Royal Space Force

Thoughts from a new recruit

So I applied for military selection. You used to be able to say that you wanted to become a pilot, a tanker, or an officer. Now, now you can just say that you want to be in the military.

I received my enrolment letter a few days later. It didn't tell me much. Just how much, or little personnel possession that I could take. The worst part was that I needed to back up my ICE and reset it to its default settings before arrival! It also gave me a list of pre-course books that I should read and to 'get fit!'

A couple of months went by before I received my call up papers. It had my details, number, training centre, travel docs, and an ID card. It specifically mentioned that I must not drive.

So the day arrived and I made my way to  AAS Winchester. There was no time, just the date. I arrived at the guard house and booked in. Nice and simple! just booked in, had my stuff checked, made sure that my ICE was reset, signed a few forms and was directed to the barracks and told to find the next available bunk and stay there until called. All quiet civilised really. A bit like a cheap hotel. 

So I found my bunk. It was in a container with three other recruits all of which were female. I went to leave as I thought that I had it wrong. Sharing with three young ladies. I went to leave, didn't get very far before I was told in no uncertain manner to get back in. There are no ladies here - only recruits! I went back in rather quickly, I can say!

Anyway we got to know one another, Jess, Jane, and Rachael, and settled down. We were there all day and night but at 0500 the next morning we were waken with an alarm that could have woken the dead! All recruits to form on the parade square in numerical order. We was dressed and out of the door like a rocket. The Sergeants were shouting at us to get in order. But what order? Apparently on the enlistment paperwork was a number C1 to C100 or something. People were milling around every where, shouting out numbers, trying to figure out where to go. I was C39 so I was trying to find C38 or C40. What a debacle we were making. It wasn't until someone started shouting that they were C1 and somebody started shouting for all of the tens to get over here, twenties to stand there and so on and so on. The ones that I felt sorry for were the recruits who didn't know their number. You could see them trying to access their ICE but of course it had been disabled when you signed your life away.

And what were the training Sergeants doing whilst all of this was going on. Yes you got it, shouting at us. Not helping, not giving direction, just shouting!

We then formed up in to a century, 5 across and had our first session on drill, and moving as a whole. Finally we marched down to the mess hall for some breakfast. Wow! I had never seen so much food

We then spent the rest of the day marching around on the parade square.

After more food we all went back to our bricks and crashed out for the night.

The next morning we were woken again by the alarm at 0600 and given 20 minutes to form up on the parade square. Once there we were marched down to the stores where we were measured and fitted for our uniform. Not much; High-leg combat boots, lightweight trousers, T-shirt, jacket, field cap, underwear and socks. All olive green and marked with our numbers. We also received a large black bag. This contained everything else that we would need; toiletries, webbing, sleeping bag, and the myriad of other essentials that would be needed.

We then spent the rest of the day in lectures on everything. From looking after ourselves, one another, our kit, pay and benefits, and the military arms in the UK. Having feasted at lunch time this was hard staying awake. But heaven forbid anyone that fell asleep during one.

Day 3 was a bit of a shock to the system! We were woken at around 0330 with an alarm stating that the base had been compromised and that we were to evacuate immediately. We were to form on the parade square within the next 4 minutes! I was out of that bunk and in to my boots in a matter of seconds. I grabbed my kit and ran out in just my pants! On the square I started trying to get my trousers on but was soon moved off at a marching pace. Looking around I could see some of the recruits wearing their full uniform, others with no boots, and some completely naked!

After about 15 minutes the pace quickened. Most of us had now managed to get some more kit on. Boots were flapping around feet having not been laced correctly. Those that hadn't brought their boots were dropping by the wayside. But did you stop or just carry on?

After another 15 minutes a short stop was called. Most of us finally pulled the rest of our kit on and were getting ready to leave again. The ones that had forgotten their important kit, kit that only yesterday the instructors had said how important it was that you had it to hand as it could be the difference between life and death, were starting to be left behind. Only a couple were keeping up with rest of us with bare feet.

