Teenagers and the Army

[scottlynn]

I wondered if anyone's son/daughter decided to join the Army at 16. My son is adamant that he would like to leave school and join the Army and get an apprenticeship. If he got in he would be 16 and 4 months old. he has never liked school although he has the potential to do well. I have to sign his papers if he is successful. We are going to the army careers place next week. We have always encouraged him that he become anything he desires with hard work and he has chosen this.

Does anyone else have experience in what we are going through? We are sick with worry but know that school isn't for him and will never be.

Thanks for listening

[pumpkin mom]

Hi my son joined at 16. I am more than happy to answer any questions you both have. Feel free to message me. Xx

[taylaboo]

My nephew was the same. He loved it but damaged his knee and was discharged on medical grounds. He finished his engineering training in civvy street and now at 24 has his own business. He has just picked up a 2 year contract with Shell working at Bacton. Both my brother and son did 18 years in the R.A.F. and both of them travelled worldwide. It's a good life if you can knuckle down and do as you are told. My brother got a job with British Aerospace after leaving the R.A.F. and did 3 years in Dharan before coming home and then got a job at our new power station. My son is nowa medical engineer at Addenbrooks hospital. The training they both got set them up for careers after military service.

[Leggibone]

My cousin joined the army at 16/17 before it had to be an apprenticeship, he has just got out at age 28, having done 2 tours of Afghan, but he really didn’t feel like he could do much else at that age, he’s a responsible fellow with 2 kids and a house these days, and the support for finding alternate employment was pretty decent, he also did things like learning to drive (can drive trucks up to hgv I believe) and all sorts of other smaller qualifications whilst enlisted.
It’s got decent prospects and gives good apprenticeship options but at the end of the day, if a war breaks out, your still part of the armed services and you can be shipped off. You’ve got to be in it for the right reasons.

[alp1972]

My niece joined at 16 and started at Harrogate . If you have any questions please feel free to ask .

[chrisxal]

My son went in the army aged just 16 and continued with his education. He did well and loved the sporting opportunities, he played football and rugby for them, he was a silver medal skiier, excelled at chess etc etc. He was one of the youngest to be flown out during the first Gulf War, which was obviously a huge worry for us, I blame my grey hair on that period of time, however he is out now and earning a 6 figure salary as a MD of a global company. We are so very very proud of him and everything he has achieved, as the saying goes... he went in a boy and came out a man.

[janeywaney]

My son joined when he was 16, he didn’t enjoy it that much, came out and joined the RAF when he was 18.

I think he only joined the army because his dad was in the army at the time.
He does say that he wished he stuck with the army! Kids eh? 😁

Jane

[MichelleS]

Our ds joined at 16 unfortunately he hurt is ankle and had to be medically discharged but enjoyed his time at Harrogate,we were so proud when he graduated.

[JessBlu]

Originally Posted by chrisxal

My son went in the army aged just 16 and continued with his education. He did well and loved the sporting opportunities, he played football and rugby for them, he was a silver medal skiier, excelled at chess etc etc. He was one of the youngest to be flown out during the first Gulf War, which was obviously a huge worry for us, I blame my grey hair on that period of time, however he is out now and earning a 6 figure salary as a MD of a global company. We are so very very proud of him and everything he has achieved, as the saying goes... he went in a boy and came out a man.

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Identical story to my brother, he’s a great man now and I don’t think he would have followed a good path in Civy street.
It’s tough when they are away “we've” had 5 hours but he made it back and is very successful.

[sully301]

coming from a military background and also married to the military i would be pleased if my son had done this. I think it can really set them up, give them a sense of discipline and great training. There are risks in anything, this is a positive one