DOH!!!!! But Future is sorted!!!

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Mon 28 Apr, 2003 5:37 pm

Alright lads, after having passed my POC with flying colours I attempted the dreaded AIB!!! Basically it did not go very well at all. The colonal who briefed me at the end said my leadership was my strong point but I got a very low score on all the academic stuff and on the discussion exercise when I got absolutly being distracted(EXCUSE) and then grilled by the rather attractive female in her navel uniform asking me quick fire maths questions on the scenario at hand.
Not to be detered by this I have decided to finish my uni degree in PE and then join the marines as a recruit which will be just as much fun, if not better after hearing a lot of stories. I hope so much I can make it coz the green lid is just so appealing.
Ps Mark abbo ( or should i say recruit Abbott, sorry) if your out there I hope everything is going well and I am sure your kicking ass in training and are well on your way for your green lid. Best of luck again and hope to hear from you soon. Si.

rabby · Post by **rabby** » Mon 28 Apr, 2003 6:46 pm

Well done Simon for getting through POC, sorry about the AIB but if your happy then thats good enough! What was the AIB like, not much is said about what happens on it, is it just like another POC but without so much fitness?

BenP · Post by **BenP** » Tue 29 Apr, 2003 8:14 am

Bad luck mate, sounds quite tough. Could you post a quick run down of what to expect? It would be really helpful as the AIB is something of an unknown at the moment. ta

strength_10 · Post by **strength_10** » Tue 29 Apr, 2003 11:23 am

Yeah...Bad Luck. Another run down of the AIB would be great as it is still a bit of a mystery. What sort of quick fire maths questions? Do you not get another chance?

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Tue 29 Apr, 2003 9:26 pm

Right lads basically the first day you arrive by 17.00 then have to fill in a questionnaire by 21.00. Its about you as a person like your interests, hobbies, same stuff really as per usual.
Right on the second day you get woke at 6.00am then you have got the luxery of four hours worth of exams starting at 8.00am til bout 12.00pm with 10 minute break in between.
After lunch its off to the gym to have a practice run through of your leadership task the next day. The leadership task can be dry or wet ( Done over a pool). It consists of lots of planks and tyres and basically you have to use them to complete the scenario (To get from one side of the gym/pool to the other!) Try not to get wet, whoopsy!.
This day finishes bout 15.00pm then the rest of the day/night is yours.
The final day consists of three things, your leadership tesk you practiced yesterday, discussion exercise, then your final board interview.
The discussion exercise consists of you being set a scenario which you have 15minutes to read, memorize and make notes on. You are then took into the board with the rest of your team of four and the board implement a problem into the scenario.You then have to dicuss with the rest of the group how you are going to solve the problem. Once the time is up the board will ask you individually about the problem and ask questions about it, (This is where the maths and memory come in as you cant look at your notes). They ask you question after question quick fire for 6 minutes. For exampl, if A was going 6mph and had to cover a distance of 4 miles how long would it take him? It may sound easy but your mind freezes and goes blank.
After the discussion ex you have your final interview with the board adked questions on current affairs, marine and naval knowledge, and about your schooling. Once this is over about 10 minutes later you get your results from the colonol.
Then you are free to leave and go home, unless you pass then you have a quick medical.
I would try again but the colonol said i failed the academic bit badly and said he was doubtful id improve and said if i wanted to try again to wait til the end of my degree. You have to do the POC again first aswell.
Never mind though iz going to be well chuffed being a squaddy.
Si.

dan · Post by **dan** » Tue 29 Apr, 2003 9:41 pm

Simon wrote: Never mind though iz going to be well chuffed being a squaddy.

You sound like a squaddy already!
Bit of a shame to get so far and not make it

I know how hard the POC is so you should be pretty happy with getting through that! Make sure you keep your fitness up through uni and you should be fine on the PRMC.....

Maverick00 · Post by **Maverick00** » Sun 04 May, 2003 11:31 pm

Si you're one step ahead of me in that im doing a sports science degree and am applying to go for POC but am also attracted by PRMC. Don't you feel like it's a waste of your degree?? Thats the only thing that bothers me about going for PRMC. What u think?

