The TA for Students - now there's a bad idea? 14 of 14 Ciao Users found the following review helpful
Rating from Pie_And_Chips()
Advantages You get paid, you have fun and it boosts your CV!!
Disadvantages The politics involved and you could go to war!
Where to start….I joined the TA back in 1996 whilst at university. I joined a branch of the TA which is called the Officers Training Corps (OTC), which is like the TA but for university students and to be honest it has been the best career move I have ever made inmy life. If your at university and you need some cash, don't get a weekend job stacking shelves, get a weekend job playing soldiers, getting drunk having fun and learning something totally new. My experience of the OTC is one of fond memories where I went on numerous camps, training exercises, officer's dinners and above all I made a lot of friends, a lot who have proved to be very useful in my civilian life. The aim of the OTC is as a recruiting tool, if you like, for potential Army Officers, both TA and regular. It starts at fresher's week where, if your university is near a local OTC centre then you can bet your bottom dollar they will be recruiting at freshet's fair. You are invited along to a selection weekend, and although its all running around, lifting things and answering questions, it's a damn good laugh. If your successful you are then invited to join. Once you are in you will begin by completing basic training (Military Training Qualification (MTQ) parts 1 and 2), which will take most of your first year. Once they are complete you can apply to City and Guilds for a COMEC leadership award which comes in useful. As OTC's are sympathetic to the student cause you don't have to turn up every weekend, if say for example you have some studies to do. Once you have completed MTQ 1 & 2 you can then join one of the troops, platoons or squadrons, depending on what's on offer at your particular OTC…I opted to join the Artillery Troop.
There are 18 OTC's in the country, however I cannot remember them all as it was a while ago. The ones I can remember are:
Northumbria Glasgow Edinburgh Leeds Nottingham Oxford Cambridge London Queens (Northern Ireland) Bristol East Midlands
The format is pretty similar to the TA where you have to undergo military training which culminates in a two week training camp in the summer. The best thing is, for every day you train, you get paid and, providing you pass some standard tests, you will qualify for an annual tax free bounty. My advice to anyone joining, is to join the Artillery troop if possible because not only do you have your normal two week camp that you get paid for, there is also a two week OTC Artillery competition called the King George VI Gunnery Competition, and an Artillery Training camp just before term starts in September - again all paid!!
Most of my time in the OTC was spent gaining gunnery qualifications and working my way up from Officer Cadet to Company Senior Under Officer, again something that looks good on the CV. You hold a position of responsibility and you have been trained to a certain standard in leadership/management.
Depending on what university course you are doing will depend on how much time you can commit to the OTC and if you have the time there are always opportunities to do something different.
For example you could go climbing in the rockys of Canada for 2 weeks, go sky diving for two weeks with the red devils, sailing round the Med……the list is endless, and all the time you are gaining life points for the CV and getting paid….brilliant!!
Once you finally graduate at university, its time to leave the OTC and move on to either the TA or Regular Army as an officer. As I had invested a lot of time and energy in my education I opted for the TA. You will be invited along to one of the local TA centres, and if you like what they offer, you transfer.
Once transferred into the "proper" TA you will undergo further officer training to hone your skills for when you are sent to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to complete a commissioning course. That is providing you pass the Territorial Army Commissioning Board which is like a selection weekend to see if you have what it takes to become a commissioned officer, again lots of questions, running around and carrying things.
The TA Commissioning Course at Sandhurst lasts 3 weeks and I can honestly say it is one of the hardest things I have done, yet looking back, one of the best. As I was working when I was due to go to Sandhurst, and my employer at the time was a bit of an arse, I had to take 3 weeks holiday to attend. As you can imagine it is lots of running around, carrying heavy bags and learning tactics and leadership, and by far the best weight loss plan I have ever seen. I went to Sandhurst weighing just over 14 stone, on the day I passed out (that's the parade at the end) I weighed just over 12 ½ stone, and that's eating more than normal every day.
After Sandhurst I went back to my regiment who then gave me a troop of about 30 men & women and a load of kit to look after (about £8 million), and so I commenced being an officer. As you can expect from the Army, the training is structured and so is promotion along with the pay. Unfortunately I had to leave due to work and family commitments just before sitting my exams to become eligible for promotion to Captain. At the time I left I was being paid about £70 per day plus travel and providing I passed some basic tests once a year I receive a tax free bounty of about £1300.
Advantages: It is definitely an experience and one that you will never forget, you gain lots of knowledge and if your clever about it, and know how to go about things in the right way, you can rack up a load of useful qualifications that can be used for civilian jobs. The social life is second to none, for example Officer Christmas balls are like something from the Titanic, they only cost about £40 and all the booze is free (in my old regiment anyway). Above all having the personal satisfaction that I completed Sandhurst and was granted a Queens Commission (signed by the Queen), not only does this give you credibility in leadership and management, it boosts your CV like no other Qualification can.
Disadvantages:
I found there was a lot of politics to contend with (office politics) and being an Officer there was mountains of paperwork to do all the time.
I suppose going to war is also a down side but I was never called up. Depending on you circumstances though, if your into that sort of thing you can always volunteer to go. Also you have to keep relatively fit and most of my weekends were lost once I left the OTC and transferred into the TA - not good for a young family.
My advice - give it a go and if you don't like it you can always leave.
If you are a student then definitely join the OTC as it is great fun and there is no chance of you ever being called up until you transfer into the TA, it is one of the best "clubs" I have ever been a member of!
Anyway if anyone decides to join Northumbria OTC, let me know how you get on.
The TA for Students - now there's a bad idea? 
