RMR Selection and training - a blow by blow account
Posted: Mon 05 Feb, 2007 12:36 pm
Hello there everyone, having recently applied to join the RMR in Birmingham I thought it might be beneficial to everyone on here if I kept a diary on here about the process that RMR recruits go through from first application to finally being awarded the green beret and passing out as a reserve commando.
Before I start, if anyone has any objection to this thread or thinks that it isn't relevant, let me know and I'll kill the thread. Additionally, this thread will be pretty slow to start with, as the reserve PRMC and subsequently RT doesn't start properly until September, however until then potential recruits can attend drill nights as part of 'holding troop' (more info on that later) and so if I learn anything useful from this experience I'll post it up here. Additionially, when RT does start properly, there could be some limits as to how much information I can divulge, but I'll post what I can if I think it'll be of benefit to other users on here.
So, to start with, a bit of background info about me. I'm currently a student at Aston Uni in Birmingham. I'm hoping to join the Marines as an officer after I graduate, but with 2 1/2 years left in my degree I've got a while to go yet before I can even consider doing POC! I have had a smattering of military experience in the past, including 5 years in the cadets and a year in the TA (as well as a few months in the c@#t I realised that it was more of a social club than a military outfit!). At the age of 16 I attempted my first POC, hoping to attain a scholarship through 6th form, but unfortunately was ill-prepared and unsuccessful (If anyone has any questions about the POC I'd be happy to try and answer them, although it's been 6 years since I was at Lympstone so there are probably people on these forums with more recent experience than myself). That was the last time I had any contact with the RM until recently.
After leaving the UOTC, I took a break of about 18 months from any sort of military activity and concentrated on university, but after one of my best mates from home joined the Navy last year, my interest has been renewed. With 2 1/2 years still left to go before graduating, I decided to try and gain some valuable experience by enlisting in the RMR - after all, surely if I can get myself to a level where I can pass the commando tests then I should be able to breeze through the POC!
The recruitment process of the RMR is very similar, if not identical to that of the regular marines. The first step is to contact either your local AFCO or your local detachment directly. There are 5 RMR units - London, Merseyside, Scotland, Tyne and Bristol, each with various detachments in nearby cities. All the RMR locations around the UK, along with unit contact details, can be found here:-
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3009
Once you've contacted your unit, they'll invite you to visit the unit and take the Navy entrance tests - these are the same psychometric tests taken by all navy and marines recruits, reserve and regular, broken down into four sections - Reasoning, Verbal Ability, Numeracy and Mechanical Comprehension. The tests on the whole are fairly straightforward, although the time constraints make things a little more difficult. They'll send you a practice booklet before you take the test - make sure you have a go at it, as the way some of the questions are phrased isn't always entirely clear, and it helps to know what to expect!
After completing the tests, you'll probably have a quick chat with the Sergeant Major and possibly the OC, who'll tell you a little bit about the unit, although it's unlikely for most of you that you'll learn anything new.
If you pass the tests (when i did mine they were marked there and then, although other units may differ, and you may have to wait a few days for the results) the next stage is an eye test. You'll be sent a form for the optician to fill out and a stamped addressed envelope. It's up to you to book the appointment and get the optician to fill in the forms. The eye test is free of charge, and you'll also be given an invoice for the optician to fill out which will also be sent back to the RMR, who will pay for the test.
Assuming you pass the eye test, the next stage is an interview. This as far as I've come, so I can't tell you too much about the interview yet, but I'll definitely post more on it once I've been. I would imagine it would follow a similar pattern to the regular interviews, perhaps with a bit more focus on the reserves - make sure you know the 5 reserve units, and a little bit about the history of each unit, aswell as general information about the RM. I'll post more info on this when I have it.
For those who get past the interview, the next stage, as with the regulars, is the PJFT and the PRMC. However, the benefit that reservists do get which their regular counterparts do not is the option to attend 'holding troop'. Holding troop is run in the months leading up to the PRMC (RMR Merseyside only run one PRMC a year, in September, just before the start of RT - this could be different for other units) From what I can tell this could be better described as 'PT Troop'. You will have the joy of turning up on drill nights and getting beasted for a few hours by RMR PTIs. I believe the work is progressive, and will gradually build up towards the PRMC. Don't be fooled into thinking that simply attending holding troop is enough, however - you must put in maximum effort in your spare time aswell! Holding Troop for RMR Birmingham starts at the end of February, so I will update you as soon as I have more information. With regard to pay, you will not get paid for attending holding troop until you have successfully passed PRMC and begun RT, at which point you will receive backpay for all drill nights attended.
