Originally posted by Gedanken:
OK, I think I may have to speak my peace here.
Of late, I've been seeing a fair bit of posting by a few fellows who appear to be heading for BMT with the Commandos, and they're getting rather excited by it - well and good.
However, there's a line to be drawn between being excited and being obnoxious. I'm saying this not only because of the silly and totally unnecessary arguments that have been clogging the forum of late, but because this attitude does not serve the new recruits any good. I specifically use the term "new recruits" instead of "Commandos-to-be " because it's far from a done deal - there really is no need to talk until after you've gotten the beret.
My message is to these new recruits. If you choose to think that this old fogey doesn't know what he's talking about, feel free to do so. I'm not here to say this to make myself feel good, because I've proven all I've needed to prove in 1 CDO. I'm saying this because I want to see our boys make it to the beret and maybe take it as a real growing experience.
Once you get in there, the first thing you're going to find out is that it's all about working as a team. If you're going to go in there thinking that you're either Rambo or George Patton, you're off to a very bad start. I've seen plenty of guys like that come and go, and very few of them made it to the beret. Those few who made it to the beret finished their service with the worst of memories.
One of the most famous quotes from the Special Boat Squadron in World War 2 goes: "You think you're tough? If so, get out - I want f***ers with brains". Right now you lads are acting in a particularly unintelligent manner, and if you want to be Commandos, you're going about it in the wrong way entirely.
On this forum, the one guy I would say fits the mould of a real Commando is WRX_STi - he recently passed out with his beret as a section commander. Before he started BMT, he didn't make any noise about going in, and discreetly asked me a few question about what to expect when he got there. Over the course of his training, I chatted with him a few times to find out how he was going, and he conducted himself quietly with the highest levels of dignity and honour, doing his job and helping his mates whenever he could. I wasn't at all surprised when he told me he had been selected to be a section leader. Now there's a guy I'd happily go on a mission with, because I know he'd be doing his job instead of jerking off and leaving my back uncovered.
Being a Commando is not about being tough - there are plenty of men from other units who are tougher, faster and stronger (in particular I take my hat off to the Engineers). Being a Commando is about being professional and being smart. The nature of the missions is such that some days you have to play it like a prizefighter and other days like a cardsharp, and you have to be smart enough to make the right choice that decides between success and failure.
The only way you're going to do that is to take in information and determine what to do on the basis of that information - don't fight your way through something if you can think your way through it. In turn, you're not going to take in a whole lot of information if you're busy gobbing off.
Bottom line: if you want to be a Commando, focus on being smart and professional - keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut.
As I said, you new boys may choose to disregard the words of an old fogey and instead choose to do things your own way - you're entirely entitled to that. In any case, I wish you the best of luck, and maybe I'll see you after you've gotten the beret.
