British Infantry

[Cole]

Just checked out the British Army website, very cool.
Just curious, I was a little confused in the difference between the roles of Armoured Infantry and Mechanized Infantry roles that the battalions can be tasked with. Can anyone clarify this for me?

[Private_Piles]

Armoured Infantry use the warrior. (basically An APC with a gun turret) and normally are deployed alongside the armoured corps. Such as in the gulf war.

Mechanized Infantry are equiped with the saxon APC used as a 'battle field taxi'. Usefull in Northern Ireland bosnia ect...

Hope this answers your question.

Can anyone else provide a more detailed answer as I'm just a sTAb!!!

[King Tut]

Alright I'll bite to. What is the actual enlistment age in the UK?

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It won't be funny when it happens to you.

[Private_Piles]

16 for the regular army.
17 (or 17&1/2 not sure!) for the TA.

though u need a note from mummy &daddy if u are under 18.

[This message has been edited by Private_Piles (edited 04-25-2001).]

[King Tut]

Wow, 16. That'sw a little young isn't it? At what age do you Brits get out of school?

Thanks for the speedy response, Rick.

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It won't be funny when it happens to you.

[Weekend Warrior]

17 1/2 for the TA. For Some reason the Royal Marines Reserve accept recruits at 17.
Mech Inf originally used plain old four tonne trucks, but these were replaced by Saxon which (supposedly) offers a degree of small arms protection and a bit more flexibility. Four tonners are now relegated to Inf Bns operating in the Light Role. Armd Inf use Warrior to engage the en as part of an Armd Battle Gp;basically so that they can keep up with the tanks.
incidentally, compulsory education finishes at 16, higher education (A levels) at 18 and further education (university) generally at 21.

[WS-G]

MADMIK:

Also consider these differences:

(1) Non-US primary school pupils typically begin school at age 5, not at age 6 as their American counterparts do. As a result, UK secondary schoolers writing their O-level exams at age 16 have 11 years of school behind them, while those going on to A-levels will have completed 13 years of school.

(2) Universities following a European-model curriculum grant baccalaureate-level degrees after 3 years instead of 4. The reason for this is simple: one studies his major subject and nothing else. Even in the first year, students are expected to take a full load of every course their major department offers, not spending a year or two repeating all the same variegated courses they slept through back in high school.

An aside tidbit re: university — in the Republic of Argentina, guaranteed universal access to higher education is actually a constitutional right!

[King Tut]

Thanks for the clarification, on the educational aspect.

What I ment is that at 16 most kids/teens haven't hit their "stride" yet. I just thought that's kind of young to put a young 'un in combat.

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It won't be funny when it happens to you.

[Private_Piles]

Originally posted by William M Salter:
[b]MADMIK:

Also consider these differences:

(1) Non-US primary school pupils typically begin school at age 5, not at age 6 as their American counterparts do. As a result, UK secondary schoolers writing their O-level exams at age 16 have 11 years of school behind them, while those going on to A-levels will have completed 13 years of school.

B]

in the UK we start school aged 4

infant school 3 years (1st year is kindergarten)
junior school 4 years
secondary school 5 years

take GCSE's (replacement for the old o-levels) aged 16 with 12 years of schooling behind us. Can then join the army.

or 6th form college 2 years

take A-levels aged 18

can then go to sandhurst and join the army as an officer.

or university 3years (join TA) graduate aged 21 then go to sandhurst and join the army as an officer with 3 years seniority in terms of pay (over non-graduates who joined as officers aged 18)



[This message has been edited by Private_Piles (edited 04-29-2001).]

[Private_Piles]

Originally posted by King Tut:
Thanks for the clarification, on the educational aspect.

What I ment is that at 16 most kids/teens haven't hit their "stride" yet. I just thought that's kind of young to put a young 'un in combat.



Not sure if under 18's are actually deployed on operations.

I'm pretty certain that under 18's are not allowed to be deployed in Northern Ireland. As press reports of 17 year olds getting shot is pretty bad PR.