So, thats all I know so far. Any questions, feel free to ask. Sorry to those of you that know all this already, this is intended as a guide to those who have not yet started the process and are thinking about joining. I hope as time goes on and I start attending holding troop and, subsequently, RT, I'll be able to give you more useful information.
Cheers
Chris
Before I start, if anyone has any objection to this thread or thinks that it isn't relevant, let me know and I'll kill the thread. Additionally, this thread will be pretty slow to start with, as the reserve PRMC and subsequently RT doesn't start properly until September, however until then potential recruits can attend drill nights as part of 'holding troop' (more info on that later) and so if I learn anything useful from this experience I'll post it up here. Additionially, when RT does start properly, there could be some limits as to how much information I can divulge, but I'll post what I can if I think it'll be of benefit to other users on here.
So, to start with, a bit of background info about me. I'm currently a student at Aston Uni in Birmingham. I'm hoping to join the Marines as an officer after I graduate, but with 2 1/2 years left in my degree I've got a while to go yet before I can even consider doing POC! I have had a smattering of military experience in the past, including 5 years in the cadets and a year in the TA (as well as a few months in the c@#t I realised that it was more of a social club than a military outfit!). At the age of 16 I attempted my first POC, hoping to attain a scholarship through 6th form, but unfortunately was ill-prepared and unsuccessful (If anyone has any questions about the POC I'd be happy to try and answer them, although it's been 6 years since I was at Lympstone so there are probably people on these forums with more recent experience than myself). That was the last time I had any contact with the RM until recently.
After leaving the UOTC, I took a break of about 18 months from any sort of military activity and concentrated on university, but after one of my best mates from home joined the Navy last year, my interest has been renewed. With 2 1/2 years still left to go before graduating, I decided to try and gain some valuable experience by enlisting in the RMR - after all, surely if I can get myself to a level where I can pass the commando tests then I should be able to breeze through the POC!
The recruitment process of the RMR is very similar, if not identical to that of the regular marines. The first step is to contact either your local AFCO or your local detachment directly. There are 5 RMR units - London, Merseyside, Scotland, Tyne and Bristol, each with various detachments in nearby cities. All the RMR locations around the UK, along with unit contact details, can be found here:-
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3009
Once you've contacted your unit, they'll invite you to visit the unit and take the Navy entrance tests - these are the same psychometric tests taken by all navy and marines recruits, reserve and regular, broken down into four sections - Reasoning, Verbal Ability, Numeracy and Mechanical Comprehension. The tests on the whole are fairly straightforward, although the time constraints make things a little more difficult. They'll send you a practice booklet before you take the test - make sure you have a go at it, as the way some of the questions are phrased isn't always entirely clear, and it helps to know what to expect!
After completing the tests, you'll probably have a quick chat with the Sergeant Major and possibly the OC, who'll tell you a little bit about the unit, although it's unlikely for most of you that you'll learn anything new.
If you pass the tests (when i did mine they were marked there and then, although other units may differ, and you may have to wait a few days for the results) the next stage is an eye test. You'll be sent a form for the optician to fill out and a stamped addressed envelope. It's up to you to book the appointment and get the optician to fill in the forms. The eye test is free of charge, and you'll also be given an invoice for the optician to fill out which will also be sent back to the RMR, who will pay for the test.
Assuming you pass the eye test, the next stage is an interview. This as far as I've come, so I can't tell you too much about the interview yet, but I'll definitely post more on it once I've been. I would imagine it would follow a similar pattern to the regular interviews, perhaps with a bit more focus on the reserves - make sure you know the 5 reserve units, and a little bit about the history of each unit, aswell as general information about the RM. I'll post more info on this when I have it.
For those who get past the interview, the next stage, as with the regulars, is the PJFT and the PRMC. However, the benefit that reservists do get which their regular counterparts do not is the option to attend 'holding troop'. Holding troop is run in the months leading up to the PRMC (RMR Merseyside only run one PRMC a year, in September, just before the start of RT - this could be different for other units) From what I can tell this could be better described as 'PT Troop'. You will have the joy of turning up on drill nights and getting beasted for a few hours by RMR PTIs. I believe the work is progressive, and will gradually build up towards the PRMC. Don't be fooled into thinking that simply attending holding troop is enough, however - you must put in maximum effort in your spare time aswell! Holding Troop for RMR Birmingham starts at the end of February, so I will update you as soon as I have more information. With regard to pay, you will not get paid for attending holding troop until you have successfully passed PRMC and begun RT, at which point you will receive backpay for all drill nights attended.
So, thats all I know so far. Any questions, feel free to ask. Sorry to those of you that know all this already, this is intended as a guide to those who have not yet started the process and are thinking about joining. I hope as time goes on and I start attending holding troop and, subsequently, RT, I'll be able to give you more useful information.
Cheers
Chris