAF?

Anyway, best wishes to everyone who has been good enough to help me out with my app. Enjoy your weekends. Harby.

 

[YO8102]

What are the likely timelines from application/info day stage before I would have to do the first fitness test i.e. the 2.4k run, sit ups, press ups, etc?

There's no Pre-Joining Fitness Test for the Reserves, instead you have to score green or better on the full RAF Fitness Test before you can be attested (sworn in). It will be up to you to you book a fitness test at a station convenient to you at any point during the application process. I would suggest the earlier the better, so that if you require a re-test it won't hold things up.

For the Int An role and the personnel support role it seems that you can only enter as an airman which is fine. However, if those trade apps were unsuccessful and if you had the background, quals, etc for another role would they recommend you apply for a commission? Or am I getting ahead of myself as, generally speaking, applicants get put forward for commissioned trades on a like-for-like basis regarding their civvy trades - or ex-service personnel?

I can only really speak for my own trade here but, unless you're already an officer, you'd be expected to complete phase 1 (basic) and phase 2 (trade) training before being considered for a commission. We have a lot of airmen and airwomen who joined us with this intention but have subsequently remained in the ranks. Unless you're a senior enough officer to command your own sub-unit, there's not a lot of difference in the work you'll carry out day-to-day.

Lastly, may be a funny question but, how well do the regulars rub along with the reserves? Do they value what you do? Is the banter good natured or do you get cold-shouldered? Do the regs see Reserves as good personal contacts to prep them for when they are coming out of the RAF?

I've heard a lot of banter from the regs, but it's nothing like the animosity I experienced as a TA soldier from the regular army, and it's never been aimed at me personally. In our trade we have a lot of reservists doing work to help the regular service, rather than just doing our own thing training, and I guess that helps.