Alternatives to the army

[HairScratcher]

Wondering if anyone has any suggestions for careers that could be suggested to someone who has always dreamt of joining the army but failed the medical?

the physicality of the army was part of the attraction and my experience is very much of sedentary jobs!!

Why did you fail the medical?

Could you still look at the police, fire, coastguard etc? Their medical rules are different.

Forestry.

I’m not entirely sure as not me! But historic rather than current

he’s not interested in police or fire but perhaps coastguard would be a good shout

Hadn’t thought of forestry

all helpful suggestions - thank you!

Navy

Prison service?

paramedic

It would very much depend on why the person had failed the medical. I know someone that failed the fitness test for the fire service in the past, something to do with chest measurement (skinny teen). They got fit and passed at the next assessment and subsequently reached a very senior level in their career.

Environment Agency field teams.
Outdoor physical work.
Team work.
Work through various plant operations, 4x4, boat handling, H&S, first aid etc training
Career progression through management/h&s
Incident response (flood, pollution) - work alongside the military and emergency services.

No medical that I am aware of.

I don't think there are any external opportunities advertised at the moment, but I don't suppose you live in Cambeidgeshire?

Work for EA if this type of work appeals, we also use external suppliers to support the in-house workforce. Happy to discuss if you're interested.

Thanks for all suggestions - this is preliminary at the moment as I want to give him ideas and he needs to get over the rejection!!

should add he is v high iq but not great eq so not sure about a caring profession

Logistics in humanitarian aid work (Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria etc). You need professional experience first, but that's easier to motivate yourself to do if you know what you're aiming for. The pay is OK, and i guess you get the camaraderie and excitement of the army.

Merchant Navy? Variety of specialisms, from engineer to hospitality.

They also require a medical, so will depend what the issue was.

Have they looked at the entry requirements for the RAF? They may be different.

Very fixated on army out of the armed services so I think it is army or nothing in that area.

@HairScratcher what role in the army was the focus?

Agree to check RAF and Navy medical requirements.

Something sports based? Some sort of expedition leader/ski instructor/mountaineering guide?

Yes need to understand what it was about the army specifically, the RAF and navy both have infantry units, there is a lot of duplication of sorts across the services, I can't imagine there is much outside of the army that would give as close to the army as the navy and RAF could, so perhaps if you could explain what they wanted out of the army and what trade exactly we could better help?

All the other uniformed services. Heck, I'd say supermarket staff too (really). Our leaders of cadets were all in some kind of uniformed job.

Paramedic? Merchant navy?

All the Forces have the same basic medical standards. There are slightly higher standards required for a few roles ie eyesight to be a pilot differs from other job spec where the eyesight is standardised across the trades.

Infantry!!

i know that’s hard to find a comparable with outside the arms services

Army has the lowest medical requirements!

Personal trainer?

Xpost with a few

i know I’m asking something impossible

he is extremely academically bright but not so great with people. My feeling was that he would get bored in the infantry and try and follow officer route or something more specialist like engineering. He has confidence issues which is why he fixated on the army which he had an interest in from a young age through history

Outdoor education - activity centres like PGL, or indies. Teaching climbing, canoeing, rifles etc.

or British Antarctic Survey.

I thought the RAF had changed requirements around some of their roles such as cyber security, there has been some relaxation around neurodiversity I think (I say I think because im sure I read something a little while ago but wouldn't swear on it!) not saying that's especially helpful but I didn't think there was a universal standard.

Depending why he's been rejected it's probably more likely he wouldn't be accepted into other armed services. Their fitness and medical conditions are very similar.