This programme is getting better with every episode, as with a lot of people on this forum i do believe the programme is too short and focusses too much on one person (Recruit John). But the emotion he showed after being picked up was simply inspiring, to see a young man putting himself through so much pain so much torture just to earn the right to stay with his friends and earn his green beret was in a word inspirational!!
Also the bit following the young officer was very good, I am currently studying for a degree in sport science and can't wait to try and push myself to the limit after graduation and become a young officer myself. I knew that the training was longer but I did not know the depth that the training went into, on this forum there is a lot about the rating training but little about the officer, is there any-one that could go into a bit more depth, month by month etc.
Anyway hopefully there will be more of the same, what does every-one else think?
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Commando on the front line, Episode 4.
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officer_in_waiting
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- Joined: Sun 05 Aug, 2007 1:15 am
- Location: Sheffield
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Alfa
- Guest
I've not really been that impressed with the series to be honest, it would have certainly benefitted from being longer but to be honest I suspect it'd simply be more of the same stuff ie; all talk no action. The closest you got to an insight into training on tonights episode was someone failing a run.
After watching the first episode of The Foreign Legion: Tougher Than the Rest on ITV4 yesterday I was even less impressed with tonights episode than I was with the previous ones. I think Chris Terrill should have maybe given the girl who did the Legion documentary a phone call to get some tips on how it should be done.
After watching the first episode of The Foreign Legion: Tougher Than the Rest on ITV4 yesterday I was even less impressed with tonights episode than I was with the previous ones. I think Chris Terrill should have maybe given the girl who did the Legion documentary a phone call to get some tips on how it should be done.
Alfa
You have a point there! Why does the French Foreign Legion get an hour and the commandos only 30mins?
They were both given the same type of access, is this some kind of statement from ITV on how they feel about UK Forces?
Any way this is all part of there "War on ITV4 Season", so we will have to see if they come up with any more viewing gems.
You have a point there! Why does the French Foreign Legion get an hour and the commandos only 30mins?
They were both given the same type of access, is this some kind of statement from ITV on how they feel about UK Forces?
Any way this is all part of there "War on ITV4 Season", so we will have to see if they come up with any more viewing gems.
I think the show is fairly decent, although it could be longer and improved... I think its serving a purpose and is definitely more enjoyable than most of the crap on TV.
One little idea is why not re-name the thread to something like (Commando series thread) or something along those lines to save making a new thread every episode. That way we can save some E-paper
think of the forests people 
(God I’m sad.)
Would save some space though.
All the best
Stokey
One little idea is why not re-name the thread to something like (Commando series thread) or something along those lines to save making a new thread every episode. That way we can save some E-paper
think of the forests people (God I’m sad.)Would save some space though.
All the best
Stokey
Good idea stokey, but I think it should be called something more realistic instead of Commando, something like 'The Recruit John show' prehaps?
I'm sorry if I am the only one who thinks it focuses WAY to much on him. We dont even get 30seconds of anyone else, especially last nights episode (ep4) it was just him doing the 4mile speed march, with a bit a out the YO.
I realise that in some part its done because hes a bit different and probably is more interesting to the public than the average brit lad going through training but theres such a thing as too much.
Cheers
P.S. Otherwise its a great idea Stokey
I'm sorry if I am the only one who thinks it focuses WAY to much on him. We dont even get 30seconds of anyone else, especially last nights episode (ep4) it was just him doing the 4mile speed march, with a bit a out the YO.
I realise that in some part its done because hes a bit different and probably is more interesting to the public than the average brit lad going through training but theres such a thing as too much.
