Message from a hard working Aussie

[slowandsteady]

Age and treachery will always win over youth and exuberence......

[GlenTC]

Every single time. Want to win Idol? A little case of the squirts will put them off their game. You only got to be the least terrible. lol.

[slowandsteady]

how about "Australian Idol - Aim low. That way you won't be dissappointed"

[Louwai]

My 2 oldest daughters have been trying to get into the army, but neither of them have been accepted.
The 21yo was knocked back because she has IBS & the 19yo for Asthma.
Was really disapointing for both.
The 21yo has been in the Cadets for 6yrs & loves it. She's an officer & can shoot really well.
The 19yo grew up in an army family (her Mum's famiily) & wants to continue.

[slowandsteady]

DFR is contracted out these days, with a smattering of uniformed members to assist.
They still have a benchmark standard to adhere to.
I'm allergic to atropine (and since a child was also told I was allergic to penicillin). When I first joined in the '80s I put it down and nothing more was said. This time I had to have a full allergy test (At my expense) done. Turns out I'm not allergic to penicillin though.

The truly sad thing is that I've been told by lots of different people in defence that most of the kids who want to recruit can't even pass the pre-enlistment fitness test and that only consists of a beep test to 7.5 and around a dozen sit-ups and push-ups!! Now that's a sad indictment on our sedentary society.

[evilRasp]

I used to coach kids in Ice Hockey and once managed a national junior team. Not having kids myself, it was a real eye opener to see just how badly some parents treated their kids. Including the one kid who didn't know what bangers and mash was and wouldn't eat bolognese sauce. He came wandering up 2 hours after dinner asking for some food, and let slip that his parents feed him nothing other than KFC and McDonalds.

It blew my mind that kids at the peak of their sport were growing up on crap like that.

[GlenTC]

Asthma is no longer a critical point according to what I have read. I don't know anything about IBS or why that would be a factor.

Did they want too join as officers? Not my field, I'm afraid. As diggers, I should think there is a fitness regime that should see the job done.

Yep, beep test. Us old farts can do twice the entry requirements consistently. I shouldn't think that would stop many kids in their prime. Now, the BMI thing. Thats bullshit, no-one ever passes that.

If you are really against the wall, sneak up on it. Join the local chockos and make a transfer. Thats the backdoor way. Doesn't matter what trade, you got to be in it to win it, as they say. That the whole point, adapt and overcome. Find a solution. Can't just chuck in the towel because some dick Manpower dude who wouldn't have a clue told ya to piss off. Farq him, go around.

[slowandsteady]

I'm with you Glen.
Where there's a will....... I'm morbidly obese according to the BMI. When the doctor at DFR told me I had to get down to 92kg before I could join (I reckon it was the same doctor who did my enlistment 19yrs ago), I laughed in his face and told him no way. He said "Oh. how about 102?" I said "sure. see you in two weeks"

Now I'm no ripped picture of musculinity but I don't classify myself as oeverweight. I trained with weights for years and haven't been under 100kg since I was 21, but apparently I'm obese.....

You're right Glen, Manpower are bunch of r-tards. I found the "bulldozer" approach works best. attack and keep pushing through. they just fumble and get flustered and then agree to get you out of their face

[copperjosh]

Yer, the whole BMI crap is a load of bull. I'm 100kg but i'm sure most of the other canberra riders think i'm 80kg.

Problem is when you pack on some muscle, it throws that whole stupid calculation out. According to the same calculation, Mike Tyson in his prime was morbidly obese...LOL