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Tue 06 May, 2003 4:34 pm

I had a degree when I joined up. At the time I had a date for the PRC and a date for a RCB interview to be sponsored through Sandhurst by the Parachue Regiment (I think that's the way it works - but I only went through the preliminaries and didn't follow it up). Decided on the Corps and never regretted it.

I was too old to go for the POC but looking back I'm glad I didn't become an officer, being the sociable kind of guy that I am - I think I'd fail the pompous and arrogant module of training. Senior NCO's run the Corps and I only met a few officers that I would really look up to - there were far more seniors fitting that bill. Not slagging officers off - when they were good they were outstanding, just didn't meet many of them.

BenP · Post by **BenP** » Tue 06 May, 2003 4:42 pm

That seems to be a very jaded point of view Sully. Are Officers really that bad and is the Corp really run by the senior NCO's? Sounds as bad as the SAS. Why such a prejudice?

Maverick00 · Post by **Maverick00** » Wed 07 May, 2003 11:56 pm

The criticisms about the officers...surely thats just down to the officer and his personality, not the structure of the corps? Secondly, doesn't it bother you having done a degree going on to a fairly low salary?

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Thu 08 May, 2003 1:26 pm

I only speak from experience Ben - I like to think that I'm open minded and not prejudiced. Have you never wondered why no officers post on this forum (I only remember one - some time ago)? (excuse the double negative) I don't know why they don't but it doesn't surprise me at all in the same way that the dismissive review of Simon's book by the Corps 'expert' in PTSD didn't surprise me. I hope you don't mind but I'd prefer to leave it at that. I still feel a great deal of loyalty to the Corps and don't want to be pressed on it by (with the greatest respect - it's only a matter of time after all) an outsider and in public.

Maverick, I now earn five times what I did when I left the Corps but, I've said it before and will say it again, if I didn't have a family and was a bit younger, I'd go back in tomorrow (as a mne S3)! I had great mates and a bit of beer money and wanted for nothing in the Corps - until I got a mortgage

.

I've posted this before but it deserves a second airing:

"In our compulsive consumer orientated society, which is fast losing its direction, becoming fat and pot bellied, where discipline is scorned and the scramble for wealth is foremost in the minds of our youth, the green beret of the Royal Marines Commando stands alone as being a rare pearl of great price.

It is a symbol of excellence, dedication and professionalism, an accolade for those who push themselves beyond the limit of normal human endurance.

In an age when standards are crumbling, the Green Beret is as British as the Union Jack, for it represents true grit and dogged individual determination.

The Green Beret is not for sale, thousands have sought to attain it, but along the way many have wilted and failed. It is a classless symbol of fortitude and achievement."

Good luck to both of you.

John Robert Young - 1991 - (forget the name of the book)

El Prez · Post by **El Prez** » Thu 08 May, 2003 1:37 pm

Hunger Strike, 1991, Robert Young

Found on Google, but the site is unavailable.

Maverick00 · Post by **Maverick00** » Thu 08 May, 2003 1:38 pm

I think that quote pretty much answers everything i could ever want to know. Ill still look into a career as an officer but im getting the feeling being a recruit will be more my cup of tea. Thanks again its much appreciated.

El Prez · Post by **El Prez** » Thu 08 May, 2003 1:42 pm

I agree with everything Sully says. I joined and enjoyed my time, I'd do it again, no changes, just wiser.

Incidentally a degree and money are not the be all and end all in life's rich pageant. I know many many people who not only openly scorn university education, but consider they have benefitted from life by not having endured it. Most Bootnecks have the good old UOL 1:2.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Thu 08 May, 2003 2:02 pm

I agree El Prez. My first degree (sorry, but I've got two - one from the LSE (BSc) and one from UCL (LLB)) was in, believe it or not.....Psychology

The psychology used at CTC is faultless - they've been turning out some of the best soldiers in the world for centuries and the accumulated wisdom there beats anything you can read in a book.

Maverick, go for it as an officer. I came across (as I did say above, Ben) some outstanding ones. They'll remain nameless but I did know (but not well) Maj Ward (who was tragically killed in Iraq) when he was a Lt - as a troop commander at CTC and as a TACP boss. He was a top bloke - god rest his soul. I can say with some confidence that nobody in the Corps would disagree with that.

I don't think you'd get the full bootneck experience as an officer but there will be other rewards

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