Sandhurst

[Dr Jekyll]

It does make you wonder whether they would have felt the same way in the days when they were going to spend their career basically waiting for WW3 with the occasional Belfast tour.

[Asterix]

EDLT said:

Celt said:

ninja-lewis said:

How many potential cadets really think about the implications of what they may be asked to do (whether dying/killing or ordering someone else to die/kill) before they get to Sandhurst?

Once they're there they will have access to people and information that is maybe not in the public domain or even if it is public, almost certainly lacks the impact that the Sandhurst environment creates. Combine that with full-on rifle and bayonet training that puts the theory into practice.

It's one thing to think you're sure you'll cope before you go to Sandhurst. It's quite another to actually be sure when forced into the situation for real - whether at Sandhurst or in theatre.

I think the morality of killing should be wrestled with long before turning up at sandhurst. Especially if you have an illusion in your head of becoming an officer. Officers are purported to be more intellectual and responsible. I think this show let's people see, at the beginning atleast, there is a piss thin wall between them and the boys that trust there lifes to them.

I think some of them had an idea that they would just be telling people what to do and never getting put into danger themselves. It seems like the army are aware of such an attitude given the whole "95% of you will use your personal weapon" speech.

Probably the same reason the Navy never has a problem with recruiting.

Ummm - I'm a little confused. The British Army have been on overt operations in the Middle East for a while now and people that have been admitted to one of the best military academies in the world aren't sure whether or not they will be in a position to fulfill a combat role in the Army.

I joined up when it was relatively quiet. The troubles were still going on in Ireland but it wasn't until a year later the first Gulf War and then Bosnia that anything large kicked off. However, I was trained to make sure that the other poor schmuck died for his country, not me (Patton). It's the Army FFS - it's what they do.

In my book its far more worrying for officer trainees to not have worked this out. Not only will they have to put themselves in the position, they will also have to order other soldiers to do the same.

Anyway - at least they're out now. Yes, they've taken a spot that someone else better suited could have taken and not wasted the time or resources but at least they're not on ops with others relying on them.

[Ken Sington]

Doesn't seem a difficult equation to me if I were in that position; your life vs a cowardly piece of scum who fights via IED's or hides behind women, children and old people and who wouldn't hesitate to torture and kill you in the most horrific way possible if you fell into his hands.

[MrMagoo]

Ken Sington said:

Doesn't seem a difficult equation to me if I were in that position; your life vs a cowardly piece of scum who fights via IED's or hides behind women, children and old people and who wouldn't hesitate to torture and kill you in the most horrific way possible if you fell into his hands.

How about killing a local farmer who picked up an ak-47 as he just watched half his village get blown up by a 'mis-placed' bomb from the forces there that are supposed to be protecting him? Not everyone figting us are terrorists. Most just want us to fk off out their country so they can try and regain back some normality. Dont blame them in the slightest as if the roles were reversed I'd be the first to pick up a weapon.

Just my opinion. Probably a topic best left for another thread. Will say I have family currently serving in the uk forces, a brother who has only recently came back from his 2nd tour of Afghanistan. So I'm in no way anti-armed forces. They all do a great job and one I wouldn't like to do.

[MrMagoo]

Excuse the speeling, browsing on my phone!

[Taita]

Why they didn't just devote each of the episodes to a term at RMAS I don't know. IMO and those I have spoken to, the public want to know what we do, so why don't we tell them instead of cutting from bayonet training (done towards the end of Inters) to the Commandant chatting about morality.

Episode 1: Idiots turn up and are a admin vortex. Towards the end they get it sorted
Episode 2: Develop leadership, show the big exercises and tests.
Episode 3: Final tweaks to command style, look back as to how they have changed, commissioning parade.

Done.

PS: NONE of the people shown in the series will be in Afghanistan before Christmas. One or 2 of the RIFLES lads will be after PCD in Brecon.

innman: Has headband man rejoined the CC now? What term are you in?

[Dr Jekyll]

What exactly do the officer trainees learn that the 'other ranks' don't? They are only at Sandhurst for a year and a lot of that seems taken up by weapons training and the shouting and saluting bit.

There is a lot on the series about learning to command, but not much about how they know what to 'command' people to do.

[Taita]

You go on a separate course, particular to your capbadge that deals with 'what' rather than 'how'.

[Ian Lancs]

How the f**k did Harvard (I think that's his name) even get this far?!?!?!?

