Assault pioneer course - info please

Got too much time on my hands at work today and so spending it on Arrse. Consequently, this is very much, a 'would like to' course enquiry rather than 'I would kill for that course' enquiry. That being said, I always enjoyed blowing things up as a kid (action man tanks, airfix kits, my little brother; usual stuff) and feel that the same skill/ psychotic fixation might come in handy at some point in Afghanistan. Anyone know about the above course, what's involved etc. Thanks..


To the MODS, I've searched this to death and found nothing on Arrsepedia/ forums etc, so appologies if there is already a thread here somewhere

 

But have you asked your PSI ?

 

don't know much about the course, but in TA terms I know that when my old battalion got mobilised the assault pioneers were just returned to being Riflemen, as were the AT Pl / SF Pl / Mortar Pl etc.

So, from what I've seen, it looks like a dead fun course (not just blowing stuff up but building rafts and digging holes too) but as a TA soldier there might be a reduced chance of you actually getting to blow siht up.

if you really want to go to Afghan and watch things go boom you might be better off in RE... or RA naturally!

 

I was thinking of mousehole charges/ removing/ clearing fields of fire etc

 

Were sending a assault pioneer plt out with 3 rifles to used as exactly as assault pioneers, the course is/was at Malta barracks you need to the basic 2 week pioneer course then do the second 2 week course to be a full pioneer it covers everything from dems to water purification and boats and bar mines just for fun

 

Them f ucking shelves won't put up themselves you know.

 

The TA assault pioneer cadre covers the same modules as the regular cadre so the basic skills will still be the same. Our unit just ran an AP cadre for those wishing to mobilise with 3 rifles and it was a condition of mobilisation that they wanted trained assault pioneer troops, however no one seemed to have told the AP Sjt of 3 rifles what the score was. My feeling is they will be integrated into the rifle companies rather than doing assault pioneer tasks, one of which is explosive methods of entry.

 

doesn't necessarily matter. whilst that may be the case, we all know the TA are looked down at on ops, largely.

and the same modules DOESN'T mean the same experience. TA basic = 4 weeks, Regs basic 24. similar with a lot of the courses... we may get to learn all the modules in the book but that dont mean we'll rememberr them.

 

No sense of adventure some folks!!!

 

Can I play with the PE Sir, can I? Hmmm, can I? can I? can I? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My bold - what? And the blokes in the rifle sections won't see that stuff happening themselves up close? And, correct me if i'm wrong, if you're in the RA, unless you're in the FOO party, in an FST or in overwatch in an OP or something similar, you're not going to see much yourself unless you're using the kit in the direct fire role.

 

My bold - on what evidence do you base that statement?