Career in Royal Marines and in The Police

You should be between 16 and 32 years old if joining as a regular commando or between 17 and 25 years old if joining as an officer. You should be at least 151cm in height (4 foot 9 inches) and you should weigh at least 65kg. You should also be either a UK or Ireland national or a commonwealth citizen (Australia, Canada etc. ) who has been living in the UK for at least 5 years.

Your fitness is first tested by the marines in the PRMC (Potential Royal Marines Course). You will start off by completing a 2. 4km squad run on tarmac in less than 12mins 30 seconds. After a one-minute rest you will then run 2. 4km again with your best effort, the minimum pass time for the second run being no more than 10mins 30 seconds. You will also do a bleep test in which you should be aiming for 13 or above with 12 being a satisfactory level. The minimum pass level is 10. 5 and any lower is considered a fail. Afterwards you will move onto gym tests. For press-ups you should aim for 60 on the bleep with 40 being considered satisfactory. Anything less than 30 is a fail. Pulls-up, you should aim for 16 although 12 is satisfactory and 3 is the bare minimum. At least 60 sit-ups should be completed with 70 being enough to pass and 85 being what you should aim for. You will also need to complete a series of swimming exercises as well as an 80m swim.

You don’t need any qualifications to become a Royal Marines Commando but to be an officer, you’ll need A-levels/Higher or above. Some of the characteristics you should have as a potential royal marine should be determination, dedication, bravery, courage, adaptability, reliability, efficiency and mental strength. As a marine you obviously have to be brave and courageous as you will potentially be involved in combat quite often. You also need to be reliable and efficient because if you aren’t people will see you as a risk and your career will be over before it has even begun. To be a marine the ability to adapt to whatever environment you are in is essential as you can be deployed into deserts, jungles, mountains and other harsh climates. Mental strength is key to progress in the marines as you will be involved in extreme situations, there will be a chance that you will see something that would mentally scar most people.

The main entry route is through participating in a PJFT. To pass the PJFT you will have to run 2. 4km on a treadmill set at an incline of 2% in less than 12 minutes and 30 seconds. You will rest for a minute then run another 2. 4km which must be completed within 10 minutes minimum. After the PJFT and PRMC parts of your entry you will go to basic training. Basic training takes place and the Royal Marines commando training center in Lympstone over a period of 32 weeks. It is known around the world as one of the longest and most difficult training programmes there is. The vast majority of people would never put themselves through what it takes to join the Royal marines so you have to determination and dedication if you want to become one.

As a marine you will be given a key role dealing with various crises around the world. The missions you will be given range from being involved in humanitarian aid all the way to combat operations. You’ll be required to adapt to whatever environment you are deployed into, whether you are operating in jungles, mountains or desert.

When you become a marine, you will be able to choose a specialization. Specializations can range from supportive roles such as drivers or clerks, defensive roles such as anti-tank and air defense or even become a Marine PTI giving physical training recruits and ranked marines. Rank progression is similar to the army and with enough progression your salary can range from £30,000 to £40,000 in a year. If you join the marines as a commando you can be given the chance to become a commissioned officer by showing a great amount of dedication, skill and academic knowledge. This opportunity can be given at any point in your career and is based on merit. By working hard and showing your potential you can move up ranks quickly and open up more options for your career.

The retirement age for a marine is 60 years old. The amount of money you get from a pension is also based on what scheme you enrolled with.

A career in the marines has lots of positives and would provide many different options for the future. As a marine you would travel around the world and go to many different places which is ideal for those who wish to travel. You are also subjected to better training than most of the British military. The marines have a reputation as one of the world’s best fighting units. With this reputation comes a level of pride knowing that you are part of one of the world’s best. As a marine there are many different specializations you can choose from that provide great opportunities in and out of the military. Specializations such as PTIs (Physical Training instructors), Medical assistants and vehicle mechanics can all translate well into the civilian world. There are even various royal marine sports teams you can join like football and rugby. There are however negatives to this career. Being a marine requires commitment because once you complete basic you can’t leave until a minimum of 4 years have passed. Also, some people simply don’t have all the qualities that a marine requires.

