Hi lads, I just thought I'd write a quick diary of what I did at my PRMC these last couple of days. It has changed slightly since Gippers diary so I thought I'd write one
First of all, I went there in shirt and tie (as did a lot of others). It was recommended by my AFCO but some people turned up in football shirts as their AFCO didn't tell them to. I would advise you to wear shirt and tie as first impressions and all.
I got off the train at 15.15 on Sunday afternoon and was taken to our block and put our bags on our bunk beds. We then went to the store room and grabbed the kit required for these next few days. Like Gipper said in his diary, try to get some boots that feel comfortable or else you will end up with blisters. As there was only 20 of us on this course (it was a VERY small course), it was fairly easy to get a good pair of boots, good jacket, trousers etc. We then were given bibs with numbers on. This was what we were going to be kown as to the Corporals and how they marked us. I was Orange 3.
After we got our kit sorted, we waited for the last few people to turn up then got told we were allowed to go to the Spar shop on site. I advise strongly to buy some lucozade, chocolate etc to build your energy and also drink about a waterbottle of water (you get given a water bottle, KFS, cup). Then it was lights out at 22.30
Monday (Day 1)
I set my alarm for 05.40 (reveille was 05.45) and was lucky I did as the Corporals dont wake you up...it's up to you to get up. We all got up, made beds, shit, showered, shaved etc then cleaned the toilets and rooms. We didn't have to do this but it is best to do it just incase they do want you to do it. After this, we went for scran (food). I walked into the mess hall and saw all the other recruits in training getting food, eating food. I saw a few trained Marines there with their green lids on and I'll tell ya what, you look up at them like gods!
I grabbed some cerial and a cup of water. You could have had a fry up, but I didn't fancy seeing it again in the gym (which a few people did see again who had had the fry up!). We returned from scran and got changed into our boots, trousers (soldier 95 pattern), t shirt and field jacket. At about 7am we were then taken for drill by the drill Sgt. I dunno how, but our group of lads picked up the drill very quickly and the drill Sgt seemed very impressed. I had previous experience of being in the TA so knew most of it anyway, but there were a few differences in Navy drill compared to Army drill.
We returned from drill and got changed in our PT kit with our coloured vests on. The Sgt Major of the course then gave us a lecture on the PRMC ahead of us. Next was gym test 1.
Gym Test 1
We entered the gym running and stood in 3 ranks. You are not allowed to scratch or anything or else you have to do tuck jumps which wastes precious energy.
First was the bleep test. We didnt warm up for this, just straight into the bleep test. To start with, this is very easy...just keep with the others and it is fine. But when it reaches about level 8, it begins to get harder. by level 11.4 I couldn't do no more and had my 2 warnings and was pulled off (if you dont reach the line in time you get a warning). I wasnt the first off, one guy came off on level 6. A lot of guys came off between 11 and 11.6. Two guys (one was a gym instructor) made it to level 13 where it finishes. While the other guys were finishing the bleep test the rest of us were walking in a big circle to keep us and our heart rates going.
Straight after this we did the press ups. One guy lays down with his fist on the floor and knuckles facing up. He has to look away. You then are told to take your tshirt off and get in the press up position. You then have 2 minutes to do as many press ups as possible. The guy lying down counts 1 everytime your chest touches his knuckles. Remember to keep your feet together and elbows tucked in otherwise the PTIs and Corporals tell the person counting to take off 2 or 4 or 5 etc. You are allowed to come up and lock your elbows to 'rest' but if you put anything down apart from your feet or hands you get told to stand up and that is your score from there. After the 2 minutes, you then swap positions with the person who counted for you and count his press ups. When you have finished the press ups and are stood up, a corporal comes along and ask how many the person got who you counted for. Remember to come to attention when giving your answer and finish with either Corporal or staff...or else more tuck jumps is in order! After the press ups is sit ups. This is done in the same way as press ups, but again, remember to keep your knees together, your elbows touch your knees when coming up and your arms slap the mat when coming down as they are VERY picky on these. I managed to get 57 press ups out and 49 sit ups (I have a lot deducted for the sit ups).
The final one is the pull ups. These are done on a big bar where you wont be able to grip like the pull up bars you get from Argos. 3 of you do pull ups at once and you all go up together. You stay 'up' until the last man pulls up, then go down together, then up again and hold until the last man. One guy blacked out on this and a couple slipped off the bar. Remember to try and rub the sweat off your hands on your t-shirt/vest. I only managed to do 4 here as I just couldn't get my chin over the bar. I could pull myself up fine, but just not that final part. I think it was the positioning of my hands that did that for me.
Straight after this is the swimming assesment. It's fairly straight forward. You climb up, jump off the diving board and swim breast stroke to the other end of the 50metre pool. A lot of people got told they need to improve teir swimming here. I thought I was a good swimmer, but they told me to try and improve my posture in water. It isnt a pass/fail....just an assesment.
That was the end of Gym Test 1.
(more to come........)
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