Army officer
Command and motivate soldiers to work as a team in dangerous situations. Take responsibility for their welfare, training and discipline.
About the job
What it's like
You'd lead a team of British Army soldiers to compete a task or mission. You’d make quick decisions about what action to take in dangerous and stressful situations.
You’d be responsible for the training, welfare, physical fitness and discipline of the men and women under your command. You’d motivate them to work together as a disciplined and effective team.
If you are an officer in a unit in the Combat Arms you'd lead troops involved in fighting, such as the infantry, armoured corps, air corps and cavalry.
If you join a regiment in Combat Arms Support you would lead a unit working in artillery, engineering, information technology and communications, intelligence, logistics and healthcare.
You’d make sure your soldiers have the equipment, skills and support they need. As an officer you’d manage the soldiers in your unit and supervise the training and the integration of new recruits. There will also be administration to do.
Your exact duties would depend on which Arm you join and what type of job you do.
Examples of roles in the Combat Arms are:
Infantry platoon officer – leading a team of 30 trained soldiers on operations
Helicopter pilot officer – with responsibility for your crew and supporting ground troops
Tank troop officer – in charge of 12 soldiers and their vehicles
Artillery troop officer – in charge of a team of 30 soldiers and their weaponry
In the Support Arms, the roles include:
Adult heath nurse – caring for injured soldiers in demanding situations
Medical support officer or dental officer – looking after the health of army personnel and their families
Veterinary officer – working with military animals
Chaplain – offering spiritual support to soldiers and their families
Your unit could help with peacekeeping and humanitarian missions as well as undertaking missions in a combat zone.
Hours
Your working hours will depend on which part of the armed forces you work in. When not on exercises or operations your working day could be from 8am to 5pm. During exercises and operations you may work longer and irregular hours.
Environment
You could face a range of testing challenges, conditions and situations depending on your role and regiment. You'd spend a lot of time on training exercises, or you may also be in an office as a manager, or in an engineering workshop or field hospital.
Travel
You could be away from your family for long periods of time. You could be deployed or posted in the UK or overseas in places such as Canada or Cyprus.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- resourceful
- cooperating
- verbal communication
- developing a plan
- making decisions
- motivating others
- taking responsibility
- delegating
- resilience
- adaptability
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
PE (Physical education)
Skills for Work: Uniformed and Emergency Services
You would need seven National 5 qualifications at C or above (SCQF Level 5), two Highers achieving 180 UCAS points across no more than four subjects (SCQF Level 6), plus at least two more at Higher or Advanced Higher (SCQF Level 6 or 7) and/or a university degree in any subject (SCQF Level 9/10).
Alternatively you can join the Army as a soldier and apply internally for promotion.
To join as an officer, you'll need 35 ALIS points (34 for SNQs) from seven GCSE/SNQ subjects, with a minimum grade C/2 in English Language, Maths and either a science or a foreign language; plus 180 UCAS Tariff points from a maximum of three subjects (four for Scottish Highers and excluding General Studies) with a minimum of two at National Level 3 (excluding AS Levels) or National or International equivalent.
Qualifications that demonstrate understanding of armed services, physical and mental fitness and commitment to your community such as:
Skills for Work Uniformed and Emergency Services (SCQF Level 4)
SQA Leadership Award (SCQF Level 5/6)
Cadet Organisation or other Youth Awards
You will also need to pass the:
Army medical
Army fitness test
Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB), a two-part 24-hour briefing and a 3½ day assessment
Part of the assessment process is the 'beep' test, which is used to measure your cardiovascular fitness. Other tests include sit-ups and press-ups.
To apply to become a regular officer you need to be between 18 - 28 years and 11 months, although you can apply for sixth form and university sponsorship before you reach this age.
Welbeck is the services’ residential sixth form college for officer applicants who wish to join the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force or MOD Civil Service. More information can be found on www.army.mod.uk.
If you're over 30, you may be considered on a case-by-case basis, if you can get sponsorship from a regiment or corps during the application process. Higher age limits for professional or specialist applicants may apply.
Some body piercings may also stop you joining. If your tattoo is offensive, obscene or racist it will prevent you from joining the Army. Small tattoos that aren't offensive in any way are not normally a problem, depending where they are on your body and how visible they are. Tattoos on your head and face are not acceptable. If you have a tattoo, the best thing is to go to your nearest Army Careers Centre and ask them to check if it's OK.
The Army carries out random, compulsory drugs testing, and if the tests find you have been using drugs, you are highly likely to be discharged.
A full medical examination is part of the application process, but it’s worth checking this list before you start to see if you are eligible.
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