Hi,
Does anyone have a list of when the upcoming briefings and AOSB's are or where I could find one? I know I will get told by the ACIO but its just I would like to see how often the are being run before I go to the ACIO.
Thanks.

From rough memory of seeing the list of dates at Westbury, they run one pretty much every week, with breaks of about 4-6 weeks just before each intake (ie breaks around August, December, April).

hp9300, Board Dates for the rest of the year are as follows:

Board 2260 - 23 - 26 July
Board 2261 - 14 - 17 Aug
Board 2262 - 21 - 24 Aug
Board 2263 - 28 - 31 Aug
Board 2264 - 04 - 07 Sep
Board 2265 - 11 - 14 Sep
Board 2266 - 18 - 21 Sep
Board 2267 - 25 - 28 Sep
Board 2268 - 02 - 05 Oct
Board 2269 - 16 - 19 Oct
Board 2270 - 30 - 02 Nov
Board 2271 - 06 - 09 Nov
Board 2272 - 13 - 16 Nov
Board 2273 - 20 - 23 Nov
Board 2274 - 27 - 30 Nov
Board 2275 - 04 - 07 Dec
Board 2276 - 10 - 13 Dec

The Briefings finish on the same day that a Main Board starts. For example, if there is a Main Board that starts on the 6th November then there is a Briefing that will start on the 5th and end in the morning of the 6th. Hope this helps.

XII153 thanks alot...really helpful.
Do you happen to know what the availability of these courses and briefings are? For example, If I said I wanted to go on the 15th Aug briefing would it be possible or do they fill up fairly quickly and therefore mean that it could be a few months before I can get a place on the briefing?

Can anyone set me straight on the particular rope knots a candidate should know for the Main Board?

You're not required to know any knots, but I seem to remember doing Reef knots.

Originally Posted by The_Goon

You're not required to know any knots, but I seem to remember doing Reef knots.

They help sometimes, but if you can't there's usually someone there who can.

Just don't do what I did. Volunteer as someone good with knots, before instantly forgetting everything the scouts ever taught me and resorting to wrapping rope around two planks and securing it with a granny knot.

Originally Posted by The_Goon

You're not required to know any knots, but I seem to remember doing Reef knots.

Thanks for that T_G, that's what I thought.

I went through my own Main Board knowing no specific knots, but I remember the issue being raised at the Briefing. I should say that I was asking for a friend, who mentioned to me 'clove hitch' and 'reef' knots, and was wondering if there were other essentials.

Personally - and again, I think back to my own case - I don't think a candidate should clog up his/her mind with such minute detail.

I'd argue that any knot that holds and can be undone afterwards is effective.

What sort of lunatic NCO would allow or trust an officer to tie a knot?

End of line bowlines with quick releases are nice knots by the away... very usefull.

No NCO would allow an Officer near knots of any description. Except possibly laces on his own boots.

But for the look of the thing, Officers should know one or two knots, Khyros. ;)