British Army Officer vs Soldier | Which one should you join as ?
Vložit
- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- In this video i talk about the differences in the application process from the British army officer vs soldier. A brief overview on their day to day duties and my recommendations if i was going through the process again. The british army offers a lot of opportunities so both a good choices however, it is very important to make the right choices early on in your career to ensure you are happy!
Social
Instagram - / ks_coaching
Facebook - / kscoachinguk
I come from a military family, and my brother joined as a soldier and completed a degree and masters with the open university while serving during 7-8 years as a soldier he then applied and became an officer.
He said it was not easy completing studies around being a soldier but it 100% can be done if your committed and disciplined enough, just make sure you study a subject you really like and try not to spend too much time in the pub/bars he advised.
He also said his journey and experience also made him really stand out in front of the interview board to become an officer as he had already served a few tours, been promoted, led men under fire, good record and experience in some of the worst situations imaginable and demonstrated academic ability and self discipline to a high standard in challenging environments.
He said not to live your life making or justifying excuses, as Master Yoda says, do or not do their is no try.
Would not recommend this rout for everyone but just thought this could help someone.
Thanks mate appreciate you sharing this 👊🏻
Having been an officer, I disagree with the perception that being an officer is all admin based. Having done 2x tours of HERRICK I can say that officers are soldiers first but deal with their soldiers admin 2nd as well as a multitude of other aspects such as planning and risk mitigation, my aim was to keep my soldiers alive! I commanded on H7 & H15 in very punchy roles!
Good video, I’m glad my Recruiter told me that officer includes a lot of office and desk work. It’s great for some people but being young I wasn’t ready to be doing office work just yet
Yes it’s a lot, not many people are ready for that amount of responsibility and commitment straight from university or college.
The money only really get good when you reach the rank of captain, it jumps from like 30k to like 40+ from Lt to Capt
@@KyleSmithFIT The money was definitely the biggest incentive, I just prioritised the qualifications and fun over the staggering pay difference
@@bambi3173 yeah man that’s cool, each to their own I guess.
@@KyleSmithFIT But you reach Capt pretty quickly. You'd be lucky to make Corporal in the time an Officer takes to reach Capt.
@@jimmymc10021 true mate, I think it normally takes around 5 years for a 2nd Lt to make Capt, on average
I think the leadership qualifications are the major bonus!
Yeah definitely! That’s what you are signing up for, to be a leader. Any experience is better than nothing.
Fantastic mate, cheers
Thanks mate 👍🏻
Can you do a video about How to become and requirements for Physiotherapist Officer in Brtish Army
Do you have any views for the reserves and officer vs normal reserve? I do a desk job for my civi life, and I don't want to do more 'desk work' while in the reserves. I want to do more physical things, and be active - I don't think I will get that from being an officer..
It’s hard to say to be honest mate, I think you will get a big of both as an officer, and probably not much paper work at all as a soldier till you climb the ranks.
I want to join as a soldier because I didn't do well at School pay is good and you get to visit country's plus the benefits.And for self growth reasons I want to get out of my comfort zone and do something meaningful in my youth ( 20yo) a job that I can look back on and not regret and be respected of instead of doing a basic job with basic people and wasting my full potential.
All I have to do now is get my British citizenship and get my fitness level to a good standard 👍
that right! get it all sorted and get yourself in, best thing i did when i was younger!
@@KyleSmithFIT Thank you you earned a sub good video
@@gjfjfk thanks, appreciate it 👊
I've applied as an officer, I've got a degree and have read a lot of leadership books. My downfall is that I haven't worked in jobs that require a great deal of admin, or haven't held a position of authority. My most recent experience of leadership was as a social secretary for my university football team. I was hoping the assessors at Westbury wouldn't disregard me too much with my lack of leadership experience (specifically in the workplace) but I have also done things such as lead tennis coaching sessions for youngsters. Would they be good things to talk about during interview? Thanks
They make it clear as day they are looking for potential, absolutely no one expects you to be a fully fledged leader at the selection board.
if it is on your application, they will ask you.
The fitness is same as the fire service so you would need to be really fit and squatting around 125-130kg to even pass the army officer selection test
Sounds to me like you are definitely set. Those things reflect well. They can't just pull a multitude of people off the street who have crazy experience in leadership because people like that usually wouldn't be interested in the army. Good luck (it's been a year so I assume you've already gotten in lol)
Hey mate great video.
