Survival Training

[The Southerner]

What does survival training involve? I've heard about worm omelettes, have no idea if it's actually true. Does it involve the killing of any animals?

It may sound strange but I don't think I could hack killing an animal if I knew my life didn't depend on it.

[G.I. Jim]

The thing is southerner, one day your life might well depend on you killing an animal, so wouldn't you agree that it's good crack to practise it in training.

Im not sure whats involved excactly but from what I hear you strip down naked in front of the staff so as they can make sure you don't have a mars bar stuffed in the crack of your arse or where ever else you may try and hide it, then it's out to the field, and if you want some thing to eat you have to catch it first.

Im sure one of the more experienced members will be able to go into it in a bit more detail.

[harry hackedoff]

but from what I hear

Survival situations are always great fun, hard work of course, but fun.
Raw limpets and frozen seaweed are my favorite as are sleep deprivation and not knowing what`s going on in Neighbours

Is that really the time? Oooh, yawn

[jphil]

survival training during the 32weeks is fun not cold.
The ML show u how to make basic shelters, basic stuff to catch animals.
Do not fall to sleep as they will give u the worst beastin ever.
U do have to kill a chicken and a rabbit and cook it for food, as u have no food only a survival tin to make a fire and stuff.
Worst thing about the training is that it is done on dartmoor at the end of a exercise.

[The Southerner]

Damn, I was afraid of as much.

I can certainly see the value of the trapping exercise- as G.I. Jim said, best to practice in case you need it, I'm just not sure I could bring myself to kill what I'd caught unless it was a case of "it's the rabbit/chicken or me".
It seems that the act of practice-killing itself is of little merit because pretty much anybody can off a rabbit or chicken especially if they know there's no alternative. Me philosophising about it isn't going to change things though eh.

Based on what's been said I do have a couple more questions- is it a certainty that everybody in the troop would have to kill a rabbit or chicken? It just seems unlikely that everybody would be lucky enough to catch something unless it was set-up.

Finally, a friend who got to week 20 (before Osgood-Schlatters finally won the battle for his knees) tells me that in the canteen at CTCRM they served vegetarian meals! Is this true, and if so how would a vegetarian RM fare when it came to survival training?

[Noz]

I remember a new recruit asking the QM for a vegetarian rat pack.

QM asked him to come back in about 10 mins.

Recruit returns. QM passes him a neep and tells him its got to last at least 24 hours.

If you were hungry you would eat almost anything. (note - almost!)

[harry hackedoff]

how would a vegetarian RM fare when it came to survival training?

He could eat the nettles

is it a certainty that everybody in the troop would have to kill a rabbit or chicken?

I`m afraid so
The Training Team will demo how to kill a chicken, gut it, pluck it and get it on the barby, and all the time the Troop Stripey will be walking about in the background with a nice fluffy flopsy-eared pet shop wabbit
I`m still having counselling

[themattmeister]

Are you allowed to dress it up in a little Taliban outfit first, that would surely take the edge off the task.

[Artist]

At week 12 in CDO training in the seventies you had to kill and cook a chicken or a rabbit whilst on Dartmoor.

I presume it is still the same because there is no Tescos in that part of the world to get your scran.

As to survival training.................... well......... you eat what you can get your hands on. Thats it in a nutshell. Be it Proffed, be it caught. Be it what you have in your gear. OK?

Artist

[Tab]

The Southerner....A bit odd that you are joining the army but you don't like killing things to eat, what about the things you kill and shouldn't eat

[The Southerner]

The Southerner....A bit odd that you are joining the army but you don't like killing things to eat, what about the things you kill and shouldn't eat

It's the marines I'm interested in, but I know what you're getting at

Most people who are thinking of joining the forces have probably, at some time, had a think about how they'd feel about killing somebody. The way I rationalise it is that (most!) humans are intelligent enough to know better. If somebody decides to put themselves in a position where they pose a threat to my/a comrade's life then they're fully aware that I'll do everything within my power to stop them. If it's my life or theirs then I'll choose my life every time.

Animals don't know better, they just do what comes naturally and generally mind their own business. They leave me alone and I leave them alone. Killing one knowing that it isn't the only option would be very difficult for me.
If I had to kill one to survive then fair enough- if it's my life or the fluffy rabbit's life then I'd still choose my life every time, even if it looked at me with big sad eyes.

For me it's all about being able to live with my actions, and if I can rationalise it then I think I can live with it. Having never been in the situation, I can't be 100% sure that if/when the time came to take somebody's life I wouldn't falter and they'd take mine, but I'm confident enough in my own beliefs that this wouldn't happen now let alone after 30-odd weeks of training, and it's certainly a risk I'd be prepared to take.

[borisimo]

Ive been watching this thread for a while now southener and I have been thinking exactly the same thing as you.

I would have no problem killing the enemy, but it unsettles me that I have to kill a rabbit when the situation doesn't really demand it. Ok i agree that everyone should see how it's done incase the need arises to do it in the field, but to me it seems like a waste of animals life.

Will I do it without questioning the training team if I get to that stage? Of course and when im cold and hungry I probably won't think twice.

It seems pretty stupid really, I don't know what the problem is, maybe it's because i have always had pets, who knows.

[digitalfreefall]

Every time we eat meat an animal has been slaughtered, the fact that it wasnt your hand that slayed the fluffy/leathery beast doesnt change the fact that it died to feed you.
I dont look forward to survival training but if and when the time comes I will step up and hopefully make it a quick and clean death.

After all, its not as if you are being asked to butcher a cow.
Just out of interest is that off limits on training ?

[sneaky beaky]

What does survival training involve? I've heard about worm omelettes, have no idea if it's actually true. Does it involve the killing of any animals?

Of course it involves killing animals - especially the worms!!

I could kill chickens easily.
My question is - How do you get it Kentucky Fried?
Sneaky.

Sorry if you find this answer frivolous but when you are hungry, you will eat anything, (and kill anything, just to eat it!!)

[Rogue Chef]

Ahoy there!

Islay 1988, the MLs demonstrated how to make fire by rubbing two boy scouts together, then we had to eat a girl guide.