Who is responsible?

[The Duke]

Now bob, we called then cap comforts, they date back to the war, it was way the original commands war, in training and the field. No beret or tin hat.

These days you get blesses to were them when you enter the commando stage of training. About week 20/22 iirc, you are the dogs ding-dong once you have that. Many don’t make it that far. First tou do the normal 16 week infantry style basic, and have a mini pass out ad a train solder. Well the pass out is a “well done”. Then you move on to bottom field,  intensive fitness, and strength. Then once you pass bottom field you get the cap comfort and enter the commando stage.

Down side to the cap comfort and the commando stage is, you can’t walk, everything is double time, even when stationary, so it’s a tiring 8/10weeks ,with out the training.

Once you get to the end of the commando phase and compleat the tests you get the green lid. Though I think now you then do the final ex 3 to 4 weeks in the field, where  in my day you done the final ex, was absolutely f*+k, lots of injuries ankles, knees, etc..  and no skin on your feet, shoulders, back and lower back, then had to start the tests. Now they have it easier.

So the CC is just one of those militery traditions.

But it take one over a helmet, or a beret in to the field before a stupid helmet, I comfy and really restricts what you can see. I’d rather have all my Whits about me, over that change, you may get some shrapnel  to the head. As that’s all the protection they offer.

Same with body armor. Given the energy uses a 7.62 round, our body armour is usless. If you was to take one to the chest, the back of the vest has a centre seam, top to bottom, they spits as the vest is dragged through you. Most “lost” their vests quite quick.

As like the helmets, it’s more a hindrance, especially in hot climates. They are heave, and tight so consticts not only movement, but your ability to breath freely.

OK for a light round or as a stab vest, but again I’d always opt to not wear it and have my full skills and whit about me, to stay or of these situations. It’s OK the mod saying they are a must, but they should actually come down and try using one.

We carry enough crap, with this “safety crap” which I, and many more believe   heightens the risk of safety.

The mask above seems like a good idea on paper. But if is was to run a few hundred yards (back in the day) in full fatigues, flack jacket, helmet and now a visers, if be goosed quit quick, I’d overheat even faster, and steam up the viser, so would be blinded too.

[Bob Williams]

I saw so many scenes in Afghan and Iraq, where lads were hung about with so much crap. We had it better I think in some ways, not in others. EG; the webbing we had was bloody awful, but we were not hung about with too much of it. We just carried as much ammo as we could get into BD pockets and webbing pouches, but it was heavy 7.62 stuff.

I often wonder if I could have handled the RM training. I believe that I could, because at that age I just did not give up and I hated being “beasted” to make me pack it in, it just made me more determined. On the Para course, I told my mate back in my unit that I would see him in 2 weeks. Friday night, came back, collapsed on the bunk covered in mud, woke at 2 am, went into the showers still in my gear and hosed-off the mud. Cleaned and dried it all, went for a run after another sleep. I knew I had to be fitter than ever to do it. I lost pounds in that 6 weeks, but it improved my running and I could tab (yomp to you?) for hours. P company 20 miles, was 4½ hours, what was equivalent RM distance/time?

I feel knackered just remembering it all! But it taught you what you were capable of. It also helped me, being a distance runner, which I loved.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[The Duke]

You ping is 30miles over boggy land in under 8hours. You it 22lb in your webbing and your rifle

But that happens day 4 of yeast week (4 day week) starts Saturday with a 12mile load carry, my personal worst, following day the endurance course, with is world famous. Paras would come down and not get near the time. Day 3 is tarzen assault, with is very hard, then day 4 the 30 miler.

All are with 22lb and weapon, the load Carry you also had 60 or 70lb in a burgan, which tbh isn’t s bad as it sounds as on operation (and exercise) you carry twist that as you’ll know. The 30 milers you also carry a patrol/day Sack with rations for 48h and some emergency/ safety gear. Probably 7lb

My worst memory was at each of the 10mile check points they would make you drink warm orange juice (some type of powers crap with salts etc in)  and two bananas. As you will know when your tired, eating is the last thing you want to do. Also i hate orange juice and bananas.

May of change a bit now, it wad 19 yo passed out. Then you would do your final ex, 4 weeks in the field, then go strain into test week. Now it’s vice versa. Or it was changed around, when training went from 30weeks to 32weeks, with 751 troop and up.

[Ed P]

Sounds like you needed a few of these Steve! Just one poor SOB has to carry all the electronic kit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arIJm2lAfR8

edit: — sorry I keep screwing up the embed.

[Drezha]

The Duke wrote:

My worst memory was at each of the 10mile check points they would make you drink warm orange juice (some type of powers crap with salts etc in) and two bananas. As you will know when your tired, eating is the last thing you want to do. Also i hate orange juice and bananas.

Was it screech? They still put that in the rat packs – the kids love it. Just like sherbet if you eat it from the pack without diluting it!

On a side night, reminds me of the Royal Marine officers rat pack video…

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[The Duke]

We did get powder orange in the rat packs, but i don’t recall it tasting good, wet or dry.

The stuff we got on the 30miler, I don’t think was that, could of been, but it was made up in tea earns, you’d fill up drink, fill up, and move. Most would chuck it up withing minutes, and slowly drink the second water bottle of dirty orange before the next cp.

The only good thing in a rat pack was the powered choclate to mix with the oats.

I detested almost every meal in them horrid things. Most of the time we had to eat them cold too, which would mean by day 3 you had a lot of food on you. Funny enough after 3 days anything can taste nice.

Beef stew and dumplings, omg would make me wretch. Sausage and beans I didn’t mind. Was decent cold too. But I’d eat all the “crappy”   stuff first,  like the chocolate, and kendal mint cake, and the biscuit browns, to stop you needed to go for a fortnight. I don’t recon my teeth could get though one of those today.

Last year My BiL had a ton, and I mean a ton of end of life rat packs,, he donated them to a local charity. I wanted one to sample what’s changed but he already got rid of them before letting me know.

If it wad me, I’d of kept the lot and fed them the kids for a year. Or at least kept them as punishments.

[The Duke]

Ed, that Boston dynamic (google) dog, is awsome, but so stupid for that application.

It’s to noisy for a (uk) Marine section to use, and to limited for use in a general term.

However it’s still cool. Get some ev motors on it, and a decent range and then it’s a viable mule. Or just get a mule, would be cheaper, and you have a good lunch walking with you, for when it’s not needed.

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