Strensall

Greetings all,

Do any of you have any idea what the course at Strensall is all about?

I have been told it's a pre-req' for the PQO and yet not a single soul has shed any light on what it is or what it does.

Any ideas woiuld be most welcome - especially as I am pushing trg wng to get me one soonest (PQO set for Nov - Dec) and I'd like to get myself prepared (says he hoping that it's not too testing in terms of fitness even if I can see my feet now).

Thanks,

P

 

What's the course called?

T C

 

The course goes by the wonderful title 'Phase 1 Alpha Course'.

P

 

Just thought I'd bring this back to the top of the pile in case someone reading it now had any ideas regarding course and content,

One last try before I give up on this one.

Thanks,

P

 

The Phase 1A course has been designed to help medical professionals get through the TA commissioning process. The TA PQO CC is now a quite monstrous 4 weeks long - something many medical professionals find impossible to subscribe to thanks to the demands placed on their time by the NHS, with the only option being to use annual leave to go to RMAS: something no sane person would or should countenance (although I know some people have, which just goes to show that there is no shortage of loonies in the NHS...).

Phase 1A has therefore been designed by AMSTC (under supervision of RMAS) to allow PQOs to attend their TACC in two blocks of two weeks, usually one year after another.

You don't HAVE to do Phase 1A, but the alternative is the full 4-week course.

IF

 

Thanks IF,

At last I understand where it fits in.

Do you know what the duration and content of this course is?

I knew I'd be doing the PQO in two two-week hits but hadn't realised that this was down to the Phase1 Alpha bit. Hadn't realised that I had the option of a month straight off. Would that mean I didn't have to do it again if I went as a regular later I wonder?

Thanks again,

P

 

Phase 1A is 2 weeks as far as I know, but I'm not involved in that unit - it typically coutns as your annual camp for the year. Give the Trg Wg at AMSTC a call. As far as not having to do it again if you go Reg: again, I can't say definitively. However, the TA PQO CC is now exactly the same as the Regular PQO CC, so the answer ought to be "yes". No guarantees in this Army, though.

IF

 

IF (et al),

Thank you!

I have today made contact with a living person at AMSTC and they have sorted out my problems (well the ones that could be sorted without surgery or years of counselling).

I know the duration (2 weeks) have a start date (too soon by the sound of the PT involved!) and even have a course number.

Excellent value this forum - thanks again,

P

 

This is from a grade one source. The following points should be corrected. The TA PQO course is not there to help medical professionals get through the TA commissioning prcocess as they are already commisssioned when they start the course. The TA PQO course is their basic Trg. AMSTC currently run TA PQO phase 1a which is 2 weeks long on behalf of RMAS, the indivdual will then have to complete the TA PQO phase 1b at RMAS. However if the individual can take 4 weeks off (lucky ba$tard) he/she can compete phase 1a&b at RMAS. A TA PQO then completes Phase 1c (Special to Arms Trg) at unit level however the catch is they are still writing this phase!

Any info can be gained from the Trg Wing at Strensall!!

 

Good point, Venty. I misspoke myself.

IF

 

As I have run the phase 1a course since its inception I thought I could give you a few pointers Padre:

1. The TAPQO course is aimed at all arms PQO's who are joining the TA and aims to give them enough knowledge in order for them to take up a position within their own unit. Since the course has begun I have trained Padres, Signallers and all amnner of people from the (TA)AMS.

2. The course can be undertaken in one of two ways. Firstly, you can opt to undertake the TAPQO as whole, this consists of four weeks at RMAS (Given the restriction of MTDs and personal holiday entitlements this is a heavy undertaking). Secondly, you could opt to undertake Phase 1a, consisting of two weeks at Strensall (or Towthorpe depending on who you talk to!!) followed by two weeks at RMAS on phase 1b.

3. The training objectives for the phase 1a consist of basic military skills such as:

a. Physical Fitness - PFT,MST,Assault Course, Running etc
b. Skill at Arms - Both pistol and rifle
c. Radio Comms
d. Footdrill
e. Map Reading
f. BCDT
g. CBRN

As Ventress quite rightly says the TAPQO is not a stage in the commissioning process as all students who are loaded on the course will have sat, and passed, a commissioning board. I find the fact that you found it difficult to obtain information regarding this course as i know for a fact that all Training Majors have been briefed on this course, the PSI get a lecture from me on their Permanent Staff Course, there is a 2 Med Bde website with information on it and , in addition, a courses handbook has been sent out to all units detailing what courses we run, the content and when the dates are. If you have any questions regarding this please do not hesitate to contact us in the Training Wing in Strensall (Towthorpe!!) and we will gladly assist you.

 

ATRSNAKE are you aware of what & where your Avatar is linked to.

 

This gets better by the minute!

I will undoubtedly get in touch at some stage, thanks for the additional information people.

P

ps. If I were to join the regular army from TA would I have to do all CC and stuff again or could I transfer across? Anyone have any informatioon regarding 'transparency' and all that sort of stuff people keep talking about? Does it mean you can move from one to the other and vice versa? - Thanks

 

Sorry to unearth this from the distant past.

Padre - I hope you enjoyed your courses!

Can anyone confirm whether the info here is still correct - it sounds like it is?

Also - if the PQO is already a trained soldier, is it correct that they are exempt from the 1A at Strensall, and can go straight to 1B at Sandhurst?

Thanks!