This is a hypothetical scenario: An army reservist transfers to ARA but goes through RMC, but does not pass the final bit of testing. Bottom line he is not going to be commissioned, what are his options in the army? Can he enlist as a dig? Or could he general enlist in the Navy? I'll looked at some sites, I was half thinking that maybe you can't be a digger after you've trained as an officer...

You could go enlisted, just expect a bit of stick about failing RMC.

what is the RMC?

Originally Posted by FULLMETALJACKET

what is the RMC?

RMC is the Royal Military College. It is the training establishment that potential Army Officers go to for their initial training if they already hold a degree or do not require one.

Potential Officers for all three services Army, Navy & Air Force who require a degree (e.g. Engineering) attend the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).

As for the question Mahon posed:

The Officer Cadet will have several options dependant on their performance during training.

a. They could be backsquaded so they could re-attempt the part of the testing they failed;
b. They could be recommended to continue as a private soldier. This has drawbacks such as being posted to a unit where one of they're former classmates could end up being their boss; or
c. They could be recommended for discharge or be able to elect to discharge.

what is the RMC?

Ahem, I'll answer this one.

It is the Royal Military College Duntroon. It is the same (pretty much) as West Point or Sandhurst. It is the equivilent in quality of training of officers.

Cheers - thnks for the help!

Wondering if you blokes can help..

I've already made up my mind to have a crack at officer reserves and have all the bloody information i need but the DFRs taking its sweet time. After registering a month ago I was given an informational breifing at Hampstead Barracks for the 4th of Oct, which they told me I should attend before being told of the next Joes Day. At that briefing the guy speaking told me I have to wait upto another month as its DFR whos supposed to 'give us an appointment' for aptitude testing.

I commited myself mentally weeks ago, staying unemployed apart from uni, to sit and wait 4 weeks between arrangements? I currently have no idea when I should expect the call. Might as well head over to centrelink at this rate..

Anyone got any advice?

My advice would be to go on with your civy life as if you were not even remotely interested in the army, the reasons are both the time it takes to get in and not everyone makes it through the testing. On my testing day guys found out they had colour blindness and all kinds of stuff you'd not normally know but ended up medically unfit. I'm not saying you won't be fit/healthy enought to get in and I wish you all the best, but to even enlisting as a dig it can take a fair bit of time and there is a surprising amout of people who don't make it through the tests.
Also with reserve units admin is not the strong point, and the staff can change a lot and people go on leave so you need to keep a photocopy of every form you fill out, and I'd go so far as to keep a diary and write in it who you spoke to and what they said. This may sound extreme but just over 2 years ago I put a transfer from reserves to ARA just as a digger and Im still waiting - to the point where I'm not half as keen as I was 2 years ago. In fact others have already retracted transfers as they just take up too much time and that is time you could be enrolled in a tafe/uni or working in a proper job. I love being in the army, and its worth remembering I joined the army, the army did not join me but you'll need to be patient, and keep a paper trail - eventually (i hope in my case) it will get so ridiculous that someone will care enough to sort it all out. And in any case you might be joining the most switched on unit in Australia and they will have you on your first course within a few months. Best of luck mate!

mahon is spot on in regards to paperwork etc. 2 years mate??? What corp are you in? Did you think about discharging from the reserves and re-enlisting as ARA? It is the quickest way.

Infantry; I thought about getting right out and reapplying and was actually told off the record by other digs thats the fastest way but then to go throught all the other crap again for nothing.
At the time I enlisted in the reserves, I had applied ARA but was told they are not recruiting infantry ARA, that ECN was full and tried to advise me to become a clerk/padre and all kinds of other things.
So I thought the reserves would at least get me through ARTC, and then I could transfer and go to Singleton. Now when I do go I have to go back to ARTC for the new advanced soldiers course, which sounds a lot like reserve IET's anyway; NFE, Nav, Radios, first aid, marksmanship and fieldcraft.
But hey I'll just be happy to get in. Since I applied I bought an apartment in sydney and got married. Staying in Sydney is now quite important, so I'm hoping for 3rar, that was I can be in Sydney for at least a few years before they move south. Transferring aloows for you to put in a preference for a unit, so I opted for 3rar no guarentee I'll get it but at least I have a better chance than just reenlisting and ending up in Darwin, with not home, no wife and a mortgage.
SCMA did send through a proposed transfer for 1/11/05 but it is not set in concrete, and I was told not to make any arrangements with civy job etc just yet. It is now 6/10/05 I was hoping they would confirm the transfer and I could at least give 4 weeks to my employer, and wife etc... But still heard nothing. I think maybe its been canned, maybe not enought people on the advanced soldiers course so the dates have been set back but who knows, certainly no one at my unit, and SCAM advised me when contacted directly to talk to my unit. So I live and wait, but now that I know what its like I am working on the basis I won't be going ARA, that is got a job I don't mind, and participating in the reserves every chance I can. If the transfer comes throught great if not at least I won't have wasted time. That was kind of the crux of my advice to the guy thinking of going officer - don't wait on the army live like it ain't going to happen and if it does then great.
And again - I don't want to sound like im bitching, the army organisation is just not set up for all the paperwork and crap that needs to be done these days; and once someone gets good at their job they tend to be moved up or to a new challenge, nature of the beast!