Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Just for information I have copied below the Training Objectives (TO) for the Commissioning Course at Sandhurst. Sandhurst remains different from other military academies in that it is a one year course focused on producing leaders to fill platoon command slots; it is not academically orientated.
TO1 Demonstrate combat fitness
TO2 Handle and fire platoon weapon systems
TO3 Navigate across country
TO4 Apply battlefield first aid
TO5 Carry out basic fieldcraft
TO6 Operate in a CBRN environment (Chem, bio and nuclear)
TO7 Officership Ethics, integrity, values and standards
TO8 Command
TO9 Perform Military Duties (including drill)
TO10 Communicate Effectively
TO11 Spare
TO12 Lead Individual and Team Training (adventure training, cadet platoon projects, sports et al)
TO13 Spare
TO14 Operate IT/IM Equipment
TO15 Lead a Platoon
TO16 Operate Tactical Communications Systems
TO17 Apply knowledge of Tactics
TO18 Analyse British Military Doctrine
TO19 Analyse Military performance in Current Conflicts
TO20 Analyse the Current Political and Strategic Context
TO21 Describe Structure and Roles of the British Armed Forces
TO22 Explain the Capabilities And Operating Environment of a Battle Group
Exercises take up 43% of programmed time. Exercises are the vital tool as vehicles both to support lessons taught under the majority of the TOs , for cadets to display the skills of leadership and command and for the DS to assess those skills and the cadets’ suitability for a commission.
It is accepted wisdom that it is only by placing cadets in conditions of physical and mental stress that their endurance and resilience can be properly tested. Whilst the exercise programme is heavy and resource intensive it should be remembered that for the majority the realities of operations are imminent on completion of Course.
The cadets also do a staff ride in Normandy which gives the cadets the chance to practise estimate and decision making against the backdrop of a past campaign. This is a challenging exercise which sees the integration of civilian and military staff at its best.
To emphasize a poiint made by Red Rat
Sandhurst is a training program, not an education program. However, a couple of TOs do have education (v training) content. Of course, all education has a training component while all training has an education component - think of the difference as between critical thinking and acquisition of skills. As Wilf and others have pointed out, there are many roads to officership. I would add that the American Officer Candidate School source of commissioning is as important as ROTC or the academies. I would also note that two of my students at OU this year are former enlisted who will be commissioing shortly through ROTC - one USAF and one US Army. In the Army this used to be known as Green to Gold.
Cheers
JohnT
Marching and Marking Time
Quote:
Originally Posted by
William F. Owen
TO9
....and how much time does "drill" take up?
Quoting the party line:
Drill takes up 4% of the programmed time, which includes rehearsals for and the Sovereign’s Parade (SP).
Drill is an essential, quick and easy part of team building, instilling martial spirit. It accustoms cadets to taking and reacting to orders.
Despite the programmed time the standard is deemed only just good enough for a high profile parade such as SP.
When I was at Sandhurst I seem to remember that Drill featured heavily in Term 1 and then tailed off significantly thereafter.
No Light Division drill (for the uninitiated a cross between jogging and Monty Python's Ministry of Funny Walks... ;)) and Slow Marching is likely to finish soon as well.
RR