How to Make a Royal Marines Officer: Part 1

they're going to be very worried about life they've got they're going from civil industry off or from University College school straight into a nursery environment and if they're not worried they ought to be mr. Paul commissioned yet Ainsworth so will jackets at mr. Ellsworth have you come to join the Rory's or the air force you told you wear a jacket like that with you color sergeant you can't up and follow me there will be moments when even the strongest will wish they never cut they have 12 months to prove themselves worthy of commanding 30 raw means on active service it is why their own training will be without remorse the band plays this could be the start of something big indeed it could already they've been chosen from hundreds of unsuccessful candidates and commissioned from day one or the two thousand pound uniformed alarmist and six hundred pounds a month but their goal is the green berry of the commander's price five pounds 80 bits that has to be a true cost they say is six tons of sweat over there gentlemen I'm sure you've seen before some new heart is a front door of the officers mess in a moment we're going to go through the front door the officers mess and that we the last time that you go through the front door the officers mess until you finish training do you understand there is a back door you'll use at all times there's also stairs going up to your accommodation next to the stairs is a lift and two pounds to you you used to stay at all times you understand that if it's awesome good what's going to happen now is it go in the front door and we'll go downstairs and start your documentation but if you join the robberies can you the commandant of training is Colonel earn more what special qualities did he look for if I was to select one I think it would be that quality which John Kennedy was said to have possessed which is grace under pressure because there will be pressure there will be danger there will be discomfort hunger fatigue sometimes exhaustion but there must also be that ability to control to go on thinking to go on leading to go on being an inspiration when times are very difficult so I'd have thought that is the real quality that is central to so many others work and learn to do more um I wouldn't a supermarket for a while I work for a removal company then I went into trouble here just hopefully in time this will enjoy my number work without years so if you've got a degree in zoology what made you want to join us a tiny zoology timely dressing for launching okay so are you into that I ever watching I am done son oh good no you you are they probably won't yeah don't problem one of the main paragraphs that you should note in the missed rules and bylaws is that undress and the first paragraph is the most important that's paragraph 51 and if you always remember this if you remember nothing else you always remember that members in the mess or to maintain a standard of dress appropriate to the dignity of the mess and are to ensure their guests should they have them conform to that standard you won't go wrong a fine array we've got here fine array and he's dead easy mr. Jackman your immaculate that's sure is something else isn't it it's a corker I just what's his time a day off what does it mean it means that Barbadian beach boys club or something like that you'll all know got a third you listen okay that's cool take is it not shooting pool time north on a surgeon okay what's going to happen oh there is the bad cops are going to come forward and have a look at your suits then give you little spiel on your behavior and what's the special view the message evening at your piss have cut cocktail party leavings going sleepy time mister poetry when that Oprah Bentley right Simmons I think this is really the thing is it cuz I'll up for a really for the mess didn't want Chum that was so and said do you you've spoken about Sonia so you've got grandmother you give this to cuz I'm good sure just go get this relax all right they all relax are they so you deform them you have you the surface suit very well not only the color it's a bit bright isn't anything when we've got a rock-and-roll night in this Ausmus and I'll borrow it this constant great so you'll do for me good evening please do the top motion up on your on your jacket and you when you're getting very casual late at night that you might venture to undead but this evening you will all have jackets done up these will York rappers and write you bowlegged slightly say yes you have the same problems I do so try and keep your knees as close together as possible you have decided to become officers and there are certain standards lay down that you must adhere to in your dress don't get too worried if I have to be hard on your tie your shoes you will soon learn that is the life that you are going into gentlemen especially the three members or call commission who have chosen to come from the other ranks to become officers you will be probably harder for them than most the rest of you anybody problems are you happy yes co-stars are you all gonna get pissed I think that you begin to feel military when you got the uniform on in a moment I'm feeling just like a civilian standing in a military establishment with military things around it as opposed to being one of those military things are now 22 is on the old man of the group and I spent four years working in a bank which I went straight into after school I enjoyed my time with the bank the people that worked with I enjoyed the customers I enjoyed the job itself wasn't that good obviously I mean I wouldn't be here now if you enjoyed this little bit but it's always been an ambition to get here motivated so far well coming straight from school I think that I'm not quite mature enough yet and this following year will tell whether I am mature enough or whether I'm becoming mature enough and I think that that is perhaps my my biggest fault at the moment because I'm straight from schooling I'm certainly school way of thinking I do think that it's simply the best best around I mean our father was in the Corps but that's not why I'm joining I've look to other opportunities didn't want to go to university want to do something active and I thought this is it commando green bear a lot of pride of thinking the day you get your greenberg well the reason I joined the Marines in the first place was because of the training because of the hard work and because of the adventure of the challenge the second exertion I decided to come an opposite because I was being frustrated with being a Marine I wasn't