Joining ADF Question

[dazzler]

Okay brainstrust.  Question time...

My 19yo is studying first year engineering at uni.  He is not sure which area he wants to focus on (civil, electrical, mechanical etc).

He has decided that he would like to join the ADF and do his degree through them while doing so.  Being a child of the modern era actually speaking with humans is not a strong point with him and I have no understanding of what engineers actually do in the defence forces.

Can anyone shed light on this?
I get confused that they seem to call the army people that dispose of ordinance (wow, army term) as 'engineers' but this is exactly not what he wants to do.  I got the impression that defence outsourced much of their design/manufacture etc years ago.

So I suppose the question is what do actual engineers do in defence and are their skills transferable to after defence life.

cheers in advance

[StrvnMrvn]

Daz, as a current serving engineer in the Army with 15 years service, I might be able to answer a few questions for you.

Yes, your son can join the army and do an engineering degree through ADFA (Australian Defence Force Academy), all paid for. After that, he will have to spend a further year at RMC (Royal Military Academy) to finish off becoming an officer. After that, he will go to the School of Military Engineering (SME) to complete another 8 month course becoming an Engineer Officer (Basic Trade) and learning how to do all the basic engineer stuff that his solders will learn but at higher level. From there, he will be posted to a unit (1 CER - Darwin, 2 CER - Brisbane or 3 CER - Townsville)

What Engineers Do? Well, we are the jack of all trades, master of none! We build bridges both over rivers and rafts, minefields, do demolitions, make fresh water, drive plant equipment, draw maps, do search (afghanistan), construct buildings (chippys, plumbers and electricians), drive vehicles and work dogs.

My skills, though very specialised, are transferable to other jobs, like so many within the engineer corp, but in most cases, there is a return of service. Just depends on what you do.

If you want, PM me for more info.

[dazzler]

Thanks heaps.  Thats about 100 times what I knew.   

[StrvnMrvn]

Thanks heaps.  Thats about 100 times what I knew.   

Mate, there is a lot of training involved! But I have to say that there isn't just army engineers, going RAAF, he may be able to become an structural engineer for airframes or in the Navy look after the boats and engines.

[edz]

Similar for the Airforce too, work colleagues son did Aircraft engineering .. Officer training first then sponsored through uni then back to a unit and is now an officer over seeing / signing off on work done by  techs on the C-17 Aircraft, here and on deployment.. Not bad for a now 24 yro.
EDIT :Best bit go into Coolangatta to Showcase and see the Recruiting office and have a good talk with them as to what schooling levels he needs ..

[Oldandslow]

My son did an Aeronautical Engineering degree at ADFA through the RAAF on his way to becoming a pilot. It is a 4 year degree and quite demanding. He did the full degree so that he could become a test pilot later if that was the way he wanted to go.

He is now a Squadron Leader and has enjoyed his career choice though the overseas deployments away from his family are very hard.

There is quite a difference between Engineers in the three services, I would advise your son to look very closely at his options so that he ends up being where he wants to be.

A school friend of my son failed in his attempt to join the RAAF as a pilot but was accepted as an Engineer in the Army. After he finished at Duntroon he applied to be a helo pilot in the Army and was accepted and is now flying Blackhawks.

Best of luck to your son no matter which way he goes.
 

[dazzler]

Thanks all.

He is pretty smart - 93% on his Australian Tertiary Admission Rank - but not sure leading others is his thing.

I think they would shoot him.  LOL.

I will get him to head into Coolangatta tomorrow and have a yarn.  We are up that way getting Mrs Daz arm in a new cast anyway!

cheers

[weeds]

The other option is being an engineer in RAEME (royal australian electrical and mechanical engineers) or royal australian easy money earners.

Most of the corps is is tradies but there is at least mechanic engineers hanging around. Never really bumped into one.

[Bird]

I think over the next 5-10 yrs may not be the time to join up.. where years gone by, you just did your trade and as a mate put it ' travelled and played'.. things are going to get nasty in the next several years with these Endevour Hills freaks.

[StrvnMrvn]

I think over the next 5-10 yrs may not be the time to join up.. where years gone by, you just did your trade and as a mate put it ' travelled and played'.. things are going to get nasty in the next several years with these Endevour Hills freaks.

So your saying for a secure future that young people shouldn't join because of what is happening in the world? What about those people that joined when Afghanistan was going on, they all follow the same religion and want the same thing to happen to 'the infidel'
Things were already nasty when that young soldier in England lost his life in plain day light.


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[Bird]

So your saying for a secure future that young people shouldn't join because of what is happening in the world? What about those people that joined when Afghanistan was going on, they all follow the same religion and want the same thing to happen to 'the infidel'
Things were already nasty when that young soldier in England lost his life in plain day light.

I don't really care whats happening 40,000klms from here - as long as it stayed there.
I know its happening around the world and too late for here to be ignored.

As long as me and my family could walk down the street and not fear being beheaded by some ****stick, I would have been happy... but sadly we have been dragged into this bullShit. Endevour Hills is only 30mins from home.