We kept on running for hours! The Corporals were pushing us further and further. People were dropping like flies. Being sick as they ran! Even peeing and shitting on the go. The call from the Corporals was that if we wanted to quit all you had to do was just step to the side and give up. A Grenadier would pick you up and pack you off.

Once we finally arrived back at the barracks we were just about ready to die. Heading to our bricks I was just about to collapse on my bunk when the alarm sounded. All recruits to move down the line to the next available bunk. I ended up moving down three containers before all of the spaces were filled with three new room mates! Just how many had quit.

The next morning we were woken at 0600 and tasked to attend the medical centre. There were already a few there. Some that I recognised from yesterdays run. Maybe you didn't fail if you couldn't do it?

By lunch time we had eaten far less than yesterday. I for one didn't want to be throwing up constantly due to eating too much. The afternoon was taken up with more lectures and an introduction to the GSR - General Service Rifle.

Day 5, I think, started at 0500. We went for a run and then filed in for breakfast. After we visited the armoury to collect our GSR. This was to be my personal weapon for the entirety of AAS. WE learnt basic safety drills and how to strip and clean the weapon. I soon realised that keeping your weapon clean was one of the most important things I would learn  on this course.

For the next week it was all much the same. The alarm varied from 0400 to 0600 with varying amounts of PT before and after breakfast, or both. Drill on the parade square and the odd room inspection, lectures, and combat drills Every night was the same - move down and fill up the spaces!

Day 14 was going to be our day off. Not the day off that we had planned! I had never felt so bad. You see, the day before we were ordered to report to medical. It was then that I realised that not only had I signed my life away, but also my body. Enhancements they called it. Enhancements my arse!

The next morning we were told that we would have a room inspection at 0630. By 0430 we was up and about cleaning anything and everything. By 0620 we were standing by our beds. At 0700 we were still there. At 0800 I needed to hit the khazi. By midday we were informed that we should go to the mess for lunch and be back for room inspection at 1300. Sure enough at 1400 we were still there. by 1800 many had given up. At 2000 we were called to the parade square in full kit. As we marched off, the thought struck me. This was going to carry on through the night!

During the night we learnt field craft, survival, and  silent movement. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that I realised just how good my night vision was!

We stayed out in the field for the next seven days, learning everything from fieldcraft, survival, movement, camouflage and concealment, and all of the other things that the Army like to do.

When we marched back in to base a week later there were even less of us. And as expected we was told to fill up the blocks from the middle out.

The following morning we were taken to the firing range. We had all passed our weapons safety tests and would now be allowed to fire the GSR for real. What a day! absolutely fantastic! Yeah it was strict but I found out that I was a pretty good shot. Not just with the GSR but also with the GSP - the General service Pistol. From all accounts we would be completing live fire exercises all week!

The other thing that happened this week was close quarter combat. Fighting with our hands! Now most of us hadn't had any training. A few had some. And others were pretty good at it. Now we had some pads to protect our heads but otherwise we were told to just go for it. You won when your opponent was knocked down. By the middle of the week we had started to receive some training from the PTIs but then it was two or three against one, or the worst 5 against 5. We worked out that which ever team lost a member first ended up losing. A few days later and they gave us stun batons to fight with! great fun but it didn't half hurt when you got hit! 

Week 5 or is it 6? was a bit of a shock. We were woken as always at a different time again. We had a lecture on NBC as the instructors liked to call it. Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical. They said that it is really CBRN - Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear. But they didn't care. It was NBCN really with Nano on the end.

By lunch time we had experienced CS, Pepper spray, and had to fight our way out of rooms filled with all manner of irritants. Eventually we were fighting in full NBC kit. We thought that come dinner we would have finished, but no. It appeared that we would be wearing this Noddy suit for a while as the Corporals chucked in a dozen CS canisters whilst we were eating!

