How does training change you?

[Brickhouse]

The simplest way of putting it is, does a professional sportsman want to spend his career sat on the bench, or do they want game time?

Yeah that's the way I'd imagine it. Thanks for the help!

 

[ThreadpigeonsAlpha]

Do you think that in the future there will be ops?

There is no way to predict future events, things could kick off wherever there is instability. You could also get last minute taskings to support UKSF. If you happen to be training in nearby locations.

There will be less chance of “proper” war fighting and more chance of anti-insurgency, anti-guerrilla warfare and peacekeeping.
There is constant anti-piracy stuff going on aswell.

Ah okay yeah I understand. Would you say there is almost an annoyance (I don't want to say disrespect, as I assume all marines have a respect for anyone who gets into the corps?) with people who are RM now? Like if a RM served for 6-8 years, but didn't really get on any ops, do you think other people and other ex RM would have the same respect for them, as RM who served in places like Afghan and Iraq?

I know some good blokes who never did “proper” tours. Who are still good blokes and have proved themselves elsewhere.
I don’t think of myself as any better than anyone just because the time and place dictated I could to deploy.

There’s lads who had deployed for other taskings that are unique compared to Afghan etc. It’s all about experience in the bag to help with your job and the development of yourself and others you work with. You share your experiences when and where it’s appropriate.

But just because you have done a tour, doesn’t mean you know everything. Tactics and situations change and evolve, you use what you know as a good basis.
The enemy constantly changes and evolves with the situation. So you can’t remain stubborn in what you have already done.

During the times of peace the number of people going for UKSF Selection increases because lads want to chase the Operations and that tempo. Sometimes a peacetime military is a bit much on the bullsh1t side of things.

 

[brixstix]

I certainly don't put up with the down sides of the job for no reason. I want Ops. There are plenty of other options I could explore if I wanted money or geographical stability, but like most bootnecks I certainly haven't ticked all the boxes I wanted too.

It seems like wanting ops is military wide at the moment from what I’ve read. At least Royal Marines and paras have the opportunity to serve with sfsg.

 

[Rob20]

It seems like wanting ops is military wide at the moment from what I’ve read. At least Royal Marines and paras have the opportunity to serve with sfsg.

Well why else would anyone join a frontline fighting unit?

 

[Sprint0205]

Sorry to derail the thread slightly but how did deployments work during HERRICK? Was it like a 6 month deployment and 6 months off or a 1 year deployment etc.?

 

[Brickhouse]

It seems like wanting ops is military wide at the moment from what I’ve read. At least Royal Marines and paras have the opportunity to serve with sfsg.

Agreeing with what Rob20 said, that's why people join a frontline fighting units.

In the grand scheme of things though, do you think the fact that not much warfighting is going on is a good thing? Aiming for more peace in the world etc...

Obviously there's still loads of conflicts around the world, insurgents in North Africa, issues in the Levant etc. Which marines could get deployed on, giving them the chance to get their fix of combat.

But do you think marines would prefer getting their action in through these smaller raids/operations, like what they show on TV adverts (I think this is what they're moving to with the FCF idea?), or do you think they'd prefer more traditional war like Afghan?

 

[brixstix]

Well why else would anyone join a frontline fighting unit?

Agreeing with what Rob20 said, that's why people join a frontline fighting units.

I don’t disagree. I meant that with no active conflicts that the UK is deploying to like herrick or telic at least royals and paras have the opportunity of sfsg to go on ops.

 

[Brickhouse]

Well why else would anyone join a frontline fighting unit?

Agreeing with what Rob20 said, that's why people join a frontline fighting units.

In the grand scheme of things though, do you think the fact that not much warfighting is going on is a good thing? Aiming for more peace in the world etc...

Obviously there's still loads of conflicts around the world, insurgents in North Africa, issues in the Levant etc. Which marines could get deployed on, giving them the chance to get their fix of combat.

But do you think marines would prefer getting their action in through these smaller raids/operations, like what they show on TV adverts (I think this is what they're moving to with the FCF idea?), or do you think they'd prefer more traditional war like Afghan?

Rob20, just wondering what your opinion on what I wrote above is?

 

[Rob20]

You can't predict what will come next. We train to remain flexible and able to adapt in a variety of environments. So it's abit of an irrelevant question asking what we'd prefer.

I'm sure everyone agrees world peace would be a great thing but it will never happen. There are alot of bad people in the world, and we are more than happy to get involved with them.

 

[TheRents]

"How does training change you?"