[over_the_hill]

Ian Lancs said:

How the f**k did Harvard (I think that's his name) even get this far?!?!?!?

He's got the breaking strain of a soggy Kit-Kat Sir.

[MiniMan64]

Ian Lancs said:

How the f**k did Harvard (I think that's his name) even get this far?!?!?!?

Daddy and Grandaddy by the sounds of it.

[over_the_hill]

MiniMan64 said:

Ian Lancs said:

How the f**k did Harvard (I think that's his name) even get this far?!?!?!?

Daddy and Grandaddy by the sounds of it.

I assume a "Confirmed Cadet" has guaranteed acceptance into a Regiment. As MiniMan notes his dad was in, his grandad was in and possibly others in the family. This is "expected" of him and he is trying to keep his end up and not let the side down. With a confirmed place at the end of it I guess Sandhurst are doing everything they can to get him through so the Household Cavalry don't end up one short on their quota if he drops out.
I feel sorry for the guy. He shouldn't be there in the first place and has clearly been shoe horned in under family pressure.

[Mikeyboy]

MiniMan64 said:

Daddy and Grandaddy by the sounds of it.

And I don't think either left after a short service commission. He was absolutely useless and to me should ahve been binned very early on.

I don't know if its the director's intention but it still seemed to be that the posh officers went to the gaurds and household division and the rest went into the other regiments. Is thats till true?

In the distant past my NCO's used to think that the Rifles, Paras and maybe a couple fo the other regiments were up to any decent level of ability and the above mentioned were let down by their piss poor leadership.

BBC four are incidentally hosting a few old documentaries on the forces, particularly there is one about the training of YOs and the contrast in the style of traingin is dramatic, less screaming and beasting, more cncentration on being fit and thinking about things. But then it may have been different times.

[difontaine42]

Mikeyboy said:

MiniMan64 said:

Daddy and Grandaddy by the sounds of it.

And I don't think either left after a short service commission. He was absolutely useless and to me should ahve been binned very early on.

I don't know if its the director's intention but it still seemed to be that the posh officers went to the gaurds and household division and the rest went into the other regiments. Is thats till true?

In the distant past my NCO's used to think that the Rifles, Paras and maybe a couple fo the other regiments were up to any decent level of ability and the above mentioned were let down by their piss poor leadership.

BBC four are incidentally hosting a few old documentaries on the forces, particularly there is one about the training of YOs and the contrast in the style of traingin is dramatic, less screaming and beasting, more cncentration on being fit and thinking about things. But then it may have been different times.

I think in the past that may have been true but due to the operational requirements these regiments have to start selecting on capability. It is still a fact that the better connected, posher people go to the guards and cavalry regiments but thats not to say they are any less able. I know a lot of these characters and they are bloody good at their job but as with anything some will always slip through the net.

[Asterix]

difontaine42 said:

Mikeyboy said:

MiniMan64 said:

Daddy and Grandaddy by the sounds of it.

And I don't think either left after a short service commission. He was absolutely useless and to me should ahve been binned very early on.

I don't know if its the director's intention but it still seemed to be that the posh officers went to the gaurds and household division and the rest went into the other regiments. Is thats till true?

In the distant past my NCO's used to think that the Rifles, Paras and maybe a couple fo the other regiments were up to any decent level of ability and the above mentioned were let down by their piss poor leadership.

BBC four are incidentally hosting a few old documentaries on the forces, particularly there is one about the training of YOs and the contrast in the style of traingin is dramatic, less screaming and beasting, more cncentration on being fit and thinking about things. But then it may have been different times.

I think in the past that may have been true but due to the operational requirements these regiments have to start selecting on capability. It is still a fact that the better connected, posher people go to the guards and cavalry regiments but thats not to say they are any less able. I know a lot of these characters and they are bloody good at their job but as with anything some will always slip through the net.

Being REME, with individual postings across the whole of the Army, I came into contact with quite a few regiments and corps in the Army and as in civvy street, there's good and less good, ahem, everywhere. I did 8 months attached to the Blues & Royals at Knightsbridge and the Cav guys were exactly the same performance wise but many were there very much because of family history.

[audidoody]

What the guy said was he didn't think it made much sense to lose his testicles, arms and/or legs for a cause he didn't believe in. Which I thought was 'fair enough'.

Charging up Omaha Beach to liberate the world from Nazi tyranny is one thing. Having your head blown off for the imaginary reason of 'keeping terrorism off the streets of Britain" is quite another.