Why is it I can join the British Army and not the Royal Navy,?

[Barry]

*offensive
I went to the local AFCO this week and was told by the Royal Marines I could not join because of an unspent conviction. I then went to speak to the army and they accepted my application. Whats the diffrence? The oppression a criminal conviction gives you in the U.K is unbelievable. I can't go to University, can't find a job and can't get in the Royal Navy. I was offensive to a Ticket Inspector because he was being offences to me yet he made himself out to be a saint. Also I was found in possesion of a tiny ammount of Marijuana, yet I'm discriminated against the same as a murderer, rapist and thief. So unjustified. Yeh I broke the law, when I was a teenager. I think its wrong and its pure discrimination.
*offensive
Bollox - You Sir are a complete O2 Thief. Your comments are small minded and very uneducated. No matter if someone has broke the law or not they have the right to live as a normal human being, especially if they have only been convicted of minor offences. Small minded people like you bring a huge oppression over this country.

 

[Patrick]

This is a tough one. Firstly the Army have said they will accept you despite your unspent conviction. You are very lucky, and it means that the nature of your offence was not as serious as some of those you mentioned.
The Royal Marines are an elite organisation and to be frank, small amount or otherwise, you had a proscribed substance on you and that is illegal. The nature of the offence is everything, had you had a minor conviction for verbal abuse, they may have let you in, but you cannot expect the armed services to lower their standards.
Because you were convicted, it means that you committed the offence as an adult and were therefor able to determine between right and wrong, you chose to do something that you knew was illegal and got caught. Simples.

The Army has accepted you, remember that they have many more branches than the Royal Marines and therefor there are roles you can fulfil within the organisation for which a minor unspent conviction will not be a barrier. Equally there are many roles in the Army for which you would not be accepted.

That, I am afraid, is the nature of a criminal record. It is no good bleating after the event.
Further to this, had you been convicted of rape, murder, or some forms of theft you would be barred from entry to any of the services and quite rightly so.

Finally, you are clearly a young man but you have leapt on the discrimination ticket because you cannot get what you want. I would think long and hard about entering the military, if you feel so strongly about this, what happens after a year or two when a promotion is being offered within your unit and you don't get it. Will you then bleat about discrimination, will you say that it is because you were at a disadvantage because of your record. People who bleat like that in the services tend to become isolated and eventually leave.

So think about it. You did wrong and you got caught. The Army has offered you a place, and if you work hard you will enjoy a good career. It may not be what you wanted but after a few years of good service, you will be able to transfer to any branch within the Army, you could also re-muster to the Royal Marines, (if that is still what you want to do), and subject to them looking at your record in the services.

You would do well to let your friends know how difficult even a minor conviction can make your future, and how it can affect what you want to do in life.

Good luck, keep your head down and your nose clean and you will find that doors open for you.