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Commando Squadron Royal Engineers Reserve recruitment help needed.

Hi guys, I'm looking at hopefully signing up for 300 Troop Commando reserves, I'm in Devon and have a couple of options and the RE Commandos seem to offer what i'm looking for by most accounts. Its between that and Rifles reserves, Re is a little longer drive (45 mins) as opposed to Rifles of (30). I've read through the skills and roles the RE offer and seems appealing, I would also love to do the commando course for the lid (personal challenge), I'm too old to go RM reserves nearly before anyone asks and even if I could I think their training requirements of very other weekend would be a struggle with my work and I do shifts etc on weekends, so RE seems to fit all the bills for me. I've tried calling but the number on army.mod site doesn't work, I've spoke to a chap from HQ and hes hopefully sending me some details. In the mean time I'm hoping for some help on information of the reserves recruitment process as I need to get my information sorted so I can approach by boss at work. It will make my life a lot easier if I can present how much time I need off initially it will help to see what they go for etc, I've checked the policies and some time off seems to be discretionary based. If anyone can help with the following that would be amazing.

1. Does anyone have a rough breakdown of initial training time needed, I know some of the routine roughly of time frames from tralling though the internet and post here, if anyone could correct these if wrong please do.

ADSC - 2 days
4 x Pre- Phase 1 weekends.
Phase 1 - 2 Weeks
Phase 2 - 2 weeks

Also is phase 2 end the point when you pass out as a RE assuming you pass?

2, What RE role training is required after this and what is the length of this?

3. How soon after Phase 2 would you likely attempt the Reserve Commando Course for the green lid? Is it dependant upon availability or person specific e.g. fitness?

4. What generally are the times away yearly for RE reserves, I know you have the 2 weekender yearly and need to fulfil 27 days with drill nights, is there many weekenders etc? and if so I assume its Friday to Sunday?

Thanks guys, just want to get myself organised so when I can speak to someone there I at least have a better idea for sure and information for my boss if everything pans out and can start the ball rolling. Thanks.
 
Hi guys, I'm looking at hopefully signing up for 300 Troop Commando reserves, I'm in Devon and have a couple of options and the RE Commandos seem to offer what i'm looking for by most accounts. Its between that and Rifles reserves, Re is a little longer drive (45 mins) as opposed to Rifles of (30). I've read through the skills and roles the RE offer and seems appealing, I would also love to do the commando course for the lid (personal challenge), I'm too old to go RM reserves nearly before anyone asks and even if I could I think their training requirements of very other weekend would be a struggle with my work and I do shifts etc on weekends, so RE seems to fit all the bills for me. I've tried calling but the number on army.mod site doesn't work, I've spoke to a chap from HQ and hes hopefully sending me some details. In the mean time I'm hoping for some help on information of the reserves recruitment process as I need to get my information sorted so I can approach by boss at work. It will make my life a lot easier if I can present how much time I need off initially it will help to see what they go for etc, I've checked the policies and some time off seems to be discretionary based. If anyone can help with the following that would be amazing.

1. Does anyone have a rough breakdown of initial training time needed, I know some of the routine roughly of time frames from tralling though the internet and post here, if anyone could correct these if wrong please do.

ADSC - 2 days
4 x Pre- Phase 1 weekends.
Phase 1 - 2 Weeks
Phase 2 - 2 weeks

Also is phase 2 end the point when you pass out as a RE assuming you pass?

2, What RE role training is required after this and what is the length of this?

3. How soon after Phase 2 would you likely attempt the Reserve Commando Course for the green lid? Is it dependant upon availability or person specific e.g. fitness?

4. What generally are the times away yearly for RE reserves, I know you have the 2 weekender yearly and need to fulfil 27 days with drill nights, is there many weekenders etc? and if so I assume its Friday to Sunday?

Thanks guys, just want to get myself organised so when I can speak to someone there I at least have a better idea for sure and information for my boss if everything pans out and can start the ball rolling. Thanks.

2. You will normally go onto Cdo Cse after Phase 2, in fact you'll be training for it well before then and it's not unheard of to do AACC before phase 2 but that may have been stopped now. 131 have a wide range of RE specialisations, but I'd advise focusing on getting the lid first.

3. See above, you will do it as soon as possible, bear in mind there are specific 'stage tests' to be passed before moving on culminating with bottom field pass off before you go on the Cdo Tests (two weeks, exercise first week and the tests 2nd week).

4. Plan on one weekend a month plus two weeks on top of one trg evening per week (sometimes two whilst in Cdo Trg)

ETA - there are only two (occasionally three) Reserve Cdo Courses a year.

Keep the Rifles as an option. As they say "If you can't hack it be a Jacket'. (I know that in that part of the world they were LI but the principle still applies).
 