You will end up speaking a whole different language, that no one else can understand

 

[Brickhouse]

You can't predict what will come next. We train to remain flexible and able to adapt in a variety of environments. So it's abit of an irrelevant question asking what we'd prefer.

I'm sure everyone agrees world peace would be a great thing but it will never happen. There are alot of bad people in the world, and we are more than happy to get involved with them.

Yeah makes sense, any chance to get some combat with bad people would be a good opportunity.

I guess fighting in different environments on different missions would be interesting? Say one deployment back to desert type fighting in the Levant, or maybe more jungle warfare in East Asia, compared to just spending 8 months in the desert.

 

[ThreadpigeonsAlpha]

Sorry to derail the thread slightly but how did deployments work during HERRICK? Was it like a 6 month deployment and 6 months off or a 1 year deployment etc.?

Depends. On the conflict, the role, the situation.
Some units ended up doing back to back deployments of Afghan due to the nature of their roles and the limitations of the equipment. If I remember correctly 3 months out, 3 months home, 3 months out etc etc etc.

Usually you would get 6 months predepolyment training do your tour of 6 months, then get post operational leave. Then rotate to other tasks while another Unit would be doing predeployment and Ops or depending on your unit go back into predeployment training and start again.

Things would differ slightly with different packages and training for battle casualty replacements.

Same with deployments for exercises and roles, you might be in a role that requires to to attach to different fighting companies that deploy through the year. You could return from Norway with Zulu company in the start of the year for example, then return home, few weeks tasks then have to attach to Yankee Company for a trip to Jordan.

How this changes with the new FCF setup, I’m not sure.

Yeah makes sense, any chance to get some combat with bad people would be a good opportunity.

I guess fighting in different environments on different missions would be interesting? Say one deployment back to desert type fighting in the Levant, or maybe more jungle warfare in East Asia, compared to just spending 8 months in the desert.

The Jungle is an incredible place to soldier, it really tests anyone’s soldiering abilities. It’s a very labouring and intense environment to work in. You either love it or hate it. I loved it, it was tough soldiering, but with the added benefit of more time getting your head down, because it’s incredibly difficult to operate in the jungle at night.

 

[Rob20]

On a related subject, once in training and passed out did you find you couldn't really relate with anyone outside of the corps.

Or being on leave around civilians would you get annoyed easily.

Yes regularly. I have a handful of good civvy mates but even they have a different outlook on most things.

Are you in training currently?

 

[Rob20]

Not yet.

I just can imagine trivial things like hearing people complain about work colleagues or dealing with the general public becomes annoying.

Also talking about what you've done or experienced and if that person can't relate to it or see the funny side of a situation.

Ah I was under the impression you had just been through ROP recently for some reason.

Yer so life is much easier once you realise the whole world doesn't revolve around the Corps. You can't judge people for having a different mindset when they haven't done what you have. Doesn't mean you have to like them, but you shouldn't judge them. Besides we all have civvy girlfriends for the most part, if you can't hack abit of 'civvy' chat from time to time, then you're *text deleted* struggle.

Also, after a while you'll realise civvies aint fussed about what we do so no need to bigtime it.

 

[SCOTTY6]

Not yet.

I just can imagine trivial things like hearing people complain about work colleagues or dealing with the general public becomes annoying.

Also talking about what you've done or experienced and if that person can't relate to it or see the funny side of a situation.

you’re in ROP though aren’t you?

Personally I love hanging out with my civi mates. It’s different from hanging out with your work mates but I’ve always found the two got along grand anyway. I dunno maybe it’s nice to have a convo over a pint where every second word isn’t gen or hoofing. But that’s just me. And yeah like rob said, your civi mates don’t really care what goes on at work or how nails you are, they usually just want to chat or get pissed.

 

[ThreadpigeonsAlpha]

you’re in ROP though aren’t you?

Personally I love hanging out with my civi mates. It’s different from hanging out with your work mates but I’ve always found the two got along grand anyway. I dunno maybe it’s nice to have a convo over a pint where every second word isn’t gen or hoofing. But that’s just me. And yeah like rob said, your civi mates don’t really care what goes on at work or how nails you are, they usually just want to chat or get pissed.

Absolutely. Nothing wrong with getting away from the lifestyle and seeing other mates and perspectives. It’s easy to get tunnel vision and forget what happens outside the fence of a camp.

I always used to make a point of spending time off camp at weekends and evenings when I was a camp orphan, just to get away from it all.