Cracking on

Fusilier Stephen Johns

Fusilier Johns is back at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, after 2 weeks of leave. Training is underway again, this week with driving theory tests and live firing on the light machine gun.

Week 14 was the first one back after 2 weeks of leave. It was good to get a break, but people were glad to get back to crack on with training.

This week was driver theory training week. The guys who don’t have a driving licence went away and started learning to do the theory for the Cat B. As I and several others already had Cat B we started to practise for our Cat C theory. If we pass this then we have the chance to take the practical test at the end of training, depending on the amount of spaces on the course and what our battalions want us to do.

Quite a few of us passed the theory before Thursday so we spent the rest of the week doing administration. We cleaned and checked our weapons for faults and then we had the opportunity to work on our best books so they were up to a high standard. (These are where we keep all the notes we have taken over the course). It is useful as we have so much information thrown at us in a short space of time we use this to keep our knowledge and hold it for future reference.

Friday was live firing  on the light machine gun (LMG). This was out to 100m and it was to get us ready ahead of LMG camp next week. I really enjoyed firing the LMG and am looking forward to  the  camp.  We will be spending the whole week live firing and it should be really enjoyable.

Passed first time

Fusilier Stephen Johns

Here’s another update from Fusilier Stephen Johns at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick. He recalls week 12 of phase 1 training and a further step towards passing out. 

Week 12 for me started with the phase 1 output test. This is a 6-mile loaded march carrying 20kg  followed by RMT (Representative Military Tasks). I didn’t take part in this as I was still injured at the time – so I am doing it at the end of next week.

Thanks to all the effort everyone has put in and the efforts of the PTIs and platoon staff over last few weeks everyone passed so we only have the ACMT and Tactical Exercise 1 to pass to complete phase 1.

The rest of the week has mainly been spent at the ranges doing practise shoots for the Annual Combat Marksmanship Test which was run on Thursday. Again, thanks to the platoon staff and their high standard of teaching, everyone passed despite being  nervous on the day.

On Friday we went back to the ranges to practise the shoots that the platoon had scored the least on.  We also did our weapon handling test for the light machine gun and I was one of the people that passed first time.

Next week we have Tactical Exercise 1 to look forward to, which is a 3 day 2 night exercise.

We had lunch at the top!

Fusilier Stephen Johns

In his latest blog, Fusilier Stephen Johns, a soldier under training at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, reports on a packed week of adventurous training. 

This week we had adventurous training.

We got to Halton on Monday with the other platoons and we were split down into groups of  8-12 people. We then had a brief about meal times, the accommodation and safety in the lines for the week’s activities which began the next day.

On Monday we had caving in the pouring rain, we stopped in a local village before hand to get some snacks for the day. Once we got to the caves themselves we had all the equipment shown and explained to us. I found caving to be fun but other people didn’t like it because they didn’t like the small, confined spaces…

We were in the caves until about 1500hrs, then started our return to camp. We had quite a lot of downtime to ourselves to relax.

On Tuesday we did rock climbing and abseiling. Some groups did this indoors because of the weather but we were outside. We drove to an abandoned quarry where we did our abseiling. It was about an 80 foot drop, which was great fun and most people enjoyed it apart from people scared of heights!

Wednesday was kayaking and canoeing. This was great fun and one of the most enjoyable events. Once we were taught the basic techniques and had a bit of practise we had a game of water polo, which was a good laugh.

On Friday we did mountaineering. Everyone was given a map and compass and we went to the top in a group. We had lunch at the top! On the way back down everyone took it in turns to navigate to a certain point. The aim was to improve our practical map reading skills.

Overall the week was an enjoyable one.  We stopped off in a different village each day, everything we did was based around improving skills we had learnt in the classroom and also focused on the Army’s values and standards.

We couldn’t see out to 100m!

Fusilier Stephen Johns

Fusilier Stephen Johns writes once again from the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick about his latest experiences of Army basic training. It’s been a busy week – even with a foot injury!

 

Personally I didn’t do much this week. I injured my foot at home so have been going to the Medical and Physiotherapy centres. I’m trying to get fit again for week 12 when we have our 6 mile output test. I’m confident that I will be back by then although it may mean missing a good week of adventurous training next week.

My platoon this week started with another 5-mile loaded march. This was the second one at this distance and so people were more used to it and nobody struggled too much this time around. This puts the platoon in good standing for the output test on week 12.

We’ve had a lot of lessons this week,  focusing on Battlefield Casualty Drills (BCD), map reading and the light machine gun (LMG). The lessons have been going well. Our platoon staff have been teaching us well and the we are picking up the content quickly. Our map reading lessons are getting more advanced. We all passed our written progress test and have a practical map reading exercise next week during adventurous training. We have also had a written BCD test, which we haven’t had the results for but I am confident we have passed.

