STANDARDS.

My bold. The word often used in similar circumstances is 'harmonisation'. A weasel word which often means a race towards mediocrity for the sake of ill conceived policy.
Trying not to sound bitter here.

 

Now that is spot on!! Any rank on the PSBC who cannot pass a sodding CFT should really have a strong word with themselves. In other news.. I’m standing by for the reaction to the chick who gets banged out in tonight’s episode!!

 

This is rather an unfortunate told you so moment for me, as I spun this scenario somewhere on the forum afew years back saying this was exactly what would happen. With the current pressure on manning continuing to become more and more evident as alot of the brightest move to a civilian life without military bull- 'fertiliser' Those that stay gradually progress up through ranks the longer they stay. This incident epitomises that senior management process, at-least on the face of it.

Not Seen! She knew the requirement, and would have know she had not made the standard on for the task, and should have voluntarily RTUed knowing she had not made the cut. However I reserve comment as this insight is based on only what I have read in the public sphere.

 

Fair point but the 15 blokes who also failed did not RTU themselves nor were they nationally humiliated by having their failings published in a newspaper.

 

The failure is not the national humiliation, the modification of the requirement for political aims is, and the blatant attempt of conforming the military to the individual not the other way around.

Again I think its reasonable to expect Cpl Dougherty knew she was in the spotlight, and again knew she had not met the requirement. The 15 other failures were fortunate that male failures arnt seen as news worthy. Can you imagine a scenario where your training team hasnt completed RM training to the required standard, however they are in training roles, 'extra phys' you about whats required to earn your green lid.

 

No one is suggesting the standard should be lowered or that Cpl Doughty should have been allowed to continue into a training role; far from it. The point is to say that she should have taken herself off the course when she was one of 16 not to pass is unreasonable.

The fault in this instance lies fairly and squarely with the chain of command and the way they managed this issue. Any perceived pro-female bias will be jumped on quite rightly by the lads; you could argue that this fiasco is actually a good thing as it has highlighted the depth of feeling among the troops and their unwillingness to be rolled over. Perhaps in the future any such temptation to adjust rules will be more carefully considered.

What I continue to strongly object to is the highlighting of individual's shortcomings in the national press with photos, names, ranks etc.

 

100% agree. People's lives are at stake & anyone willing to increase that risk by lowering operational capability needs kicking squarely in the groin.

 

Apologies for lowering the tone of the debate but am I alone in being mildly teased by the cropped image on the Daily Mail link which shows an elaborate tattoo on Cpl Dougherty's thigh?

 

Funny enough I completely agree.

 

True. That said, had the individual passed the entire course, you can be sure it would have been equally the case with regard the publicity, only for promotional reasons rather than derrogatory reasons.

It was a bit like the Navy News when female RN personnel when to sea - you would've thought the Navy no longer sent blokes to sea if the photographs on every page were a representational guage of gender diversity. Hopefully we get it right this time.

 

Could they have been expecting to be binned but were told they could continue....

What’s that? Hierarchy bending the rules for females on a course?

That wouldn’t happen at CTC though.......

Would it?

 

If Whitehall wants its GI Janes, they’ll get them.


Training standards changed dramatically during my time in the corps, the abolition of random ‘wet and dry’ dunkings, the abandonment of itchy scratchy blankets in favour of duvets, a addition of ‘mentors’ and the introduction of ‘quiet time’ on camp. Then there’s the hints of ‘reassessing’ the training structure for infantry units.


If there’s a will there’s a way.