NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2009 15
for the 21st Century
offi cers and 150 international ships. It’s a big ask in terms of the
cadets every year, consists of a 28- impact on the ship.
week programme over two terms, “There is only a certain number
designed to provide them with the of capital platforms available so
necessary skills to become effective you have to either reduce the
operational leaders. number of cadets you embark or
The training package was the length of time, or increase the
reorganised to meet current needs number of hulls – and although
and from April the college reverted I’d love it to be the latter, it’s not
to taking three intakes of cadets a going to happen.”
year, instead of six. The fi rst term at Dartmouth
Multiple intakes had been includes an induction phase,
introduced in 2003 to ease the sea sense training and the Basic
fl ow out of the training system, Sea Survival Course. The basic
but the system was making sea leadership development is
training more and more diffi cult conducted within the college
to achieve. grounds before the cadets face
“Multiple entry is ineffi cient,” the tough challenge of ABLE –
explained Lt Cdr Wright. “It the Assessed Basic Leadership
breaks the learning momentum,
Exercise, which consists of four
and it meant we were running
days fending for themselves in the
six of everything – six courses on
wilds of Dartmoor.
Dartmoor instead of three, six
Lt Cdr Colin Nicklas, Enduring
passing-out parades, and so on.
Leadership Offi cer, said: “In
“In terms of planning it’s a
the fi rst term we introduce the
nightmare but the most important
principles of leadership planning
reason of all for change is that sea
and skills with a series of lectures,
training is unsustainable in its
then the cadets are set 30-minute
present guise.”
tasks which include things like
theoretical chasm crossings,
casualty rescue, or bomb
defusing.
“They have to think the problem
through, come up with a solution,
and brief their team.”
After Basic Leadership
Development, the cadets go to
Dartmoor for the much more
challenging experience of ABLE,
carrying everything they need to
survive for four days.
“The purpose of ABLE is to
assess them in a more pressurised
environment,” explained Lt Cdr
Nicklas.
“When they go to Dartmoor
the leadership tasks we set them
are much tougher – this time the
He added: “Our cadets often ● Not the Commando Challenge but a very muddy offi cer cadet during the demanding MARL exercise
rivers to be crossed are real rivers.
tell us they enjoyed MARL more
“
than they feared they would – or at
I was working in
The coaching and debriefi ng are volunteer band – and lots of other a cocktail party they will have out good people, ready to do
least the ones that pass it do.”
the Home Offi ce and
withdrawn and they have to stand outside interests. something to talk about besides their jobs. There is no doubt that
Along with all the leadership and
commuting up and down
on their own two feet and do two “It’s important for them as the Navy.” Dartmouth is the alma mater of
sea training skills the commodore
to London and doing the
tasks each. well-rounded offi cers, and also it He added: “All the feedback offi cer training.”
is keen to ensure that the college
same thing every day. At
“Mentally and physically they matters that when they are hosting we get is that we are sending
produces well-rounded offi cers
25 I wanted more out of
learn a lot about themselves. It’s
with good social skills.
life – sociability, adventure,
about being a team player and
The fi nal two weeks of training,
qualifi cations and an
having the spirit to fi ght and win.”
either just before or just after
exciting job.
He added: “The women do
the famous MARL, consist of a
The training here is very
exactly the same as the men. The
‘broadening week’ designed to
hard work but it’s diverse.
exercise is gender-neutral, unlike
widen their interests.
One minute you’re running
Army training, which seeks to be
around with logs and the
gender-fair and make allowances
The commodore explained:
next you’re in a classroom,
in terms of weight and distance.
“It’s very important that we do
so it’s varied but good fun.
