Final Interview

[K-10]

It's been 4 weeks today since I returned from PRTC, as far as I know passing all elements, and I have yet to hear a thing from my AFCO regarding how it went or any potential dates for the interview.

My BRTC date is September, so I understand that I'm essentially the lowest priority as they need to get those who start before me through. Yeah....I'm just being eager, wanting to leave work and all that & begin getting my kit list for basic together. Just wondering if anyone knows a ballpark date that I may get? Is it usually around a month before basic etc?

 

[Witty_Banter]

Stop flapping, it will either happen or it won't. Don't worry about the kit list because you can pick pretty much everything you will need from Tesco / Asda etc in a 1hr shopping trip. There is literally NOTHING you will need that could require 'order via internet, wait two weeks for delivery' timing.

For the record, I have no idea what the PRTC / BRTC things are (certainly wasn't called that when I joined up!) but if it's Halton you're heading for, new Recruit Flights start every 2 weeks, and I believe that they still align your start date with the probable Phase 2 start date. If it's Cranwell, I think they're one a month? (could be wrong there)

 

[K-10]

Offer of service interview is normally 4 weeks before start date.

Thanks. That's all I was after, just a rough number. Bugger, gotta bat out another 4 weeks before I can burn my bridges at work

Stop flapping, it will either happen or it won't. Don't worry about the kit list because you can pick pretty much everything you will need from Tesco / Asda etc in a 1hr shopping trip. There is literally NOTHING you will need that could require 'order via internet, wait two weeks for delivery' timing.

For the record, I have no idea what the PRTC / BRTC things are (certainly wasn't called that when I joined up!) but if it's Halton you're heading for, new Recruit Flights start every 2 weeks, and I believe that they still align your start date with the probable Phase 2 start date. If it's Cranwell, I think they're one a month? (could be wrong there)

Ha, thanks, I'm just so up for it now, the wait is killing me. PRTC is the 3 day course we do before we go to basic to make sure we don't start crying on day 1. 19/70 on mine failed their fitness test, seems a lot of people turn up under prepared.

 

[Witty_Banter]

If people are failing the selection process because of the fitness test, it may be the AFCO to blame - after all, they're the ones who tell people what needs to be done in order to get through! However, if 19 people were told "get your fitness up to speed, you need to be able to run 1.5 miles in about 8 minutes", and 19 people thought "fCuk that, I'm pretty fit already", then they deserve to get the boot.

S'funny really, because when I joined up there was no selection process, let alone a fitness test part! The AFCO decided I was suitable for Service, I just turned up to Halton on the train! I did have to go through 2 days of tests for the trade training selection process, but that was all morse. There was certainly no PT involved!

 

[K-10]

All 19 failed the bleep test, we need to get 9.10, and about 10 of that 19 also failed on press-ups & sit-ups. I found that my AFCO really got into me about how important fitness was, and we all got given a fitness booklet after our aptitude test, so the AFCO did more than enough to keep us well aware of what's expected.

I think a lot of people pass the PJFT & then just take their foot off the gas & assume the PRTC fitness test will be the same. I find the bleep test much harder than the 1.5 mile run. But Christ, if I can pass it anyone can, I hate running.

 

[Witty_Banter]

I'd not usually consider myself the most suitable person to give advice on fitness (though I'm not close enough to a SNCO belly to be promoted yet), but allow me to offer a personal history based perspective:

Before the RAF I was well built but skinny - had an outdoors job - so when I got to my first fitness test I found out that 100 press ups was easy, but I couln't run for sh!t. By week 6 of Basic, I was keeping up with everyone else and by the end of week 9 reaching 9.10 was a doddle.

However, phase 2 training (and Trainee Drinking Flight whilst holding) was basically a 12 month **** up with a bit of PT thrown in, and by the end of it I'd gained lbs in lard (beer) and my running prowess had dropped considerably.

My advice, for what it's worth, is to try and maintain the fitness mentality that you will have by the time you leave Basic. You may not like phys, but you'll need to make sure that you take yourself out for a jog at least 3 or 4 times a week if you want to maintian your fitness. It's far too easy to jump on the beer wagon once Basic is out of the way, and that's where the problems begin. Even if you have PT scheduled during phase 2, get yourself an evening schedule of going for a run, and stick to it. I wish I had - it's much harder to claw it back when you've lost it!

 

[Warwick Hunt]

If people are failing the selection process because of the fitness test, it may be the AFCO to blame - after all, they're the ones who tell people what needs to be done in order to get through!

Why is that the AFCOs fault? What do you want them to do, go round to their houses and make sure they go for a run every day? The AFCO staff inform the candidate what the requirements are at each stage of the recruiting process and the standards are frequently re-iterated. If the candidate doesn't exercise the self-discipline to not only reach the fitness standard but excel it, that is their look-out, not the recruiters'. AFCO staffs have neither the time or inclination to hand-hold candidates and ensure that they maintain fitness - that boils down to each punters' integrity and motivation. They are told that they will do a fitness test at PRTC and on day 00 - if the candidates fail, then that's up to them.