Cheers
P.S. Otherwise its a great idea Stokey
'Peace is to important to be left to politicians'
OiW
The basis thread of officer training is that in addition to what you are seeing the rcts doing you will be being taught more about leadership, a lot of the skills to a higher standard (such as navigation cos if a young Mne on going to a Cdo unit can't navigate it does not matter too much cos he will under a LCpl who can and so will have time to further practice it whereas if a young officer can't and he gets tasked with being point troop of the point company in a Commando advance he could put 750 men in the wrong place) and learning how to use a formation (he will learn fire team, section and troop and even up to Company level in case the OC an the 2IC get the bad news and he had to take over). He will also learn a lot about using support weapons so will be taught to call in mortar stomps or artillery rounds. Then there is the training side, learning about how to train your main, how to discipline, how to interview, military law and how to teach weapon periods, conduct ranges...
In short look at the young officer in the programme and you are seeing a talented graduate who has been selected for a very demanding training and by perservering through it has become the man that the recruits are so in awe of.
If you want the detailed syllabus then I expect the brochure on being an RM officer that you can get from the AFCO will give you chapter and verse.
Rgds,
Von
The basis thread of officer training is that in addition to what you are seeing the rcts doing you will be being taught more about leadership, a lot of the skills to a higher standard (such as navigation cos if a young Mne on going to a Cdo unit can't navigate it does not matter too much cos he will under a LCpl who can and so will have time to further practice it whereas if a young officer can't and he gets tasked with being point troop of the point company in a Commando advance he could put 750 men in the wrong place) and learning how to use a formation (he will learn fire team, section and troop and even up to Company level in case the OC an the 2IC get the bad news and he had to take over). He will also learn a lot about using support weapons so will be taught to call in mortar stomps or artillery rounds. Then there is the training side, learning about how to train your main, how to discipline, how to interview, military law and how to teach weapon periods, conduct ranges...
In short look at the young officer in the programme and you are seeing a talented graduate who has been selected for a very demanding training and by perservering through it has become the man that the recruits are so in awe of.
If you want the detailed syllabus then I expect the brochure on being an RM officer that you can get from the AFCO will give you chapter and verse.
Rgds,
Von
That is true this isnt a true represtentation of training. For Example 4 miles in 40 mins???? What the fcuk is that about. They make it sound easy! They didnt show any of the phys that these guys did the day before that or any of the other phys that these guys must have gone through training apart from the gym test. Feel sorry for Recruit John, if only he had stayed with the troop on the first run.
The programme is extremely poor.
It is unstructured and far too short.
Why does it appear to concentrate
on one recruit ? Where are the others ?
It relies on a pastiche of activities to
to indicate recruit training interspersed
with some other details relating to one
YOs' learning curve.
A factual comment from a former King's Badge
winner who had served his contract in the
FFL with the REP, was that training in the Corps
was definitely better structured and physically
much more demanding. Why is this again in this
episode not demonstrated ? I believe the series
to be shoddy self promotion. It is a travesty.
The programme totally fails to indicate just how
demanding the CCse really is. All the viewer sees
are vignettes and nothing like reality- pathetic !
It can only improve and I still rate it 3 out of 10.
On a seperate point you do not need a degree to
become a YO. Likewise many officers take time
out when serving in the Corps to read a relevant
subject at a university as mature students.
It is unstructured and far too short.
Why does it appear to concentrate
on one recruit ? Where are the others ?
It relies on a pastiche of activities to
to indicate recruit training interspersed
with some other details relating to one
YOs' learning curve.
A factual comment from a former King's Badge
winner who had served his contract in the
FFL with the REP, was that training in the Corps
was definitely better structured and physically
much more demanding. Why is this again in this
episode not demonstrated ? I believe the series
to be shoddy self promotion. It is a travesty.
The programme totally fails to indicate just how
demanding the CCse really is. All the viewer sees
are vignettes and nothing like reality- pathetic !
It can only improve and I still rate it 3 out of 10.
On a seperate point you do not need a degree to
become a YO. Likewise many officers take time
out when serving in the Corps to read a relevant
subject at a university as mature students.
RM., Colonial Police & Queen's Regt HSF.
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Illustrious
- Guest
...or being a beefer 
I thought being in the Corps was about quiet and applied determination not flowery demonstrative failure - let the septics keep that one.