These countries have been at war for decades and it isn't going to stop because Mr World Police says so... There wont ever be a peaceful solution.. that's what these morons in charge don't seem to realise. As I see it there is only one solution... and it may not be very popular. You cant expect a civil end to religious war.. specially when people think they are going to get stacks of virgins for and eternal happiness blowing up innocent people... instead of a pine box, darkness and nothing.

Anyway lets leave it there.

[Snow]

Dazzler, as long as he refers to stuff that goes 'boom' as 'Ordnance' he will be off on the right foot.

Best of luck to him in whatever he decides mate. The world is his oyster.

cheers

[StrvnMrvn]

I don't really care whats happening 40,000klms from here - as long as it stayed there.
I know its happening around the world and too late for here to be ignored.

As long as me and my family could walk down the street and not fear being beheaded by some ****stick, I would have been happy... but sadly we have been dragged into this bull****. Endevour Hills is only 30mins from home.

These countries have been at war for decades and it isn't going to stop because Mr World Police says so... There wont ever be a peaceful solution.. that's what these morons in charge don't seem to realise. As I see it there is only one solution... and it may not be very popular. You cant expect a civil end to religious war.. specially when people think they are going to get stacks of virgins for and eternal happiness blowing up innocent people... instead of a pine box, darkness and nothing.

Anyway lets leave it there.

I'm happy with that Bird! This could easily go on and on!

Daz, as long as you young fella chooses what he wants to do. Bu there is the ability to leave one service for another and take you quals. There may be a training requirement, but it shouldn't be to hard. Best of luck to him and his future endeavours!

[dazzler]

Thanks.

I am not sure he is actually suited to it.  Incredibly analytical - dont suppose you get such high grades without that sort of mind 

He spoke to the recruitment place at Tweed and they are going to ring him on Monday.

Thanks again.

[TOPNDR]

but not sure leading others is his thing.

I think they would shoot him.  LOL

G'day from Carlton Beach Daz.  You might well be surprised.

My oldest is 33 and recently graduated from RMC Duntroon as a Lieutenant in the Army Reserves.

I saw nothing during his upbringing and early adulthood that gave the slightest inkling that he had a military bent, as for being a leader, again I'm flummoxed.  Proud but flummoxed.  And worried that some bastard might shoot at my little boy sometime, because of his field of endeavour.

[CRW]

I think over the next 5-10 yrs may not be the time to join up.. where years gone by, you just did your trade and as a mate put it ' travelled and played'.. things are going to get nasty in the next several years with these Endevour Hills freaks.

The travesty of Justice is when good men sit back and do nothing.

If we took this view Bird then we would not have a Defence Force


Cheers
Carl
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[achjimmy]

Our eldest (18) joined the Army back in February. So far all I have seen is what great opportunity the ADF provide for young adults make a great start and career if they wish.

[achjimmy]

I think over the next 5-10 yrs may not be the time to join up.. where years gone by, you just did your trade and as a mate put it ' travelled and played'.. things are going to get nasty in the next several years with these Endevour Hills freaks.

Issues at home are for the police forces and sadly our courts to deal with. The members of our ADF have been in some pretty hairy situations as far back as Timor. There professionals and it's what they are trained to do. Most join knowing full well what there signing up for, in actual fact there has been a bit of a drain lately as hostilities were meant to be winding down.

[CRW]

Our eldest (18) joined the Army back in February. So far all I have seen is what great opportunity the ADF provide for young adults make a great start and career if they wish.

It also makes them more employable when they decide to leave, due to their training, discipline and man management skills, certainly helped me


Cheers
Carl
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[achjimmy]

It also makes them more employable when they decide to leave, due to their training, discipline and man management skills, certainly helped me


Cheers
Carl
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Yep, there structured , disciplined. I was talking with a reasonably high ranking cop , and he said they love ex servicemen and woman. Said they make great police.

[austastar]

Hi,
    Career / life skills wise, 6 years in the RAAF at age 18 was one of my better moves.

Cheers

[Oldandslow]

Thanks.

I am not sure he is actually suited to it.  Incredibly analytical - dont suppose you get such high grades without that sort of mind 

He spoke to the recruitment place at Tweed and they are going to ring him on Monday.

Thanks again.

If your son is accepted for testing Dazzler he will be sent to Sydney where his leadership skills will be assessed well before he is accepted for ADFA.

When my son was tested he was sent there with another young guy from the same school. The other guy was the school captain, he failed the leadership assessment and was sent home. My son is very quiet with an extremely high IQ and he sailed through the process.

[dazzler]

If your son is accepted for testing Dazzler he will be sent to Sydney where his leadership skills will be assessed well before he is accepted for ADFA.

When my son was tested he was sent there with another young guy from the same school. The other guy was the school captain, he failed the leadership assessment and was sent home. My son is very quiet with an extremely high IQ and he sailed through the process.

Interesting.  Thanks!