Basic training

[CRAZYHORSE]

I wonder if anyone could give me an idea if its a hard slog for the first 3 or 4 weeks of basic and becomes a little easier or is it constant for the full 9 weeks.
Thanks

 

[JTforever]

The whole 9 weeks is easy.

Just do "what you are told" "when you are told to do it" and you wont go far wrong.

 

[Craig855s]

Back when i did it it was 7 weeks, its probably easier these days than it was then due to political correctness and human rights etc. For the first few days you may think the DI staff are nasty *******s, but as you get further into it you'll find out they're normal guys and they'll be willing you to succeed near the end wheras the moment you arrive you'll think theyre gonna beat you to death with a stick

 

[Bratlow]

Back when i did it it was 7 weeks, its probably easier these days than it was then due to political correctness and human rights etc. For the first few days you may think the DI staff are nasty *******s, but as you get further into it you'll find out they're normal guys and they'll be willing you to succeed near the end wheras the moment you arrive you'll think theyre gonna beat you to death with a stick

Aaaaah... the DI's... Good times! LOL!

DT_Xtremez_07:

 

[Inch High DI]

Back when i did it it was 7 weeks, its probably easier these days than it was then due to political correctness and human rights etc. For the first few days you may think the DI staff are nasty *******s, but as you get further into it you'll find out they're normal guys and they'll be willing you to succeed near the end wheras the moment you arrive you'll think theyre gonna beat you to death with a stick

Popular myth and rumour again I am afraid. RTS training is now 9 weeks long and as hard, if not harder, than when us old sweats did it. There are now training objectives to pass throughout the course, fail an objective and it is a re-flight to address that learning problem. It is not an attendance course like Cranwell. Health and Safety does exist, but has not had an impact on the robustness or toughness of the training. Bottom line is, you have to work hard every day from 0600-2300, pass everything or you DO NOT Graduate......simple

 

[Mag2grid]

It is not an attendance course like Cranwell.

Ah was wondering how long before this was brought up.

IOT is by no means an attendance course. Like BRTC there are training objectives to be met, more on IOT given the length of it. Whilst not all may be physical there are more academic challenges to pass.

Some say that that Officer Cadets on IOT do Halton in the first 4 weeks of their time at Cranwell, thats not true nor a realistic representation of the course. However the basic same material is covered, GSK, Drill,FA,Rifle,Mill Skills, daily phys and admin in the block etc. However on IOT you are given responsibile from day 1 when you can be appointed as Officer Cadet IC Sqn,Flight or Section.

If you dont make the grade at any point on IOT you can and are recoursed 10 weeks I've seen a 20 week recourse! I'd argue you are more under the microscope at Cranwell, things like Officer Qualities, Intigrity,Core Ethos & Values and taken to the next level at the College and you are recoursed if you fall short of the standard.

Things you can get recoursed for include:
-Failing RAFFT/IOTFA at all points (starting with the first one on day 4 of the course)
-Failing Air Power exams
-Failing Bandar Essay
-Failing Ex ACTIVE EDGE/DECISIVE EDGE/DECISIVE EDGE 2(as was dont know what its called now)
-Poor scores on Ex MIL AID.
-Plus all of the above.

That said I saw more Officer Qualities used for a reason for recoursing when I went through the course.

Doesnt sound like an attendance course to me. Yes the course is always going to have a stigma associated with it that it is easy given the subject matter being more academic rather then physical, its not as grueling as Sandhurst nor as job focused as Dartmouth, it sits in the middle I think,having friends currently at both training establishments.

Dont get me wrong, there were points of the course that I believed were too pink and fluffy, to this day I still cant see what the objective of them was, however its bulls*** that just needs to be got on with, no doubt there are the same things on BRTC.

From what I have seen BRTC seems to be a lot more in the recruits face so to speak, the DI's, SI's are always there. On IOT you are given the rope to hang yourself on Day 1, to develop your leadership/personal responsibilities/Team working skills.

 

[Drill Bit]

It is not an attendance course like Cranwell.

I presume you have done both BRTC and IOT to make such and statement? I've done both (well the 7 & 24 wk iterations) and can testify that neither were attendance courses.

 

[Mag2grid]

Think Inch High DI was at Halton as an instructor for a while (if not still there).

 

[Stevienics]

I presume you have done both BRTC and IOT to make such and statement? I've done both (well the 7 & 24 wk iterations) and can testify that neither were attendance courses.

Well, they were, except that every 6 weeks the requirement for selective "attendance" reduced by huge lumps.

 

[Inch High DI]

Think Inch High DI was at Halton as an instructor for a while (if not still there).

He is still an instructor at RTS, and recently visited IOT at Cranwell (with in the last 2 months), and was told by an instructor there, that and I quote:
'To be binned off the IOT course, you would need to have followed a very long and extremely complex path for you to not pass the course and be discharged from the RAF'
Therefore giving the impression, that unless all the ducks were in a line and the everything else was in place.....you would be given as many chances to pass as you needed. Hence the comment, attendance only.

At RTS there is a robust re-flight procedure that is followed, and if you do not achieve all training objectives in a timely manner or do not show the correct attitude you do not graduate, if you don't graduate, you are shown the door to civvy street, and it does happen at RTS.

As for B***sh*t factor, no, everything we do at RTS has a point or objective to it, the days of dicking people about for the sake of it are long gone here, and so they should be. All that does is p*ss people off and degrade them and their ability to learn.

If anyone would like to visit RTS we are more than willing to show them round, (just give me a shout) I think people will be very pleasantly surprised at was does go on here and the end product we are pushing out.

 

[ItsAbigWorld]

I can say, that after recently attending PRTC and having had first hand experience of RTC 6 years ago, I can see in those short 6 years alone, there has been a very significant, and positive change, to the way RTC is done.

I am looking forward to it, but also anxious.

From the Recruits I spoke to in the mess and the ones I saw being marched around etc, there does seem a rather good balance of emotions. I.e: Recruits mentioned there is a strong feeling of "I must get this right to pass" without fearing the next day or getting down about it.

Not sure what relevance that has to the above posts, but from what I experienced it certainly doesn't look like a place to d*ck around for 9 weeks.