Armed forces officer

Armed forces officer job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Armed forces officers work in the service of their country to defend its people’s safety and support international peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts across the globe.

In the UK officers are employed by the Ministry of Defence in the Army, Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Following initial cadet training and further training within their specialist field, officers are given considerable responsibility and can be posted at military locations at home or abroad.

Armed forces careers can be highly rewarding. The skills, experiences and achievements officers gain are unique to the sector and open up a range of opportunities within and beyond military service.

Responsibilities vary widely across the various job roles within each branch but typical activities include:

• Planning manoeuvres, assigning duties and communicating effectively with the staff as a whole.
• Commanding, training and leading subordinate personnel and taking responsibility for each individual’s morale, welfare and readiness for action.
• Looking out for the welfare and training requirements of new recruits.
• Operation and maintenance of warfare systems, equipment and vehicles.
• Taking on specialist duties and skills such as engineering, air traffic control, training and administration.
• Producing briefings, reports and presentations.
• Effectively distributing equipment, resources and manpower to achieve objectives.

Choosing to work within the armed forces is as much a lifestyle choice as a career move. It is highly demanding, requiring absolute dedication and a consistently high level of mental and physical fitness. Officers face dangerous sometimes life threatening situations under immense pressure. They shoulder heavy responsibility for not just their own lives but for the lives of their subordinates as well.

When called upon, they must be ready to serve wherever and whenever circumstances require, foregoing all personal commitments. They face long and unpredictable hours and must be ready to serve at a moment’s notice.

Travel is a major part of the role; officers can be posted at locations around the globe. In the line of duty they have the opportunity to experience a wide range of interesting countries and cultures.

Salaries in the British armed forces vary widely across employers and ranks. They range from £12,470– £17,548 for a university cadet entrant in British Army, to £89,408 for a Royal Marine Colonel.

Typical employers of armed forces officers

• British Army
• Royal Air Force
• Royal Navy
• Royal Marines.

All four forces work in the service of the government and in association with global bodies like the United Nations (UN) for peacekeeping and humanitarian causes.

Qualifications and training required

Graduates of any subject can enrol as officers in the armed forces. The candidate’s leadership capabilities and their general suitability to a life in service are far more important than their degree subject.

Science, engineering and technology graduates are often particularly welcome because of the specialist knowledge they can bring to technological roles throughout the forces.

Pre-entry experience and postgraduate qualifications can be beneficial but are not essential. Time spent in school or university cadet corps can help your application but does not guarantee you a place.

Graduates start off as cadet officers posted for training at their relevant barracks: Sandhurst (Army), Dartmouth (Navy) or Cranwell (RAF).

Competition for places can be fierce. You are required to take part in several days of interviews and tests. These test you both physically and mentally, and include a medical assessment.

• You will be tested in your ability to think calmly and logically under pressure, working on your own and as part of a team.
• You will be expected to have a firm knowledge of past and present operations as well as a basic grasp of the ethical debates surrounding warfare.
• Applicants must be below 29 years of age, with strong vision and colour perception.

Officers spend 32 weeks in cadet training before specialising in their chosen field. They are then posted to a corps, squadron or ship. They carry official responsibilities for other personnel and equipment – usually starting at around 30 individuals and their military equipment and increasing in conjunction with rank.

Key skills for armed forces officers

• Ability to communicate concisely and clearly to subordinate personnel and superior officers alike, both orally and in written work.
• The ability to work calmly and decisively in dangerous, high pressure situations.
• Excellent leadership and teamwork skills.
• High level of physical fitness (near perfect vision and colour perception is often required, especially for pilots, drivers and so on).
• Determination, self-motivation and discipline to achieve professional development and work towards promotion.
• A demonstrable commitment to the forces and loyalty to your country.