Catterick CIC

[ofens]

Hi all, been a while!
I have just escaped / passed out of Catterick, joining The Rifles.
If anyone has any questions about the course, while it's still fresh in my mind, please ask.
ofens

[Tab]

Watch out for Sharp, they say he is a bit of a nutter

[Greeninside]

Hey ofens, congrats on passing out. I'm looking to join the rifles sometime next year. I'll get the obvious questions out the way. Best/worst moment during training? What battalion are you going into? Did you get your first choice? Now for my random questions which im curious about. How long did you get to shower and shave etc in the morning? could you get up earlier than when you were woken or had to get up when everyone else did?
Cheers, Greeninside

[ofens]

Hi Greeninside, good luck with your application, keep us posted

Best/worst moment during training?
Best - live firing tactical training, just before Final Ex
Worst -
1. some range days where we were sitting around for hours doing nothing; training teams find "things" for you to do
2. snooze bunnies (see below)

What battalion are you going into?
1 Rifles

Did you get your first choice?
Yes; almost everyone did in my platoon.

How long did you get to shower and shave etc in the morning?
Typically you get up at 0500, and have to be ready to go for breakfast at 0600 (0630 later in training).
In that time you have to get showered etc, dressed, make your bed, clean your room and do the block jobs (corridors, bathrooms etc).

could you get up earlier than when you were woken or had to get up when everyone else did?
NO. Do not do this.
If rouse is at 0500, get up at 0500. People who set earlier alarms are just robbing everyone else of sleep.
I saw countless idiots set alarms, for example, at 0430, let their alarms "snooze repeat" every 5 mins, and still be in bed after 0500 anyway! So in this case everyone gets woekn at 0430 and has to listen to half an hour of alarms going off.
Learn the discipline to just get up at the right time and get going straight away.
You need every little bit of sleep you can get, trust me on this!

[Hielan' Laddie]

Why did you decide to join the mincing Rifles when you could have joined Her Majesty's Foot Guards

In all seriousness, well done on passing CIC. In my platoon about 2/3rds of the blokes who started were either back-squadded, transferred of DAOR'd. CIC is one of the toughest courses you can do in the army (chefs excepted) and you are right to be proud of yourself.


Good luck with your new battalion. I've got a good mate in 4 Rifles who once saved my life. Admittedly it was on a night out in Newcastle, but still

[Greeninside]

Cheers ofens, 1 rifles would be my first choice, did you have to do all the marine tests?
Yeah i thought it would be difficult to wake up earlier being with other lads so will probs give that a miss : )
Do you know when/ if youre going on tour yet?
What have you been doing since you finished training?

[ofens]

Thanks Heilan' Laddie

Greeninside:
did you have to do all the marine tests?
No, AACC happens later on for those that want/need to do it.

What have you been doing since you finished training?
Mainly recovering from the crow flu! We all had it pretty bad at the end.
Some drinking to let off steam, and breaking back into some phys.

[Greeninside]

Sounds good, are you planning on going commando? What were the training staff like? Did you see much of the other regiments whilst training? Cheers, Green