(-A-)

Its been like May since i've updated this i think, never the less i've now completed my army tests

Barb test is very easy, you are timed and there are 5 stages on a touch screen computer, the practise one is up online to find out the details but i sliped up on about 4 or 5 occasions from just being tired but came out with 64, you need above 26 for the infantry and above 50 for any other job in the army essentially, however for medical jobs or some other specific area's you would need experience to back this up

Then theres the literacy and numeracy tests, again very easy its basically to check your not mentally retarded in some way, .. some how i passed both ... ha

Currently on the armys grading system i'm on an A, this means i'll be in the top 3-4 people when applying for jobs that are available, (if i pass medical and physical tests and keep it at an A)
hes given me a list of 97 jobs that are going to have places coming up in the coming months along with tons of information, dvd's,booklets etc to go away and read and learn

Next stage is to get my medical forms out of the way, where they check in depth into my family history, they are looking for hereditary problems, things like heart disease that would effect you joining so i should be ok, next:

• Interview with my recruiter, to which i need to know everything about my chosen jobs, the three i went for, top being armourer, (the next two will be changed but it was just to fill the space) is infantry and third the para's
• Pre practise selection in bicester with the rifles, lasting just a day but covers everything i'll go through on selection like the physical tests, ice breaker and some other tests too
• Head to the dentist and opticians, just to check theres nothing up before going on selection
• Go to selection in pirbright in surry, for my medical, then all the physical and mental tests over the 2 days, to which i'll have my final interview to find out if i've passed and if i'll get an offer of service

I mentioned about the job list and it includes armourer, the entry date for training is the 16th of january, this is why my recruiter is adiment on rushing me through to make this place, so thats the date i'm now aiming to leave on, but its a long way to get there yet and more a rough idea at this point

If i make this date, this is whats instore for me:

• Theres 3 and a half months of phase one training in either catterick or pirbright, covering all basic infantryman skills with a weeks leave in the middle as a break
• pass out parade on completion and a few weeks break
• Then 8 months in hampshire for technical training, Plus i want to do specialist courses on the 50cal machine gun, 300mm cannon fitted to mechanized tanks, challenger 2 tank cannon and the apache 120mm chain gun plus lynx 50 cal machine gun
• After this, well i could be posted to any unit, anywhere in the world, but intend to do the all arms commando course and P-coy over this period, and 4 years on intend to apply for the helicopter pilot course

So thats the plan

xo