The Mountain Leader Class 2 (ML2) course is open junior officers of the Royal Marines and other ranks who have passed their Junior Command Course i.e. have been promoted to corporal or soon will be. All will have of course passed the Commando tests in their initial period of training (about 15 months for officers, half that for other ranks), and many will have gone on to gain other qualifications, like sniping, anti-tanks or mortars.
ML2 training takes about eight months and is considered some of the toughest in the British military. The course starts in September and the first week is spent on the selection phase, at Stonehouse Barracks in Plymouth. Those who are accepted go on to a couple of weeks of climbing in Cornwall, especially on cliffs, and including free climbing (without ropes) at night.
Candidates often spend 12 hours a day climbing at this stage. In October the course moves to Wales, for practice in climbing larger mountains. This month also sees the survival course on the Isle of Islay, off the west coast of Scotland, and the first period of resistance to interrogation (RTI) training.
In November the candidates begin to combine mountain work with patrolling and raiding. December sees more climbing and preparation for the next phase in northern Norway. Shortly after Christmas the course moves to the rugged and freezing terrain of this area. Here the initial emphasis is on snow and ice climbing techniques and Arctic survival and navigation. Although all candidates would have gone through Arctic Survival and Arctic Warfare training during previous service in Norway, they are now also learning how to instruct on these courses.
Candidates could now probably find themselves more often than not 10 000 feet (3000m) up in the mountains, with the temperature dropping to -40 F at night (including wind chill factor ). In February it is time for long distance skiing under the supervision of Norwegian Army instructors. All candidates must qualify as Military Ski Instructors.
Before the final exercise in March they are given seven days to prepare. The eleven-day exercise itself involves the four-man patrols ski-marching and climbing up to 40km a day, to carry out a close target reconnaissance and attack and then exfiltration to friendly territory. They will have covered about 300km by this time. All are eventually " captured " and go through the second RTI period. The course ends in April with 3 weeks of pathfinding on Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland. The pass rate is sometimes as low as 20%.
After qualifying most ML2s will return to duty with a Commando, some will be attached to Army units and a few might join the Recce Troop. Every sub-unit in 3 Commando Brigade of company, battery or squadron size has a Mountain Leader( usually a corporal ) attached, who is responsible for mountain and arctic warfare training. MLs are also highly sought after to provide the leadership in each Commando's own Reconnaissance Troop.
NCOs may now wear the branch Specialist Qualification badge, " ML " surrounded by a wreath. This is worn on the left cuff of No.1 Dress (" blues") and Lovat service dress (" greens "). RM officers do not wear SQ badges.
Corporals wishing to gain promotion to sergeant in the branch must pass the ML1 course. Officers are not considered to have time to attend this course. Prospective ML1s must have passed the Senior Command Course at Lympstone. They begin their training in September by instructing the early part of the ML2 course.
They also go to Wales, to improve their own standards in climbing. In November they are detached to Commando units for assessment as instructors by qualified ML1s. This continues the next month with preparation for 3 Commando Brigade's annual Norwegian exercise. January and February are spent in Norway itself, with the candidates training the members of their units, especially those new to the brigade, in arctic warfare and survival, and generally assisting in the exercises.
In March they join the ML2 course for the final exercise, mainly as patrol commanders. ML1 candidates continue on to Ben Nevis for practice in route selection and navigation. On completion of the course ML1s will be able to wear two stars above the SQ badge. Most become members of the permanent ML cadre.
I was with 45 at Condor 30 yrs ago, it gladdens my heart to see the quality of leadership has not changed over the years.It remains to-day as it did then, piss poor.