Quote Originally Posted by William F. Owen View Post
I don't think I am. I have had numerous discussions about a "Knife and Mess tin" type course and/or "Outward Bound/Adventure training." - It has great merit providing it is applied at the right time for the right reasons. Personally I wouldn't restrict it just to officer training, but there again, I wouldn't start training anyone as an officer until he had at the very least completed Basic Training anyway.
OK so we can agree that this sort of training has merit. I suggest that it be carried out early in the training. And yes as the modern requirement for more individually skilled and reliable soldiers across the board increases all soldiers should receive this training.

We can revisit the desirability of officers having been trained as basic soldiers before being selected for officer training if you wish. I put it to you it is not the (comparative) inferior basic training that is important but rather the experience of soldiering in the ranks for a year (including basic training) which has the value.