Looking to Join

[JosephLee]

Hi all,

I'm 21 and looking to join the RAF after completion of my university Degree. My preferred aim would be to go in as an officer, however i do know that in all walks of life people don't particularly like having a boss younger than them so would that cause issues when signing up?

Also, I am needing to improve my CV and so far have done a few bits of fundraising and fun runs, but need other ideas. All would be greatly appreciated.

Can you also let me know more about the Intelligence Officer, Aerospace Battle Manager & Flight Operations Officer roles, as the best way to find out would be from whoever on here may have worked as/with those roles.

Thank you

 

[vim_fuego]

Hi all,

I'm 21 and looking to join the RAF after completion of my university Degree. My preferred aim would be to go in as an officer, however i do know that in all walks of life people don't particularly like having a boss younger than them so would that cause issues when signing up?

Also, I am needing to improve my CV and so far have done a few bits of fundraising and fun runs, but need other ideas. All would be greatly appreciated.

Can you also let me know more about the Intelligence Officer, Aerospace Battle Manager & Flight Operations Officer roles, as the best way to find out would be from whoever on here may have worked as/with those roles.

Thank you

I can help with the first two. As a Junior Officer you are expected to be young and not particularly wise in all the ways...you'll be placed with an experienced Warrant Officer and SNCO's to listen to and lean on whilst having a mentor in terms of a senior Flt Lt or S/L...you'll always get stick (mainly behind your back from your men and more in your face in the mess) but if you've made it that far you'll have enough strength of character to mop it up...

Do some voluntary work...areas like the Princes Trust, Duke of Edingburgh award, help out at a youth sports team/club...that sort of thing...somewhere a modicum of responsibility is laid upon you and you can show a bit of noise and leadership...

 

[Stevienics]

The roles you have specified are natural "shoe-ins" for a flight commanders position, at least out of training so you may have time to get up to speed. Also, you'll never have to be in a position to actually "tell" anyone what they have to do. It's enough to say "we need to..", listen to the SNCOs moan about why they dont want to do it, then decide which bits are good, then how they are going to do it if they absolutely have to, before watching them do it. Then you praise them for their efforts in front of others and mention it at every opportunity.

This, we call leadership.

Concentrate on that word.

 

[applecruncher]

If I was going to apply for a job I would thoroughly research it, using google as a bare minimum. You'd be expected to have done that at the very least.......
Perhaps I could suggest a trip to an AFCO as a start, but whilst you can expect help here, do NOT expect spoon feeding.

 

[JosephLee]

Thanks for the help, I know leadership is key. Currently working on voluntary stuff such as you have mentioned Vim_fuego. Also very aware that i'd be joining at the bottom of the pile and do not intend to come across as a boss, but really interested in learning how to be a great leader.

Also agreed Stevienics, just wanted to find out more. my wording was not the best as I have been currently writing a dissertation so did not have much time to think up what i wanted to ask.

Applecruncher I have researched it & have been into an AFCO however it is not like they can truly paint a clear picture of every role in the forces, thus asking on here for people who may have done those roles so that i can get a clear picture as you what is actually involved.

Thanks all for the help so far.

 

[Witty_Banter]

If you're going to go for an officer slot I'd suggest a good back-reading on the history of the RAF (considering we have an anniversary coming up). The Int bit (is obviously classified) but the role itself is more a mindset than a qualification. A good starting point for 'brain training' would be to do a brief study on op Herrick - Int has been on the up-and-up since early 2000, and herrick intelligence requirements more than quadrupled over the course of the op (these days - ops-wise - almost nothing happens without a solid intelligence background being sought first)

If this sounds boring, then Int is probably not the right job for you...

 

[JosephLee]

Thanks for the help.

I have already began this process & have actually done my university dissertation on the history of the Royal Air Force, so that should hopefully stand me in good stead. I am fully aware that more reading will most certainly be required.

Thanks again.

 

[Witty_Banter]

Nice planning on the dissertation lol!

Wiki has some good information on Herrick, but is unreliable purely because of the way it's administrated. I saw a good BBC documentary on the history of the Taliban (on Youtube) that you might find interesting.

Also worth looking at the bigger picture, militarily and politically, just so you have an understanding of it (not to dissertation standards!)
How does the RAF function within the MOD? And the MOD within the Government? How and what are the relationships between the RAF and the other Armed Services, and the RAF / MOD / UK Government (military and political) relationships with other countries? Europe? The USA?

There's probably no limit to the research you could do in prep - suppose it depends on how much you really want it - but at a bare minimum I'd say pay particular attention to the news, what's going on around you. A news trawl on google wouldn't hurt either.