interested in the RAF but have a lot of questions

[daws]

Hello everyone,

First of all, I'll tell you a bit about myself.

I am 27 years old, been in a serious relationship for 4 years, been at my current job for almost 7 years as an IT Technician, but very unhappy with it, now I'm interested in a career change to the RAF. I would be interested in either being a Photographer, or a RAF policeman (dog handler would be preferred).

So I have a few questions I would like to ask people who are currently serving in the RAF (there's only so much you can research your self).

1. Is it possible to request being posted at a base near your home town, so i can go home on an evening and/or weekend?
2. How often will you go overseas? and for how long at a time. (I know this will vary depending on the trade you chose - anyone know about Photographers or Policemen overseas?)
3. I've seen sport is a big thing in the RAF. How easy is it to get into a sport with the RAF? do you have to already be very good at that particular sport or can you start from scratch?
4. Has anyone here joined the RAF at my age or older? How did you find the initial training with you being older than the rest of the recruits?
5. and finally, what is the RAF life like after your initial training and trade training?

Thanks.

 

[Billy Whizz]

Hello everyone,

First of all, I'll tell you a bit about myself.

I am 27 years old, been in a serious relationship for 4 years, been at my current job for almost 7 years as an IT Technician, but very unhappy with it, now I'm interested in a career change to the RAF. I would be interested in either being a Photographer, or a RAF policeman (dog handler would be preferred).

So I have a few questions I would like to ask people who are currently serving in the RAF (there's only so much you can research your self).

1. Is it possible to request being posted at a base near your home town, so i can go home on an evening and/or weekend?
2. How often will you go overseas? and for how long at a time. (I know this will vary depending on the trade you chose - anyone know about Photographers or Policemen overseas?)
3. I've seen sport is a big thing in the RAF. How easy is it to get into a sport with the RAF? do you have to already be very good at that particular sport or can you start from scratch?
4. Has anyone here joined the RAF at my age or older? How did you find the initial training with you being older than the rest of the recruits?
5. and finally, what is the RAF life like after your initial training and trade training?

Thanks.

1 - yes, you can ask to be posted to a certain location but it's not guaranteed and you will usually be moved every 3-5 years. Depends where "home" is.....I take it you have RAF bases close by?
2 - Both Photogs and RAFP deploy quite frequently. For RAFP expect to go away for 4-6 months every 3 years.
3 - Sport and Adventure Training is indeed a big thing. Most bases have most sports undertaken between Sections and inter-camp level. depends how good you are to how far you want/can progress.
4 - There are quite a few people on E-Goat who have joined at your age and older. Search through the recruitment threads (at least one question was asked on the subject in the past few weeks)
5 - After Basic and Trade training, the RAF is as much or as little as you want to make it. If your desire is to go home of an evening after work then that's fine, plenty do or you could choose to do social activities on base.

 

[Ronsuddes]

Hello everyone,

First of all, I'll tell you a bit about myself.

I am 27 years old, been in a serious relationship for 4 years, been at my current job for almost 7 years as an IT Technician, but very unhappy with it, now I'm interested in a career change to the RAF. I would be interested in either being a Photographer, or a RAF policeman (dog handler would be preferred).

So I have a few questions I would like to ask people who are currently serving in the RAF (there's only so much you can research your self).

1. Is it possible to request being posted at a base near your home town, so i can go home on an evening and/or weekend?
2. How often will you go overseas? and for how long at a time. (I know this will vary depending on the trade you chose - anyone know about Photographers or Policemen overseas?)
3. I've seen sport is a big thing in the RAF. How easy is it to get into a sport with the RAF? do you have to already be very good at that particular sport or can you start from scratch?
4. Has anyone here joined the RAF at my age or older? How did you find the initial training with you being older than the rest of the recruits?
5. and finally, what is the RAF life like after your initial training and trade training?

Thanks.

1. Yes. If you are keen to be near home perhaps the RAF life isn't for you. I suspect postings from training deliberately avoid home posting unless there is a compassionate reason - if so the RAF try to be helpful, but still have to fill the unpopular postings.
3. Sport is encouraged in the RAF - unless you are Command or RAF level when all your section has to fill in whilst you swan off to competitions. Sport for beginners is fine on large stations, but smaller stations may only have one PTI who will do his best with limited facilities. Large sections have their own Football, Cricket, Darts teams.
4. No problem. You are probably more mature than most recruits.
5. Initial training bears no relation to the "real" RAF. Self discipline is the norm.