thinking soldier I wanted doing soldier has been told to do this dig that hole do this do that it was just extremely frustrating and I thought I'm going to get caught up in the trap being 9 years not achieve anything so I decided to try and get a position where I could think he's my brain the gentle early morning fall on this occasion is given not by the instructors but by trainee is already three months into the course it's a start of an initiation right it's been going on for years it's now five past five front support place long results ending your your game not quick enough on your face I say new gentlemen I want you down there from sport place one more event these men have been waiting for you because you were late 27% okay gentlemen one thing you learn over the next few weeks is when you're told to parade at a certain time you will be there at that time if not you will suffer arm Spain and stretch pain and stretch bend and stretch will attract will see your line on the other side come on quick they know some may interpret what comes next the sort of beauty treatment society ladies paid through the nose for as bullying it's hardly that since any young officer may ask or be asked to resign at any time what do you say to see your line when you finish oh your face is dope yay look at me now and look at each other don't please is that goat skin hey stop because you can't follow me quickly starting a falling to backward somersault three across Facebook now take that exit left left well voila hey she's like well fine we'll we'll start welcome that's the first thing to say we have discussion periods and if nothing else we're good for a cup of coffee and some bicky's one of the things we shall be talking about is the Just War concept we'll be talking about things like pacifism and whether the profession of arms is compatible with Christianity and I suppose I rather answer the question by standing here in this training rig when I talk about things like pacifism and the profession of arms your function basically is to kill there is no other reason for your being here other than that one day you might have to kill an enemy now all your training is arduous you're going to get crabby you're going to get stinking and you get rotten what happens when you're coming up from your works days work you get yourself stripped off into your gas rig that you're in there okay flip-flops any old gas we've you've got PT rig and you do the following things you wash your shirt you wash your socks and you wash your Knicks even one that day we do anything else you wash those items because they're the ones in the stink the most okay okay I'm not going to show this subject so I'm going to show you how just add a washer I'm sure what's your kick at some of you I'm pretty sure I've not done it mommy's done it for you in the washing machine we've got washing machines here you're not going to use them until I tell you you can okay what gets really smelly on shirts armpits there's clever boys okay get some Dobby dust in the armpits I rub it in make sure you spend plenty of time on there that was pointing putting your clean shirt on and then find it it's honking as soon as you've got it on you front your troop you salute the or fall over that's basically the routine for washing your kids every night any problems okay the second thing I want to go through that is a shower routine very important so mr. James can speak to me please speak to mr. James come over here and speak to me over here okay here we are we just finished training for the day smelling slightly for she is of course you're working all day running around with kit in the shower make sure the hair is washed every day familiar is nonsense about not washing every day if you wash your hair every day okay make sure obviously under your arms are washed properly around your crutches much current correctly and your feet are wash correctly stacks of soap that's a lather get there then what we're going to do now so a quick demo for mr. James drip off mr. James being a coal Commission knows a routine Obie's got a fairly swell sized will equals exactly showers around the corner there get yourself nod off properly commands just show them the routine but move way that mr. James get through there some look at you okay so those do them a little Jane boy routine that's the soap love your body okay and get and grow him and do it off fine okay right any problems on that sharing you will share it every night it's about now they begin to wonder whether they are elite or off their heads I'm always rather concerned that I hear the word elite because it always assumes something and that assumption can never be made you have to go on keeping yourself good day after day year after year and as soon as a an organization starts calling itself good it almost always starts to go downhill we must be constantly striving to be competent we must be confident in that competence but we can never afford to be complacent and day after day I hope that officers young officers leaders at every level are giving themselves a own audit board as to whether they had actually measured up that day and how they can do better next if we go around the camp when we get to sleep from the menu mean good for me looking behind us is eating as I saw I'm walking behind this you know god I've gotta pick my shoulder I think you salute the Commission you don't salute the person actually salute the rank so they're not saluting me the saluting the Queen's Commission putting on this uniform for the first time is so it's nice weather you may notice at the moment we only wear all that things call it crap hair there we don't deserve the rim berry yet we had this black training bearing she's very very noticeable and certainly till green berry that I think if if they made it well mostly they then need some more shots before very long it's some nice new crisp bones and I suggest that you look around for suitable sports jacket and not make sure make sure it's a properly cut tailored sports jacket with ensign back yes it ok go on see only the game we're in there isn't got a game why is it cuz you've come from one sort of life into another all right yes smile at me it's got a session on Smith's now are we I've just finished school home father endzone garden centre not that moves on not that well-off family so does put all his money back to the garden center site a pile my own clothes etc and yes is a bit different sorry used to wear jeans t-shirt on a map and come to suits and Jack and tile the times a bit different alright that's almost that's all satisfactory so good Ahn's drama