When going through selection for the Army, it can be very tempting to try and be the person you think they are looking for. That might work in the short term, but in the longer term, or when you are under pressure / tired / in command, that doesn't work. It is far better to be the person you really are, with your own quirks and personality, and to utilise your own skills and abilities. The Army can teach you how to lead and think tactically, it can develop your fitness and your endurance, it can't change how you start out as a person.

I left school with decent grades, and was a CNC Programmer before i joined the Army at 25. I could of carried on down the engineering side of things in the Army, but that isn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to join the Royal Artillery and work with the firepower that it offers. If you join the Army in a job role that you don't like or enjoy you will hate it and want to do something else. There are 200 jobs in the Army meaning there is something out there for you. You just need to apply yourself.

I talk to many older people who know I'm in the Army who then say "I wish I joined" or "I was going to join but never". This is conversation as they are sat in the pub on a Sunday afternoon which is about as far from home as they ever go and as exciting as their life ever gets. While you can and are able to give it a go and if it works out fantastic, if not you know you gave it a try and move onto something else. No one will ever say anything negative to you for giving it your best and having the drive to better yourself and join the Army. I've seen parents of soldiers crying bursting with pride watching their son or daughter at the pass off parade all soldiers take part in at the end of their initial training. Some of these parents were against them joining only a few months prior.