Four days later we were still wearing the suits and respirators. We had to sleep in them as well as the bricks filled with gas on a regular basis. Hell you couldn't even take a dump without a gas canister being thrown in! And fighting in them was a nightmare!

By the fifth day we were finally permitted to take the suits off. I dread to think what the smell was like! And time for a shower, scran, and get ready to move down through the bricks.

The following two days were officially our days off. Which for us meant a visit to medical and a day to recover.

The next week was a whole new kettle of fish. At about 0500 armed soldiers entered our brick, tied our hands and forced us out on to the parade square. A sandbag was pulled over my head and my ankles tied together. We were about to find out what it might mean to be captured and interrogated! Apparently if you have had enough and want to go home you simply had to ask. It all sounded so easy to just give up. Yeah I might not be able to vote but life would be a lot easier. But I didn't join up for it to be easy! And to be honest I wasn't that bothered about being able to vote. The rich will always get richer and the poor will get poorer!

It took a while before I realised that they were giving me the opportunity to escape. Silly things that soldiers just wouldn't do. I eventually managed to slam the door of the Grenadier against one of them, ran, fell over and rolled into a ditch full of brambles! I think that they thought I was miles away when in fact I was about 10 meters from where I ran. I eventually freed my hands and made off. I made it back to base a day or so later. I was quite surprised at how few injuries I had seeing as the beatings we received. Enhancements I guess.

It seemed as though I was one of the first to get back as we had two proper days off before we were all accounted for. Typically we had all moved around again. The funny thing was. I felt the need to be doing something, anything. Sitting around just didn't feel right.

The following days were totally different. We had the standard morning and afternoon PT  but we spent the day in simulators. I think that they were testing our aptitude to flight training. Now I may have been a good shot and I was pretty good at the field craft and NBC. But. I couldn't get this flying thing at all. I don't think that I made a single landing that I could have walked away from! The evenings were spent on PT and close quarter combat training.

After the simulators we went out for real in the training dropships, helicopters, and rotary wing craft. The initial training went reasonably well with most of us enjoying the fast landings and tactical exits. After about 4 days of this the dropships went higher and higher, dropping faster and faster, making evasive manoeuvres, faster drops, and even faster  launches. There were sick bags being passed around so you can guess just what we were doing every evening before moving down the line. The funny thing was not everyone was ill. I absolutely loved it. It was like the best rollercoaster ever. There were even a couple of recruits who would promptly fall asleep as soon as they sat down. OK that was also me!

Week 10? started a bit strange. We had just returned from our morning PT at around 0800 when on the other side of the parade square formed up a small group in standard Army combats. Now this wasn't unusual to see other recruits and soldiers on the parade square but this was a bit different. The difference was that they must have all been over 60! They did a relaxed right turn and marched off to the restricted area down the road. We on the other hand marched off to the stores to be fitted with a combat Esuit. I did notice as we marched off that we were all in step, standing tall and proud. There were probably only half of the initial arrivals but we were much more professional. In my eyes anyway.

Fitting the training Environment Suit wasn't as complicated as I thought that it would be. But then again I don't think that they were that bothered about the fit anyway. Once we were all kitted out we ran through all of the basic safety checks and operations and then before we knew it we were out for a run with full kit, We stayed out all night whilst sleeping, eating and shitting in the Esuit. Nothing like being thrown in at the deep end! We spent the entire week in the Esuit carrying out combat drills, orbital drops, and general duties. By the time that I arrive back at the bricks and moved down to fill any spaces I had sores where I didn't know that you could get sores. We were sent to medical to get checked out and then of course some more enhancements. Funnily enough tomorrow was our day off!

We started out today at an 0300 reveille  and climbed into the Grenadiers before heading to the coast. I had started to pick up the army ability of being able to sleep anywhere and at the drop of a hat and within seconds I was sound'o.