Heyup Von, I can't speak with any authority on officer training, I've just come across various products of it but...
In any given troop I'd hazard a guess that the most of the 'troop' type skills of time-served NCO's are much higher than most officers. And a skill is just that, a skill - it develops with time and experience. A young troop officer tasked with something he couldn't do would in my experience get someone else to do it - some in a good way, some in a bad and there you have the difference between good and bad officers. Delegation is an essential part of leadership and administration 
I don't recall being in awe of YO's or 'posh nods' as our DS called them. They tended to be ok when they had 'settled' down a bit after training and had gotten over themselves. Some were great to be around and good people but lads joining up should not be under the illusion that the commission earns universal respect or that they will be able to form friendships across the commissioned/non commissioned divide. Out of CTC I heard the term 'pig' used more often than 'officer' - didn't really use it myself though.
There seems to be a misconception here that officers have to be more bootneck than bootnecks and some kind of superheroes. In my humble opinion, anybody who can do the 30 miler in 8 hours can do it in 7 and so on - we were held up on ours. The role of officer means that they have to administer and control the troop (although stripeys were invariably better at this) not to be supermen and out-do what 'their' men do. I've seen an officer (Captain at the time but went on to become quite senior in the Corps) fail his BFT (FFS ) I think it's a bit of a myth....rant over
Chas - I knew a former FFL 2 REP bootneck who said exactly the same thing about the Corps - but he did say the FFL was a bit more brutal.
I thought being in the Corps was about quiet and applied determination not flowery demonstrative failure - let the septics keep that one.Heyup Von, I can't speak with any authority on officer training, I've just come across various products of it but...
...you've heard the one about an officer with a mapa lot of the skills to a higher standard (such as navigation
In any given troop I'd hazard a guess that the most of the 'troop' type skills of time-served NCO's are much higher than most officers. And a skill is just that, a skill - it develops with time and experience. A young troop officer tasked with something he couldn't do would in my experience get someone else to do it - some in a good way, some in a bad and there you have the difference between good and bad officers. Delegation is an essential part of leadership and administration I don't recall being in awe of YO's or 'posh nods' as our DS called them. They tended to be ok when they had 'settled' down a bit after training and had gotten over themselves. Some were great to be around and good people but lads joining up should not be under the illusion that the commission earns universal respect or that they will be able to form friendships across the commissioned/non commissioned divide. Out of CTC I heard the term 'pig' used more often than 'officer' - didn't really use it myself though.
There seems to be a misconception here that officers have to be more bootneck than bootnecks and some kind of superheroes. In my humble opinion, anybody who can do the 30 miler in 8 hours can do it in 7 and so on - we were held up on ours. The role of officer means that they have to administer and control the troop (although stripeys were invariably better at this) not to be supermen and out-do what 'their' men do. I've seen an officer (Captain at the time but went on to become quite senior in the Corps) fail his BFT (FFS
) I think it's a bit of a myth....rant over Chas - I knew a former FFL 2 REP bootneck who said exactly the same thing about the Corps - but he did say the FFL was a bit more brutal.
Per Flank, Per Tank
The nearest thing to being beasted I've seen is the mud run or last nights episode when RCT john wounldn't get in the landy and that SGT didn't seem too happy. That is how SGTs are ment to act not all fairy's like the LT he seems a bit nice all the time to be honest.
I really feel that Chris makes the 32 weeks look easy, but then again we don't know what he can and can't show like we've not seen any tatical experiences or lectures not giving away how the RM work in the field.
I really feel that Chris makes the 32 weeks look easy, but then again we don't know what he can and can't show like we've not seen any tatical experiences or lectures not giving away how the RM work in the field.
True enough eagleeye, if we had got lost on a night navex like that (last week) and just got our swedes down then we'd still be running up and down a honking feature in respirators with our rifles above our heads.
I sat through the first episode with an ex para and don't want to go through anything like that again
I sat through the first episode with an ex para and don't want to go through anything like that again
Per Flank, Per Tank