I’m 25 & a UK citizen but finished school in Australia and have been working there in various different sales and labouring roles. Do you have to have lived in the UK for a set amount of time or if you are a UK citizen can you just apply anytime?
I want to move back to the UK and join the army. I also want to study Law. Would it be best I study law and qualify as a Solicitor then join as a Professionally qualified officer?
I have forgotten but I know the information is readily available on the British army website.
Though I am rather late to say.
Your training plan is well hard been but proper rewarding
for the paras
Awesome, train hard fight easy 👍🏻
I can only run a mile take a 5-7 min break then run another mile and so on is that bad for infantry
@@momothegreat7454 you should be fine mate, as long as you have passed selection then its all good. They dont expect people to turn up on day 1 with crazy fitness levels.
@@KyleSmithFIT yea but I'm looking at going to the paras and I haven't passed selection yet
@@momothegreat7454 ok cool, if your going para's i would expect you to be running up to 6 miles without stopping. A recruit of mine did an 8 mile run in his first week at depot.
If l join as a reserve army officer and decide after the initial fitness/medical tests and before any Officer training begins that l rather be a soldier will they allow me to?
can you pleade tell me the cut of poiny for age for both soldiers and an officer ..thank you
Do you know about what Intelligence officers do? I have done some research but not found much tbh
Can i join as an officer just after fresh out of high school and as a common wealth member?
Could I still join the British Army with a common type of hearing loss, am I allowed to wear a hearing aid or cochlear plants in the Army?
I don’t think so, you are best off applying and completing the medical to get a 100% yes or no.
Sorry I can’t be more help 😔
It depends on how bad your hearing is but I don’t think you be able to wear hearing aid because you need earbuds to protect your ear from loud sound
Is it possible to start as a private and reach officer tiers later on without qualifications? I’m looking to have a lifelong career and would like to aim for the highest rank possible
Erm yes, you will gain qualifications naturally as you go up the ranks.
@@KyleSmithFIT ok thanks, I was just confused as it shows tiers.
Soldier ranks: recruit - warrant officer class 1
Officer ranks: 2nd lieutenant - general
So as a soldier I can enter one of these officer ranks at some point?
@@harrysimmons3049 you can get commissioned, that will only happen when you get to WO1 or you make an application to Sandhurst whilst serving as a soldier.
Hi mate can I ask you a quick question about the medical take 2 sec?
Whats up ?
You oversimplified officer selection. It’s online application then interview and doctor’s report. If you pass those then Briefing which is 2 days of fitness testing, interviews, leadership tasks, mental ability tasks. Briefing is graded 1 to 4. 1 is proceed straight to Main Selection Board, 2 is proceed after a time between 6 months and 2 years when you need to work on aspects or mature, 3 proceed to Main Board if you want but they think you will fail, 4 you cannot proceed to Main Board. Main Board is 3 days of similar but more demanding assessments and is pass or fail. If you pass you have a guaranteed place at Sandhurst for 5 years. Briefing and Main Board each have roughly a 50% pass rate.
Thanks mate 👍🏻
I've been told by multiple former military personnel at this point to apply as an officer in the reserves due to my qualifications, but I can't see how I would gain the respect required without going through the necessary soldiering tasks to understand what my team has gone through in order to command them? Doesn't help I'm small as well so I think I would look a bit ridiculous, especially jumping straight into leadership without military experience 🤷♀️ Am I correct in this observation? (I've applied to be a reserves soldier anyways)
My opinion is go regular solider first then transfer to reserves if that’s what you wish to do. I think I will do a video on this topic as it’s quite a common question.
Hiya, how much desk work and email writing do officers do? As in how long do they stay in the office? Also how often do junior and senior officers go out on exercise and do field work and lead soldiers? I know it’s a lot of questions but I haven’t found any clear answers on the internet. It might just be me.
Please and thanks! 🙏🏻
Most of the time when in camp you will work from an office and doing administrative like work. Most units go on exercise a few times a year where you will lead etc…
@@KyleSmithFIT Thanks! Do you know what commissioned ranks are allowed to go out on exercise and do actual field work etc?