At ITC Catterick  the training staff are good, as they go through everything you need to know and they make sure everyone understands. They don’t shout and bawl at you if you don’t pick things up first time. They want you to learn and understand what is being taught.

We have also been on the ranges and also the DCCT. We are shooting out to 300m again, practising for the marksmanship test. On the range the weather was foggy so everyone had to wait a couple of hours for the shoot as we couldn’t see out to 100m!

This week was not as good as last week for shooting and not everyone passed. There were quite a few reshoots. Even on the DCCT we had people failing as the standards needed to pass have increased. We will definitely need the few days on the ranges in week 12 before our marksmanship test.

We can pick each other up when we’re down

Fusilier Stephen Johns

Writing from the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, Fusilier Stephen Johns details his 9th week of Phase 1 Training – a week in which he’s marched further, heavier and faster than before!

A few people came back from weekends at home and were a bit down. Some wanted to quit. But after a bit of talking about it they decided not to and to keep going with training. We’re now at the stage  where we’re all mates and we can pick each other up when we’re  down.

We had a 5-mile loaded march this week. It was the furthest we’ve marched, carrying the most weight and at the quickest pace so far. I struggled, as did a few other people but apart from one person who had an injury everyone finished.

We continued to learn about the light machine gun this week, and we are getting quicker and slicker at the drills. I am looking forward to the first time we fire it which is coming up in a few weeks. I will let you know how it goes.

We are also continuing to learn about map reading and battlefield casualty drills. The whole platoon is picking these up quickly and we are getting in front of the lesson plan!

Plus there was a day on the ranges. We were lucky as it was one the best days for shooting. It was a nice, warm and sunny day with hardly any wind. We are practising for our Annual Combat Marksmanship Test (ACMT) which is due in week 12. I am doing OK at shooting and I didn’t have to do any reshoots at the range. We have one person in the platoon who only dropped one shot. We have more shooting practise before the test – a day next week and then a further 2 in week 12.

Next week we have another 5-mile loaded march, the steeplechase and another range day to look forward to.

An introduction to the Light Machine Gun

Fusilier Stephen Johns writes once more from the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick.

Fusilier Stephen Johns

Week 8 for me here at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, started with a 4-mile loaded march. This was further and with more weight than before. It was difficult and some people struggled as they had been home over the weekend (and probably partied a bit too hard) but everyone finished.

We also had an overnight field test, examining at all the things we had learned over the first 3 exercises. It was a cold night but luckily it didn’t rain.

We had an introduction to the Light Machine Gun (LMG) this week. It was interesting to learn something new. Everyone is picking it up quickly and the lessons are moving along quickly. We’ve  had quite a few lessons this week as there’s a lot to learn

We also went to the indoor training range to learn to shoot out to 300m. At first it was quite difficult as it was the furthest we have shot to but after bit of practise we all improved and everyone passed.

We also had more signals lessons. We are learning how to talk over the radio and how to send and receive messages. We should get to use these on the next few exercises

We finished the week with a log race which my section won. We carried the log over about 3 miles. We had more Light Machine Gun lessons and a few lectures on the law of armed conflict and rules of engagement – everyone needs to learn these.

And everyone passed!

Fusilier Stephen Johns

Fusilier Stephen Johns writes from the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, with an update on his most recent week of training on the Combat Infantrymans’ Course.

Week 7 of the Combat Infantrymans’ Course began with work on the ranges – firing from a distance of 100 metres. This is more difficult than shooting at 25 or 50 metres but it was enjoyable and a good experience.

On Tuesday we had a swimming test. We had to swim in uniform around the swimming pool after treading water for 2 minutes. It was more difficult than swimming in shorts but most people still managed to pass. After swimming we had bayonet fighting. The corporals motivated  us from the start to try to get maximum aggression out of us. It was difficult – but also enjoyable.

On Wednesday we had introduction to the steeplechase. It had been raining the night before and the course was muddy which made it difficult going, even though it was just an introduction!

For Thursday we were back to the ranges, having our rifles zeroed to our eyes. It was a windy day which made it a little more difficult.

Then on Friday we had circuit training which was more intense than our last lesson. But the physical training here is progressive and it gets a bit harder every week. We also went on the Dismounted Close Combat Trainer (DCCT – an indoor laser range). We were simulating shooting at 100, 200 and 300 metres. And everyone passed!

Mind over matter

2Lt Sam Westlake

P Company is all over for Second Lieutenant Westlake. Did he pass?

