4 PARA

[DB Cooper]

got a couple of questions for any of the 4 PARA lads i live in london and im thinking of joining 4 PARA (white city) ive done P Coy already and im para trained

1. do i keep my rank if i transfer in from another unit ?
2. is there an option to do the sharpshooters course or has that been binned?
3. is there any tours of Afghan comming up ?

many thanks

[Cliodna]

This has absolutely nothing to do with your questions, but I'm sat creasing up at your "handle" and the fact that you have "Skydiving" listed as an interest.

Yep, I am easily amused

BTW...Where did you hide all that money?? I won't tell anyone else...promise

[jimw100]

In answer to number 3: There is currently a lot of talk about going to Afghanistan around about April 2008. Some say it will be boring force protection (I'm not saying that its not a worthwhile thing to be doing) but we were recently told that 4 Para is likely to be reinforcing the regular Para battalions (presumably 2 Para) and will be properly integrated.

And I think you should keep your rank, from what I've seen, but don't quote me on that.

[MrC]

Yes you will keep your rank from previous unit, you will however still have to do the whole recruit cardre (with the exception of CIC if you're already trained infantry).

There is an option for a sniper course, from what I saw it's not half as fun as it sounds, with 'sniping' being the least used skill (it seems to be mainly advance fieldcraft and recce), but this specialisation only seems to be open to the scoucers. St Helens of 12coy in mersy are the ones training snipers, they currently have an instructor attached from 2 Para.

Afgan 'should' be April '08 as previously mentioned and it will be to reinforce 16AA (which I think would be through an attachment to 2 Para)

Edit: sorry it was St Helens training snipers, not Hebburn..

[Brownale]

Yes you will keep your rank from previous unit, you will however still have to do the whole recruit cardre (with the exception of CIC if you're already trained infantry).

So, if he's say a corpral from 2 para, he would still have to do P Company again? That seems strange....

[Boxingmad]

There's a time limit for anyone who may have previously done P Coy who have to do it again, I think it's a certain no. of months/years. They may just get you to do a 10 miler to see how you are. Check with the PSAO first. As for trained infantry, if you've done CIC, you can go straight to P Coy, unless, again, there's been a certain amount of time since you did it last. Again, check with the PSAO, as the rules may have changed.

[jimw100]

Again, i'm only going from my experience but there were a couple of guys on my cadre, one who was in 2 Para but left 5+ years previously and one who was in a very well respected TA regiment, neither had to do the training cadre. They just had to do a 10 miler to show they had kept up their fitness as far as I know.

[Brownale]

sounds more like it..

they have proved previously that they have the mental toughness to pass p company, and also ahve a wide range of skills to bring to the unit - doing P comany again would be insulting!!

[Boxingmad]

Agree with that. I think just a 10 miler to see how you are is probably more likely. However, there are some ex reg guys who'll do it again just for fun!

[Boxingmad]

jimw100, U doin' all your training at White City?

[Sarastro]

We're going out of town on the weekends Boxing. Pirbright, Catterick & that one up by Leeds all on the schedule.

[MrC]

sounds more like it..

they have proved previously that they have the mental toughness to pass p company, and also ahve a wide range of skills to bring to the unit - doing P comany again would be insulting!!

There was a bloke on the last cardre who was ex 4 Para, he had his wings, and red lid, but because he had been out for around 10 years, he has just redone P-Coy in feb (all of it, and passed from what I heard).

People who had done Para reg service more recently (2-5 years) just had to complete the 10 miler.

Appologies if my previous post was unclear, but I was refering to people transfering in from other TA units, and had not done Pcoy at all (but may still be infantry trained). When I was training (Oct '06 cadre in Pudsey), out of the 20 or so guys, i was the only one without any prev military experience, the majority were transfering in from other TA units/OTC, a couple of guys from 21 or 23 and an ex Royal from 45cdo (out for 2 years) and they all had to do the full cadre.

To answer your question about a 2 Para cpl, it would depend on how long since he served, if it was fairly recently chances are he wouldn't have to do anything and could transfer straight in

[alfred_the_great]

What's the difference between the TA CIC and TA PARA CIC? Was looking at the School of Infantry Website (http://www.army.mod.uk/hqschinf/itc_catterick/index.htm) and there are 2 distinct courses; "Combat Infantryman’s Short Course (TA)" and "Combat Infantryman’s Short (PARA TA)".....

just wondering

[MrC]

What's the difference between the TA CIC and TA PARA CIC? Was looking at the School of Infantry Website (http://www.army.mod.uk/hqschinf/itc_catterick/index.htm) and there are 2 distinct courses; "Combat Infantryman’s Short Course (TA)" and "Combat Infantryman’s Short (PARA TA)".....

just wondering

Not sure what the difference is, but the TA P-Coy is done at the same time as CIC, so i'd guess the (PARA TA) would be the full 2 week course, which is 1 week CIC then 4 days P Company I think..

I've also heard of Lichfield doing a 2 week intensive course, which covers the full infantry TA training, maybe something similar?

Don't think it matters anyway, your TA center will sort out CIC if you're due to be on it..

[Sarastro]

Not sure what the difference is, but the TA P-Coy is done at the same time as CIC, so i'd guess the (PARA TA) would be the full 2 week course, which is 1 week CIC then 4 days P Company I think..

Spot on from what we've been told. You do all the same stuff in TA PARA CIC, except in fewer days. Then you do 4 days of just P-Company Test Week, the previous week at CIC substituting the first week that regular AAPP or P-Coy do before Test Week.