Aptitute test comparisons

[El_Presidente]

Danny, let me put my sensible hat on here (a rarity I'd like to add)...

I was in a similar situation to that which you now find yourself in...Hopes dashed, feeling dejected and peeved.

I wanted to be a SAR winchman - that's the only reason I walked into the RAFCO back in 1995. The rather rotund Flt Lt who conducted my initial interview looked at my education quals and waved that golden ticket under my nose "you are educated sufficiently to apply for pilot/nav, so I suggest that's what we put you forward for".

Clearly I was not going to turn this down. To cut a long story short, I went to Cranwell open minded; surprised myself by negotiating the shark infested custard; passing the selection interview boards; and gaining a pass mark above average on the pilot aptitude tests.

How disappointed was I to receive a letter from DORIS (not my missus at the time) about a month later explaining that I was successful in meeting the standard for Commissioning, but that my chosen Branch was full. Therefore "we are delighted to offer you a Commission in the RAF Regt".

Initially, I was fuming. Then I put things into context. I was 19 years old; employment prospects centred on a dull office management job in Wolverhampton. The Armed Forces had just been subject to one of the most brutal programme of cuts for decades (Options for Change, Front Line First). But they were offering me a Commission, PC, job for life. How bloody lucky was I!!?

Sometimes Danny, we have to look at the bigger picture...You have scored well in your aptitude tests, but just shy of the grade. You are young enough to improve, if you should need to. The RAF would not have invited you to sit the tests, if they did not see something in you they liked, something they want. The Armed Forces have again recently gone through more devastating cuts, yet they still looked at YOU out of thousands of hopefuls who were turned away.

If you want to be a part of the RAF, keep pushing for it. Maybe go off to uni, or maybe try for Direct Entrant recruitment. But work at it. You're on their radar already; it takes a huge amount of effort to even get there.

And even if you do join but don't end up flying for a living, you can still have an awesome career. Plus you get discounted flying at RAF flying clubs; paid to glide through adventure training courses; or you could even apply to Branch Change to Pilot/Nav whilst serving.

Whatever you do, sit down and have a good, long think and talk to contacts you have in the RAF, and of course to your family. Good luck!