Adfa (1 Viewer)

[White Rabbit]

Hey, anyone still here who went to the JOES day? What kinda questions do you get asked in the Psych evaluation? Is it really really formal? or relativley laid back..?? What should I be expacting.

also, Mods, can we PLEASE have a sub-forum? cheers

 

[Loulou]

My boyfriend has been accepted into ADFA this year as an army officer cadet. He'll be leaving on Thursday (tomorrow) 22nd and he's been accepted into Business.

To physically prepare he's been going to the gym every day and running in the afternoons. He's pretty fit.

To mentally prepare he's been hanging out with me a lot and his friends and gradually been saying his goodbyes. He hasnt really given it much thought but now he's starting to worry.

He's been packing today and is very nervous. The thing that scares him the most is being yelled at and possibly humilated. But that sort of thing is all part of the process.

Recently we watched a documentary on West Point (the military academy in the US) which he actually could have gotten into but chose not to and the first few weeks for the cadets was totally extreme. It was strange watching it because the whole point of that training, other than to train them, is to break them down, bring them out of their comfort zone, push them to the limit all so they can become army material.

No wonder there's such a high dropout.

I think the main reason why my boyfriend is scared is because he's moving out of home and it's all new to him.


Oh and i also know of another guy who has been accepted as an officer but doing a bachelor of science and he's preparing physically in the same way. He's super, super, super fit.

 

[Don_Juan]

You have to be, else the PTI's will chew your ass off. Their the ones screaming at you. especially one guy if your going to ADFA, he's a pyshco his veins would pop out everytime he would speak/scream.

You have to be really into it to join. My whole family except my mother has been or is in the ADF.

Anyway try preparing more mentally rather than physically and don't take things personal, even though they tell you too. Be super fit (like me) and change the way you percieve things regarding what they are doing to you.

 

[White Rabbit]

This at JOES day? Or the assessment day??

As for being really into it, I haven't got the military background, but a very very Australian one, I guess, which is a big factor in me wanting to join.

 

[Loulou]

My boyfriend has called me from ADFA. Day two: he hates it. Hahaha. Aww. Maybe once he gets through the training period and starts uni he'll be okay.

 

[White Rabbit]

LOL, hopefully once he settles in a bit It's a big change afterall

 

[cro_angel]

so u have to be really physically fit to go there?
well im out lol
megan.. u do belly dancing? lmao how cool
is ADFA actually at UNSW or is it just like owned by it but at a different place?

 

[White Rabbit]

It's in Canberra, owned by the Australian Department of Defence, but has it's Undergrad and Postgrad degrees (and any other University course) is administered by New South So UNSW doesn't own anything ADF does.

And yeah, Fitness it big I'm training now, apprently when I started I was average for my age (because of sport and I walked heaps) I really didn't look like it, and was suprised when the trainers at my Gym told me LOL, anyway, it isn't hard to pass the entrance requirements - it's everything after it - basic training - that I'm worried about LOL

 

[Loulou]

Oh my God. Day 5 at ADFA and my boyfriend has already decided the army is not for him and is trying to get out of it. He hates it. He's so unhappy. He's spoke to the psychologist yesterday and will be speaking to the psychologist again today.

Oh well, at least he has international studies at RMIT to fall back on.

 

[Don_Juan]

lol. sorry, can't help but feel sorry aswel. Maybe he shoulda joined the reserves first. I think he's lucky, to give up after a week is horibly unfair to the others who have tried to apply. Oh well tell him good luck.

 

[Cactus]

Originally posted by Loulou
My boyfriend has called me from ADFA. Day two: he hates it. Hahaha. Aww. Maybe once he gets through the training period and starts uni he'll be okay.

The first 6 weeks are really difficult, but after that it gets better. I'm sure he'll be ok so long as he sticks with it

 

[Loulou]

Originally posted by Don_Juan
lol. sorry, can't help but feel sorry aswel. Maybe he shoulda joined the reserves first. I think he's lucky, to give up after a week is horibly unfair to the others who have tried to apply. Oh well tell him good luck.

Nah, it's not unfair because he passed all the tests where others failed plus i think ADFA sort of figures that a lot of people will drop out at this time. Whats the percentage rate? I wish i could remember, but it's pretty high. Who knows though, he might just stay on. I cant really get that much info out of him when he calls for like 4 seconds - 1 and a half minutes per night.

