Two women attempt All Arms Commando Course

[Gipper]

A woman is making her third and final attempt to pass the Royal Marines commando training course.

Army captain Philippa Tattersall has failed the course twice. Candidates only get three tries.

Royal Navy surgeon Lieutenant Katy Bray is joining her in the attempt to become the first woman to hold the green beret.

Lt Bray, 26, from Cornwall and Capt Tattersall, 27, from Tarland in Aberdeenshire, are at the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre in Lympstone for what's described as the toughest course of its kind in the world, the Western Morning News reports.

The course involves assault courses, speed marching and a trek across Dartmoor in full military kit.

Capt Tattersall failed the eight-week course last May and again three months later.

The course is open to members of all three Forces and has a 55% failure rate. It has been open to women since April 1998.

If the women complete the course and are presented with the green beret, they will not be eligible to become a Royal Marines commando because the posts are closed to women, but they will be eligible for combat support roles.

Story filed: 10:56 Monday 25th March 2002

[lavbo0321]

And if they make it. Cheers to them.

[cobolt]

Next they'll be allowed to vote...

[TonyM]

I heard she passed. Is it true?

[Joe90]

Yep Captin Tatersall passed today

Well done to her not many men can do it so it is even more impresive for a woman to do it.

Joe90

[joew]

Yes congrats to her!

One thing that really pisses me off though, is that the media have been reporting it as though she has become a member of the Marines - I suppose you can argue the technicalities till the cows come home, but the Marine course IS several weeks longer than the all-Arms course. Yet another example of the papers getting it wrong when it comes to the forces

[Weekend Warrior]

Remember that the recruits course is taking civvies off the street and turning them first into soldiers and then into commandos, whereas the All Arms course takes only fully trained soldiers who've already completed phase one and phase two training.

[cobolt]

Word is she had extended times and less weight on parts of the course. I can't confirm this though.

[MEP]

what's the difference between the All Arms training and what the guys on the front lines are getting? I don't know much about the Royal Marines, but in the news reports they are saying the 9 weeks at the All Arms Training is some of the toughest in the world. So I was just wondering how tough it is.

[Bringer]

All Arms training allows one to become a Commando after they have already been trained by the Army (or RAF I guess). This entitles them to a green beret and they can now serve with the RM. However, they're not Royal Marines, they're still pongos - as was explained by a former Royal.

The 30 week Royal Marine training takes civilians and creates Royal Marine Commandos.