don't panic come on put yourself away some sort of at the moment a little bit shaky under pressure I feel myself I'm confident that I can do it with the training it'll take a lot of work hopefully there are net out I was told at my interview boards that I was not flexible enough that they believed that could be trained into me that I don't agree with that view I think they saw any a few sides of me at the interview board I think I probably have the flexibility but I'm entering training with very open mind they make what they want with me right right right change up look a handcuffed crab you are two paces step back good good watch it keep the legs straight says goodbye to the crime stop it to the heel clock that you will find the royal nitpick and there are certain things that I'll pick up and you'll think to yourself bloody hell why is he picking up that little thing it is to train you to pay attention to detail so that later on your careers when you've got your troop of men and your company commander gives you a mission to accomplish your man you carry out that mission to the finest detail and that way you'll probably stay alive and keep your men alive the center and reroutes stand at ice was your name time I told you yesterday pick up mr. seared it or not I do not expect to tell you more than what to do things do you understand that mr. CEO good what's on your rap star three ships comes over what's watching three and one was it side in Latin tree are doing tire I've got no biblical was it mean three one customer was that one what's that got three in one signifies England Scotland in WorldSkills was it also mean three one it's illegal in it yes constant okay mr. Ainsworth what happened you got dressed last night stretching it tell me no car sighs OH so what's what excuse said no car sorry you don't know hung that problems you and I'm just ratings worth don't look so worried three shoulders back okay yeah yourself sorted I hope your toes up slightly frigid degrees between the toe caps okay you sit to attention right I'm down there is shrewd strategy of footy in years to come the very lives of the sergeant instructors could be in the hands of the young men their training here say for the moment sergeant ah cracy rules demanding almost unattainable perfection the system is proven sergeant McGee Cole's survived the Falklands War and won the Military Medal in the fight for March Harriet hey there's another unique aspect of the officer's course from time to time they train with the men they're learning to command and the men are blind they don't see that if anything they're future officers get an even tougher time here who decided we do battle changes after 200 rounds on the lxw sir so would you please get down the shores and how to do a battle team w let's all get our a plaid karate song I hope my car over here but if you could demonstrating boy explanation please with red I can't suck sigh why not color Rebecca is you attended Eton that's right son yes well why don't you know if you attended II I would be able to change a battle time basically said thousands of pounds spent on your education come on happens I don't like a change of battle sir and you gone Kenya all right sit down II hope it was a good demonstration on this one when you really suppose you use the Pope release Thank You mutton place entire contents in quarter a pint of water bring the ball and simmer 5-10 minutes I can cope with that but the experience of centuries and many famous actions is to still lay into the raw Marines obsession with self-sufficiency in uncomfortable places the food may be uncanny resemblance to a dog's dinner but it is nourishing and hot-boxed our soup combat strategy is useless if officers and Marines themselves are physically under par they spend ten weeks learning to survive in Alien conditions right now that's the boring bit we've just got to wait to this upper room bubbles a bit now just done the entire Scout dose in about two hours on the fully trained adventure Scouts now Susan the two iced well they say they have to teach us all these basics and it's probably better to teach them in a relaxed pace so I'll take it in somebody if somebody drops a GUI and everybody goes out and does a bee sting that's all that one bloke who gets told off everybody is facing so it's drilled into you that you look Beach other we've put him in one so you just after after a while you try to get a natural you don't even think about it hmm you just you just start pulling together oh don't hear about them yeah all you now should have your rifle slung across your chest must carry like some handbag right cop up with a song Hey no it's gonna be really you want to do is try to get it thanks for it goes down you been camping before I see whimpers Phil Dubois cannot speak with mission basically what you're looking for is that till you put a man and officer in front of 30 Marines and he's not gonna make a fool of himself and also that he can do it's got the ability to lead to take charge he's my management's good and it can understand the marine or Battaglia he's also trying to making streetwise so that you don't get messed around because he's no it's not up to scratch the Marine will find out he'll ping him right away we gotta break him in gently it's not good shell over I mean there's butter pointing bullying some of it it doesn't learn nothing you don't achieve nothing well you probably find times when we shout at him but to shout him for no reason you're there to help them through and the pressure gets greater as they go along in each stage of training and by the time we get to the end of training you don't have to Billiam so much because the pressures on them you don't have to say anything on to shout they know if they're in the wrong in the right know like the mother are they a good bunch or I mean have you got time for them I mean you you have to have time for obviously that like them yeah you respect and provide you turn out the goods if they don't turn other goods and not given hundred percent then we respect conferred declines I say it's King Ganguly time at the moment the only thing that's missing is a big campfire a lot of funny hats and people running around saying they are Kayla thanks you a holiday the moon I shoot a little change for the worse I am available up to 8000 seven acting lifting the camera batches falling in three wrecks at your disposal sir come on Miss Karen thank you very much you stand the baddies but they're not either let's use the voice a little more Mr Cameron it's a bit pathetic give it as an order not as a whisper or a whimper to section