From Civilians to Soldiers

Each year around 13,000 young people join the British Army.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself, get a grip, pick up the carcass,

and get up this hill right now!

They will work in a variety of jobs, sheds, drivers, medics.

I've only been here a day and I miss my mum already.

I'll probably end up going home.

But first, each of them must train to be a soldier.

It's a tough process and not everyone will make it.

SHOUTS ORDERS.

I've got the form, I'm here and I don't even know if I

actually want to be here.

Over 14 weeks we follow some of the Army's newest recruits.

The mental robustness of certain individuals is not there.

On their journey from civilians to soldiers.

SHOUTS ORDERS.

For around 100 young recruits, it's their first day in the British Army.

Young man, do your top button up and do your tie up to the top.

You're here for a job interview, let's that as smart as possible.

It's a bit of shock and capture, they're all over the place, they

don't really know what is going on.

You could literally say anything to them and they would just be

like that.

Normally within the first two, three days you can tell who's going

to be hard work and who is going to be a real good guy.

You see guys who have come from all walks of life.

They really want to be here, they are keen as mustard.

And then you get other guys who are a bit like I'm not sure,

I don't know.

Everyone wants me to go in, my mum and dad.

My brother has been in for four years now.

They kind of expect me to go in.

It's going to be hard.

A lot of people have told me that they are

going to break you and that.

I don't know, I'm just going to try my best.

It's the last time they'll see their families for four weeks.

And after the emotional goodbyes it's straight to business.

I need you in shorts, T-shirt and trainers.

Then come back down with all your paperwork.

Make sure you've got no earrings in.

Take that make up off your face.

You've got two minutes, go.

Just so you look a bit smarter, that's all.

Over the next 14 weeks the new recruits will be pushed to

their limits.

But the first endurance challenge is admin.

Before you come back in you will swear an oath of allegiance to

the Queen, her heirsand successes and you're in the British Army.

If you don't want to sign, speak to myself and we will get you

away, easy is that.

Everyone stand up, please.

The oath.

I - say your name, repeat after me - swear by Almighty God this, I will

be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

I was always a little at school and things.

I needed a fresh start.

I'm quite fit so it seemed like a good opportunity.

And that I will as duty-bound, honestly and faithfully defend

Her Majesty.

My dad was in the Army and my elder brother is in the Marines.

I think my mum is a bit wary.

But they are all really supportive.

Her heirs and successes.

Against all enemies.

I always wanted to do it and thought,

I'm not getting any younger, so I might as well do it now.

Now sign your names below.

Congratulate yourselves that you have got this far.

Well done.

But now the hard work starts.

I was just working in a bar.

So not a career then?

Just for a couple of years part-time.

I moved to full-time for the past six,

I moved down to part-time, sorry, over the past six months while I'm

doing my training and stuff.

During the rest of week one the recruits get their first taste of

Army fitness, including a series of tests that they must complete before

they can pass out of training.

It made me go dizzy and everything.

I didn't like that.

I couldn't get the technique properly.

I need practice.

It's going to get harder, obviously.

But I won't give up.

I'm worried about the PTE.

I'm going to stick at it, I'm going to try anyway,

even if it does break me I'll just get back up and do it again.

Lift it!

Lift!

Come on, keep your head up.

I was a bit annoyed because I didn't get the weight that

I wanted to get for my regiment.

What do you need to lift?

20 kilograms each jerry can for 150 metres.

And I got to about 120.

You are going to have to push down that way if the ranks are here.

Push that way.

It's just the basics today.

Ladies, listen to me.

Push this way.

Left, turn!

One, two, three, one.

Stop bending at the hips!

Left, turn!

One, two, three, one!

What was that?

Louder.

Trying to get them to put one foot in front of the other is

a bit hard at the minute.

But they are getting there.

Fall out!

One, two, three, one!

Left, right, left.

Get away!

For the remaining recruits, each day brings a packed schedule.

I'm missing a fleece, Corporal.

Where has your fleece gone?

In my civilian locker.

I beg your pardon.

In my civilian locker, Corporal.

Why is a military kit in your civilian locker?

Why?

I never had time to fold it, Corporal.

