Thanks, very informative. How would you constrast the RM with the USMC? I do not just mean the rank and file but the elite USMC units.
Starting with the basics : The royal marines do not allow women into its ranks, it is purely a fighting force. They tried the Liberal 'GI Jane' s**t last year and allowed 3 women soldiers from the army (corps arms, not infantry) to take part in the all-arms commando course (a shortened Commando course run for those who already have military experience). The first woman to flake lasted 2 days, the last one to throw in the towel lasted just over a week : Point proved, and taken (by the libs). The CDO battalions are classed as elite units, but not special forces. The Royal Marine training is a lot harder physically than the USMC, and is a lot longer. The commando training course is the longest basic infantry training course in the west (if not the world) at 30 wks long. The battalions each have there recce patrols platoon, which are made up of the far more experienced marines who would have served for more than 3 yrs. These platoons are the equivalent of the USMC Force Recon units, The physical training carried out by the marines is on a par with Force recon, so they just get moved to the recce platoons, and then learn the in the troops. SBS and mountain and arctic warfare cadre traininig are more severe. The SBS is the equivalent of the SEALs, and runs a selection and training programme that is like an elongated version of BUD/S, but SBS training is a lot more diverse and regarded as a lot harder, physically. BUD/S is a lot of long runs, lack of sleep and boat work (as well as time at NAVSPECWAR), SBS selection involves daily forced speed marches (for 2 months) of about 30-40 miles, over mountainous terrain carrying anything from 55-110lbs of equipment. high seas canoeing (with 2-man kleppers), once they reach land in there 2 man teams, they disassemble the canoes, shove them on there backs and march to a RV point. The M & A W cadre are an unknown quantity. In peacetime they are a training cadre providing Mountain leader training to the forces of all NATO countries, in wartime they are deep penetration raiders and intelligence gatherers. They were the sole NATO unit tasked with recce (recon) patrols beyond the 2000 mile arc into Soviet territory, they were also tasked with sabotage and even offensive moves in Russia. During the cadre ML courses, the recruits are put under constant special forces scenarios for the entire 18 months. All those that go through the cadre (and the SBS), have to pass sniper training to finish the course.
Theres not a unit in the USMC (that I know of) that goes through the same training as the cadre or the SBS. The British, in general, are a lot harsher to recruits training for there special forces, and a lot fussier about who they let in. The policy from the DS training staff on SAS/SBS selections is one of discouragement, a case of 'you want to put yourself through this s**t, don't expect encouragement from me'. It shows in the number of those that serve in the special forces, theres only about 750 soldiers in all the British special forces.
Den