Special Forces!

[gash-hand]

Well the only way I could see to find the real answere would be to ask an old commando and a new commando and ask them about the differences in the training, im sure it would be more difficult in some ways today but Im just saying that certain things have changed to help get more numbers.

so you don't actually know that commando standards have dropped then. i am guessing here but i reckon you have gained this opinion from reports in the press regarding the 'nintendo' generation having trouble passing out (of all services not just RM), that coupled with the old adage 'it was harder in my day' would seem to point to a fairly conclusive recommendation that training has become easier. however you do seem to be missing a few vital points.

1. British commando forces are probably smaller today than they have ever been in history, and not through lack of suitable recuits. but through necessity imposed by the government.
2. whatever you read in the press the training teams in charge of training recruits will still ensure the physical demands are of a high enough level to sift out the weaker members.
3. commando training is 30 weeks long, its common sense to expect that there will be failures along the way
4. if the commando course has gotten easier then why is the role of RM expanding to cover roles traditionally undertaken by the regular army?

i don't actually know if training is any easier now then in the 70's, and i doubt that'll they'll ever be agreement on this question. but i do know that unless you are prepared to either reasearch this subject properly or do the course yourself, then i can't see you getting much assistance from this forum.

incidentially i have met 2 aussie servicemen in my time (both aussie sas) and i can honestly they were two of the most self opinionated wa*kers i have ever had the misfortune to meet - you aren't doing anything to help change my perception of your countrymen.

[Deniable_Operative]

I wouldn't say that the standards of training have dropped, i would say that the kind of threats they face have changed, and their training has adapted to meet that threat.

Back in the old days, when firing on a target, everyone in your team would estimate how far away the target was, and they would take an average and aim based on that distance... now it's all done with infra red distance measuring, the same technology also used by surveyors, it's so much quicker.

"you can't say things don't progress, every war they kill you a new way"

[Padre]

Please excuse me I may be in the wrong place but it`s my first time.I was looking for info on training for 21 and 23 sas and the difference between it and training for 22 sas.also has anyone any knowledge on selection for the irish army ranger wing ?,,since the unit trains with 22 sas.
Regards.

[GARRYOWEN]

A member of the ARW was killed out in Liberia doing a recce for UN forces.

[Padre]

Yeah i was on the irish defence forces website but info on the unit is restricted enough.It does`nt really go into the selection ,just that it`s four weeks long and gruelling.As far as training with foreign units I know they train with 22sas,sas-r,us rangers,nzsas,italian cis,and swedish special op`s.I also heard they got some training from delta force.Does anyone have any information on their new selection course Kilo one? and how hard is it to get into the unit?
Also does anyone know who was placed 1st and second in the recent international CTC competition ?The ranger`s were 3rd.
Derek Mooney RIP.

Regards.

[GARRYOWEN]

I think the Royal Marines also have something to do with their training, it may be something to do with boat handling and such like.

[harry hackedoff]

Bless me father, for I have sinned.
A little bit, anyway.
Er, well, er, quite a lot actually

Don`t think we`ve had a Sin Bosun on here before, so welcome aboard Padre, drop in whenever you`re not too busy with the old devil-dodging, just make sure yer hip flask is full, mate.

Don`t know much about Irish Army SF, but I do know two former Irish Army lads who served in the Corps. Since one of them will be staying over on Saturday for a barby and lamp swinging sesh, I shall ask him for the s.p.

Before he drinks all me Guinness, obviously

"For your Penance, young Harry, say three Hail Marys, two Our Fathers and give yerself a good thrashing"

Thank you father

Aye, Harry, a lapsed Catholic of forty-one years

[Padre]

Harry you`re sins are forgiven,I `m not actually a priest but if you can
ask you`re mate about ranger selection I`d be grateful.Also if you know anyone in 22 sas ask them if they know anything about the unit because they train together.

The boat troop might have something to do the royal marines or sbs..I don`t know.

It actually quite "irish" if you`ll pardon the pun but there is more known about the sas/us special op`s than the ranger wing here.Why I don`t know ?

In anyway go thy way and sin no more.
Regards,

[Aldo]

Ayup Jack. I think if the IRs do training with 22SAS I'd also bet that they do training with the SBS, might do a bit with the Royals but don't they use pretty different tactics and boats?

[harry hackedoff]

Padre,

I `m not actually a priest

Never thought for one minute that you were a God Botherer:P

Anyway,

I`m not really Harry Hackedoff I just pretend to be

What are you pretending to be, Padre?

Aldo, was that a statement or a question?

[Aldo]

Aldo, was that a statement or a question?

It was sort of an opinion with a question at the end.

opinion -

I think if the IRs do training with 22SAS I'd also bet that they do training with the SBS, might do a bit with the Royals

Question -

but don't they use pretty different tactics and boats?

hope that helps harry.

[Padre]

Harry it`s just a psuedonym,I might`nt be a man of the cloth but like yourself I`m a catholic.

Anyway I don`t know what way to take your question..?Well to draw a line under it I`m a wanabee ranger ,irish or us ranger,i don`t know yet.
I just have an interest in all things sf.

Did you serve in any unit?

Celebrity member ,aye aye,I dont know if they train with SBS.I kow they go over every so often to the brecon beacon`s for what`s it called the long drag..?From what is known of the army ranger wing it was founded circa..the 1970`s after members from all branches of the armed forces attended ranger school in fort benning georgia.The army ranger wing was formally established in and around april( i think) 1980.A lot of people wrongly think that the irish rangers are the equivalent of the us rangers.it`s true that they do train together but the rangers here have far more roles than the yanks.The us rangers are mainly an elite light infantry unit(s) with special op`s capabilities but here they do much more,not just unconventional warfare,special missions etc,but they have a ct role ie hostage situations,Vip protection etc.I`d say you could call the ranger wing a verbatim of sas and the delta force .

In anyway Bye for now.

[Aldo]

Did you serve in any unit?

Don't get him started on that..."during the war..."

I kow they go over every so often to the brecon beacon`s for what`s it called the long drag

Yeah but they're phasing out the use of spliffs for fear it makes the soldiers less effective

[harry hackedoff]

Cheeky bastard, Aldo

I didn`t know much about the Irish Defence Force and even less about the Irish Rangers. However, after several snags, shrimp, steaks( both beef and roo) crayfish and chutney ferrets, and a sufficiency of the black stuff, yer man did give me the sp.

Irish defence force has no organic capability to procure equipment from Irish sources. There is no Irish defence industry. For Eire, this is a good thing. It means they aren`t tied in to any deals with Euro buddies, Herman for instance, which end up costing far more than the item was worth to begin with. (Don`t mention Tornado )
This enables them to buy kit off the shelf from any source they see fit. As long as it comes close to milspec quality or ability, then they`ll buy it.

They take the same approach to training the Rangers, and despite what you say, they were initially modelled on US Rangers. There is no organic SF Training facility, so bits of it are purchased from various foreign countries. Para training is carried out by UK Para Reg for instance. They do train with/are trained by SAS, Delta and certain European SF elements. The primary role being counter- terrorist in nature, in the Irish Republic. However, they were deployed ,operationally , a couple of years ago, in East Timor, working closely with Aussie SAS ( known as SASR) under a UN Mandate. This was the first publicly announced foreign deployment. I have no information as to how hard their selection is, what it consists of or even how many attempt or complete it.

Effing good barby though, good luck with your ambition Padre. I`m most definitely not a catholic, by the way. Far too sinfull for that old bollocks
And that`s after I`ve cleaned me act up
Aye,