[Weekend Warrior]

Soldiers can't go on active service until they reach the age of 18. If their battalion deploys then they will be found duties elsewhere. In the olden days there were Junior Leaders and Junior Soldiers Battalions.
Could someone explain to me the US degree system? Under the British system it is possible to study subjects outside your main one. For example one could study for a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Politics and International Relations, but up to 40% of their actual time could be spent on studying Psychology.

[Private_Piles]

Originally posted by Weekend Warrior:
Soldiers can't go on active service until they reach the age of 18. If their battalion deploys then they will be found duties elsewhere. In the olden days there were Junior Leaders and Junior Soldiers Battalions.
Could someone explain to me the US degree system? Under the British system it is possible to study subjects outside your main one. For example one could study for a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Politics and International Relations, but up to 40% of their actual time could be spent on studying Psychology.


not true at Sheffield Uni.

depends on faculty and subject

I’ve got about 15% free choice in the 1st year
2nd and 3rd year I'm restricted to choosing modules in my department.

though I can see why politics students have so much free time ;-)

[mtech_81]

The U.S. degree system? You'll have to settle for generalities as there tends to be differences in how schools confer degrees in some cases.

In most places, there are general education requirements of some sort. This usually includes courses in mathematics, the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and some type of writing requirement (something that indicates the student has shown a base level of competency in written communications). Some schools tend to be a bit more diverse in their requirements, including a physical education requirement (mine did), some sort of multicultural requirement, etc. etc. These sort of courses tend to take up the majority of the first year and (depending on how extensive they are) part or most of the second year.

Usually by the second year, a student will have chosen a field of concentration (academic major, course of study, what have you). The courses to fulfill the requirements for your major or course will be the backbone of your academic work until you graduate. As for elective coursework, depending on the school and departments, you may be able to complete a second course or major, or a minor depending on your interests and dedication. A minor is what it says it is, a few extra courses in a field that interests you but perhaps not that much.

I avoided making any personal comments on the state of American education since, quite frankly, I'd probably overload the SOCNET server if I did. http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/wink.gif Hope this gives you a clue as how us Americans try to do things.

[Weekend Warrior]

Piles,
You mentioned you're a STAB. Are you in the Officer Training Corps in Sheffield?

[King Tut]

Well this is how the American education system in Maine and Mass. has worked for me so far.

(side note-I started a year early most kiddies don't start until age 6)

Preschool-age 5

Kindergarden- 6

1rst throught 8th grade-elementary school-age 7 through 14

9th grade throught 12th grade-aka High School-I started at 14 years old and was supposed to graduate at 17 but I'll be done at sixteen because I started early and am smarter than average. I'm 15 now.

From there a graduate can get a job, join the military, go to a two year technical college, attend a four year school and get BA in whatever course's a student is interested, or get a higher degree, unless your in the millionth percentile who lives at home their whole lives.

If you like history and philosophy you take those course's, if not you don't. Almost all colleges and universities and most high schools (all the ones I know of) work on a credit system. Each course gives a specific amount of credits upon succesful completion, the purpose being that a specific number of credits must be collected in oreder to pass the year and progress to the next grade. A student may not be required to take a specific course but still must meet the graduation requirements.

For instance at my school six credits are needed to pass the year. Each class averaging one credit, although some class's that don't last the whole year only give half a credit. At the end of the year if you don't have six credits, you don't pass. Also some class's have prerequisites. For instance in order to take Lab Biology you must first complete Earth Science's.

Also unlike schools of higher education, although in some school's required a given amount of a subject, specific course's are usually required for graduation.

For instance I need 2 math class's, 2 lab science's, 1 fine art, 2 history class's including U.S. History,1 year of Gym, 1 year of Health, and 4 years of English (which I weaseled my way around by doubling up)

Hope this helps. Rick
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sorry for being so dambed long winded
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It won't be funny when it happens to you.

[This message has been edited by King Tut (edited 04-30-2001).]