section do join that section sir why will your drift got to tie John tell me why were you late all of the two sections why were you late shut up why no excuse on late movie front support position doubt five minutes five minutes early should have been here I know what my section ever again shamed by to section being here on time and three section being here before you and one section being to czar sit down your weapons [ __ ] mister Jim it's your knees straight sir make sure your straps are tight that a game will bang you on the edge won't it sir and make sure your equipment is done up otherwise that sort of thing happens I'm not through there sorry what's in it listen - yes why didn't you pull it through I did put it through this money son we didn't pull it through enough did you know Sonia you pull it through last thing just push them fight deadly weapon sir get on a flame so get it together don't use your soap sir so why carrot that movie which soap of you you you took this along as well so you didn't use that soap either only to be fun and it'll get you preferred which is better it's not me so I'm just saying Imperial leather as perfume start using perfume soap in the field and you start smelling like a posies earth and you can be spelt four-mile have you shaved this morning sir why not sir well there isn't any tertiary I didn't ever [ __ ] back you don't ever shave some food what are you user then a dilapidated bargain food there's a hair there so your shame in future see there yes and your shave sir get out your water bottle get out your mestan and shave now look down there sits on you don't even look down it so I generally [ __ ] in it either goes on so you look down at your bothered to pull it through because you couldn't get your like you have that time so you've been up to 6 o'clock for Sun it's quarter to 8 when you put it your son I gives you an hour Nancy Cordes get your breakfast and get your act together this one you better start learning quick sir before otherwise your active in civic see the way that way that way a polybag at all and it must be locked mold and everything else Michael Jackson is on attachment from the Barbados Defence Force he's homesick and fills the hold of Pauling Lee but he wants the green berry desperately I think you got your cold front squat position place you're waiting for the slower members of the section the ones who can't get their act together in one section dirty face is dirty razors dirty rifles dirty soap equipment snowed in polythene bag fur coats moldy just a few other things wrong with you after one night one night out in the field where you were finished by about 8 o'clock 9 o'clock and had nothing to do we will have immaculate kit immaculate rifles and you will be clean stand up that way that you see the no go it pays to be the winner the first two back don't go again with the porter for supporter pays to be a winner but you go out turn [ __ ] you go clap turn sir I used to be a window sup that turn back you go first three this time let's move it sir Bucky go sir [ __ ] you go so son [ __ ] you go more efforts required sir like you go sir Suzu [ __ ] you go more efforts required sir we know what to do tomorrow we're not standards we have to achieve Dhamma yes you'll expected of your food Wonka what was you walking mr. modest what was you walking mr. Hari Tamsin mr. Tintin person that's very kind of you get felon that is yours isn't it yes sergeant that could have been any bit of kid what could have been important yes I couldn't it could have been a map it could have been an orders book it could have been a job you was gonna have to do you would have talked you wouldn't you yes sergeant take charge of your kit sir Pelle once extra touch on let me down three times you let myself down last night you in position standstill sir you let me down last night by having a banyan in that Bibby position you let me down this morning by being a drip when you let me down by your turnout I don't enjoy doing that but I'll do it again if you ever come and down and let me down again understand me one section sorry on good daddy pick up the kid so as you all thinking's you sales girl wish I was back on the parade now I'm thinking excited let's go back doing drill a new sergeant works and you've you've all prop you up working on Saturday you wrote bonking the old young for seabirds hey let victim hey trying to find a little wife for the future nice little Sloan I'm looking for yeah you'll never get there like that a relaxed atmosphere on the surface but the pressures growing on the younger men it often do finally give up start off with it's just another picking up problem is where the 51 in difficult start off with that's when your name gets picked up then they're always looking at you so other people make mistakes and get away with them I've got my name in the head so it's almost doing what's he doing oh he's making the mess yet so we're so else can get probable to go away with a little bit better when we're doing in practice I found out car can do everything okay when we get out there lover did their nose ranges then I thought everything so as I go got picked up again it's not that I didn't know it's just doesn't what I was thinking running along and firing I wasn't thinking about the target and the drills and things more difficult I'll do they that sex murder time we've got any changes in the new in his own in the four weeks um I don't think it'll tell while you're here I think when I go out over your sour you've changed but within myself I renounce or realize you're changing I think yeah definitely that's very true I went home this weekend and I went out with my brother at night I had a few wets and he said I've changed I've got much louder and rounded it was really good to get home because uh see your friends and stuff and know that you saw away from the pressure book for a short moment oh is it as atonement how far away was you when you fired about what lady Beatrice under 80 litres don't be silent Ashby is and he was waited behind him something about two meters behind him since he's about 120 30 meters away he said I was he said if you think you're 75 meters he's nobody's you doesn't think you got to think for yourself seats must be an officer I had a look sergeant well you didn't look far enough so cuz that's nowhere near 80 meters yes sergeant is it right come on just show you we you've got to go now yes sergeant yeah you see that Hill for it yes I didn't want you run there and shout from the top some apples I apologize for not listening to your correct orders and when you're there I like