Sadly no, I was refused entry on no less than 4 medical grounds, (lactose intolerance, risk of kidney stones, knee surgery and historical depression). Which is a shame because I'm the sort of person who likes doing grueling outdoors experience's in awful weather for fun.
How much do the medical requirements vary by position? I can understand that prior knee surgery would rule you out from being a squaddie who has to lug half his bodyweight in gear around all day, but what if you were a radar operator? Or an engineer on a sub?
There are minimum health and fitness requirements for all branches of the forces. Regardless of your role, you may be required to carry out strenuous physical tasks or operate in remote environments with minimal medical facilities. There are obviously significant variations in what might be required of you, which will be taken into account during a medical examination and physical fitness tests.
An engineer on a submarine doesn't have to do much running about, but they might have to perform physically demanding tasks on heavy machinery in a very cramped compartment. The submarine fleet has some of the strictest medical requirements, because of the need to operate covertly while on patrol. If someone falls seriously ill, arranging a medical evacuation might take days or even weeks. You don't have to be super fit to serve on a submarine, but relatively minor health problems like a food allergy or a heart murmur might disqualify you, because they could prove life-threatening in that environment.
OP here. The more I search this idea, the more appealing it becomes. I was also looking for paid work to do in my off-time.
I imagine that most companies aren't particularly thrilled to hear you'll be signing up. How can I break this to them gently and not lose my bland corporate job?
>>12366 I think thats the easy part actually - most employers will be pleased you're doing something like this out of work, even with the attendant risks. Also, I think its totally illegal for them to try and get rid of you while you're a reservist.
You'll need to check your contract of employment - some contracts have a clause restricting your right to work elsewhere. The MoD will inform your employer that you've signed up, so you do need to tell them.
If you do get deployed, your employer is legally obliged to keep your job open for you, but they don't have to keep paying your salary while you're away. The MoD will pay most of the costs of recruiting and training a temporary replacement, so they won't be significantly out of pocket unless you're genuinely irreplaceable.
All reservist units have an Employer Support Officer who can advise you on how to talk to your employer about enlisting. Serving as a reservist can be sold to your employer in positive terms - you'll gain teamwork and leadership skills, you're doing your bit for the country etc.
It's also worth checking to see if your employer has signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
It’s alright, more work than you might want and it can get repetitive but then you’re also being paid to have a laugh with your mates. Best bet is to pop in for a few evenings and do a weekend, see how you feel about it.
>communications in the RAF
I thought you wanted to be involved with the military?
>>12359 >but you could easily get called up into a war zone
Keep this a secret from wives and employers but you can easily say no. It’s not like the American national guard, you volunteer.
Only time you'll be at risk of being 'called up' is if Ivan’s dropping little buckets of sunshine all over the midlands but the internet will probably be down anyway.
>Keep this a secret from wives and employers but you can easily say no. It’s not like the American national guard, you volunteer.
Check your contract m8. Historically they have asked for volunteers, but the Army 2020 Refine made it clear that the intention is to draw more heavily on the Army Reserve to allow for a substantial reduction in the number of regulars. Mandatory mobilisation did happen in the early years of Herrick and is far more likely in future.
