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Da Man Clay

T'Blades
Dec 16, 2004
16,286
RAF Regiment Gunner
Job description: Join the ground-fighting troops of the RAF


Pay after one year: £15,150

Joining age: 17.5 – 29

Category: Airmen/airwomen

Open to: men only
Similar civilian jobs:

No similar civilian jobs

Qualifications: 2 GCSEs/SCEs at grade G/6 minimum or equivalent in English language and maths. Candidates must be able to swim

Nationality: Citizen of the UK, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland since birth


More job detailsSave to 'Compare jobs' Print page Top
The job
Join the RAF as a Gunner and you’ll be joining a specialist infantry unit, trained and equipped to defend the RAF’s aircraft, people and bases. Since its formation in 1942 the RAF Regiment and its ‘Gunners’ – as they are known – have seen action around the world, including most recently Sierra Leone, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a Gunner you’ll receive specialist training in infantry tactics and weapons, from pistols, rifles and light machine guns, to mortars, anti-tank missiles and heavy machine guns. As the RAF Regiment need to operate 24-hours-a-day in any weather, you’ll become skilled in the use of the latest night vision aids and other surveillance equipment. Gunners need to be able to drive a variety of vehicles, quad bikes and motorbikes – so if you don’t have a driving license you’ll earn one in training.

Combat training
Gunner training is tough. You’ll need to learn to be both a member of the RAF and an infantry soldier.

At first, we’ll build up your fitness and teach you essential skills such as shooting and how to live and fight in the field. Later, you’ll learn to use more advanced weapons and tactics. You’ll also do your driving test if you don’t already have a license and you will gain an NVQ.

To prepare you for combat operations our training will take you all around the world on exercises in places like Belize, Canada and Cyprus.

Specialise
As a Gunner, you could specialise in some of the RAF Regiment’s other roles:

Become a paratrooper serving on 2 Squadron RAF Regiment or other parachute capable units.
Serve on the Queen’s Colour Squadron, carrying out ceremonial duties including guarding Buckingham Palace as well as your normal operational role.
Become a sniper – an expert in camouflage and marksmanship.
Be part of a unit specialising in detecting and protecting against chemical or biological attack.
Train as a member of a Forward Air Control team, calling in strike aircraft and helicopters in support of ground troops.
Work in support of Special Forces operations.
Work as part of a small team to recover downed aircrew or other key personnel.

What it's really likeSave to 'Compare jobs'Print pageTop
Name: Gary Doody
Base: RAF Uxbridge, London

‘The camaraderie is very good. It’s not a loner’s lifestyle, definitely not.’

Work

‘I didn’t even know there was an RAF Regiment but in the Armed Forces Careers Office they showed me this video and it looked like a real challenge, a great thing to do, with four different roads you could go down: the Rapier missile role, the field work, the para role and the ceremonial.’

‘I’m in the Queen’s Colour Squadron. As well as its ceremonial role, it has a field capability. One day we’ll be in blue doing a guard of honour for a state visit and the next we’ll be in greens doing a shooting package down on the ranges. We see the ceremonial role as a bonus, something to be proud of. Drill practice can be a chore but when you march out, you try your hardest and when you’ve done a good show that’s something to be proud of.’

Train

‘Passing out as an RAF Regiment Gunner, that was something to be proud of because of what we’d been through. But the pre-para course, for selection for parachute training, that’s the toughest course you can do in the RAF. It sets out to wear you down over three weeks and to see how you work as part of a team. On my course, six of us passed out of 24, but receiving my parachute wings and joining the squadron was the proudest moment of my life.’

‘I’ve done a jungle warfare course in Belize and an arctic warfare course in Canada. We did a parachute descent into the snow and then an arctic survival exercise, digging holes in the snow to survive. The squadron’s adage is “work hard, play hard”.’
 








Frutos

Frutos

.
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
May 3, 2006
36,315
Northumberland
My Dad was in the Army and the RAF, we even lived at RAF Uxbridge (as mentioned in that article) for a while.
 
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1

1066gull

Guest
I know Clayton, which is one of the reasons I may want to consider the RAF.

I want to live my life differently, and want to be healthy.

It's just another option if I ain't doing uni.

Either that or I do summat else in the RAF, like a supplier???
 








Frutos

Frutos

.
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
May 3, 2006
36,315
Northumberland
One thing Aids (not that I expect this to affect you, but just listen anyways):

If you join the RAF or the Army, do not under any circumstance have kids while you are a member.

I grew up with a Dad who was in the RAF, and was away a lot. One year, he was home for 3 weeks out of the whole year. No kid should have to grow up in that environment.
 










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