knowledge and you'll come back get about it does Jim Trotman feel confident yes I do okay it ebbs and flows should we say there's still the time at quarter to 6:00 in the morning when you want to write the letter of resignation and you're scrubbing the drying room floor but that soon goes yeah I think I'll crack it because these gays will the most important to the Kohler food of abalone experience so they actually make it a little easier for you because they help you along when you fall short like this morning I was down there pumping all over the place and the guys actually had to pull things together for me because my fingers were totally numb and I couldn't use them at all I'm gonna say it through Oh sergeant ah she was telling me this morning that uh he's gonna get me through this with a griever ear well they like it or not so what I'm get through it alive or dead I would have come through with Ruth in the field you pair up into the buddy-buddy system immediately you share a bivy with somebody so you have to put that up together then when you get up in the morning you have to you wash individually and then you check the other person to see that he's got all the cam cream off and then he's clean there's all he can't see himself and you mentioned this morning it was like we ought to have Desmond Morris over to be a sort of commentator if you like a necklace but it is very much like so the hamadryas baboons playing with each other and so picking nits out of each other's back and things like that you see a little clump of troops under trees and the same way in the same way that have a dry ass baboons go in troops we move in troops as well or a what a simply marvelous analogy that is now they're not even allowed to sleep at night some are now on the verge of breaking foot but even if there's an air of Menace about it marine standards are so high that it's essential to test their fortitude to the very limits of endurance men's lives will be in their hands are you finding this because now it's getting chilly now but I'm ready to get you one hey if he devastatingly Col luggage chilly oh it's manageable I think for now cons I can't feed at all but really yeah they're completely numb hi the kid people look lost or the kid we picked up in the division this morning flora through an unclaimed it mr. Kemp take charge of it sir resection what heave in sock we're going to stay in that fight who's got the balls to clear me sandy that's to section how about effort lessons we learn I taught remember if you keep Clause up keep the step that's not prom at all is it okay well done any problems anybody just like the backs of my heels or bra blisters oh they yes sergeant don't want to say we'll get it fixed okay so it happens you won't be the person otherwise few points okay sit on the desk computer okay your boots too tight no I think it probably is badly fitting at the back along the two tags off to the front and no problem in comfort right we better you have to get down to sick bay and get to look at later thank you what should I wear to a dancing bug no but a poncho nothing to buckle you continuing on would you look even where the substitute pre-training shoe them music [ __ ] have been done for being out step because I couldn't get a full set because every time I went for a full step really hurt I was Miss John Gotti instead I'm still getting Stefan I couldn't even scent but I kept going to Noah's giving up is that is that philosophy for the the rest of it the rest of the course yeah you'd have to stop to ignore pain okay so you don't worry we'll let you go for swim as well all right happier than later all right off you go then right now better keep the Sugoi to inside got my cell ounce we just get seed in there it's not that cool but it's not call it speeded I said get up keep it all put it on now see so well done Junior okay right well scented temperate climate said admit terrified really I kind of got in the water today almost panic getting to the other side I really thought I was gonna go under it see the sergeant had to pull the rope up for me to keep me out of the water my pack my pack was fine and he absolutely plain joy and I got out the other side it was me just down right across the water like that frightens me like Barbados is hardly the ideal background for a man training for active warfare it's no longer a question of whether jackman will complete the course but how long he can survive I spent a constant struggle the call especially has been extremely difficult the training of itself has been manageable but it's a training coupled with the call that has made my life a horror you're very cold very wet just can't get drier it's the most miserable thing about it I think once you're wet then you get cold more easily freezing you describe for me in 50 words a hot bath one word heaven nobody else is wearing a towel so you won't either understand it's not raining it's perfectly nice weather to make sure this is tucked out tidally son keep still sir keep still we've got every item of clothing on the known to man Avenue sir u-turn yes indeed right the best thing you can do sir is start taking it off I want you to do is drop that pack take this off take this off take your gloves off sir okay and shout out when you've done it there's no doubting Jackman's determination but circulation problems have been confirmed by surgeon commander Ian riddle if he were wrong Marine young officer who we were expecting to go and serve in the Arctic at some stage we would not be able to allow him to continue training however under his particular circumstances he should be returning to a warmer climate and therefore it should not give him future problems but you're obviously going to monitor him very closely for now very closely indeed very closely indeed and unfortunately he will suffer considerable pain after every cold exposure but he has made the decision that he wishes to continue and I respect that decision and then what would you reaction be if you were forced because of cold weather interest to leave training I wouldn't like that very much um you've got the additional pressure of coming so far leaving Barbados coming so far everybody knowing that you are here to complete the course to get the Green Beret to go back home as well as the elite and for me to leave at such an early stage in training because we still have 30 odd weeks ago that certain early stating training will be hurt heartbreaking Michael Jackman was incapable of carrying on and returned to Barbados before it's over one in three of these men is to discover that the Royal Marines are not for him