We arrived at the beach and  in no time at all we were running PT through the dunes and sea. Although it was late spring the sea was freezing. We did sit ups and press ups in the surf. Considering how much fitter we all were than when we started we were knackered. The PTIs seemed to know just how far to push us!

Soaked and covered in sand we climbed into some large inflatable boats and were off only to be told to jump in and make our way back to shore. This was when I realised some of our other enhancements. We spent the rest of the day carrying out attacks on various beaches, small boats and large ships.

After a week of exercises both in and out of the water I was just about dead on my feet. The whole week had been wet. My  kit was soaked nearly all of the time. There were more of the recruits wanting to leave. The Instructors were telling us to push through and not to be lemmings.

Finally just as the weather started to improve we climbed in to the back of some trucks and made our way back to the bricks. When we arrived we were sent to get cleaned up, fill the spaces and report to medical in an hour. All I wanted to do was climb in to my bunk and sleep. But no I smartened myself up and joined the rest down at the medical center.

This set of enhancements was different. We were anesthetised for surgery. Apparently there were implants to improve and enhance and protect all manner of things. From being tortured, bone strengthening, muscle enhancement, tendon improvements, and a myriad of other improvements. The next thing that came as a surprise - my Internal Cranial Electronics had been reactivated. Only it wasn't my old system, it was much, much better. I scanned through some of the options, many of which were greyed out but they all looked blooming interesting!

We were all bed bound recovering from the surgery but that didn't stop the training. The wetwear wasn't going to learn itself! The Training Team locked us down and were going through our new systems in virtual.

Once we finished the virtual training I thought a three or four days had gone by. In fact it was less than two days! apparently in virtual you can speed up time!

So, anyway, out we went, got ourselves kitted out in full gear. There was a lot of it now! And off we went to practice with the new ICE systems. We used drones, hounds, called fire support, linked with vehicles and our personal weapons.

After four days of this we marched back to the blocks. For once we didn't have to move up the line! As we formed up on the parade square I noticed a small group on the far side. They wore black working uniforms. Something I had never seen before. I thought that they looked familiar. And then it came to me. They looked like a younger version of the oldies that I saw a few weeks ago. They did a smart right turn and marched off the parade square and disappeared in to the buildings opposite.

We on the other had marched down to the stores.

At the stores we were split up in to different areas. I went through the automatic measuring system after removing my uniform. It was very battered compared to when I first was issued with it. Knowing the military I was probably going to be billed for it as it wasn't returned in the condition that it was issued.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I went through. I don't think that I had an ounce of fat  on me! I was all muscle and sinew.

I was called forward and received a new uniform. This wasn't the recruits utilities but my proper barrack dress, working uniform. It was in RSF Stellar Blue. I was going in the RSF! Looking around I noticed that we were all going in the RSF. Although my T-shirt had olive coloured sleeves. Everybody else's sleeves were either the same stellar blue or a pale blue.

I picked up the rest of my kit and filed outside. We were ordered to form up into colours;

Navy blue for the Royal Navy, Olive green for the Army, RAF blue for the Royal Air Force and stellar blue for the Royal Space Force.

I noticed that a few sleeves were different colours. The Navy and Airforce had a few with olive sleeves. These I realised were going to be Royal Marines and RAF Regiment. Those with pale blue were going to be pilots. The Army had lots of different colours and stripes. These were their regimental colours depending on where they were going to be based.

As we marched back to the bricks I realised that the instructors were much more relaxed. Even actually being nice to us. No shouting , except for the marching orders. We formed up outside the bricks as more and more senior officers arrived for inspection. Eventually the camp CO arrived and informed us that we had all passed! PASSED! What the hell! Bloody fantastic! It wasn't the big parade that I imagined, but who cared. I had passed. I was going in to space.

Eventually they all faded away after their congratulations had been said. The best was from the Staff Sergeant. He informed us that we would be expected to attend celebratory drinks at the club that evening. I was expecting good things. And I wasn't disappointed! 

Some how though I didn't think that this was going to be the end of my training.