What Happens in Basic Training Today?

[norfolkred1]

Have no recollections of any bullying on our intake in Mar 80. Years later on the Royal Tournament I worked with the Welsh guards, now that was an eyeopener watching a WO telling a rookies to tense up while I punch you in the gut in front of rather a few witnesses who never bated an eye lid.

 

[Stevienics]

I never saw any bullying by staff in 71. Many loud bollockings were issued, bedpacks pulled apart if no good.
Lots of drill and shouting. You got extra press ups etc from pti if you mucked about or were slack in pt.

Be the grey man, always.

 

[vim_fuego]

Be the grey man, always.

And there is sage advice.

just before I started at 3FTS as an AEOp student the pass rate was 20%. There was a review of the place and it’s boss was swapped out for a more ‘fluffier’ character to try and change the outcome. I started with 10 on my course and 18 months later I was the only one to get through first time around. On reflection whilst I saw a bit of ‘I’m more awesome than you’ from some of my instructors and the odd character clash on the whole they gave my peers every chance to get on. It was the quality of the candidates that was the failing...they simply were round pegs in square holes in 90% of the cases. They couldn’t hack the pressure of the exams and didn’t want the seat in the jet badly enough.

 

[Tin basher]

Be the grey man, always.

That's the way forward,the students I remember most are the super stars and the total numpties, the 100's of grey men/women just passed the exams, did the work and quietly efficiently, without fuss they moved on. If your name keeps coming up for good or bad then expect the spotlight to swing your way.

 

[tornadofairy]

I was there in April 76, so much the same experience as Barch. Our Cpl was a cheesed off Irish guy and 'Dixe' Dean was the Sgt. I remember him hooking his pace stick in the back of my webbing belt when I tick-tocked, so I was stationary as the others marched off...

 

[Witty_Banter]

No2 shoes, bulled toe caps, No1's, bulled all over.

No bed packs any more, their duvets need to be folded in a certain way but they will receive instruction on standards.

There is new Henry Hoovers in most of the blocks now as the rooms are all carpeted.

To get ahead of the game they should go through the 'Trenchard Module'. It is an on-line tool that they should have access to on acceptance for service.

The most important thing is to arrive being able to pass the fitness test and with a good attitude to training. The instructors role is to enable a recruit to pass the course, not to act a some sort of gatekeeper to wheedle out people they deem not to be suitable.

Happy to answer any more questions if required.

I love how this threat went from 'what's current basic training like' to 'lets reminisce about how much we were abused as trainees' in less than 10 posts

Seriously though, I find it interesting that the RAF has gone to duvets and an online preparatory module. The Army are still issuing 'itchy and scratchy' blankets, and bedding has to be ironed every morning before inspection (yes, the bedding they've just slept in - my lad is currently on week 3 of army basic). They are given an a lot of personal 'welfare' time though - far more than I remember having back in the day.

 

[SAXAVORDIAN]

I didn't want to derail the thread,,, but there was a surprising amount of bullying that went on in the early-mid 80's.. I ran into one of the DI's several years later, and we did have a couple of beers - he mentioned that during the Falkland's the RAF were found to be, as a rule, the most physically unfit of the three services. There was also a big spike in recruitment in late 82 though about 85. Partially as a backlash from the Falkland's dispute, and partly as they were running back to back full courses for years at a time (with the additional strain) there was an increase in bullying around that time , mostly from the rocks, but some of the DI's were going to far as well. There was also a lot of swindles and con's going on at the time for extra beer money - how many recruits has to chip in to buy better cleaning supplies etc..

And no, i don't mean bullying in the sense of being shouted at, or bedpacks out the window - that is par for the course. I meant the ones who were knee'd in the bollocks, punched by DI staff, or hounded until they gave up as there were seen as week links (I get there has to be a way to fail people, i guess hounding until they quit was the old way.

I wonder what the attrition rate in training is now compared to the early 80's

When I joined in Mar 1981 just the usual shouting in the ear lugs but never any bullying. I remember cleaning the floors with the buffer and shanker stick an cloth. The bed-packs webbing shoes no1 uniform white belts brass. Going for breakfast in overalls then back to finish off cleaning before next duty. 0600 morning tannoy call. I was 14flt we had a tall cpl DI But I can not remember ever using any bullying on ours. I think we only ever had 2 who left at the start before the first weekend as you arrived on Wednesday. If you felt this was not your stick you had a travel pass issued to return home. After that Monday was the beginning being issued kit I think. I remember hearing 15flt DI a short stubby chap ahead of us when marching shout Left-SHIT-Left a lot. Weirdly I enjoyed Swinders, So unless a massive about turn happened later on bit surprised.