I'm currently doing recruit training for 10 Company, 4 Para(V).
For any of you interested in joining the TA Para Battalion I thought I'd write a brief journal of what I get up to on my recruit cadre so you can see how much fun we're all having.
Note: This is not how every cadre is structured, just a record of mine.
Weekend One
Arrive at Barracks. Issued our kit. Pack for weekend leaving most of our civvy stuff behind when we realise how much new kit we have to pack. Issued our SA80s. Load the trucks and we're away. Ride in the back of the trucks to the training area outside the city. Unload all the kit and bed down for the night. Heads down around midnight. Staggered guard duty through the night.
Up 06:00. Pack kit. shave and wash. Parade at 06:10 Sat in PT kit. Stretch, run, jump, sweat etc... Breakfast is good hot tucker and tastes practically gourmet after PT. Next up, a drill lesson and a lesson on Normal Safety Procedures for the SA80. Lunch. Basic First Aid Training Lesson. Lesson on Kit, Bergen, Webbing. Lesson on Disassembly, Assembly, Cleaning and Maintenance of the SA80.
Meal. Battalion Organisation Lesson. Map reading lesson. Heads down. Staggered guard duty through the night.Up 6:00. Parade 6:10. Basic Fitness Assessment. 2 mins Press-ups, 2 mins Sit-ups, 1.5 mile best effort.
Breakfast. Clean up training area. Pack. Load trucks. Back to the Barracks. Kit check. Lesson on uniform maintenance. Dismissed. Down the pub with all the lads. 
More lessons at weekly training, NBC, Navigation.
Running, running and more running.
Weekend 2.
Same drill as last weekend. Pack all our kit. In the vehicles. Unpack. Personal Admin, heads down, Stag.
Parade 06:00, PT, Breakfast, Rifle lessons all morning, Lunch, First Aid lessons, Drill, Eat,
Navigation lessons, Prep for tab, Heads down, Stag.
Parade 06:00, Drill, Breakfast, Tabbing
(double!, quickmarch! swing that weapon!), Pack, Load vehicles, back to the barracks, personal admin. Dissmissed. Down the pub with all the lads. There's a pretty good bunch of blokes on this cardre. I've made some good mates. We've only lost the one bloke so far who couldn't keep up but there's a long way to go and the staff ratchet it up a notch every week. It can be hard work, but it's a lot of fun with some good mates and it sure beats the hell out of the office job.
Weekend 3.
Lessons, BFAT, Tab
Weekend 4.
Live firing, Lessons, Tab
Weekend 5.
Live firing, 2 miler, Tab
Weekend 6.
Firing and moving, taking / breaking cover, harbouring, living in the field, cam, judging range, firing orders, TAB.
Well I may have lost enthusiasm for writing this but with the manic schedule of work and training it's moved down the priority list.
Later
Kiwi
"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognised by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy." - George Bernard Shaw