The final day of P Company – and I had a proper limp on.  The 20-miler dispelled any doubts as to whether I was injured or not and walking was a struggle.  Gradually my legs warmed up a bit and with copius amounts of ibuprofen and co-codamol I was ready for the Stretcher Race.  The course was sized off in to 2 teams of 13 that would carry 80kg stretchers over 4.5 miles.  Again this is a hard event, but by this point in the course it was easy to summon the determination to stick with it.  The hardest point is the drive up Stretcher Hill, a steep, long, muddy hill that has to be climbed after running through water ditches.  After this hill however, you’re on the home straight.  Some find the log harder than the stretcher and vice versa.  Personally I found today the biggest test and I had a great sense of achievement when we finished.  Though pretty crippled, knowing it was the final day of All-Arms was enough motivation to run through any pain; as with many events it was a case of mind over matter.

The beret parade followed.  One by one our numbers were called followed by either “pass” or “fail”.  Those of us who passed were given the maroon lids we have worked so hard for and a handshake from the OC and CSM.  We had 4 fails out of the 26 of us who made it this far.  The 22 of us who passed were in the bar a few hours later with the staff watching a video of our course.  It is a very good feeling to have passed this course, especially as it was a challenge I set for myself on deciding to join The Parachute Regiment about 2 years ago.  It is a very good course and there are some enjoyable days but it is definitely a course to do once.

I for one will definitely return to Catterick for the Paras’ 10 Race (www.paras10.com) and am looking forward to tackling the training area again in September.

Welcome to Catterick

Fusilier Stephen Johns

Fusilier Stephen Johns is a recent recruit to the British Army. He is currently undertaking the Combat Infantrymans’ Course at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick. In his first blog he summarises his experiences of the first few weeks.

The first few weeks at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick go by quickly as there’s a lot to do. It can be a shock to the system at the start as you begin the process of going from civilian to solider.

Week 1 can be a bit boring, as there’s a lot of waiting around. There’s a lot of administration and paperwork to do. Everyone is nervous as they begin the introduction to the Army way of life.

Some people get a bit homesick – especially the younger recruits, as they have not lived away from home before. The shock of introduction to Army life goes away after the first couple of weeks, once you get used to the routine.

Towards the end of week 1 and the start of week 2 the pace picks up. There’s a lot to learn in a short space of time. Everything you learn is progressive and as the weeks go on all the information you learn is built upon and you can see the progression.

The first exercise is good fun as you learn the basics of living in the field. When we did it there were high winds and it was raining. But it was still good fun, except for doing sentry duty in the pitch black. You cannot see anything!

After Intro Ex 1 the pace of life continues to increase, there are more lessons in the classroom learning various things such as military law and there are also rifle lessons which are always good fun. The standards expected of you in your locker lay out and standard of dress also increase with each passing week.

In week 4 you have your weapon handling test to see if you are competent with the rifle. Intro Ex 2 is a chance to improve on the skills you learned in Intro Ex 1 and you learn more fieldcraft too. You also get to fire your rifle for the first time which is great. We did fire and movement, which was tiring but also good fun.

After Intro Ex 2 the focus switches to the week 5 drill test. You need to pass this to gain your regimental beret and also get a long weekend at home. It involves a few late nights and early morning as you need to prepare for the OC’s inspection. We passed both his  inspection and the drill test and it was a great feeling to get the beret and relax on a long weekend.

No one really talks about the 20-Miler

2Lt Sam Westlake

There’s been drama on the penultimate day of P Company as one man broke a leg on a challenging 20-Miler. Second Lieutenant Sam Westlake has the details in his latest blog.

We drove out of Catterick Garrison at around 0630hrs bound for Otterburn – all because the Officer Commanding P Company deems the hills of Yorkshire too small for his 20-Miler, hence the drive to Northumberland!

I was looking forward to this event because I was strong on the hills in the beat-up stage of the course.  But this tab was a bit of a shock and the first leg, as always, was quick.  The first hill was big and both the All-Arms and Recruit packs soon spread out.  After about 4 miles there’s 4-minute water stop which allows everyone to close up and get some food and water on board.

The pace of this tab is not like a 10-Miler but the steepness of the hills and the uneven nature of the ground makes it hard.  We lost three men in the early stages, one with a broken leg.  He had been carrying a stress fracture and his tibia finally gave way during a double down hill.  There are long water stops on this TAB which allow time to get the bergen off your back and eat from the top flap so there is no need to fill your pockets.  No one really talks about the 20-Miler, probably because there is so much emphasis on the Log and Stretcher Races, but don’t disregard it.  Use the final weekend to prepare, because it is tough.