To join the police, you should be at least 18 years old, although you can apply at 17 and a half years old. You will also need to meet a mandatory national standard of eyesight. If you aren’t a British citizen you should be an EU national or a citizen of a commonwealth country who has resided in the UK for at least three years before applying. Disabilities that qualify under the 2010 equality act are guaranteed an interview. If you are in debt or won’t be able to manage on your salary you will be considered ineligible because of your access to information and the risk of corruption by outside influences. There is a vetting process that will include a full financial history check. FitnessA police officer should have a certain level of cardiovascular fitness. During entry there will be a multi-stage fitness test, and any applicants must reach level 5. 4 to pass. Participants should keep going until they can no longer keep up with the beeps and the test is progressive so it gets slightly quicker every time the level increases. Running ahead of the beeps will result in disqualification, and if you fail to meet the line before the beep three times in a row you will fail.

There are no formal qualifications needed to become a police officer but you might need depending on which job you apply for. Police officers should also have certain characteristics. A police officer should be good listeners and have good communication skills, be respectful and have integrity Entry route If your application is accepted you will be offered the opportunity to sit the Standard Entrance Test. The test is made up of three papers that go over language, numbers and our ability to handle information. You have to pass all three tests to be able to go to the next stage. You can reset the SET three times but after the third fail you won’t be able to join the police. After the test you will attend an interview with two local recruiters. You will be expected to do research and prepare for your interview so that the recruiters can see your appreciation for the work you will be doing. The research should include information about the values, responsibilities and main purpose behind the police.

During the interview they will ask you about yourself. You should detail any experiences you have had and skills you have acquired. Some of these skills could include communications, efficiency, teamwork, respectfulness, self-awareness and your quality of work. You will then go to an assessment center for a one-day exercise. You will participate in three practical assessments that will gauge your ability to communicate effectively, work in a team, respect for everyone and problem solving. There is then an interview that assess some of the same things as well as your knowledge of the job, your leadership skills and how well you can work with a partner. If you pass all stages you will receive a provisional offer that is subject to withdrawal or deferment depending on your outcome of the final stages.

You will have to:

• Pass a medical and an eyesight standard test
• Receive a good reference from your last employer
• Pass the vetting process
• Clear a drug test
• Nothing comes up that casts a shadow on your suitability as a potential police officer

A Police officers’ job is to maintain law and order, protect members of the public and their property and to prevent if not solve crimes. However, policing is more complicated than this. As an officer you will normally have to work more than 40 hours a week in shifts. The police are an important part of any community, involved in major sporting events like football matches and the Olympics to working in classrooms. This is why being respectful of others beliefs and cultures is important. Policing is an unpredictable job that can be very challenging at times. There is no knowing what you may encounter day in, day out although knowing that you are actively making life easier and safer for others makes the job rewarding. As an officer you will interact with the community and be the primary response to incidents. You may have to search people, places or vehicles, interview suspects, victims or witnesses, make arrests and present evidence in court during your probationary period. Your probationary period will last two years before you can progress.

After your probationary period you will become a constable earning £27,000. After 10 years of experience you will receive the opportunity to become a sergeant earning up to £38,000. Your rank can increase all the way up to a chief superintendent earning up to £83,000 a year.

Conclusion

Being a police officer is a good career choice. As opposed to the marines it is a good job and you wouldn’t have to travel to far from home. Your pay as a police officer is very good especially if you show dedication to the job and progress through the ranks. It can also lead to different lines of work in the police such as CID, Armed police and counter terrorism. The job is also very rewarding. A negative aspect of a career as a police officer is that it is mentally taxing and time-consuming. The long shifts you might get would likely put strain on any relationships you might have.

Joining the marines would be good as I want to see different parts of the world and travel but also because I want to experience something most people wouldn’t think about. Being a part of the marines also comes with a reputation and recognition that many including me envy. A big difference between the two careers is that the royal marines are a much bigger commitment. After your first six months if you decide not to leave you must serve a minimum of 3 years and give them a year's notice before leaving. The marines also require a much higher level of fitness. There are some really good different types of specializations I'm interested in for the marines like PTI or PWI. Joining the police is also a good option as I would be close to home and in a familiar area that I know which would also become part of my work environment. As a member of the police service there are also lots of different lines of work that I would potentially enjoy such as CID or armed police.