Because you never had time to fold it,

so you thought I will mug her off.

The drama is, I'm asking him to do simple things,

like make a bed, put laundry in, make sure you fill in the diaires.

Seriously!

I ask you to do one thing and it was do that list on the board.

Then I had to carry this to write on there for you lot.

That's it, girls!

Right now you've got me raging!

They choose not to do that.

They are choosing to spend their whole time down the Naafi

eating pizzas, watching films.

Mr nice guy is not coming back!

There is a fleece missing, there should be two fleeces there.

But as I came in this morning I realised that the two of them

weren't matching, so I never had time to make the two of them match.

I took it out.

Next, a skill-at-arms lesson.

Before it's back to the gym for battle physical training.

But having injured her knee on a run earlier in the week,

Becky is unable to take part.

It has taken me two years to get where I am now, and I've got this

far, I'm here, and I don't even know if I actually want to be here.

But then I don't want to go home and then let other people down.

But I don't want to stay here for their sake, if you get me.

After a quick bit of food and having failed their inspections

this morning the recruits don't have long before it reinspection.

Who's been kissing the bloody mirrors?

Someone has taken one out there.

And the corporals have got wind of Facebook messages being sent

between the male and female troops.

Five, four, three!

The floor has not been hoovered.

But we can find time to fraternise with the female troupe.

You were told no fraternisation because it would bring the army

into disrepute.

Sort yourself out.

You are starting to do my net in.

I just went in there now and looking around there is a 100% improvement

from when I went in there earlier.

I will find something else.

That is not me being a knob, that is me making them work

as a team and making them realise how good they can be.

There is about an inch of dust all the way along

the back of this skirting board.

That's the best I've ever seen it on a second re-show ever.

After a tough week of training, the female troop have been rewarded

with a trip to the Tower of London.

Oh my God, it was just so nice to wake up and be normal.

I feel like I'm being dressed up for a wedding, even though I used to

get up and get like this every day.

I've enjoyed it so far.

The last couple of days that were getting me down through my knee

injury and that, I don't know, I don't know, I was just having

a couple of days where I thought I don't know if it's for me.

But these last couple of days I've woken up feeling differently again.

The recruits get two weeks off for some leave, but

after a fortnight unwinding it's straight back to Army life.

At the double!

Advance!

With varying levels of enthusiasm.

En garde!

Where is your aggression, girls?

I think it's just the shock of coming back and getting used to

getting into it again.

Advance!

It sort of teaches them how to use controlled aggression.

They might have to do it one day, so it also puts a bit

of realism into it.

SHOUTING

Dreading it.

I'm really tired but I should be fine.

The recruits are arriving on site for their first-ever exercise.

But Becky's knee injury means she can't take part.

I just feel dead depressed.

It wasn't even that knee.

I feel like I'm letting loads of people down.

Who do you feel you are letting down?

The other girls, my Sergeant.

I don't know if I can even get back to it.

I will probably just try and get in in the next couple of years.

I don't know, I don't know what I want to do.

After a quick demo to show how dangerous it can blank ammunition

can be without the proper safety attachment on their rifles,

its straight to work building their base for the next two nights.

We are just making a hole, basically,

to sit in when we've got stag, which is when we are just on lookout

to make sure no one is intruding on the harbour area which is where

we all sleep and all our kit is.

There is three people on stag all the time, and you just keep watch

of your side, kind of thing.

If anything happens you let everyone know.

But it is pretty much just sitting here until somebody comes here

and replaces.

It's pretty hellish to be honest.

Trying to keep yourself warm, trying to keep yourself alert.

Because, obviously if your energy levels drop then obviously your

self motivation goes at the same time that everything else goes.

It is physically demanding and we have another task ahead of us.

This is the first time they've been in the field properly.

They've built up a defensive position and each access

point has a sentry location.

I think it's a bit of a shock to the system for most of them.

They'll get there in the end.

Sentry Duty continues on a rotor throughout the night before

a rude awakening in the morning.

EXPLETIVE-LADEN RANT

Did you do this part?

Yes, I washed it.

You washed it off after?

I brushed it off after.

