Recce, Advanced Recce Courses.

[CF_Lifer]

Can anyone give me any information on Recce, and Advanced Recce courses. Specifically, What do the courses entail, what do you need to get in (i.e time spent in a Rifle coy, other prerequesits). What material is learned on the courses, and what can you do to prep yourself for them.
Thanks Alot

Andrew

P.S I tried searching for a related topic...but nothing came up with the Right Answers.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

To get offered the intial recce course, participants tend to be senior troops that have done well in the BN.  Normally members would have 3 years or more of rifle coy time but this is not a hard and fast rule.  The course consists of map and compass work, partisan link ups, ops and of course recce patrols.  (These are off the top of my head).  The course is physically demanding and there is a lot of walking with heavy rucks through crappy terrain.  The advance course I believe you need your jacks (or the jacks course), maybe even Sgt's. and is a difficult course as well.  The specifics I'm not too sure on.

 

[portcullisguy]

In the reserves, I am going to take a stab in the dark and say that every unit is different.

In my unit, we have on the one hand a Pte with less time in than me on this summer's recce course.  And we have a Cpl with a bit more time in and who was in the recce platoon not going on the course (and he's really bitter about it).  However, the Pte is a remuster, and was in 10 years ago (and was a MCpl).  He's really switched on, comes every parade night, comes on all the ex's, and puts a lot of extra effort in.  The Cpl is a good guy, but a bit of a joker sometimes, and has missed some important ex's and parade nights.

Clearly, when the unit is thinking on who to nominate for courses like recce, they are thinking about the long term investment.

 

[Scott]

When I was in the Reserves only one of the Coy's offered the Recce course and usually gave preference to their members. That's the story I was told when I asked about it. Perhaps a Reg Force member here can step in after my next statement: I had heard back in '97 that someone from the PRes could do a Reg Force Recce course?

Cheers

 

[MJP]

I had heard back in '97 that someone from the PRes could do a Reg Force Recce course?

Pretty much any fit, trades qualified reservist can do the reg force recce course or any other PCF course for that matter.  The problem is course loading, and the unwillingness for a battalion to give up spots on a PCF course.  It is a pretty sought after course and when only 4-6 guys from each Company go on the course from the Battalion, competition for spots is fierce at times.  They could up the number of candidates but because recce is usually run in conjunction with 5 or 6 other courses qualified instructors are in short supply.  Reserve availiability is another issue, most reservists(minus the 'MO bums) are only availiable in the summer, or during certain times during the year and for the most part the Reg Force doesn't run PCF cycles during the summer because they are tasked heavily with supporting reserve BMQs, SQs and BIQs.

Last fall 3 VP ran a recce course with quite a few reserve members on it. 

 

[Scott]

Thanks MJP, again, this was seven years ago now so I don't know how much it's being done anymore. It only makes sense that you reserve spots for the reg force members and maybe offer slots to those reservists who are really switched on.

Thanks again for the info

Cheers

 

[Armymedic]

3 RCR is currently supporting a reserve recce course.

 

[MJP]

Cool I hope they get the full meal deal.  Traditionally reserves get short changed in courses and never get certain POs.  Really screws over a person when they CT.

 

[MG34]

That would be because the reserve course doesn't cover all the POs of the reg course.

 

[Armymedic]

I am not sure about what PO's they are doing, but the boys were giving them a good bout of corrective training earlier... :'(, Seems teamwork may be lacking.