Earning Your Stripes: A Soldier's First Step Up The Ranks

[@seanpassant3174]

I think Mrs McCormick nailed it, there's just something special about British military traditions. Well done to all.

[@stevea3200]

Promotion prospects depend (or at least they used to) on what your job is? I was a REME Aircraft Tech. and promotion depended on passing technical exams and "Trade Tests". MTC Courses were secondary but still essential. I enlisted at 17 in 1971, promoted to LCpl at 18, Corporal at 19, Sergeant at 23. I completed my 9 years engagement one day before my 27th birthday and went on to a long civilian CAA Aircraft Engineer career. Joining the Army was the best thing I ever did and have never regretted it since. It even resulted me receiving a tax free lump sum at 60 and a pension (AFPS 75 ).

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

Good lads. I was infantry 1978-1990. Royal Hampshire Regiment. Came top of my Potential NCO Cadre. Very proud moment. Learned so much.

[@DavidRichards-z2k]

I remember doing my JNCOs Cadre back in 77, the powers that be decided to present us with our stripes at the start to of the cadre believing it would be an incentive to work harder during the course (as if) during the cadre the stripes were removed from the individuals that were not making the grade, or if a guy couldn’t hack it, he just handed back his stripe, at the end of cadre, despite finishing a number of guys failed & these again returned their stripes. Although to be truthful it mattered not whether stripes were issued the majority of us didn’t require anymore incentive other than to make the grade. I don’t believe this measure was ever used again.

[@daviddoyle5291]

Always a proud moment when you get your stripes, remember my NCOs course very well 1975, six months of very tough work but worth it in the end.

[@British-ranmsansame]

🇯🇵The JGSDF has a similar system, but 🇬🇧👑I was glad to see the British Army's NCO training course. Thank you.

[@S-North]

I'll never get my head around 'beards in the Army.

[@nigg2811]

If trimmed they look cool. For me, it's the bushy ones that look naff.

[@colingoldthorpe5918]

No matter what they say the Brits have the best soldiers period. I did my NCO cadre at the Battalion training wing then did my JNCO at Brecon. Set me up for life, but make sure you’ve left the military at around 25 years old or you will struggle immensely in civilian life.

[@rebel1052k]

Remember my LBDR Cadre in Gaelochhead in 2014, will never forget it for the rest of my days!

[@josephmccafferty2830]

Well done, guys, a good demonstration, of why armies need good junior NCOs to fight flexibly and effectively. Something the Russians have failed to grasp. By the way, that water looked a lot more inviting than the bone-chilling stuff at CTC Lympstone. 🥶

[@bigjohn697791]

I did my Screws Cadre in Alexander Barracks (Royal Artillery) back in the day. basically a six week trashing lol.. some funny moments looking back on it not sure I learnt a lot bar delivering Orders which I never used in my career. But I was fitter by the end lol..

[@SnakePliskin762]

The velcro stripe!

[@johnnunn8688]

I wonder if Mr Late On Parade, was given a life lesson by his ‘mates’?

[@johnallen7807]

Happy days!

[@gadgetgus]

🇬🇧 Excellent effort, men! 💪🏻 Congratulations to all who passed... 🍻👏🏼👏🏼

[@johnnydiamondsmusic1673]

Did my JNCO Cadre as Infantry junior Brecon. Transferred to REME and did my Senior Cadre. It was physically much easier but difficult in other ways.

[@Pd0177]

Lance jack hardest to get easiest to lose ,💪 although it's probably different now days

[@KD-pb1ur]

still the same bro

[@abcdefs100]

Can I ask why this is? I'm not from military background so not heard this before.

[@carlyee-lim663]

Tigers lead the way.....well done Tiger 🐅 congratulations to you all ....God speed.

[@johnnunn8688]

Loved that. I’m annoyed that at the end, someone was chopping onions next to me.

[@davematthews3534]

Get in that guard room on the 22:00-06:00 stag lads!!!

[@WeAreTheUnhappyMajority]

People who don't understand, particularly our American forces friends, there's no automatic promotion because you've timed served or get your stripe in basic training. These guys are Privates who've probably served 3 - 4 years and this gets you trained up to standards of a full Corporal. This course can make or break your career as the instructors keep an eye on you and watch your performance and write a report on you. This is then referred too on and future promotions to full Corporal.

[@issimondias]

I’m always amazed when reading books about the US forces that they’ve got 21yr old Sgts, and 23yr old S/Sgts (or equivalent).

[@thomasdalton1508]

​@@issimondias Yes, it seems odd to me that NATO rank equivalencies don't seem to remotely reflect reality. How can lance corporal in the British army mean the same thing as private first class in the US army when you have people leaving basic training as a PFC but it takes years of experience and advanced training to become a LCpl? They can't possibly be doing the same job.

