24 year-old Officer Cadet Alexander Gale from Edinburgh passed out from Sandhurst today the world famous military academy.
This marks the end of a 44 week stint of intensive training with adventurous challenges completed.
Alexander will now enjoy leadership responsibilities and is guaranteed career progression through the ranks. He will now be in charge of 30 soldiers managing their workload and welfare. He might be required to deploy on a peacekeeping mission or a humanitarian aid mission within weeks. He has been trained to cope with high pressure situations following his Army training.
With friends and family in the audience, Officer Cadet Gale took part in the Sovereign’s Parade and now promotes to Second Lieutenant. The parade is a key milestone for every Army Officer and has been run at the end of each term for over 200 years.
2Lt Gale, who will be joining the Royal Logistic Corps, said: “Being part of an elite group of people that have graduated as British Army Officers from Sandhurst makes me extremely proud. It’s one of the biggest challenges I have ever undertaken, but also one of the most rewarding. I cannot wait to be putting the leadership skills I’ve learned at Sandhurst to good use as part of my new Regiment.
“I would recommend an Officer career to anyone looking for an exciting job away from the mundane nine to five, wanting to develop unique and lasting bonds of friendship and hoping to belong to a cause that makes a positive difference in the world, especially if you want to move immediately into a leadership or management position.”
To join the Regular Army as an Officer, candidates must be 18–30 years of age, attained at least seven GCSEs (with a minimum grade C in English Language, Maths and either a science or a foreign language) and also have 180 UCAS Tariff points from a maximum of 3 A level subjects.
Applicants attend a two-day Army Officer Selection Board briefing, where leadership and teamwork skills are tested. Candidates then go to the selection board, which consists of a three-day assessment of physical and mental suitability for the role. Those successful, embark on a 44 week course taking place at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Recruits earn a starting salary of £25,984 while they train, which rises to £31,232 when they are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. After five years Officers can be earning at least £40,025 as a Captain.
For more information about the exciting career opportunities available in the Army search “Army Officer” or visithttp://www.army.mod.uk/join/Join-as-an-Officer.aspx.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
