Anyone in the RAF?

I concur with the comments about sticking to your guns, I did 12 years in the RAF, was in the Personnel/Admin lot, and kinda got shoe horned into it by the recruiting Sgt (I was 16 a the time) - no regrets but if I knew then what I know now I would have held out for a year or 2 and then gone in as (airman) aircrew (tried to transfer when I was in and gave up after all the brick walls put in my way and the chat about "YOU KNOW YOUR ADVANCEMENT AND PROGRESSION THROUGH THE RANKS WHILE ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN CEILING HEIGHT AT OFFICER LEVEL" - basically meaning someone from Glasgow with that type of accent/tattoos etc is not too welcome at pimms on lawn time.

good luck, you'll love the opportunites it throws your way.

I think the RAF or MOD in general offers decent prospects for a graduate. Either short service comission or longer. If its not what you want out of life, you can leave after a few years service and still have age on your side as you look for a new career.

The MOD is also great for advancing your skills/education...the amount they spend is staggering.

Its not all roses as some might have you belive i am afraid, even if you join as an officer. The MOD has changed the pension scheme so its not what it once was but its still decent for new entrants.

With the chance of being deployed at short notice to some pretty ****ty places and if you get assigned to a specific squadron, being continously posted around. I guess it all depends how adaptable/flexible you are as a person! On the flip side you get extra pay when on active service and have the chance to see some of the world(not as much scope as there used to be).

If you have technical qualifications i would not worry too much about being forced into the catering corp

I would definitely go down to the careers office and have an informal talk. If you wish to enter as an officer, ettiquete dictates you phone first to arrange an informal interview. Remember even at this early stage you will be judged and pigeon-holed so represent youself as best you can.

Its quite a laborious process and you would not get inducted unil January at the earliest so time is on your side.

why january ? if you dont mind me asking

I'm in the Raf too if you have any specific questions.

I'm an engineer (non commissioned officer) working on tornado airframes at leuchars so have quite an awareness of what our eng officer is doing.

The money will be good and the job will be pretty easy going but be aware engo's have to move to a new unit every 3 years.

go and see what the afco has to say, i'm pretty sure there is a shortage of engo's at the mo and the recruitment process is changing.

There is reams of paperwork/medicals/background checks etc and then after that you have all the interviews and officier selection boards. Its quite a drawn out process.

I know someone who is in the process of joining and he probably wont get to Cranwell(pretty sure its Cranwell) until January.