“Our women carry the same
other things at Dartmouth besides
I think it makes you
weight as the men, because they
normal training, and we build in a
understand your character
carry what they need to survive,
week of broadening training.
better and gives you the
and cover the same distance. They
“We encourage them to take an
confi dence to do things. I
are an absolutely integral part of
interest in music and drama – I
didn’t realise I could run
the team.”
am currently planning to start a
around with logs and keep
He continued: “What we’re
up with 18-year-old guys.
looking for is effective intelligence
Now I know I can and it
– the ability to analyse problems
gives me more confi dence.
and solve them. The best leaders
Dartmouth is not stuffy and
ask their team for ideas, but having
not just for public school
got the ideas, it’s up to them to
people – in fact they’re
brief and motivate. They can’t
probably in a minority.
abdicate that responsibility.
I sometimes think people
“Leadership is not part of the
at Raleigh think we sit
current ethos in many schools
around drinking tea and
today and for many of our cadets
then have a nice passing-
whose exposure to the Armed
out parade. I think they
Forces or organised groups like
would be surprised if they
Scouts is very limited, it’s not
realised how tough the
something they’re used to.”
training is.
”
The fi rst term also includes
CODEX, the Command Onboard
– Lt Jenny Kedge Development EXercise. This takes
place on the former minehunter
HMS Cromer, (now renamed
Under the new system which
Hindostan) on the river below the
“
I didn’t always want to
They’re risking everything.
started in April, offi cers in training
college, and includes training in
join the RN, but I
will be sent for their ten weeks of
damage control and fi refi ghting.
always wanted to fl y. It was
sea training (called Initial Fleet
The big and much-feared
a toss-up among the three
Time) during their second term.
exercise which ultimately
services but the recruiters
The fi rst batch will be off to sea
determines whether a cadets
did a brilliant job and I
Could you give something?
in September. For the ten weeks
passes out or not is MARL – the
chose the Navy. The RAF
they are embarked they develop
Maritime Assessed Leadership
only have half the number
an understanding of how a ship
Exercise, which takes place in
of military aircraft in the
and its company work, and they
the second term after Initial Sea
skies anyway.
live alongside the junior ratings
Training.
The training was tough
to get a better understanding of
MARL is a three-and-a-half day
and emotional at times,
the people they will initially be
exercise on the river using picket
certainly on Dartmoor.
boats as ‘warships’ and whalers as
ERSKINE WEEK STARTS 1st JUNE. YOU CAN HELP BY
commanding.
The grading is incredibly
The sea training relies on
‘ship’s boats’. It sets a FOST-type
stressful, but it’s also good
scenario – the usual challenges
1. Calling 0141 814 4555 or visiting www.erskine.org.uk
having three capital ships which
fun. I would recommend it.
can each embark 48 cadets (two
of a recent hurricane, rapidly
I think the college does a 2. Sending a cheque payable to Erskine to Colonel Martin Gibson OBE DL,
divisons of 24) for ten weeks. To
destabilising area, insurgents,
very good job in keeping the
ease the pressure on the ships, medical emergencies – plus a few
balance between tradition
Chief Executive, Erskine, Bishopton PA7 5BR quoting reference PREO827.
three instructors from Dartmouth fi endish FOSTie curved balls
and the future navy. It’s not
will embark in each one. thrown in.
easy, but they seem to get
Lt Cdr Wright explained: “An If a cadet fails MARL it can
it right. The doctrine we’re
unintended consequence of the mean the end of his or her career.
taught is very much future
RN having few but more capable “Each team is given an order at
operations, but tradition
platforms is that the number of the start of the scenario and has
and heritage are important
training billets at sea is reduced. half an hour to read it, analyse it,
too. There is a defi nite core
“We virtually never get our come up with a plan and deliver
ethos – we all know we
cadets on to frigates and destroyers it,” explained Lt Cdr Nicklas.
belong to the Navy.
because their programmes are so “It tests their leadership,
fl uid. It’s always capital platforms performance as team members, – OC Teddy Thurs
”
ton,
now, and we’re talking about 48 assessment skills, and ability to trainee pilot
perform under pressure.”
Erskine is the trading name of Erskine Hospital. Scottish Charity No. SC006609
cadets embarking into capital
014-015_NN_June.indd 2 19/5/09 10:52:12
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