Did you oil your weapon?

Some of it, Sergeant.

Did you oil your weapon?

Some of it.

Which bit?

The bolt and the spring.

No you didn't.

I have, I sprayed it.

Back on camp and the respirator confidence test is

a rite of passage for all recruits.

As soon as you remove your gas mask it hurt my eyes.

I was instantly trying to close them but then you have to open them to

make eye contact with your corporal.

I am 30138, a recruit who is aspiring to join

the Royal Logistical Corps.

I'm a driver and communication specialist.

Corporal.

Corporal.

Off you go.

Come towards me.

Stevie picked up a toe injury on exercise and now both her and

Becky are in the medical centre.

We feel a bit better about it because we are together.

If she wasn't there, if I wasn't there

and she wasn't there I think we would have both considered leaving.

If that makes sense.

It's just nice having someone there that I know.

Injuries happen fairly often in training, and Courtney has

experienced how hard it can be.

I got to week four of training, ended up with pain in my back,

went to see the doctor, she said I had an abscess.

It turned out I had to have surgery and got put back to week one

in the troop.

So that was hard.

Back on the drill square, its test day.

You are looking really smart.

Well done.

What size are your feet?

These are a size five, ma'am.

Change step!

They must pass to progress with their training.

We've put in a lot of hard work, the training team have put

in a lot of hard work into them.

So I'm pleased with today.

So far so good.

Change step!

Quick march!

Let's go!

Stop feeling sorry for yourself, get a grip, get this carcass

and get up this hill right now!

Just a few hundred metres into a 5 kilometre tab through

the woods, Courtney has fallen over.

The rest of the troop carry on.

Despite wanting to catch up she's banged her head, so Courtney will be

taken straight to the medical centre for a checkup.

She's given the all clear bit later, but the others have to impress.

The girls put in the most atrocious performance

I've ever seen in my Army career.

The mental robustness of certain individuals is not there.

And at the end of the day you are starting to see who

wants to be here and who doesn't.

The majority of them can't be arsed.

The Major is the squadron's Officer Commanding.

Good morning.

She's the most senior officer that the recruits will be inspected by.

Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning.

I'll follow you around.

Thank you very much.

Chill out.

Yes, ma'am.

How are you finding things?

Good, ma'am, I enjoy it, ma'am.

All of it?

Yes, ma'am.

Which part?

I'm not sure, ma'am.

What have you done to him?

You're not supposed to like it all.

It's all a learning curve.

Have you programmed him?

Yeah!

Who are these people?

Most of them are me, some of them are girls from the

section and a family photo there.

Are they coming down for families day?

Yes, ma'am.

They will be here on Thursday.

Fantastic.

All previous inspections have been building up to passing this one,

and for most of the recruits all goes well.

Good, let's see what is going on in here.

But the training team have some concerns about Liam.

He's been falling short, he's been spoken to numerous times.

Have I told you to brief the guys about sentry? No.

It just goes...

Listen.

But he takes it on and then doesn't make the appropriate adjustments.

At the halfway point in training it's families day.

It's also the day recruits get presented with a cap badge for the

regiment they are aspiring to join.

I did 25 years in the Army.

I know what she's going through because I've been there.

I can give her a bit more support than month because

I've been there and done it.

They are back on exercise, practising fire and movement.

Having developed back pain overnight, Max has been reduced

to playing the part of the enemy.

Apply your safety catches and address into me.

I was on the stag and it was just agony.

They just gave me light duties for the day so I'm not carrying any kit

at the moment but hopefully I'll get it back in a minute because I want

to be involved with all of this.

Prepare to move!

Move!

Stoppage!

Do it on the move!

Stop!

Close in!

Why do you think I stopped you?

Because we stopped.

Yes, exactly.

Have a think about what you're doing, come back

with a better approach, otherwise it's going to be bye bye for you.

It's been a long couple of weeks to be honest.

The day of the inspection, there was a bit of a mix-up in communication

between the lads and the Corporal.

Basically, a bit of my frustration came out and I said

something I shouldn't have said.

One of the section commanders warned me for it.

What did you say?