Channel: Royal Marines

Views: 908,541

Rating: 4.8568635 out of 5

Keywords: How, to, Make, Royal, Marine, Marines, Officer, Commando, Commandos, Green, Beret, Berets, Military, Royal Navy (Armed Force), Royal Marines (Armed Force)

Id: Jv-pxrUNhmw

Length: 49min 20sec (2960 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 13 2012

Reddit Comments

[u/incertitudeindefinie]

Strictly speaking they don't have an OCS separate from the enlisted Marine training. Officer applicants pass an Admiralty Interview Board and are invited to attend training, commissioning prior to the start of training. They then complete the first 32 weeks with the enlisted candidates and earn the Beret. They then go off for another 1-1.5 years (I think) of 'young officer' development before heading to the fleet.

[u/hawaiianssmell]

When does the yelling start? They seem way too focused on training and education.

How can they ever expect to be a top-notch fighting force without spending half of their valuable training hours on fuck-fuck games?

[u/66GT350Shelby]

They have had a big focus on self discipline and motivation from the very start, much more than we do. That was the case back in the 80's when I was in. Did some stuff with the Royal Marines and their esprit de corps was incredibly high. They can drop very easily at any time with no repercussions or shame while in initial training. That weeds out a lot of malcontents fast, that we end up pushing through. The Army is the same way. They have a fair amount of bull shit like any military does, but not nearly as much as we do.

They also focused a lot on the long term in regards to enlistments. Almost every one I talked too was planning on making a career of the military. Their pay wasnt as good as ours, but pensions and retirement benefits were much better. It may have changed since, but a lot of it was tax free when I talked to them. Now this was a few decades back, and I'm sure there's been some changes since.

[u/[deleted]]

Shit I'd take that over PLC any day...