@@nathan11 as you go higher up the ranks you do less “fieldcraft” but you will always go out in the field with your regiment or battalion.
@@KyleSmithFIT Thank you
Ex Regular Infantry Captain (Major in TA) - do not be deterred by this nonsense about office work as there is not that much unless you are an Adjutant or in a staff role
do you know if officers travel to different countries etc as frequent as soldiers do?
Yeah man, you go with your regiment. Where ever they go you go.
@@KyleSmithFIT great thank you so much kyle mage
During the call up,in the early 1950s,one stood no chance at all of being selected for officer training,if your dad was a bricklayer or lorry driver.But every chance
if he was a Bank manager or similar,that’s the way it was then.
Can we join if our eye sign is little poor or if we have done eye leser treatment
Ummm depends how bad it is, best of going through the process and seeing what happens.
Your allowed wear glasses, if you haven’t had any operation for eyes injuries then your fine
If I join as a soldier, later down the line can I become an officer or is it just better to start in an officer role?
Yea you can there is a few ways in which to do it.
@@KyleSmithFIT can you give a few examples if you have the time, I’m looking to join but conflicted on whether I should go in as a soldier or officer
@@jubemiah7933 so you can join as a LE officer which means late entry, for this you must go through all solider ranks then commission.
You can join straight from college/uni
You can also apply to go after a few years I’m the army if you think you’ve got the required skills, you can get back from your troop commanders etc…if they think you are at the required standard
@@KyleSmithFIT thank you, this has made my choice clearer now
@@jubemiah7933 if you don’t have the qualifications etc or leadership ability it’s probably the best to go in as a soldier, get the required qualifications and experience while you serve and make money. Then speak to your boss and see what you can do.
How to become Brtish army officer as a Froginer graduate citizen please reply🙏
You require to be a citizen in the UK I believe. Best thing to do is join as a solider, get citizenship and then apply as an officer.
Solider or officers, police or any civil service work you need to a British citizen.. just applied for army waiting g for assessment dates now, however this vid made interested on officer now😁
I am graduate from Ghana and l have applied for British army in officers unit.l hope British army have age waivers for officers who is over 34 years like those in US army
Good video
Hello mate, can you join as an officer if you're from the Commonwealth countries
I believe you require citizenship mate
@@KyleSmithFIT thanks for the info.
I'd guess you can also join the reserves as an officer.
Certainly can 👍🏻
I was in the army cadets for 3 years, obvs this is not half as intense as the army itself, but do you think it helps at all?? Like the field craft/first aid etc?
I got promoted so would this count as 'previous leadership' experience?
Yes of course it helps. Puts you a few steps a head of people.
Umm yeah it would count as leadership experience I believe.
Would anyone be able to tell me about the fitness requirements of being an officer?
Beep test, medicine ball throw, mid thigh pull.
for my countries army officers do the same as regular soldiers. 30 pushups, 45 situps, 15 pullups, 10 on beep test.
Can I transfer from been sponsored reserve from regular unit to become an officer as a Regular?
Yeah you can transfer from reserve to regular however to be an officer you must go through sandhurst officer training. The entry requirements for that are on the army website, you need to meet them requirements before applying.
@Kyle Smith thanks for replying. I later made a few phone calls and found out only need 75 UCAS points. Not a problem when I have 250.
@@mr10vez44 champion, best of luck to you made. Tough process to be honest, but definitely doable.
can you choose where you go after your start date? 1:35
Can an Officer choose his regiment? Yes but they have got to want you and they will back-out of you underperform at RMAS. Wanting to join R IRISH or PARAS is not always enough ...
Is it possible to start the application process to become an Officer at 16?
In the same position as you mate, 16 and wish to go to sandhurst. You Can start the official application process at 17 years and 9 months, but of course your able to go along to a recruitment centre to gain information relating to it
Is it similar for Royal Marines?
Umm probably very similar however i don’t no for sure 😁
Bro i am from nepal and if became british army , then how can i be a second lieutenant and could you please share me criteria for second lieutenant for #Gurkhas .
lots of love from nepal.
Umm I believe you would have to join as a solider and go through the ranks so…. Sign up as normal, go through the ranks, when you get to WO1 apply for commission, you will to straight to Captain (higher rank then 2nd Lt).