 

[Warwick Hunt]

Offer of service interview is normally 4 weeks before start date.

Not always the case. Expect it to take place at least 6 weeks beforehand, depending on ITT dates.

 

[Witty_Banter]

Why is that the AFCOs fault? What do you want them to do, go round to their houses and make sure they go for a run every day? The AFCO staff inform the candidate what the requirements are at each stage of the recruiting process and the standards are frequently re-iterated. If the candidate doesn't exercise the self-discipline to not only reach the fitness standard but excel it, that is their look-out, not the recruiters'. AFCO staffs have neither the time or inclination to hand-hold candidates and ensure that they maintain fitness - that boils down to each punters' integrity and motivation. They are told that they will do a fitness test at PRTC and on day 00 - if the candidates fail, then that's up to them.

As I said, it may be the AFCOs fault, it may not, I think you may have grabbed the wrong end of the stick - we all know someone who is coming to the end of their career or has been missed of promotion for years in a row, or may have been able to get a recruiter's slot because they're in their last 18 months service - and have generally lost all enthusiasm for the job.

I was implying that if the individual at the AFCO did not pass on or stress exactly what would be required in order to make it through the fitness selection bit, then that AFCO staff member would have been failing in his duties.

I know several people who have done AFCO tours and have been incredibly good at it (though may have lied though their teeth slighty when bigging up certain trades..) - not everyone is as diligent as you, WH!

 

[Warwick Hunt]

As I said, it may be the AFCOs fault, it may not, I think you may have grabbed the wrong end of the stick - we all know someone who is coming to the end of their career or has been missed of promotion for years in a row, or may have been able to get a recruiter's slot because they're in their last 18 months service - and have generally lost all enthusiasm for the job.

I was implying that if the individual at the AFCO did not pass on or stress exactly what would be required in order to make it through the fitness selection bit, then that AFCO staff member would have been failing in his duties.

I know several people who have done AFCO tours and have been incredibly good at it (though may have lied though their teeth slighty when bigging up certain trades..) - not everyone is as diligent as you, WH!

Unless the candidate is unlucky enough to apply through an office staffed full of NFI recruiters, then it is unlikely that he/she would not be made aware of the standards that are required, bearing in mind it is on a pre-filled letter generated from TAFMIS AND in one of the booklets handed to the candidate. All recruiters are volunteers who respond to vacancies advertised on the ACOS Manning intranet site - hardly any to no pressed men exist in the recruiting world - and due to the time required to train and bring a recruiter up to the required competence level, very few, if any, NCOs are placed in an AFCO for their last 18 months. I was only aware of one and that was because he went from one AFCO to another closer to his home so he was already in the recruiting field, all he did was change offices. And a damn fine recruiter he was too. Gp Capt Recruiting is (and always has been) sh1t hot on standards within his offices and has/had in the past, no problem with removing people who aren't cutting the mustard. I've seen it myself.

And yes, I am a diligent person thank you for noticing, even more so when I worked in recruiting. As is everybody in the recruiting field force. The selection criteria for wannabe recruiters is surprisingly strict. Have a look at the recruiting AP, available on DII. It has a breakdown of what AFCO OCs look for when interviewing potential recruiters. If you are a Cpl or above, why not give it a go? It's easily the best tour you can do. Indeed, if a decent recruiting posting for Cpl/Sgt comes up as FTRS, I may think about going back in to work in that field again. I highly recommend it.

 

[Witty_Banter]

(At the risk of going Off Topic...)

I had actually considered an AFCO post for my final tour - I've done instructional tours and had heard it was a good job, but it's usually difficult to get released by the manning desk for our trade. I only know of two people within my trade that have been able to get released for it - same goes for RTS instructor duties. I should probably point out though, that I'd considered it for a FTD because there's no other way I could get posted to the area I'd like to settle in - sometimes the ends justify the means.

 

[busby1971]

Getting off topic, the AFCO management are normally reluctant to take last tourists, more junior NCOs are closer to those to be recruited and believe it or not, they can be very busy places, they find it hard to accommodate all the resettlement activities.

 

[Warwick Hunt]

Likewise with RTS.

 

[Witty_Banter]

Both points noted, with interest - looks like I'll be spending my final years rotting away in a dark corner at Digby then lol

 

[K-10]

I passed it

Looking forward to getting stuck into basic now

 

[Obi Wan]

I passed it

Looking forward to getting stuck into basic now

Congratulations.

 

[K-10]

Congratulations.

Thanks. Happy to be given the opportunity