Consider why you are unhappy in your current job - there are additional factors which may affect your happiness to consider in the RAF.

 

[daws]

1 - yes, you can ask to be posted to a certain location but it's not guaranteed and you will usually be moved every 3-5 years. Depends where "home" is.....I take it you have RAF bases close by?
2 - Both Photogs and RAFP deploy quite frequently. For RAFP expect to go away for 4-6 months every 3 years.
3 - Sport and Adventure Training is indeed a big thing. Most bases have most sports undertaken between Sections and inter-camp level. depends how good you are to how far you want/can progress.
4 - There are quite a few people on E-Goat who have joined at your age and older. Search through the recruitment threads (at least one question was asked on the subject in the past few weeks)
5 - After Basic and Trade training, the RAF is as much or as little as you want to make it. If your desire is to go home of an evening after work then that's fine, plenty do or you could choose to do social activities on base.

Many thanks for the reply.
1. I live in Leeds so there's 4 RAF bases that are within 1 hour drive of my house. Would I have a good chance if I requested to be at one of four bases? I guess requesting just one base would be hard to get.
2. Every 3 years isn't as bad as i thought it would be, to be honest.
3. I'm most interested in adventurous sports such as skiing and mountain biking (both of which i'm not too bad at already)
4. thanks, I'll have a look on the forum for older recruits (i'm new to this forum so just finding my way around it now).

 

[daws]

1. Yes. If you are keen to be near home perhaps the RAF life isn't for you. I suspect postings from training deliberately avoid home posting unless there is a compassionate reason - if so the RAF try to be helpful, but still have to fill the unpopular postings.
3. Sport is encouraged in the RAF - unless you are Command or RAF level when all your section has to fill in whilst you swan off to competitions. Sport for beginners is fine on large stations, but smaller stations may only have one PTI who will do his best with limited facilities. Large sections have their own Football, Cricket, Darts teams.
4. No problem. You are probably more mature than most recruits.
5. Initial training bears no relation to the "real" RAF. Self discipline is the norm.

Consider why you are unhappy in your current job - there are additional factors which may affect your happiness to consider in the RAF.

thanks for the reply
1. only keen to be near home so i don't spend too much time away from my girlfriend (wife in the near future) obviously cant be helped when deployed over seas, but when in the UK I would prefer to be closer to home.
3. i'd be most interested in the Skiing and mountain biking. I've seen the RAF put videos of them on youtube, wasn;t sure if anyone can get to take part in those activities or only the best?
4. yes i've seen some one say that it can be a good think as you have more life experience and as you say more mature.

 

[Stevienics]

I'm older. It's not an issue really. The Phys is easily manageable but just be aware the duty of care means they deal to the lowest common denominator, meaning everyone, irrespecive of age, gets treated as they might at 17 in basic training and to some extent beyond.

Photog is a good trade but the numbers accepted are few - they might try and push you down the RAFP route.

There are no guarantees of location, but they'll try and accommodate you. Out of area deoployment periodicity varies by branch and trade, but in general you are supposed to get 12 months notice anyway. This doesn't always occur as some people like to play the system and go twisted sock to avoid them.

 

[vim_fuego]

My theory around locations and postings was to plan for the worst and accept anything better with a sigh of relief. Aside from my first ever posting and last, in 25 years, I was always surprised in a bad way! If you are planning on being posted next to home and it doesn't happen what will you do? If you are planning on getting married then plan a bit faster as you get quite well looked after once you are legally together. Cheap house/Council tax etc. and normally of a decent standard.

If you don't plan for the worst outcome it can be a real pain and costs you either a relationship or a career if you really don't want to be apart. Think on before you sign that dotted line...

 

[Billy Whizz]

Many thanks for the reply.
1. I live in Leeds so there's 4 RAF bases that are within 1 hour drive of my house. Would I have a good chance if I requested to be at one of four bases? I guess requesting just one base would be hard to get.
2. Every 3 years isn't as bad as i thought it would be, to be honest.
3. I'm most interested in adventurous sports such as skiing and mountain biking (both of which i'm not too bad at already)
4. thanks, I'll have a look on the forum for older recruits (i'm new to this forum so just finding my way around it now).

1 - you will be asked to put 3 choices down and that could be an area, not neccessarily a base. Don't rely on getting one of the choices though, depends on many circumstances not least how many of your chosen trade there are at those bases.
3 - you will certainly find the opportunity to go ski-ing and do mountain biking.

Good luck