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QRK2 thanks for your reply, that's really helpful. Parts of the need to know info for me have been hard to get specifics on.

That would be a surprise but I suppose you have to take the opportunity when it's there. Definitely lid first then worry about anything else after.

With the stage tests do you mean prior to the 2 weeker or on the first week of the 2?

1 weekend a month and drill nights is fine plus the two weeker a year. Are all drill nights a similar time e.g. 3 hours or something?

2-3 a year makes sense, not to bad really, gives a good chance of fitting it in around other courses etc.

Thanks again.
 
With the stage tests do you mean prior to the 2 weeker or on the first week of the 2?

Prior to, though pax are sometimes given the opportunity to re-take bottom field tests on the Friday before the Cdo Cse. 131 won't send people to CTC who they think aren't ready. Bottom field is, IIRC, the only pre-test the RM specify (and they run it). The others are in house to 131.

1 weekend a month and drill nights is fine plus the two weeker a year. Are all drill nights a similar time e.g. 3 hours or something?

Yes
 
I managed to get through and have had a couple of conversations with the local unit, it was helpful to fill in a few blanks and QRK2 you were spot on. Helped me to sound at least like I had been able to get some effective research done.

At the pandemic moment, a few bits are slightly modified.

The ADSC is now 1 day, 5pm-5pm. Only until things however they do normalise.
Alpha and Bravo courses are around Jan times but there are some cancellations and spot opening up now. Also this can be at various locations of local units to where you are such as Exeter for Devon is great but not always frequent.
Process was about 3 months for joining but now looking at around double due to back log and things have slowed down etc.

The local unit was once a month training on weekends, 2 when doing the Commando training. What was useful is that the recruiter says if work allows you can tag onto a RM/131 unit somewhere for a weeks training etc which is quite useful. As you mentioned there is only 2 courses a year, a winter and summer. More recruits than places so only fittest and most likely to pass are given a space although there is a high fail rate which was repeated, a lot. But not surprising given its a 2 week assessment with exercises so possibility of injury, illness, not high fitness etc. Apparently you looking at 12-18 months before getting near this stage to attempt it given prep and waiting times. The first year or two apparently you will end up doing 50-60 days as opposed to the minimal 27 with training etc.

The whole thing sounds awesome, interesting and quite supportive. The guys I spoke to seemed decent. So just work to give approval now.

The only thing i'm still a little unsure of is how bottom field 'works', is it a pre-requisite attendance assessment required? If so how does that pre-test work, i'm aware of where and what the bottom field is at CTCRM,, is it like a 5 days assessment etc? Does this include the swimming assessments etc and various other bits?

Thanks again.
 
Bottom field tests are done on a weekend, timed run over the course and regain are the main hurdles. Despite the title this is 131.

 
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2. You will normally go onto Cdo Cse after Phase 2, in fact you'll be training for it well before then and it's not unheard of to do AACC before phase 2 but that may have been stopped now. 131 have a wide range of RE specialisations, but I'd advise focusing on getting the lid first.

3. See above, you will do it as soon as possible, bear in mind there are specific 'stage tests' to be passed before moving on culminating with bottom field pass off before you go on the Cdo Tests (two weeks, exercise first week and the tests 2nd week).

4. Plan on one weekend a month plus two weeks on top of one trg evening per week (sometimes two whilst in Cdo Trg)

ETA - there are only two (occasionally three) Reserve Cdo Courses a year.

Keep the Rifles as an option. As they say "If you can't hack it be a Jacket'. (I know that in that part of the world they were LI but the principle still applies).


I personally know 7 Bods who left 4 RGJ to pass (and pi55) AACC with 131 ...and about one who came the other way.

The said that the hardest part was developing the ego without falling about pi55ing themselves :cool:
 
I personally know 7 Bods who left 4 RGJ to pass (and pi55) AACC with 131 ...and about one who came the other way.

The said that the hardest part was developing the ego without falling about pi55ing themselves :cool:

Phew that's a relief, I thought for a moment that there were none of @Bravo_Bravo's lot left in that narrow margin between bright enough to read and stupid enough to bite.
 
Phew that's a relief, I thought for a moment that there were none of @Bravo_Bravo's lot left in that narrow margin between bright enough to read and stupid enough to bite.


Yeah, It's a sort of perception thing , a bit like why would a person even feel the need to even add a comment about RGJ in the first place unless there was some underlying issue?

Know what i mean? :cool:
 
Bottom field tests are done on a weekend, timed run over the course and regain are the main hurdles. Despite the title this is 131.


That's great thanks, just cleared it up for me. I imagine the local unit would try and tie that in with one of the commando training weekends etc to send you off on.
 
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