Are early summer pass outs worse Marines?

[Matt B]

I was thinking, surely its a lot lot easier to pass the 4 Final commando tests in early summer when the temperature is just right, there is little wind, no rain, the ground is sturdy under foot and the light conditions are far better.

This would mean that the Marines that just scrape through the tests would never have passed in the middle of winter when conditions were awful and therefore are not as good.

Should the times be shortened in summer and extended in winter? Or should it just be tough luck?

The other side to the argument is that summer pass outs have endured far worse weather conditions during the bulk of their training, and vice verser.

 

[spartan]

i was thinking about that 4 ages, i start november (hopefully!) so il do my commando tests in summer or autum i fink. which do u fink is better starting in winter of summer??

 

[FletchPRMC]

*text deleted* I personally dont think it matters, they still did the commando tests, no easy feat whatever time of year.

 

[Matt B]

I'd rather do them in winter, it's not guaranteed to be horrendous weather and it means the conditions are going to be much better for the majority of your training.

Yea, at the end of the day the tests are still really hard whatever the weather, but they are bound to be considerably harder in poor visibility, freezing weather, punishing winds, slippery ground and constant rain. Not to mention its affects on morale.

 

[Seedytucker]

I'd rather do them in winter, it's not guaranteed to be horrendous weather and it means the conditions are going to be much better for the majority of your training.

ditto. plus it give you a motivation to keep going, if it's too hot it gives you motivation to stop.
though as very few pass out as originals i dont think trying to time start of RT so you can do cdo tests at x time is going to work.
it's a good point though, whether it makes much difference

 

[Sotiris]

I finished basic in the mountains of Tripoli (Greece) about 1000 metres above sea level in the dead of winter. The average tempreature was about -8. You get really used to the cold very quick.

I found that anything physical was easier because you'd heat up anyway and the cold would balance you out nicely. Guard duty sucked though, my hands used to freeze to the gun metal and you'd always have more chance of getting sick standing around in the rain and sleet.

Summer reeeeeeally sucked!! This is Greece mind you, a lot hotter. You can sweat standing still with no armour and your helmet off. And of course everyone smells because the island I was posted to at the time had issues with the plumbing so no running water for us.

Just about the worst palce to be was in the back of a BMP2. A mobile sh!t hole.

Of course Britain has a drastically milder climate. Anyone know if you have to carry your jacket with you for the tests? It can be your best friend or you worst enemy.

 

[Matt B]

Yea, there is no point trying to time your start date in order to make your tests easier *text deleted* anything can happen. But more to the point, if you are joining the Marines and you're thinking of ways to make your life as easy as possible, maybe the Marines isn't for you!

However, it does annoy me to think I could fail the tests if the conditions were horrendous, yet someone with less determination and poorer fitness *text deleted* pass on a different day when the conditions were far better, is he a better marine than me? No, he just had good luck with the weather!

 

[Seedytucker]

yeah good point but it's true of injuries as well. you might fracture your leg and get MD'd whereas 'jonny can't be arsed' might be lucky and get through *text deleted* his mates helped him out more than they should have

 

[AdmiralAwesome]

Surely they do adjust the timings to take into account weather and conditions?

From reading Andy McNab, I know they do for SAS selection.

 

[Seedytucker]

i'm pretty sure it's always 8 hrs for RM and 7 for YO. maybe they adjust the break time you have to have but not the overall time

 

[jay2401]

Why adjust things to the weather, when getting chased by any enemy they aren't going to give you a head start or not shoot you because the weather is bad! They should keep it the same no matter what the weather, the whole idea is to see if your physically and mentally tough enough to go into a battle situation soon as you start making things easier your putting peoples lives in danger!

 

[Gorillawizard]

Whats going on has no one actually been in england lately?! The weather is *text deleted**text deleted*e all the time anyway, especially down in devon where the weather constantly changes anyway. :uglyhammer:

 

[Matt B]

Even if the weather is fine here, as soon as you get on dartmoor it changes from one extreme to the other in a scratch of your left b0llock!!

I go onto dartmoor all the time and you can be topless one minute getting a tan then be in 10 metre visibility in the pouring rain the next minute.

 

[jeremy]

how much weight do you carry on 30 miler?

 

[Seedytucker]

according to RN's website: carrying full fighting order and rifle (31lbs) +safety equipment
according to onceamarinealwaysamarine.co.uk:
The test are taken in Full Fighting Order weighing between 30 (dry) and 40 (wet) pounds, it is usually always wet. Additionally each man carries his personal weapon the SA80 weighing 10 pounds.

 

[Touchstone]

From reading Andy McNab, I know they do for SAS selection.

Oh yeah Andy McNab the most reliable military source. But the way I heard if was for selection you or *text deleted**text deleted*ed either way. In the winter it's freezing cold up there (brecon beacons) and in the summer blisteringly hot. You got to be having a laugh though? They are going to make the job easier for them because of the weather? Do you know their reputation?

But no they should keep it the way it is. I think on the day weather will not affect how you perform ultimately. In summer you are just as likely to get wet, or worse overheat. In winter if you lucky then it will be hard ground.

But no there should be no exceptions! Just imagine asking your OC in a section attack 'Can we halt the attack cause the ground is a bit muddy? OC: 'Sure want a blowjob and a cup of tea while your at it?'.

 

[Seedytucker]

Just imagine asking your OC in a section attack 'Can we halt the attack cause the ground is a bit muddy? OC: 'Sure want a blowjob and a cup of tea while your at it?'.

is that why you're joining? now be honest..... *text deleted*
i heard some guy have a go about the fact that rest stops have been introduced to the 30 miler, but thinking about it, the time hasnt changed at all, so in actual fact you have to travel faster

 

[AdmiralAwesome]

Imagine going to do a section attack on an enemy position and getting killed because the idiot officer in charge has told the covering machine gun crews to get to a position to provide fire in a certain time that is impossible considering the conditions and weather!

The fact is, in a full force gale driving buckets of rain into your face and the ground an absolute quagmire, the fittest, most determined person isn't going to be able to do something in the same time as they could on a dry, warm spring day. It isn't making it easier by making the timings longer; it's making it possible.

Edit:
As for the Commando Tests, if the pass rate for the summer is higher than the pass rate for the winter, they should make the summer timings shorter to even it out.

 

[chrystal19]

is that why you're joining? now be honest..... *text deleted*
i heard some guy have a go about the fact that rest stops have been introduced to the 30 miler, but thinking about it, the time hasnt changed at all, so in actual fact you have to travel faster

I think thats annoying. I'd rather slow it down but always be moving, rather than going faster and resting.

 

[MTW]

have you done the 30 miler before?