Mobilisation - Chilwell and other Qs

Right, I shall be attending the illustrious training and mobilisation centre early in Jan. I've got a few questions.

1. Accommodation (for officers) - what is it like? - Standard BYODB (Bring your own doss bag) transit accomodation? Just wondering if I should pack my combat duvet...

2. What happens while I'm there? - I'm a mobilisation virgin, so have no idea what to expect. I know we do the ITDs, CFT, BPFA, medicals, etc - but over what timeframe? Worth driving myself up?

3. What happens after? - Rumour has it that I'm heading out to Germany for PDT. How do I get stuff out there? It mentions on the mobilisation instructions that I get an MFO box, but when and where do I fill it? Also, if I am to be heading out to Germany, what time frame am I looking at?

Any other helpful info gratefully recieved.

wg100

 

Try posting on ArmyNet aswell, that tends to be better for this type of question (plus many others have already asked them - and its easier to search it contains less posts)

 

Ask and you will receive.

http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Mobilisation

How do I get credit for writing this?

 

Thanks StabTiffy, most informative.
However there are still a few unanswered points from my first post.

 

It all depends on where, when and who you're going with.

For example: I was mobilised halfway through a Telic, spent 5 days at Chillwell, then went straight to theatre.

Others had 2 days at Chillwell and spent a while at places like Grantham.

Either way, you should expect to do your ITD's at some point before going to theatre. Whether you have to pass them is another matter.

You'll get an MFO box while you're at Chillwell. Don't expect to get it in theatre though.

I can't comment on the accomodation as I'm a Junior.

Any further questions, give us a shout.

 

Tellic 6 Mob.

Since that c*nt got away with a defence of "Chilwell didn't train me properly", the old days of "got a pulse, cast a shadow, here's your boarding card" are well and truly gone. Get your gnashers sorted out and make sure your in good general health.

On our mobilisation "course" all the weapon related ITD's were strictly covered, any others failed and it was up to the unit to accept you (and liability). All instruction was carried out at chilwell to a generally high standard. This took 2 weeks with one day off if you had the opportunity to take and pass your APWT on the first range day.

Officer / Senior / OR accommodation was much the same reasonable transit accommodation, with a sliding scale of how many you got to share with. Messing was with the OR's but the mess available in the evenings

Duvet pretty useful in theatre so I'd say yes to that on those grounds.

A reasonable gym on camp, a whomping Tesco's across the road, and Nottingham's a good night out. Long Eaton an equal distance if you want to start your PDT early. **** Correction Long Eaton is closer, but Nottingham is worth the taxi

Some IR's got MFO boxes done at Chilwell. Others got them when they got to their host unit.

Nothing to stop you ringing the enquiry line in your mob pack. I'd reccomend that you speak to the unit your being attached to ASAP to tie down any other questions that you have.

 

From someoneone who's been through three times on three different mobilisation packages, only one thing has remained the same.

Take a paperback to read in all the queues, or you'll be bored stiff.

 

Are you an officer, Long Eaton is 1/2 mile away and Notts 5 miles.

 

corrected

 

The food is absolutely abysmal! Only the scoff at Basra Palace is worse. Still the NAAFI does decent bar food and the Tesco has a Cafe and by the time you fly out, you'll have experienced a decent meal courtesy of the RAF at Gateway house.

 

Unlike the intial Telic mobilisations where most trg was done at Grantham or Beckingham, all non-theatre specific Pre Deplyment Training (PDT) is now done at Chilwell.

TA mob courses are a 12 day package. I worked there for 9 months running the courses, so this is the generic training programme we would run with.

Day 1: Arrive before 11am ish, Reception, and initial docs check (ie passport, Photos, logged onto the computer system). Lunch , followed by madatory briefs, Ie Anthrax, Terms and Conditions of service, Pensions, Welfare, Mental health etc.

Day 2: process day: A four way round robin of Medical, Dental, QMs dept and the J1 RAO's dept. As stated earlier in the thread, take a good book. Expect to be waiting for around an hour in each in a queue (if theres around 100 of you going through the system). Once you get 'four green lights' then you will be accepted into service.

Note: You only get your Call out gratuity of £450 once you have been accpted into service now, no more turning up just for the money!

Day 3-11,: Training Begins. You will do ITDs 1-6 (soon to be replaced with MATTs 1-6). Usually starts with 1.5 days weapon handling training. (other 1/2 day is a BPFA plus Law of armed conflict and initial movements brief). then up to 3 days on a range. (1 day zeroing, 1 day application of fire/APWT, and the 3rd day is usually for the mongs, sorry, "markmanshipally challenged" to reshoot.)

Then follows 1.5 days NBC, 1.5 Days BCDT (battlefield casualty drills training). a CFT (4 miler) and 3hrs of "death by powerpoint" Recognition Training.

Day 11: All your results are published, and are presented to the RTMC CO, and representatives of the units you will be deploying with, and they then decide whether to accept you, or to effectively 'backsquad' you for remedial recognition training, or to demob you and turn you into a civvy again.

Day 12. PUFO. De-gunge your accom, pack kit and get movements finalised. then if your lucky you'll have a weekend off before going to OPTAG.


If there is a large number on the mob course, ie greater than about 60, the range days/in camp training will be run with 2 groups concurrently. So you might find yourself on the ranges on day 11.

You are required to pass all ITDs to be sure of deploying to theatre. I know of one case where a bloke on a Telic course failed his APWT by one point and was not accpted by his regular unit. That was their decision, not RTMCs. he was demobbed, and then came back on a later course to go to Herrick. Passed all test ok.

Hope that helps. Now, things may have changed slightly in the last few months, but that is more ore less what you can expect at Chilwell.

 

I have been through Chilwell twice - first time (whole unit) accom was all ranks in the world's biggest and coldest barrack room. Food was again all ranks in the cookhouse at the top of the hill, served by rude contractors, and almost inedible.

Second time, small group of individual reinforcements, Lt Col in Offrs Mess (he said it was crap); Maj two to a room in OR block, Capts and below 4 to a room in OR block. The block was ok; the doors couldn't be locked (take padlocks), but our corridor OOB to everyone else and there were no problems with noise or anything else. The facilities were good - washing machines, irons, good showers. We ate in the Mess, the food was average quality, but quite the smallest portions I've ever had, and fiercely controlled. As has been said, the Tesco cafe is a good alternative. The bar was ok and the officers stationed there (who must get hacked off with all the transitees) were friendly and invited us to someone's leaving drinks. Remember to take your chequebook for the Mess bill.