Applications to join foreign forces (Britian and Australia)

[Meridian]

Interesting notes from an online session with a recruiter (clearly canned responses) on the Brit Army site:


CSgt Gary Harriss has joined this session!
9:44:33 AM  CSgt Gary Harriss HI
9:44:35 AM  CSgt Gary Harriss this
9:44:40 AM  CSgt Gary Harriss To take your officer entry enquiry further, you should now write to the following address.  You must enclose a copy of all your school and university education certificates, your birth certificate and the pages in your passport that show your right to enter and live in the UK.  You must state your current nationality and include your full address:

Overseas Officer Enquiry Desk, Building 165, Trenchard Lines, Upavon, Wiltshire SN9 6BE  United Kingdom

If you appear eligible, the necessary enquiry forms will be forwarded to you in due course.  Please allow 6 weeks from the time that you send the details to the UK to allow for post delays and full assessment by the Ministry of Defence.
9:44:43 AM  CSgt Gary Harriss To apply you must have a sponsor who is a permanent resident in the UK who will be ready to support your application.

The UK sponsor requirement is for Home Office immigration purposes and ideally should be the name and address of a UK citizen, a person who has permanent residence within the UK and has lived here for some time, or a relative, friend who is living in the UK.  This includes UK and Commonwealth service personnel.

Under normal circumstances the applicant usually resides with a sponsor for the period of selection (approximately six to 10 weeks).

The role of sponsor is purely to take responsibility for and be a point of contact for the applicant.  Accommodation may be in a location separate from the sponsor.  If this option is chosen, the applicant will have to supply and accommodation address to both the sponsor and to the relevant British High Commission or Embassy to support visa applications.  The alternate accommodation can be a youth hostel, guesthouse, Hotel or similar accommodation.

In the event of the sponsor being a serving soldier, there are strict regulations about the use of service accommodation.

The sponsor is usually contacted by the British High Commission or Embassy at which the application has been made.  Some basic information is normally requested.

For a fuller explanation of the requirements, the point of contact is as follows:

Immigration and Nationality Directorate
Blocks C, 6th Floor Whitgift Centre
Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 1AT
England

Telephone (General Enquiries) 0870 606 7766
9:44:44 AM  CSgt Gary Harriss As part of the overseas selection process you will receive a letter asking you to come to the UK to complete the selection, and if successful enlistment.  This letter can be used to support your application for a visa giving you right of entry into the UK.  Please note that to complete the recruit selection process you will require at least 3 months remaining on your visa on the day you present your documents at an Army Careers Office.
9:44:48 AM  CSgt Gary Harriss To apply for service in the British Army you must have a relative or friend, who is a permanent resident in the UK, who will act as your sponsor.  Do have a UK based sponsor?
9:44:49 AM  CSgt Gary Harriss To apply for a commission in the British Army you will have to reside in the UK for a period of up to 5 years prior to your application.  This time can vary depending on your personal circumstances.

 

[ReadyAyeReady]

Thanks for the update Meridian.

From what I understand the Brits are going through the process of re-thinking their recruitment policy regarding Commonwealth citizens.

I have been in the application process for a while now, and when I first sent in my application (October) I was still eligible...but now I may not be if they change the residence requirements.

On the upswing I have relations in the UK and have lived there before (For 1 year in 97-98 and another year in 02-03)...so that may help me as I can get a sponsorship from them no problem.

Anyway, I'll keep you all updated on my situation as there seem to be alot of changes going on over there and alot of confusion on this side as to the Commonwealth applicant's requirements.

ReadyAyeReady

 

[Matt_Fisher]

This is really disapointing news for all Commonwealth subjects wanting to join the British Army.  Hopefully as the global security situation improves the restrictions will become lessened.

I think that perhaps a revival of 'Allied Regiment' ties between reserve units and their sister units in the UK might be able to help get Canadians into the British Army.

I had a friend who served with the Seaforth Highlanders and due to contacts that he'd made with the sister regiment The Highlanders was able to join that regiment, with which he is currently serving.

 

[Pieman]

Mat_Fisher, your PM box is full. Could you delete some messages so I can get through? Thanks.

 

[noneck]

Matt Fisher-JJ established his relationship after an attachment with 1 Hldrs on Pond Jump West in Wainwright for a month. That smoothed a lot of the road as he was introduced to the Hldrs CO by his Coy Comd. The CO then directed him to the Regimental Secretary in Fort George, who is the mover and shaker as far as easing the overseas recruiting issue. He still had to eastablish a residency period for I believe 6 Months.

Cheers
Noneck

 

[MikeT1984]

If any of you guys have any questions on British Army selection, feel free to PM, IM, or e-mail me.  I passed selection a couple of months ago and start CMS(R) in January.

I think that there is alot of scaremongery, as I found selection very easy, it appears selection has changed some what from what some people are suggesting.

 

[Pieman]

I think that there is alot of scaremongery, as I found selection very easy, it appears selection has changed some what from what some people are suggesting.

I went through Officer selection only a few weeks ago for entry into Sandhurst. I did OK through the whole process, but was not picked because I was considered to be too old to develop my skills. If I was 20 like yourself I would have been in, and they even told me this. As a general rule the older you are, the higher quality you must be. There is not any scaremongering going on, but laying out my experience.

Is CMS(R) a noncommissioned reserves?

 

[MikeT1984]

I think that there is alot of scaremongery, as I found selection very easy, it appears selection has changed some what from what some people are suggesting.

I went through Officer selection only a few weeks ago for entry into Sandhurst. I did OK through the whole process, but was not picked because I was considered to be too old to develop my skills. If I was 20 like yourself I would have been in, and they even told me this. As a general rule the older you are, the higher quality you must be. There is not any scaremongering going on, but laying out my experience.