[@issimondias]

@ a few technical roles and the RMP give you automatic promotion to L/Cpl, but thats after months of intensive technical training. To get your first tape after a few weeks seems absurd.

[@bastogne315]

NCOs run the army the Officers decorate the christmas tree

[@Liam1991]

I'm guessing the infantry has a different JNCO cadre compared to the rest of the army. I'm in the reserve, and this looks too hardcore from what I've been told by the guys I've trained with

[@exuberance3973]

It should be the standard for the entire army

[@carlwatkiss4252]

I can remember my jnco cadre

[@MikeH401]

Me too!

[@lachlanchester8142]

Cool

[@dustinrobinson58]

When did the Rifles begin recruiting females.I served during the 90's and it was a all male regiment ?.We had a female attached but she wore her Adjutant Generals corpse beret.

[@Pd0177]

Since wokesville took over I think pal

[@jeffdoggydogj8892]

plz dont be racist

[@dustinrobinson58]

@ what are you referring too ?

[@lachlanchester8142]

@@Pd0177define woke

[@danielpodmore7475]

Women have been in the infantry for a while now, I've worked with many of them. There's literally zero difference.

[@Northernstar178]

The mess is the most exclusive club in the world🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@RomeoMike22]

Was it worth it to buy Tropical weather dress just for the pass out parade?

[@lachlanchester8142]

English?

[@RomeoMike22]

@lachlanchester8142 I must be dyslexic or something

[@danielpodmore7475]

It's issued

[@lachlanchester8142]

@@RomeoMike22 it makes sense now just your first couple of attempts didn’t make much sense 😂

[@AnimatedCardboard]

Fella is shocked that the British Army like to dress up and look smart for special occasions, THE HORROR!

[@alvin.thomas2239]

Embarrassing when I did my JNCO cadre in 1971 we were treated way worse than this

[@revanslacey]

19:12 *Warrent Officers' & Serjeants' Mess

[@S-North]

? All words are spelled correctly, including the Rifles traditional spelling of the word Serjeant using a 'J' instead of the usual 'G' as per their tradition.

[@senianns9522]

Any lad get an award for trying to 'chat up' Hebe ?

[@A.Mardle]

"You can recreate excitement but not actual fear." Our Senior NCOs were experts at creating fear... 5 minutes late for a kit check and they get the benefit of the doubt. It wouldn't have happened like that in the Royal Green Jackets - or any of the predecessor regiments.

[@Delboy3001]

3 weeks?? It used to be six!?

[@thomasdalton1508]

It was 7 weeks. Where did you get 3 from?

[@honestmcgyver]

I always thought it was cad-ray not card-a

[@issimondias]

Nope , card-a

[@thomasdalton1508]

So did it, but I've looked it up and that's the American pronunciation.

[@ranger36100]

The beards, how the standards have dropped

[@thomasdalton1508]

They haven't dropped. They've changed.

[@Abefroman-lq3md]

@@thomasdalton1508They have dropped. When some bint passes AACC, they’ve dropped. Especially when it’s been stated the Cadre were told to pass her!

[@ChalkanCheese]

I can't get around the beards.. and why are they turning up late for inspection / kit check..... you don't turn up late in phase 1.

[@darrenmillar9320]

Already in the battalion and turning up late for a kit check WTF! Standards non existent clearly!

[@darrenlegallais1974]

“Staff Sergeant”?? Come on Forces News… You should know better by now then to get his rank incorrect, and I’m sure he didn’t introduce himself as A Staff Sergeant 🤷🏻‍♂️😊

[@austinlondon3710]

Cadre or Cadré is NOT pronounced “Carda”. It is pronounced "KAH-dray".

[@thomasdalton1508]

I thought that too, but having looked it up that is the American pronunciation.

[@austinlondon3710]

@@thomasdalton1508 This is not the USA!

[@jeffdoggydogj8892]

more like 1st battalion of TRIFLES

[@Pugggle]

Trifles ..... T R I F L E S .... really?

[@MrWorldwide00]

"water was wetter back in my day"

[@toml7119]

Mate that's mega crack did you come up with that yourself?

[@Stuart-e6y]

Trifles thats original

[@garydonoghue4565]

Wow lcpl hahahaahhahahaahahahhaahaahahahahahahaha embarrassing

[@issimondias]

Would you like to explain that?

[@sprPee]

@@issimondias He's a 5 star general on call of duty show some respect

[@issimondias]

@ I’m so sorry, I bow down to his vast military experience.

[@andrewcraine7555]

Cannon fodder.

[@williammohan9784]

says the civvy who would probably be truamatized by a strong bowel movement

[@issimondias]

Or professional soldiers.