Once I thought the Corporal had left the room I

swore so I got a bit of a EXPLETIVE for that and got put on a warning.

The recruits now have a week of non-military adventure training

in Wales, including climbing, canoeing and caving.

Each activity is designed to push them beyond their comfort zone.

For Liam caving is the big test.

What's the matter?

Of course you do, you stand up, or try and keep going down.

I'm claustrophobic so I just had to get through it,

just not think about it.

For me that's the biggest challenge I've ever done

because I've been claustrophobic since I was a wee boy.

I couldn't stand confined spaces or confined rooms,

or anything like that.

So it's a massive achievement from my point of view.

It's the final exercise.

Time to put into practice everything that has

been taught in the last 13 weeks.

Just carry on the routine with these on.

OK?

If you need to drink do your drinking drill.

If you need to eat, do your eating drill, OK?

And all that good stuff.

Any questions?

No.

Disappear.

Sort it out.

I can't breathe whatsoever in them.

It's awful, isn't it?

I remember when we had to go on the patrol and walking back up the hill

you can't even breathe whatsoever.

I don't know if I can cope with keeping that on.

The location has been compromised.

They now have to move location, so they are closing down as quickly

and as quietly as they can to move.

It's been five days since the recruits had a shower,

a proper night's sleep, or ate food not from a ration pack.

And moving camp in complete darkness is one

of the many tasks designed to push them both mentally and physically.

Fatigued after a fifth night in the field of the final attack

sees them storm two enemy bases led by their instructors.

Get in!

Straight in!

Close him down!

That's it!

It's a good start for Courtney.

But in the male troop, Max is struggling with a jammed rifle.

GUNFIRE

The females are advancing on the second base.

And having crawled up close unnoticed,

it's Courtney's job to throw a grenade into the enemy position.

Do you know what you've just done?

You killed the pair of us.

I didn't put enough power in to get it, so it hit a tree

and then killed me.

LAUGHTER

It's not funny really, but practice and then I might not

make that mistake again.

Despite the blunder they must carry on.

Cover!

Cover.

Get him on the stretcher now!

Come on, girls, get it changed.

They need to evacuate a casualty on a makeshift stretcher,

before switching to a dummy and finishing the exercise with

a gruelling stretcher race.

It's physically hard for everybody.

This person is dying here.

They are attacking two in-depth positions.

They are going up over a hill.

Twice.

They've then got to do the best part of two miles on a stretcher.

When the girls are carrying half their own body weight

it's going to be difficult.

I suggest you get a rocket up your EXPLETIVE.

Everything you've got, let's go!

There is the end, come on!

Place it down.

You did it.

Don't shake your heads.

Be proud, you did it.

I'm so happy it's done.

Everyone needed to just work together a bit more, if that makes

sense, because it was always the same people on the stretcher.

It was tough.

Across-the-board, yeah, it was all right.

I think the girls have got the basics and they've done what I

asked, but they could have done more.

We all smell and we've all got a bit fed up of each other.

It's been a long six days.

The teaching is over.

CHEERING

Of the recruits that started 14 weeks

ago, those who've been successful are about to pass out

of their phase one army training.

It's not what I expected, to be fair.

I expected, if I'm completely honest, not to be here now.

I was so nervous on that first day.

I was a bit apprehensive about what was going to happen.

It's been good.

It's been a good experience.

It definitely changes you for the better.

I would have ended up staying as I was, overweight and

not happy, really.

For Stevie it's tough seeing her original troop leave.

Proper emotional, it's horrible.

I think it will be better when they go so I don't have to see them.

I'm having an operation but it should be completely fine

after that.

Another recruit not passing out today is Liam.

My attitude wasn't as good as it could have been.

A couple of discipline problems.

I had a bit of an altercation with another lad on my last trip.

Basically, the Army is going to be my life.

I'd like to do more than four years, hopefully 20 odd years.

I'm still not that strong.

That's what I say to recruits who I see now when they are shaking

about and saying I'm going to fail.

I'm like, if I can do it he can do it, kind of thing.

Good

Good evening.

Good evening. A

Good evening. A miserable

Good evening. A miserable weekend

Good evening. A miserable weekend in