Is CMS(R) a noncommissioned reserves?

Common Military Syllabus (Recruits) - basic NC training.


I met a guy on one of my selections who had 2 years experience in the Royal Marines Reserve, and a degree, and was turned down at Sandhurst, at 24.  I apologise for my generalisation of the thread, as I didn't bother to read the whole thing, jsut the first couple of pages, with people talkign about press ups and such, I didn't have to do any press ups on selection, this is now left until you go to your ATR.

 

[Pieman]

I met a guy on one of my selections who had 2 years experience in the Royal Marines Reserve, and a degree, and was turned down at Sandhurst, at 24.

Wow, that is something. There was also a Royal Marine Reserve guy at my selection board. He was also one of my roommates there and I got to know him pretty good. He was probably the fastest guy I have ever seen. He was super confident working in groups, and had simply outstanding leadership skills. I was nothing like that guy. He got picked, and rightly so. He was probably the strongest candiates there. He will make a great Officer.

I am quite surprised to hear your friend did not, as he has a very similar background and age. But who knows, there are a lot of variables in the selection process. I saw a lot of really smart and capable people turned away.

They process over 100 applicants a week there. So they can be as picky as they want to be. Out of those 100 or so applicants, I was the oldest person on my selection board, if that tells you anything.

 

[MikeT1984]

I was the oldest on my soldier selection, wasn't really surprised though.

 

[Acorn]

Mike,

Welcome to our Canadian world. It's nice to see one of the "green slime" tip up  ;D. You may well run into a few mates of mine. Of course, they're WO2s, so the conversation may be one-sided.  >

Good luck in one of the more active Corps in the British Army. You have loads of opportunity to excel, and a variety of postings that makes me jealous.

Acorn

 

[hiv]

Hi All

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I thought I'd update my situation for anyone interested. The education officer finally got back with all my equivalencies for my application and I possess the necessary pre-requisites for a commission. So, now my application is going ahead but I'm not sure how good a chance I stand since I've been informed that they're cutting 11,000 positions. I figure it can't hurt to try regardless. So, I'll continue to wait but not hold my breath. We'll see where this leads.

 

[readyfourzero]

mike

I echo Acorns words, welcome to the British Army I hope your stay is a good one and as enjoyable as mine has been!

You have chosen well young Jedi

4-0

 

[winchable]

Anyone out there still contemplating applications to the UK forces?

Mines just been officially started this week so anyone wanting the current word on issues need only ask and I should be able to get your a response within a day right from the mouth of a recruiter in Staffs.

 

[Jascar]

I'm still working on applications for the army and marines. How long did it take to hear back from the marines, Che? How have you found the process so far? And why Lichfield?

 

[winchable]

After a long, long talk with all the recruiters I decided not to officially apply to the Royal Marines, though while I was contemplating them they were always quite helpful (the recruiters here are absolutely amazing if they know you're in country)
I'm actually applying to the army as an officer now, so I haven't heard back from them since filling out the information sheets they gave me and returning them.

The Recruiters here are amazing, the system is designed to pack recruits onto commissioning boards and weekend test batteries and let those things sort them out.
They sent me DVD's and VHS tapes about trades, army life (they made it sound so bloody appealing, which I've never seen) they text me or call me...imagine that, they contact me to see how I'm doing.
Perhaps I have just got a really good recruiter though, so don't anyone book their flights just yet.

Why Lichfield? My godfather lives here so the rent is free for a while anyway, it's near Birmingham but not in an urban setting so it's pleasant to live in and when I need to I can get to the second city in a half hour or so.

 

[Rubes]

Can I ask why you chose Army over RM?  I'm considering joining the RM after high school, was wondering why you decided to switch. 

Also, what's life like in Britain?  I'm not asking you to write me an essay, I just mean is it comparable to life in Canada?

Thanks

 

[winchable]

I eventually chose the army largely because of the opportunity to go to Sandhurst and just in general the army was more in line with what I am (this, after much careful study and I decided that I'm just not interested in being a marine) and what my family over here is involved in.

Having family in particular places here can have a big impact on where you apply, since officer applicants are generally sponsored by a particular regiment if you have family members in that regiment it helps in some small way.
They'll still only sponsor you if you are suitable and if there are better applicants you're SOL but if your family is well known at the regiment they know your interest is definetly real and not a whim and you might find that they will take a deeper interest in you.
You'll never hear that from a recruiter, never ever ever.
Yes despite 100s of years of history, the Victorian nepotism is still somewhat alive.

England really is just...completely different.
I don't think I could properly articulate how much it is like going to a completely different planet at times.
You really must come experience it as one of the English rather than as a tourist if you want to really appreciate how incredibly foreign England is.
I reccommend getting a work/travel Visa, they're good for 2 years and allow to you to work and travel around England and Europe.
Or if you have a British citizenship like I do, don't worry about any of that and just come over, stay at a hostel or with family and see for yourself.

It can be worth it but it really takes a different mindset to live over here, I think I've already done a little speil (As has Pieman) on what it's like at first on this thread or another one on the same topic.
If you have any questions fire away.

 

[Pieman]

Che,

Awesome you are going Army! What corps/regiments are you going to try and get sponsorship with? When you find out when you are going to the RCB Briefing send me a PM, I can give you some heads up on a few things.  Either way, I imagine with your past experience you will do great there. Ahh...I miss London sometimes, so much to do and see, especially in the spring/summer.

Pieman

 

[winchable]

The Greenjackets of the light division are the ones who I'm talking to about sponsorship.
We've moved past the intial information stage, though there is no commitment yet.
To be quite honest, I'm really taking my British Citizenship out for a spin and seeing what kind of Job it can land me here.
Looking into working at the home office, the national archives, foreign office, etc. etc. as well as opportunities on the continent too to learn some other languages.