I hope he does stay on and stuck with it. I would be such a shame if he didnt.

 

[Cactus]

People who join ADFA are not just footsoldiers, as you know, they are the officers. A lot is expected of them and they only want the best. As you say, they expect a high drop out rate. I said in my prev. post that te first 6 weeks is the toughest. It's not as tough as 'boot camp', but it's still tough. After that they are allowed much more freedom, they can start to bring in appliances like TVs etc. into their rooms and they can have mobile phones. Its a shock to the system, so tell him to stick with it and it will grow on him. Then he can at least say he tried it and move on. If he was accepted in the Army, which is the toughest out of all 3 branches of the services to get into at ADFA, then he's obviously got a lot going for him. Plenty of uni's would be happy to have him....just some thoughts

 

[White Rabbit]

What do you mean it's a shock to the system? as in the fitness? or the removal of freedom? the lack of things we take for granted? the net, TV ect.. Just trying to get an idea.

Hey, with the Army - I thought it was the toughest physically (for obvious reasons) but it's alot harder to get into, say Air Force technical jobs, or Air Force Intelligence (I've been looking into RAAF) as opposed to the Army. It just seemed like the Army took in more cadets than the RAAF (I can't speak for the RAN because I honestly have no idea ). Or is that what you ment? The Army was the most physically demanding?

Are you a cadet? Or just know a bit about the ADF?

Thanks for ya help

 

[braindrainedAsh]

Two of my friends who are twin girls got in to ADFA as airforce officer cadets.... they left last week and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye because I had to rush to Sydney to enrol So when will they get their mobiles back? After 6 weeks?? What about access to email? Is that 6 weeks as well?

I could never do it... I couldn't sacrifice my autonomy like that... not to mention I am somewhat a pacifist lol.

The selection process seems so difficult... physicals, psych tests, coordination tests, flight training and tests.... I'd hate to go through all that and then realize that it wasn't my piece of cake.

 

[Loulou]

braindrainedAsh, my boyfriend is able to use his phone from 9:30pm - 10pm every night.

Cactus, everything you said was so spot on, but after talking to him tonight he's definately dropping out. It's bizzare because all his life all he's ever wanted was to be in the army and now that he's an officer cadet it's not what he wants at all. I'm really interested to know WHY it isnt for him. It's all just so bizzare. And so sudden. But you're also right about the other unis accepting them. Today his mother enrolled him in international studies at RMIT so he has that to fall back on when he leaves ADFA which i'm guessing will be sometime before the end of Feb.

 

[White Rabbit]

I don't see it as loosing my autonomy as rather doing my part for my country. I'm not really a pacifist but I'm hardly gung-ho either. It is a really rigorgous screening process, but I guess it has to be. Most people start ADFA selection from the start of Year 12, ya have to be accepted into the ADF before you can apply to ADFA.

Hey Ash, are your mates in as Pilot cadets? because that is really hard to get into! Congrats to em!!

 

[Cactus]

Originally posted by White Rabbit
What do you mean it's a shock to the system? as in the fitness? or the removal of freedom? the lack of things we take for granted? the net, TV ect.. Just trying to get an idea.

Hey, with the Army - I thought it was the toughest physically (for obvious reasons) but it's alot harder to get into, say Air Force technical jobs, or Air Force Intelligence (I've been looking into RAAF) as opposed to the Army. It just seemed like the Army took in more cadets than the RAAF (I can't speak for the RAN because I honestly have no idea ). Or is that what you ment? The Army was the most physically demanding?

Are you a cadet? Or just know a bit about the ADF?

Thanks for ya help

You're spot on about what I meant about a shock to the system, all the things you said are difficult on their own, let alone all at the same time. The Army have pretty much the same academic standards of all the branches of the forces, but they expect a lot more physically, that's what I meant.

I was interested in ADFA and have a number of family friends who are current and ex-military.

 

[braindrainedAsh]

Yeah my mates are pilot cadets... they were on the national news because they are twin girls... "double trouble" lol.

 

[freaking_out]

so if u wanna go to military uni. to study medicine (if there is such thing) for eg. then how many years do u have to work for, bfore u can leave the army and get a civilian job?