Just to be brutally honest, this is not an easy task and will take around 20+ years of service.
@@KyleSmithFIT due respect bro ❣️ simply tell me criteria for second lieutenant of british army. Hope u reply me💛❣️❣️
@@Sauravkaji10 reply garyo ta ani what’s your still asking for lol… Nepal bata aaune lai garo cha rank ma unless you show extra possibilities and potential in your job or after 5.6 yr you can apply for British pp then change your reg Gurkha to gora then paxi ni long process cha , it’s all depends on your work and but dherai jasto don’t do it after they arrives here lol
Question can you join as an officer then do para training or marine training?
How much do officers get paid per month?? Specifically, 2nd lieutenants
I think it’s around 27-28k but it goes up massively over your first 4-5 years. I think it jumps to 45k when you hit Captain, maybe more.
PAY SCALES: www.armedforces.co.uk/armypayscales.php#.Yl4rjyjMKUk
2Lt £27K
Capt £43-51K
£27,818 while at Sandhurst, £33,436 on commission as 2Lt
I’m Joining uotc soon and after I commission I’m looking into becoming a tank commander, not yet decided on full time or ta
There’s 2 types of aosb, what you described is called briefing but theirs also main board that you need to pass before sandhurst
Awesome mate good luck 👍🏻
@@scrublord321aw really, What does the main board involved ?
apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/joining-process/officer-recruitment-steps/army-officer-selection . seems to me like it’s more of the same as briefing but with less guidance and more interviews
@@scrublord321 yes it seems so, tough process but worth it I guess.
Do people from other countries eligible to apply?
If your country is Part of the commonwealth
Physical and educational qualification required to be second lieutenant
For people in the comments talking about ‘desk jobs’ for officers vs ‘hands on’ for the blokes, you need to think what desk jobs are. For officers, it’s administering and managing your unit, troops and equipment. As one of the blokes, you’ll have plenty of paperwork and desk jobs too. Worst part of course, is that the enlisted desk job tasks are brain dead, boring and repetitive. For officers, it’s far more varied.
Bottom line: everyone does desk jobs and paperwork, so don’t think only officers do it.
You don't need alevels anymore for officer selection you only need gcses maths English language, and one science at level 4 and then gcses that calculate to 35 alis points
Yes it changed quite recently, this is great news however, i think it would be extremely hard for someone coming out of school with just GCSE's and being 18 years old with little life experience to be able to pass the entry tests.
I’m 99% sure this isn’t true, you need 72 UCAS points which GCSE’s don’t give you, this is stated on the army website
@@Mozzie7920 that’s what I said in the video ?
@@KyleSmithFIT the comment above states that you don’t need A-levels anymore
Sure
if i join as a soldier and want to push to officer. Can i?
you can yes however its not as easy as it may sound. You will have to notify your Platoon commander, they will make a decision if they think you have the capability, and also have the qualifications.
@@KyleSmithFIT for qualification it’s say on website, you don’t need specific education and requirements, it says you need to have abilities to work as in leadership role,
@@Omy.24 if you go to the page where it speaks specifically about what qualifications you need to join as an officer it says you require 72 UCAS points, these can be gained from A Levels or degrees.
apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/can-i-join/qualifications#
How can i join as a officer in british army
Apply in the British army website mate
I went to be drafted as a soldier . I wanted and thought to be able to be an officer but I had no education, now I employ 30.000 people in my manufacturing company and I have 6 former officers among my employees. This whole selection process is a load of shit and it means nothing
Bro I want to join the British army
And can I use African school certificate to join
Not sure if they are accepted, commonwealth applications are also closed at the moment mate. Best thing to do is apply when they reopen and see what happens.
Yes
I am from Bangladesh. Can I join british army?
If it’s part of the commonwealth then yes.
Most of the officers were clueless toffs back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. They rarely cared for their men. I hope it’s changed.
CAN I JOIN A SOLIDER WITHOUT DEGREE PLZ ANSWER ME
No you will still need the ucas points from A-Levels or a degree
I am from Bangladesh.Can I join british army as a officer?
No I believe you have to be a British citizen to join as an officer.
@@KyleSmithFIT What about Irish citizen?? Can an Irish citizen join as an officer?
@@tugul8888 yes mate, N Ireland not sure about ROI.
hi friend - would you like to join the s.a.s.? - do tell we.
