I am interested in joining the sta observers. What regiment could I join to set me up for a better chance at selection?

Good Afternoon Ben and thanks for your question.

First off, the best choice in my opinion would be to join the Royal Artillery as its primarily their area of expertise first and foremost.

Despite that, as you quite rightly mentioned, it is open to all units to attend the course and this is recognised in that different regiments and job areas can bring all kinds of things to the table on top of what the Royal Artillery can offer.

As an alternative, in my opinion, your next best bet would be something reconnaissance oriented. We have some units within the Royal Armoured Corps whom specialise in different types of Reconnaissance and this could be valuable experience if you would like to work towards becoming an STA Observer in the future too.

Another job role you could choose to set you up well could be the Parachute Regiment. This would be beneficial not only because of the fitness levels required making you more likely to be able to complete the patrol course, but also because of the experience you will have gained working in small teams and potentially working closely with some specialised infantry/special forces too. This would give you more to offer when attempting your course and a higher chance of being successful.

Overall, there isn't a right or wrong way to achieve this goal, it's whatever appeals most to you and whatever will help you as an individual more. If you don't like the idea of driving armoured vehicles, then the Royal Armoured Corps might not be for you, if you don't like parachutes then the Parachute Regiment might not be for you. But if you remain focused on your goals and do whatever you can to reach them, then i'm sure whatever choice you make, will be the best one for you.

Hope this helps and if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Best of luck for the future