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Okay I think this needs sorting out. In literature all over the place about bootneck training they say that it is the longest basic training in Europe, or NATO, or something. Is there any other force out there in the whole entire world which is anywhere near as long or even longer then 30 weeks?

Not until you get on the ML course or go to Hereford. As far as basic training, it is generally accepted as the longest and toughest.

What i believe it means is that, it is the longest basic INFANTRY training in the world. Not to mention the best in the world.
The US Marines only have to do 11 or 13 weeks or something like that, is it really worth bothering??

JZ

officer training RNLMC straight from the street: just over 9 months = 36 weeks.

USMC training (basic and infantry) is 13 weeks.

US Army Infantry training (basic and infantry) is 14.

To become a US Army Ranger you must pass basic, infantry, airborne (3 weeks), and a 2 or 3 week indoctrination program. You aren't really taught much in RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program) but are pushed to your limits and encouraged to quit. Total to get to the US's Ranger Regiment - 20 weeks.

There is also a program in the US military where civilians can enlist into the Special Forces directly. The pipeline for that process is close to two years, but you can be dropped at any point for failing to meet standards. It's not really comparable to the others though, as they aren't infantry - specialised or otherwise. They're the ones who liason with foreign countries.

Someone mention 'ereford'?

Seriously, how come the yanks dont train for as long, even though they have about 20 squillion dollars per man? My gunner training is 23 weeks for christ sake! (longer to join para squadron).......talk about not making the most of there money!

Bringer,
I though US Army Ranger were Elite. Im sure I read somewhere that you have to be 'invited' to join from your normal corps or be near the top of your class etc etc...

Nah I'm pretty sure anyone can apply to be a Ranger it's the 'Delta Force' who get Invited and only those who are Seargent or above..

The US Army Rangers are elite... no question about it. However, most of their numbers come directly to the Ranger Regiment from basic/airborne and not from other units. The Ranger Regiment is a part of SOCOM (Special Operations Command). Other SOCOM units include Special Forces (the green berets), Delta Force, and the US Navy SEALs. Rangers provide firepower and numbers to SOCOM, for use in direct action.

Staying in the Regiment means giving 100% every single day. If it's felt that you're not cutting it, they will drop you any time.

There is also Ranger School, which is more of a leadership course than a commando school. Most people in the Regiment are tabbed (a Ranger tab is given upon completion of Ranger School), but for the rest of the US Army, Ranger School is usually reserved for NCOs and officers.

Delta Force, which was modeled very closely after the SAS, is the one you need an invite to.

The thing with the US forces is the various units are very different to each ther and UK units. There is now a program whereby you can go straight into the rangers from civviedom, and that has recently been applied to the US army SF. However it has been the case in the SEALS for years. But, the rangers and Royal Marines are not special forces, rather elite light infantry.

Anyways, there are a couple of reasons as far as I know that the US don't spend much time on training. Firstly, there is the recruiting issue; the long er the training, the more potential soldiers will give up or fail so by having short training, you get more men. And even with extremely generous financial incentives as well, the US forces overall still suffer manpower shortfalls.

Secondly, US forces are very specialised. For instance, the Royal marines are three things: Marines, mountian troops, commandos. To get the same results, the US takes the other approach. They have a bloody big corps full of marines, anything slightly cold or rocky is given to 10th mountain division, while the commando role is generally filled by the Rangers. So one Royal Marines has roughy the same number of skills as three US troops, therefore his training will obviously take longer.

depending on how you look at it.....the PARA's have the same length of time as the RM.....They do 26 weeks Basic..then a 4 week Parachuting Course.

= Jay =

Actually voodoo, the US 10th Mtn Div is really just light infantry. They wear a Mountain tab on their uniforms as tradition but really receive no specialized mountain training. It's just the continuation of a very decorated WW2 division, much like how the 101st Airborne is no longer an airborne division.

The single biggest difference is how military careers are percieved in the two countries. In the US, it's a 3-4 year step before someone goes to college and moves on into civilian life. In the UK, military service is more of a life-long career move in itself. Promotions come much quicker in the US, with six years in pretty much guaranteeing you sergeant stripes.

They are much more specialised though, no question. When you have as many people in uniform as they do you can't afford to train everyone to do everything.

The rangers are taken straight from infantry training into 'jump school' (but only if they have the right qualities) then if needed specialist training . That is what a friend of mine told be who served with the rangers 'back in the day'.

Gurkhas;

Recruit Intake 2002 consists of 230 Trainee Riflemen trained over a testing 39 weeks in Catterick where they take part in a wide range of training activities.

http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkh ... /index.htm

Jay

To compare cherries and booties we'd have to say booties do 30 weeks. If we add a 4 wk jump cse to that, the "basic" trg would go up to 34 weeks to compare like with like.