Erm, my troop sgt, and myself, had to put our troop officer, in the back of our pig, as he couldnt hack the real crap, he joind the regiment daddy did..
The difference? One clunk gets the protection of his Sergeant and eats good food in the Officers mess, while the other gets bollocked by his Sergeant and eats shit in the Tom's mess lol.
That’s right unfortunately mate 👊🏻🤣
What would you say the actual chances of getting in as an officer at 18 are?
i would never say never but, it is a difficult process. It's not just about fitness, you need to be academically switched on, act correctly, be confident, have some elements of leadership, and also have a great resume.
@@KyleSmithFIT thank you for the quick response, are there any game changing things you would say would help a bunch?
@@adamhashi9673 Do some charity work, normally puts you in good stead, Duke of Edinburgh Award can help massively, make sure you are confident when speaking and use correct English no slang.
Sounds stuff but they want to see you acting like an officer. If you get a chance to go down to the assessment, make sure you are getting involved in everything and communicating with your team.
@@KyleSmithFIT thanks for the advice, I’ll definitely start to work on that
A fellow officer in my Regiment joined at 18 and left as a General. Like sport: if you are good enough, you are old enough. ARE you good enough!?
Can a married man join the British army as an officer
Of course mate 👊🏻
For my curious,Can a soldier become a officer?
Yes mate 👍🏻
I want to join and my qualification is MS, what could be my rank?
What is MS ?
@@KyleSmithFIT master in science, clinical psychology. It's actually 18 years of education
@@muhammadsajjadshahid5552 yeah man of course if you have a degree you will have enough UCAS points to apply however, there is a lot more than goes into joining as an officer that qualifications.
@@KyleSmithFIT can you tell me how can I join as a clinical psychologist? My age is 26
@@muhammadsajjadshahid5552
I believe it would fall under the officer specialist roles, your best bet is to apply, or give your local recruitment office a call they will be able to give you some guidance one what to do based on your current situation. Check the link below for the officer specialist roles.
apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/regular-officer/professionally-qualified-officers
Sandhurst should be for soliders who start at the lowest rank , and work there way up to an n.c.o and then they can earn the right to become an offcier with additional training at Sandhurst .
Do Officers in 2023 still have to wear the right school tie & speak with a plummy accent?🤣🤣
I bet you're a soldier you sound chavvy bless you 😂
Used to be back in my glory days 👍
@@KyleSmithFIT no I'm kidding mate your advice is brilliant, I'm considering joining as a reserve officer ( I work in legal so it's good money but long hours) but bit worried being a British Muslim how I'll be perceived etc.
@@Tokyodisco1 would not even worry about it mate, the army is very strict on equality 👍
@@KyleSmithFIT thanks mate I appreciate hearing this, cool I'm gonna likely apply , are you available for a zoom talk ? Would appreciate some advice
The answer is simple
One of them earns there money and other is called sir
There is a reason why I never remembered any offciers in the army,
Becusse they did not earn there rank from the ground up, they were happy to cheat the system and go through the back door , and that lacks respect .
And if they don't respect you they can't truely serve you and will ultimately betray you .
You allow unfairness , you allow betrayl .
That’s a fairly untrue statement overall.
A large proportion of officers in the military are late entry officers who commissioned as captains after reaching WO1. Secondly, earning rank is a bit of an arbitrary term. Plenty of L/Cpls, and screws with 14 weeks basic and a coupon of quals under the belt. Not much different to 44 weeks at Sandhurst and more quals needed to promote after Sandhurst.
@@DTGMRuns straight to captain, skipping the lieutenant?
@@vipeton.8927 Correct. Skipping both 2nd Lieutenant and Lieutenant more specifically. The same as qualified officers do.
@@DTGMRuns thank for your answer. British military is amazing 👏 Also what does it mean- 2nd lieutenant on probation, limited commission? Like Rory Stewart had?
@@vipeton.8927 2nd Lieutenant is the first officer rank awarded once commissioned in the British military. Promotion from second Lieutenant is purely time dependant. It’s two years from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant and the first year of that is called probation.
can you pleade tell me the cut of poiny for age for both soldiers and an officer ..thank you
Not sure of the top of my head, beer check the army website