My stepson (also a Matthew) came home from school (more likely truant) one day, aged 16, and said "I'm joining the army". This was just as well, because there was no more room for 2 x Matthews in the same house.
Started in junior leaders and found he wasn't very tough after all, but survived and now retires in two years, quite high ranking.
Put all the little b******s in the forces - that's what I say.
and no I don't read the Daily Mail.
Couldn't agree more Moley old chap. I mean, my son (when he was a teenager) spent all his meagre waking hours glued to his laptop playing Strikeforce or something....whatever it was it consisted of him and his mates shooting each other up in cyberspace. So its clear that they actually want to be in the army at that age!
Similar happened to my brother who was a right bastard as a teenager, getting into lots of bad things - truanting, trouble with the police, mod music etc.Originally Posted by molehill
My stepson (also a Matthew) came home from school (more likely truant) one day, aged 16, and said "I'm joining the army". This was just as well, because there was no more room for 2 x Matthews in the same house
Started in junior leaders and found he wasn't very tough after all
Put all the little b******s in the forces - that's what I say
and no I don't read the Daily Mail.
He couldn't get into infantry due to dyslexia, joined Pioneer core, worked his way up through attachments to Para's etc, currently Warrant Officer 2 in Bastion in Afghanistan - retiring in October after doing 22 +2.
WO2? Thats something to be really proud of. Probably the most important rank in the army. Hope he completes his tour in Afghanistan OK and finds success back in civvy street.
Was made up to go to Afghanistan think post is acting, was Sergeant Major. Working with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (the guys who defuse the bombs) and responsible for running of their bit of Bastion, arranging live round training, general welfare etc.
As mentioned before he is responsible for arranging transport of bodies and injured (double amputation a week or so he reckons) back home. He was on leave last week and I arrived at his house just after he had a text telling him that the last bomb squad casualty someone he knew well had been blown up. (Before media got it). Puts getting peed off when work rings you in your hols or at a w/e into perspective.
Back in Bastion now.
Last edited by Antisocial; 20-01-2010 at 01:05 PM.
Totally.
Its taken me 2 years at college, 3 at Uni and 2 in normal work to realise the HM Forces is where its at........now wishing I'd gone in earlier!
Get some in Laddie!Its a fine and honourable career. It's not for everyone, thats true, but if it appeals, it won't let you down. The soddin' HM Gov made me redundant from the RAF but otherwise I'd still be there if it was my choice.
Why did they make you redundant?Get some in Laddie!
Its called the Fall of The Berlin Wall. Whenever a war ends, the Forces must contract. The '89 Wall falling signalled the end of the cold war and I received my cards in the massive purge called DCS 15...Defence Cost Study i.e. cut costs any way they can. At that stage they shut all UK military hospitals bar one. It was drastic and stupid but there's never any logic to this. Trick is not to take it personally.
The Poor Laws were first enacted in the UK after the Napoleonic Wars finished, leaving thousands of ex-soldiers destitute on the street, so its nothing new.
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